Filed under: Ashland Church, children, christian, church, Family, kids, NJ, South Jersey, Voorhees | Tags: children, prayer
Our church had our last Wednesday night meeting for the kids this school year. For the Spring session we’ve been talking about different missionaries we support (some have even come in to speak to the kids which is exciting). After they learn about each missionary we’ve done a service project to serve them or those they serve.
Last night we heard from someone from the Girls Brigade in Singapore. They’re doing a tremendous amount of ministry in their local schools and the larger girls brigade has a mission to women and girls in the slums of Cambodia.
To end off our time we recapped our missionaries and then the children made prayer pillows (an idea we found in a service project book). We gave each child a pillow case and they used permanent markers and fabric paint to decorate one side with drawings or names of all the different missions we’ve heard from.
The idea is for the kids to put it on their pillow and be reminded to pray for these missions before they go to bed. This could also be used in your own family to remind them to pray for family members, neighbors, or even the things that they are thankful. I do recommend just painting one side so they can sleep on the side without painting, which may be softer.
I’ve been truly encouraged by both my own children and our kids at church, including the neighborhood and school friends who join us, as they fervently pray for the needs of the missionaries and those they serve. Once again I belive that you can never be too young for God to use you.
Filed under: Ashland Church, christian, church, Family, NJ, South Jersey, Voorhees | Tags: Ashland Church, community, healing service, prayer, worship
Just an update on the healing service from last night. It was beautiful. We prayed individually and corporately, worshipped, and read scripture.
The Spirit was truly moving and God was at work in his people. I was moved to tears to see men and women of all ages (children, teens and young adults to retires) praying for each other and being prayed for.
Once again, I experienced what it means to be part of the family. To truly be part of a loving community of believers, caring for and supporting each other.
Filed under: christian, church, NJ, South Jersey, Voorhees, worship | Tags: Ashland Church, Cherry Hill, EPC, healing, NJ, prayer, Voorhees, worship
We all have a need for God to heal us and make us whole physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We also have the privilege and responsibility of carrying one another’s burdens.
Please join us for a Healing Service at Ashland Church on Sunday May 18 at 7 pm. Babysitting provided.
Filed under: Ashland Church, Cherry Hill, children, christian, church, Family, giving, kids, making a difference, missions, NJ, serving, South Jersey, Voorhees | Tags: camden, children, good samaritan, NJ, urban ministry, youth on the move
Last night at church our youth director spoke to our kids about ministering to those in Camden, NJ and specifically about Urban Promise (featured on ABCs 20/20 and Extreme Home Makeover). He and some of the youth told about their trip there last summer (they’re going back again in August).
Since he is used to talking to teens and not kids, he thinks he didn’t do so well. I think it was great. He shared very honestly with our kids about what life in Camden is like. He talked to them about poverty, about people living below what we feel the standards should be. We saw pictures of many boarded up homes and buildings, he shared how at the summer camp they helped at, they provided breakfast and lunch and that may have been some of those children’s only meals.
What struck me most was when he talked about the parable of the good Samaritan and how sometimes we as Christians, our local churches that are only seven miles away or a twenty minute drive are like those who left the man for dead along the road, as we pass through in our busy lives to our next destination. We need to be like the good Samaritan. Not coming into to change things but coming alongside to help.
We also had the privilege of using our craft time to make witness bracelets and dental hygiene kits for another Camden Ministry, Youth on the Move.
I believe his talk impacted the children and the leaders as we listened. Thank you for sharing.
I was talking to another parent yesterday at church about how my third grade son was coming home from school and asking us some heavy questions related to the birds and the bees. My husband has skillfully answered his questions. We try and give him the answer to his question and no more at this point, though we’re realizing we need to go on at some point soon.
The other parent commented how it was good that our son was comfortable to come and ask us. I honestly had not thought of that, but I am so glad that he is.
I grew up in a Christian home and I always knew that I could go to my parents for help or advice, no matter what (and I dropped some bombs on them, believe me). So one of my goals, as a parent, has been to be approachable to my kids. I want them to know that they can come to my husband and I and ask our advice or what things mean, or talk about a problem they’re having.
I’m not quite sure what we did right but apparently, through God’s grace, we’re doing something right. Thinking back, we have always tried to talk to the kids. For instance, what did you learn in Sunday School becomes how they can apply it to their life. When they had issues with friends or each other we tried to do more then just discipline, we discussed as well (which should go hand in hand, there is middle ground between being a drill sergeant and your child’s best friend).
Hopefully we can continue this relationship with our son and our other two will feel comfortable as well.
Filed under: children, christian, church, Family | Tags: children, Middle East, mission, prayer
Our children’s program last night was amazing. Not because of the great craft or fun games or because we had record attendance but because of the prayers of our children!
We’ve been going through a missions unit with our Wednesday night kids. Each week we hear about another missionary or mission group and then, instead of a craft, the children do a service project for that group.
