Family Ministry

Fantastically Made!

Check out this video from Kendra Fleming, one of our curriculum writers, as she shares what our preschoolers will be learning this month!

 

For more ideas on ways to help your preschooler see how special they are to God, download October's Parent Cue.

Slim is coming to Wee Kids!

 
One of our basic truths for preschoolers is that God loves us.  One of the ways God shows His love for us is by giving us people to care for us.  He can also use us to help others.  We want our preschoolers to begin learning that we can help others just like God helps us.  We want to make a connection between how He loves us and how He wants us to help others. 

We will be introducing our kids to Slim, our influence mascot.  Slim likes to go places and help people and he invites all of our children to be a part of helping others.  We hope that your preschooler will be able to recognize Slim as they see him around church.  Whenever they see Slim, they will know that means we are trying to help others.  As you and your preschooler see Slim around church, it will give you a great opportunity to talk with your preschooler about generosity and helping others.

As we head into the month of October, Wee Kids is partnering with Influence and Kidventure to raise money towards the shipping costs of the boxes collected from "Big Church" for Operation Christmas Child. Since 1993, OCC has provided gifts to more than 86 million children around the world.  As your children enter their classrooms, we will have a special bucket for their coin offerings.

As you talk with your preschooler about this offering, let them him know that he is helping to take care of someone who may never have received a Christmas gift.  God wants us to show others how much He loves them and this is one way we can do that. 

Preschoolers can have amazingly generous hearts when given the opportunity to share with those in need.  This will be just the first of many opportunities for our kids to experience the joy of helping others and virtue of generosity!

Kidventure is helping write “A Better Story” in Iowa

This weekend your child received “A Better Story” bank from Kidventure.  We are challenging our Prairie Lakes Church Kidventure children to “Imagine the Impossible” as we help write a better story for more children in the state of Iowa. Children will be collecting money for their banks the next four weeks and will return the banks to their church campus the weekend of October 15/16. 

Ideas for collecting money may include: 

• Eating meals at home vs. restaurants and putting the money saved in their bank.
• Having your children do extra chores around your home and putting money they earn in their bank.

Discuss other ways of collecting money for the bank with your children they may come up with some great ideas on their own.

Also, please take time to talk about “A Better Story” as a family, and complete your family’s “Faith Story” page (your child brought home along with their bank), and return this with the bank to Kidventure the weekend of October 15/16.  We will post these Faith Stories on our “Kidventure Hall of Faith” located in our campus Kidventure areas.

 As a family, step out in faith and help Prairie Lakes Church write A Better Story for children in Iowa.

 

Samuel listens to God

 
Last weekend, your preschooler learned the story of Samuel going to pick out a new king for Israel. Samuel listened to God so God could help him. Out of all of Jesse’s sons, God told Samuel that David would be the new king. God helped David be the king just like he helped Samuel find the king. God can help us do ANYTHING!

Take a moment and read this story so you can share it throughout the week with your preschooler. 1 Samuel 16:1–13

Then as you tuck in for the night, remind your child that as he grows he will be asked to do many things. Maybe a teacher will ask him to show the other kids in his class how to do something, or maybe he will have to play a really hard team in soccer. Pray together and ask God to help him be ready to do anything that he is asked. Remind him that God can help him do anything.

Memorizing Scripture With Your Preschooler

Each month, our preschoolers learn a bible verse (complete with actions, of course!) that relates to our bottom line and bible stories.   Take some time to practice September's verse with your child.   Here is the verse and actions: 

I (Point to yourself.)
Can do (Punch out each word in front of you.)
All things (Spread your hands wide above your head.)
Through Christ. (Point straight up.)
Philippians 4:13 (Open hands like a book.)

We hope that you will have moments throughout the month that you can share with your child how God will help them do anything.

Parenting Beyond Your Capacity

 
We want to help you be the best parent you can.  One of the ways we do this is  to provide resources and help along your parenting journey.   Parenting Beyond Your Capacity is a great book that highlights some principles that we think will help you be a more intentional parent. 

Join us this fall as we gather together to cover the principles in this book.  

Start Date: Monday, September 12
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m. Length: 6 weeks
Location: Cedar Falls Campus
Cost: Free, materials only
Materials: Parenting Beyond Your Capacity by Reggie Joiner & Carey Nieuwhof; book must be purchased prior to first class

Click here to sign up or to read more about this class on our church website!