March 30th, 2014 (5th Sunday) "Give Away Your Life"

Kids PM Time Schedule (4pm-6:30pm)

4-4:45 Prep

4:45 Meet & Greet/Centers

5:05 Sing a song to gather for worship

5:07 Mark off days on our Lent Calendar
5:10 Worship with Song & Dance

5:20 Pass the Peace and Go around

5:25 Solidarity Prayer

5:30 Ages 3-5 go to Snack & and then outside

for Art Making & Game Centers.

Ages 6-10 sit for Snack/Readings & Dialogue

5:50  Ages 6-10 join Art Making & Game Centers.

Center Time (Games, Building, Books, Art Center):

These do not necessarily need to be connected to the theme of the evening. Rather than have each center totally wide open, select a few things you would like the kids to play with. If they want to swap out for a new activity, they must first clean up the old one. Give kids a heads up to let them know what time they will be called to gather for worship.

If you want, check out some of our links for coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

Gathering Time suggestions: Think of a fun way to round up the kids (sing a song, clap your hands in a call and response, flash the lights). Show and tell kids how and where to gather.

Lent Countdown Calendar: For Lent we'll be using our countdown calendar to help the kids understand how we are moving through the season. Cross off the days leading up to your day, and then ask the kids if they've done anything in their own families to celebrate lent. (Lauren will provide)

Music Suggestions:  You can find links to our new COH albums and COH music log to the right on this blog.

Pass the Peace & Go around suggestions: Take a moment to have kids pass the peace to each other. Maybe think of a fun way for kids to do that (high five, elbow bumps, etc.). Ask a simple, fun question to help them settle in.

Solidarity Prayer: Each week of Lent, MCC is posting sounds of prayer and worship from around the world. "This week, we bring you a Ukrainian reading of the Lord’s prayer – a prayer that links Christian communities and traditions around the world."-MCC website

Click HERE for the full link. 

Reading & Dialogue Suggestions:

As we head towards the season of Lent, lets look at the life of Jesus. Ask the kids to recap what they remember from last week, you may want to refresh yourself as well. Today we are reading  Luke 6:24-42

Remember that our job is simply to create a safe space for dialogue. Some fun ways to do this are by:

• having them take turns drawing parts of the story as you read the sections to them.
• having them act out the story, or creating a song about the story. 
• having or creating props or visual aides. 

Suggested dialogue questions: Can you think of a time when you ________? What are some ways we can remember to ________ this week?

Art Making/Process Suggestions: This season we're trying to find different Lenten traditions from each country or region that we are praying for. Lets make some awesome paper mosaics, similar to the clay ones we find in Iraq's mosques! Click HERE for how to make them. 

• Have a finished sample ready so that you know the project works. Have it out on display on a table with the materials set up under a cloth or blanket, to get kids excited about what is to come.) 
• If you want, check out some of our links in our side bar, and search for more coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

March 23rd, 2014 "Invitation to a Changed Life"

Kids PM Time Schedule (4pm-6:30pm)

4-4:45 Prep

4:45 Meet & Greet/Centers

5:05 Sing a song to gather for worship

5:07 Mark off days on our Lent Calendar
5:10 Worship with Song & Dance

5:20 Pass the Peace and Go around

5:25 Solidarity Prayer

5:30 Ages 3-5 go to Snack & and then outside

for Art Making & Game Centers.

Ages 6-10 sit for Snack/Readings & Dialogue

5:50  Ages 6-10 join Art Making & Game Centers.

Center Time (Games, Building, Books, Art Center):

These do not necessarily need to be connected to the theme of the evening. Rather than have each center totally wide open, select a few things you would like the kids to play with. If they want to swap out for a new activity, they must first clean up the old one. Give kids a heads up to let them know what time they will be called to gather for worship.

If you want, check out some of our links for coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

Gathering Time suggestions: Think of a fun way to round up the kids (sing a song, clap your hands in a call and response, flash the lights). Show and tell kids how and where to gather.