Last night we heard about a family who are in a church plant in the Middle East (the father is the pastor). The family had sent us pictures and a newsletter with personal stories. As we learned about the area, the family and their ministries, the kids took it all in (with the occasional small outburst as one looses attention and comes backJ)
At the end I asked if anyone wanted to pray for this family and the people they ministered to. I was ready for the same hand that is raised every week as the other children sit there silently. Instead, I was surprised to see the hand of one of our energetic kindergarten boys. He prayed sincerely for their needs. He prayed that God would give them money so they could have food.
After he said “Amen” I looked up and was prepared to dismiss them for their games and crafts time but there was a little four year old girl eagerly raising her hand and she wanted to pray, so we prayed again. Once again we heard a sincere prayer for their basic needs. Again when we were done another hand shot up! Usually I struggle to find volunteers. This time it was the hand of an eight year old boy who is generally soft spoken in a large group. He prayed again for their needs, for those there in prison (we had heard the story of how the youth there had raised money to have one man released and how the church is trying to get another woman released as well) then when he was done praying I looked up and his sister had her hand raised so she prayed as well.
I was just blown away by these kids, not just the ones who prayed out loud, the rest of our rather active group prayed along with them as well, and usually getting them to sit still and not disrupt is a challenge, having them pray four times was borderline miraculousJ!
What an amazing thing to be a part of. Our kids saw the needs of others and lifted them up to our Father. I was touched and challenged by a group of preschool and elementary children and I have to say it was one of the high lights of my career.
Filed under: children, Family, making a difference, serving | Tags: Martin Luther King, serve, volunteer. family
Last week was volunteer week. I hope you found somewhere for you and your family to serve and I hope it didn’t end last week. Here’s a quote to encourage you.
Anybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to know Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Filed under: Ashland Church, children, christian, church, Family, NJ, parenting, Voorhees | Tags: Ashland Church, children, family worship, NJ, Vorrhes, worship
I’ve just started to bring my four year old daughter into the worship service (or big church) and I’m loving it.
Our second service at Ashland Church (Voorhees, NJ) is set-up so that your children can worship with you but are then dismissed to KIDS Church before the sermon so that you and they can learn at age-appropriate levels. Usually the age is five or kindergarten before they start attending part of the service (before that they are in nursery where they also have worship and a lesson, although some parents just keep their kids in the service with them which if fine as well) but one week my daughter’s choir sang and I forgot to take her back to the nursery so she stayed until the bigger kids went to KIDS Church and she loved it. She danced all around and worshipped.
In yesterday’s service she happened to know most of the songs from the local Christian radio station so she sang right along. We’ve talked about how when we sing these songs we are singing them for God.
It was also encouraging to see my newly reading first grader following along with the words and worshipping as well. How beautiful for parents and children to worship side-by-side. How great is it also for them to be encouraged to worship by their peers worshipping next to them.
I truly believe that these kids are not too young to have a relationship with Christ and to show their love through worship (they’re not too young for many other things in the Christian life which I will discuss more of laterJ). I’m just thrilled to be able to witness and experience this with my children and to praise God together.
Filed under: children, christian, parenting | Tags: christian parenting, daughter
“No, you’re not wearing high heels,” I firmly state (of course I didn’t shout at my child after the billionth argument about clothing that dayJ) to my four year old daughter as we are getting ready to go to church for our Wednesday night kids program. I couldn’t believe the words coming out my mouth. That’s been happening a lot lately.
I still believe God tricked me with the birth order of my children. My oldest was easy from infancy. He slept a lot, slept through the night early and was a very content and happy baby boy. So I thought, let’s not let him be an only child and thus boy # 2 was born. Let me just tell you that boy #2 is all boy, did not sleep, and I really didn’t think we would survive the terrible or rather horrendous twos with that one. However, he is now a well adjusted, and polite 7 year old with a lot of energy.
The second trick was in giving me boys first. I would look at a frustrated mother of a cute little girl as they walked into church complaining about fighting with their preschool daughter about clothes. In mind I was thinking, what’s so hard, just tell them what they’re wearing and make them wear it. As a boy mom I was so naive.
So back to my daughter who if I had first I might not have been eager for more. Girl’s tantrums and attitudes are very different, and how do they know to roll their eyes and put their hands on their hips at three? But what really troubles me is the clothing and beauty battles. I want my daughter to know that she is beautiful no matter what she wears or even what she looks like.
Proverbs 31 :30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
When we talk about pretty dresses and her pretty hair I also try and reinforce that she is beautiful because God made her and she is His child. We talk about her inside beauty. I will persistently reinforce this as the world tries to tell her that she needs to look a certain way or buy certain brands (yes my preschool daughter is already aware of brands, she has informed me that she wants sketchers like her friend at school.) Hopefully and with prayer she realize true beauty and grow into a woman who fears the Lord.
Learning as we Grow 