Final Awana Club Celebration Night (and VBS Team meeting)!

This Wednesday night we celebrate the end of an INCREDIBLE Awana club year! Don't let your kids miss out on the fun that their leaders have prepared for them... and they don't even have to work on their handbooks!!

Also, if you are helping us out with VBS this summer, please don't forget to join us for the VBS Team meeting at the same time on Wednesday night in the church library! We'll be going over how VBS will run and specific duties for all the different positions volunteers will be filling. Bring your questions and be here by 6:30pm!

Recognizing Foolishness

One of the greatest sources of sibling conflict is foolishness. Children often don't recognize the future consequences of their present actions. Billy trips his younger sister. Karen teases her brother until he cries. These are examples of children not anticipating the consequences of their actions.

Foolishness is one of the three roadblocks to sibling harmony. Honor offers the solution. Honor teaches wisdom in relationships

One of the ways that you can recognize foolishness is to listen for the flags. Excuses like, "I was just kidding" or "I didn't mean it" or "I was just playing around" or "I didn't do anything wrong" are all cues that a child is not taking responsibility for foolish behavior. Children often evaluate life in terms of black and white and when they do something foolish the behavior may not have been wrong. These children don't recognize that a good behavior can sometimes be wrong because it leads to something bad.

The first solution is to help children learn to take responsibility for their part of the problem. This is hard for many children who view mistakes as a sign of weakness. Help children take responsibility for foolishness and you will go a long way to teach them about wisdom.

You might ask, "What could you have done differently to avoid this problem?" This question helps children look at an offense a little differently. Instead of evaluating it based on right or wrong, now the behavior is judged based on its foresight and wisdom.

Of course the solution for foolishness is to help children learn wisdom. You want to help them anticipate the consequences of their actions. Tell stories of people who didn't see what was coming. And of course pray with your children because God says in James 1:5, "If you lack wisdom, ask God."

This tip comes from the book Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in You and Your Kids, by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

Graduation/Awards Sunday!

This Sunday we honor our graduates and give out Awana club awards so don't let your kids miss out on this important weekend, especially if they've completed a book this year or if they are graduating from one level to the next. We will honor our pre-school graduates going from the Animal Kingdom Nurseries into the CW Playhouse & Awana. We will also honor our C.H.R.I.S.T. WORKS Graduates going into SWAT! Of course, Pastor Nick will be honoring his High School graduates and any college grads as well. We will also be giving out clubber of the year awards for Awana to the kid in each club who had near perfect attendance and earned the most total points for the entire year.

So we hope you'll join us for this extra special family service. Pastor Nick will be bringing the commencement message!

ALSO: This Sunday begins VBS pre-registration for the kids. Stop by our table in the foyer and sign your kids up.

Firmness with Relationship

Children and parents should be friends, but don't let that desire weaken your limit-setting. One mom of three teens said, "I used to feel bad when I had to say 'No' because I thought they'd be mad at me. Now I've learned to make a decision and enforce it because it's the right thing to do. They may get angry, but I have to do it because I'm their mom. After they settle down, they know I did it for their own good."

Firmness doesn't need to be cold and distant. Eye contact, gentle words, and extra time can add a personal touch to parenting that helps children feel valued. Putting your hand on your son's shoulder, calling your daughter close to give an instruction, addressing a child by name, and speaking softly are all ways to show children that they're important. Children are not possessions to order around with harshness—they're treasures to treat with honor. Sometimes we have to respond, "I'm sorry but I have to say no."

Nagging and harshness, are relationship-damaging patterns and require retraining of both children and parents. Children must learn to respond to different cues, and parents must learn other habits of giving instructions or warnings. Changing habits is not easy and requires self-discipline, courage, and humility. The work, though, provides parents with one of the skills that demonstrates honor-based parenting."

This tip comes from the book Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in You and Your Kids, by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

Last Official Awana Club Night for Passing Book Sections!

Tomorrow is the last REGULAR club night for Awana!! It's the LAST CHANCE to get checked off in books before our big Award/Graduation service this upcoming Sunday! So encourage your kids to work extra hard tonight and tomorrow to finish up their books for the year and we'll see them tomorrow night at 6:30 ready to go!

NEXT WEEK IS THE ACTUAL LAST NIGHT OF AWANA, BUT THERE WILL BE NO HANDBOOK TIME!

Ugly Tie Decorating Time! Have your kids started yet?