Lent Countdown Calendar: For Lent we'll be using our countdown calendar to help the kids understand how we are moving through the season. Cross off the days leading up to your day, and then ask the kids if they've done anything in their own families to celebrate lent. (Lauren will provide)

Music Suggestions: This weeks music leader is John Lattanzio  Reach out to him and see if there are a few songs you can connect with for the kids. You can also find links to our new COH albums and COH music log to the right on this blog.

Pass the Peace & Go around suggestions: Take a moment to have kids pass the peace to each other. Maybe think of a fun way for kids to do that (high five, elbow bumps, etc.). Ask a simple, fun question to help them settle in.

Solidarity Prayer: Each week of Lent, MCC is posting sounds of prayer and worship from around the world. "This week, we bring you a Ukrainian reading of the Lord’s prayer – a prayer that links Christian communities and traditions around the world."-MCC website

Click HERE for the full link. (includes explanation of easter eggs tradition)

Reading & Dialogue Suggestions:

As we head towards the season of Lent, lets look at the life of Jesus. Ask the kids to recap what they remember from last week, you may want to refresh yourself as well. Today we are reading Luke 5:12-39

Remember that our job is simply to create a safe space for dialogue. Some fun ways to do this are by:

• having them take turns drawing parts of the story as you read the sections to them.
• having them act out the story, or creating a song about the story. 
• having or creating props or visual aides. 

Suggested dialogue questions: Can you think of a time when you ________? What are some ways we can remember to ________ this week?

Art Making/Process Suggestions: This season we're trying to find different Lenten traditions from each country or region that we are praying for. Lets make these awesome Ukrainian Easter Eggs!. Click HERE for how to make them. 

• Have a finished sample ready so that you know the project works. Have it out on display on a table with the materials set up under a cloth or blanket, to get kids excited about what is to come.) 
• If you want, check out some of our links in our side bar, and search for more coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

March 16th, 2014 Push Out into Deep Water

Kids PM Time Schedule (4pm-6:30pm)

4-4:45 Prep

4:45 Meet & Greet/Centers

5:05 Sing a song to gather for worship

5:07 Mark off days on our Lent Calendar
5:10 Worship with Song & Dance

5:20 Pass the Peace and Go around

5:25 Solidarity Prayer

5:30 Ages 3-5 go to Snack & and then outside

for Art Making & Game Centers.

Ages 6-10 sit for Snack/Readings & Dialogue

5:50  Ages 6-10 join Art Making & Game Centers.

Center Time (Games, Building, Books, Art Center):

These do not necessarily need to be connected to the theme of the evening. Rather than have each center totally wide open, select a few things you would like the kids to play with. If they want to swap out for a new activity, they must first clean up the old one. Give kids a heads up to let them know what time they will be called to gather for worship.

If you want, check out some of our links for coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

Gathering Time suggestions: Think of a fun way to round up the kids (sing a song, clap your hands in a call and response, flash the lights). Show and tell kids how and where to gather.

Lent Countdown Calendar: For Lent we'll be using our countdown calendar to help the kids understand how we are moving through the season. Cross off the days leading up to your day, and then ask the kids if they've done anything in their own families to celebrate lent. (Lauren will provide)

Music Suggestions: This weeks music leader is Greg Reach out to him and see if there are a few songs you can connect with for the kids. You can also find links to our new COH albums and COH music log to the right on this blog.

Pass the Peace & Go around suggestions: Take a moment to have kids pass the peace to each other. Maybe think of a fun way for kids to do that (high five, elbow bumps, etc.). Ask a simple, fun question to help them settle in.

Solidarity Prayer: Each week of Lent, MCC is posting sounds of prayer and worship from around the world. "This week, we bring you a prayer in Afrikaans from Connie Jood, one of MCC’s Regional Peace Network associates in South Africa and part of South Africa’s Anglican church. She stresses that in her tradition Lent is a time for fasting and prayer. “Fasting for us is giving up some pleasures (e.g sweets) and giving the money to the church. We extinguish a candle every week to remind us how our sin puts us in darkness. We are encouraged to pray more, drawing close to God,” she says. (MCC website)

Click HERE for the full link. 

