Theme night - Prizes - Pie In The Face!

Each night this week we will be having a theme 

and a Hope Central item we are focusing on. 

At the end of Friday night we will count up how many items we have collected, and if we have enough (500 items), 

then a certain Pastor will be receiving his "just" desserts! 

Tuesday, 6/14 Hat Day- Wear your favorite hat!
        Hope Central Item- spaghetti sauce

Wednesday, 6/15 Bring a Friend
        Hope Central Item- spaghetti noodles

Thursday, 6/16  Crazy Sock Day
         Hope Central Item- Macaroni and cheese

Friday, 6/17 Wear your team color (each age group has a specific color)
         Hope Central Item- canned fruit

Walk This Way - Day Five

Day 5

Bottom Line: 

How do I know what God wants me to do? The Bible guides me to know what to do.

Hang Time:

Almost every kid loves seeing their own baby pictures, so break out the baby book or pull up the earliest pictures you have on your computer or phone. Share some funny and sweet stories with your child so they can see how they’ve grown and changed. Then talk a bit about God’s Big Story and how knowing His Word will help them make wise choices as they continue to grow up.

Parent Time: (Imagine the End)

Remembering back on the earliest days with your kids, you may remember lots of sleepless nights, but you also likely remember that first giggle. You also may remember how overwhelming it all felt at times. Thankfully there were many who had gone before you, so you may have read books or blogs or talked to your own parents to find out how to handle each new phase. 

Walk This Way - Day Four

Day 4

Bible Story: 

Mars Hill, Acts 17:16-34

Bottom Line: 

How do I know following Jesus is the right way? 

Jesus is the only way because He rose from the dead.

Drive Time:

Listen to the Walk This Way playlist on Spotify (bit.ly/wtwvbs) while you’re in the car or just going throughout your day. Pay special attention to the lyrics to the song “Walk This Way” and talk about what it means to put your trust in Jesus and how Jesus’ resurrection means we should follow Him.

Parent Time: (Create a Rhythm)

There’s a never ending list of to-dos as a parent, and taking time to talk about important things—even The Most Important Thing—can understandably get pushed out of the way, just in the name of survival.

Instead of viewing faith conversations with your kids as something on a list you check off, look for ways to open conversation in the natural rhythm of your family’s life. Family meals a few times a week, listening to positive music in the car, debriefing the day as you tuck them in at night… any time you are together as a family can be a chance to share what’s on your heart and what God is teaching you.

Visit TheParentCue.org for more discussion about creating a rhythm in our families.

Walk This Way - Day Three

Day 3

Bible Story: Paul & Silas, Acts 16:16-40

Bottom Line: If I follow Jesus will things get better for me? It’s not about me, it’s about what God is doing through me.

Bed Time:

Read the story of how Paul and Silas were thrown into prison in Acts 16:16-40. Ask God for strength to endure when things aren’t going well, and for courage to follow His plan for your life even when it seems hard.

Parent Time: (Make It Personal)

“It’s not fair!” If you’re a parent, you’ve probably heard these words coming from your child’s mouth more than once. But have you ever felt that way too? It’s normal to feel like we’ve been dealt a bad hand when things are harder than it seems they should be. And it can seem even more devastating when it’s something we’ve asked God to change or heal or provide, and we don’t get the answer we wanted.

It can be tempting to hide those seemingly unanswered prayers or bad days from your kids, but the truth is, your response to the “life isn’t fair” moments in your own day can shape how your kids view their own problems. This week, instead of keeping the frustrating or challenging parts of your day to yourself, consider sharing some of the ups and downs with your kids. You might even find a “Pow” and “Wow” session helpful—where everyone at meal time or bed time shares the highs and lows of their day together. Then share how you see God using both the “pows” and the “wows” in your life.

You can find more ideas and inspiration for making your faith journey personal for you and your children at TheParentCue.org.

Walk This Way - Day Two

Day 2

Bible Story: Ananias & Barnabas, Acts 9:10-31

Bottom Line: How can I see God? I can see God through the love of others.

Meal Time:

Ask a kid: Share about a time that you showed someone else love.

Ask a parent: Who is someone that helped you or was kind to you when you needed a friend? Share what they did and how it showed you God’s love.

Parent Time: (Widen the Circle)

Telling your kids to be kind or loving is one thing…  But when we model it with our own lives and the way we treat others, it has much more significance. So imagine if you were not only telling and showing your kids how to love others, but they were also hearing and seeing this in the lives of other influential adults in their world—what a change that could make in your child’s heart and life!

Think about someone your family knows who is living this out—maybe a neighbor who is always volunteering at a soup kitchen, or a teenager who you see helping others in the neighborhood or community. Consider asking this person over for a meal where you can talk about how they are loving others in God’s name, or ask if you and your child can tag along on a helpful mission one day.

Visit TheParentCue.org for more ways on creating intentional, influential relationships in your child’s life.

Walk This Way - Day One

Day 1

Bible Story:

Paul’s Conversion, Acts 1-3, 9:1-9

Bottom Line: 

Who is God? If you want to know who God is, find out more about Jesus.

Morning Time:

Read Proverbs 4:12-13 together and act out the action verbs you hear. Then say a quick sentence (or two) prayer like this for your family: “Dear God, we want to know You better. Help us hold on to Your words today and to each spend time getting to know more about Jesus.”

Parent Time: (Fight for the Heart)

Depending on your own experience, you may view the Bible as something that others use to enforce rules or get you to conform to their standards. But really, the Bible is more like a letter from God—a personal account of how He made you and loves you, and how you can live a life that pleases Him. It also tells the story of the greatest act of love: when He sent His only Son to die for you, so that you can have a relationship with Him.

When your relationship with God is meaningful and growing, it can improve all of your relationships—including those with your children. Spend some time today connecting with your heavenly Father. Even a simple prayer acknowledging you want to know Him better can strengthen that relationship.

To learn more about how your relationships with God and your children can grow together, visit TheParentCue.org.

VBS Mission 2016: Manna Market

VBS with a mission!

This year at VBS we have selected Hope Central to be a mission partner for the kids to learn more about how they can help make an impact in their community - kinda like the way Paul did when he traveled the world sharing the message of Jesus.

Manna Market is part of Hope Central (a division of Encountering Hope Ministries, Inc.). It is a non-profit organization endeavoring to promote family education and health by offering a safe and stable place for our clients to come out from under their circumstances that have up until now been allowed to impede their growth and worth. You can learn more about the ministry of Hope Central at www.encounteringhopeministries.com. Manna Market meets the needs of approximately 500 families per month! 

This year we will be collecting the following items:

Dish liquid

Laundry detergent

Bath soap

Shampoo

Conditioner

Toilet paper

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Lotion

Spaghetti noodles

Spaghetti sauce

Mac & Cheese

Instant mashed potatoes

Canned Fruit

These simple contributions can have such a great impact in the lives of those who need them. Last year we set a goal of 500 food items. The kids met that goal and surpassed it! The result? Pastor Jason and Michelle Wilson (VBS Director) were bombarded with over 100 water balloons!

This year we will set the goal at 500 items from the list above. 

The outcome this year? Pie in the face! 

So help the kids learn an awesome lesson about helping others. Help those in need receive the items they can really use. And help get pies flying in the faces of those who deserve it!