Don't forget to help your kids find an old tie and start decorating it for display starting June 12th! This will be our next BGMC fundraiser. As always, we will display each tie with a buddy barrel and encourage people to vote for their favorite tie by putting money in the barrel. The tie that makes the most money will be worn by Pastor Kevin on July 3rd when he preaches in adult service! The other pastors will showcase top money-making ties as well, so encourage your kids to get started on designing their BGMC tie and turn them in by family week here at the church.

REMEMBER: Please don't make the ties messy on clothes and remember to pre-tie them BEFORE you decorate them!

A History Lesson on the Washington Monument (As Memorial Day Approaches)

LAUS DEO

Do you know what it means?

One detail that is never mentioned is that in Washington, D.C., there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument.

With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this amazing historical information.

On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington , D.C.., are displayed two words: Laus Deo.

No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.

These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.

So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say 'Praise be to God!'

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States , it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo 'Praise be to God!'

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant - a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north, the Jefferson Memorial to the south, the Capitol to the east, and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.

Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message.

• On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore ;
• on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians;
• on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy 'One Nation, Under God.'

When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of 'Laus Deo ', its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: 'Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.' (Psalm 127: 1)

Special Family Service at the Lakefront Band Shell THIS SUNDAY!

NO CW PLAYHOUSE (KIDS CHURCH) THIS SUNDAY!

SPECIAL FAMILY SERVICE WITH THE VINE AT THE LAKE FRONT!

HOTDOGS AND CHIPS AFTERWARD!

INVITE SOME FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO HEAR DEAN NIFORATOS!

2 Weeks of Awana left! Finish those books!

There are only 2 club nights left in the year before our big awards and graduation service next Sunday! So help your kids to push that little extra if they are close to finishing their book. We want to see as many kids as possible receive book awards next Sunday! In fact, if your child is close and committed to making it, you might want to give Aimee a heads-up on that when you check the kids in tonight so she knows to order their award. We have to put in the order tomorrow in order to receive them on time. So don't quit now. The finish line is in sight!

AWANA Spring Theme Night!

Tonight we will be giving extra points to kids who are dressed in Spring colors and patterns! So remind them to dig out those bright pastels and flowers. Yes, this one will appeal more to the girls, but the boys can at least wear some bright colors and still be manly or at least "boyly." The fun begins at 6:30pm as always. See you then!

Encouraging Moments

Kids have a way of speaking words of encouragement that create heart moments in a parent that are more significant than those children ever imagined. And God knows that we need that kind of support. Parenting is hard work, and hope is a cherished commodity that keeps parents moving forward when they feel like things are falling apart either in themselves or in their kids.

Children also have the ability to turn the things parents teach them into lessons for others, including you. On the one hand, it’s quite encouraging to see that your child is getting it, but on the other hand, it can be difficult to receive a rebuke from your child. Children have an uncanny way of sensing truth and proclaiming it. Maybe that's why God likens our own spiritual growth to be like a child growing up.

Even though parents are always learning and growing, understanding God's grace in its various forms is a challenge for even the most mature person. God uses hardship and trials to develop the character in a person's life. Romans 5:3-4 says, "Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." The struggles parents face within themselves and with their children are part of God's refining process.

God has many ways of sending parents messages of hope. They sometimes come through a scripture passage or a pastor's message. A husband or wife can be a great source of encouragement in family life, but there's something about God's use of a child that has the ability to go straight to your heart. It's those moments that parents can look back on and cherish during the difficult times.

This parenting tip comes from the book Family Heart Moments, True and Inspiring Stories by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

C.O.R.E. COMPLETED! 5 month focus on Core Values comes to an end.

Yesterday, we completed our 5 month focus on the Prayer House Core Values in kids church!

With the Bandshell service this coming Sunday and a special Graduation/Awards ceremony the following week, our C.O.R.E. series came to an end a bit early but it's been a grand run! For our final lesson, we surprised the kids with a final visit from P.K. Baracus of the J-Team since his commando specialty is Souls! P.K. helped Chuck Foo's student, Jen Soo with some tips on witnessing to even the meanest of people like a bully in her Martial Arts class.

The kids also saw how God works in the lives of some of the worst sinners through the life of Joseph and his brothers. Then we ended the service by praying for salvation and by praying for the meanest individuals we could think of in our lives and trusting God to use us to reach even them!

We hope you'll encourage your kids to invite their friends to the Band Shell this coming Sunday and that God will use your family to reach the lost in your neighborhood and sphere of influence! Let's glorify God and reach his precious children... even the mean ones who need Him most!