Reading & Dialogue Suggestions:

As we head towards the season of Lent, lets look at the life of Jesus. Ask the kids to recap what they remember from last week, you may want to refresh yourself as well. Today we are reading Luke 5:1-11

Remember that our job is simply to create a safe space for dialogue. Some fun ways to do this are by:

• having them take turns drawing parts of the story as you read the sections to them.
• having them act out the story, or creating a song about the story. 
• having or creating props or visual aides. 

Suggested dialogue questions: Can you think of a time when you ________? What are some ways we can remember to ________ this week?

Art Making/Process Suggestions: This season we're trying to find different Lenten traditions from each country or region that we are praying for. Lets gather some beads and think of creative patterns to make beautiful jewelry just like many South African craftspeople do.

• Have a finished sample ready so that you know the project works. Have it out on display on a table with the materials set up under a cloth or blanket, to get kids excited about what is to come.) 
• If you want, check out some of our links in our side bar, and search for more coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

March 9th, 2014 Jesus is Tested

Kids PM Time Schedule (4pm-6:30pm)

4-4:45 Prep

4:45 Meet & Greet/Centers

5:05 Sing a song to gather for worship

5:07 Mark off days on our Lent Calendar
5:10 Worship with Song & Dance

5:20 Pass the Peace and Go around

5:25 Solidarity Prayer

5:30 Ages 3-5 go to Snack & and then outside

for Art Making & Game Centers.

Ages 6-10 sit for Snack/Readings & Dialogue

5:50  Ages 6-10 join Art Making & Game Centers.

Center Time (Games, Building, Books, Art Center):

These do not necessarily need to be connected to the theme of the evening. Rather than have each center totally wide open, select a few things you would like the kids to play with. If they want to swap out for a new activity, they must first clean up the old one. Give kids a heads up to let them know what time they will be called to gather for worship.

If you want, check out some of our links for coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.

Gathering Time suggestions: Think of a fun way to round up the kids (sing a song, clap your hands in a call and response, flash the lights). Show and tell kids how and where to gather.

Lent Countdown Calendar: For Lent we'll be using our countdown calendar to help the kids understand how we are moving through the season. Cross off the days leading up to your day, and then ask the kids if they've done anything in their own families to celebrate lent. (Lauren will provide)

Music Suggestions: This weeks music leader is Dan Snook  Reach out to him and see if there are a few songs you can connect with for the kids. You can also find links to our new COH albums and COH music log to the right on this blog.

Pass the Peace & Go around suggestions: Take a moment to have kids pass the peace to each other. Maybe think of a fun way for kids to do that (high five, elbow bumps, etc.). Ask a simple, fun question to help them settle in.

Solidarity Prayer: Each week of Lent, MCC is posting sounds of prayer and worship from around the world. "This week, we bring you a song from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where worship and prayers of petition and praise have been a critical part of how Haitians have responded to the Jan. 12 earthquake. As you listen to these Haitian Creole words to the familiar song, “Because He Lives,” sung by MCC Haiti staff, we invite you to remember Haitian families and churches now and in your prayers this week."

Click HERE for the link. 

Reading & Dialogue Suggestions:

As we head towards the season of Lent, lets look at the life of Jesus. Ask the kids to recap what they remember from last week, you may want to refresh yourself as well. Today we are reading Luke 4

Remember that our job is simply to create a safe space for dialogue. Some fun ways to do this are by:

• having them take turns drawing parts of the story as you read the sections to them.
• having them act out the story, or creating a song about the story. 
• having or creating props or visual aides. 

Suggested dialogue questions: Can you think of a time when you ________? What are some ways we can remember to ________ this week?

Art Making/Process Suggestions: This season we're trying to find different Lenten traditions from each country or region that we are praying for. Lets make these awesome Haitian Crosses. Click HERE for how to make them. 

• Have a finished sample ready so that you know the project works. Have it out on display on a table with the materials set up under a cloth or blanket, to get kids excited about what is to come.) 
• If you want, check out some of our links in our side bar, and search for more coloring pages and word games and print them out for your centers.