See you, next month as we finish out the life of Joseph and move into Exodus with Cookie, the Wagon-Train chef! More coming on that in upcoming weeks...

Some Tips for Helping Kids Deal with Anger

Anger damages relationships. We help parents every week in our office deal with anger in their families. Here are several guidelines we've found helpful for anger management in a home. When parents and kids work on these things, anger episodes are reduced. Make these a regular part of your routine and you'll see tremendous progress.

1. Never argue with children who are angry. Have them take a break and continue the conversation later.

2. Identify the anger cues that reveal your child is about to lose control. Point them out early and stop the interaction. Don’t wait for explosions before you intervene.

3. Help children recognize anger in its various disguises like a bad attitude, grumbling, glaring, or a harsh tone of voice.

4. Debrief after the child has settled down. Talk about how to handle the situation differently next time.

5. Teach children constructive responses. They could get help, talk about it, or walk away. These kinds of suggestions help children to have a plan for what they should do, not just what they shouldn't do.

6. When angry words or actions hurt others, individuals should apologize and seek forgiveness.

By doing these things you will teach your children to do what James 1:19 says, "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

This tip comes from the chapter on sibling conflict in the book, Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, In You and Your Kids by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

10 Things to Teach Your Son about True Manhood

OK, for whatever reason, this article doesn't want to format properly, so here is the original link to the All Pro Dad website:

http://www.allprodad.com/top10/parenting/10-things-to-teach-your-son-about-true-manhood

Our culture (especially “pop-culture”) is, typically, dead wrong about this topic!Check out the role models readily available to kids today: The Internet, movies, television, music, magazines, the sports world and politics. There’s a huge pile of information available and “ideals” presented, but precious little that’s much short of flat-out harmful.



So let’s not leave this one to chance, dads. Be all over this list, think about what it means to engage “True Manhood”, and let’s begin to take responsibility for what Junior is exposed to.



You are the # 1 role model for your child! Like it or not, it’s a fact, and there’s not much you can do except make sure you’re the best. Living manhood out loud is one of our primary responsibilities as dads. Seriously, there’s a lot that can be done, and kids with proactive dads are going to be head and shoulders ahead.

For starters, here’s All Pro Dad’s list of 10 things to teach your son about true manhood.

1. Being a gentleman is still worth the effort:



- Hold the door.


- Stand up when a woman leaves or joins the table.


- Walk on the “splash” side of the sidewalk.


- Attempt (gently) to pick up the tab.


- Go get the car when it’s raining.


- Offer your hand…

2. At the same time, be respectful: All the above “gentlemanly” actions must be offered subtly, and - if necessary - set aside graciously when refused.

3. Take responsibility: In a word (well, two), “step up.” True manhood takes responsibility for its actions, choices, values and beliefs. And – while taking responsibility, manhood is also willing to admit – with grace - when it is wrong.

4. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable: Real strength allows other people in. Manhood is honest about feelings and not afraid to be known. True manhood never builds a wall where there should be a window, or a fortress where there should be a sanctuary.

5. Actually “being” a man is more important than “talking” like one: Real men don’t just stand up and speak up - they “put up” too. Loud talk and tough posturing don’t cut it. True manhood involves finding a need and doing something about it. Real men don’t complain about social problems – they go out and do something about them. Real men don’t point fingers – they work for solutions. Real men get calluses on their hands – not from flapping their lips.

6. Listen respectfully, disagree politely and never exclude women from conversation: True manhood is inclusive. It may be strong, but it’s unfailingly polite. Men who equate bluster or machismo with strength are typically covering something up. Men who think women have nothing to contribute to the conversation need to wake up and smell the 21^st Century.

7. Love is stronger than muscles: True manhood understands that brute force is less compelling than self-giving love. The best solutions to difficulties involved applied love.

8. The first shall be last: True manhood puts others first. Jesus is quoted more than once as saying something like this: If you want to be a leader, then the place to be is on your knees, with a towel in your hand, washing someone’s feet.

9. Manhood is – sometimes - more about what you could do but didn’t than what you could have avoided but did anyway: There’s a lot of restraint – a great deal of “Quiet Strength” in true manhood. Real men tend to always have something in reserve.

10. True manhood is more about giving than about getting: Our culture often touts a “men see what they want, then they go out and get it” view of manhood. But true manhood is more along the lines of “see what the world needs, then go out and do it.” Strength leveraged for the benefit of others.