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"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise."
Welcome to Fayetteville First UMC’s Ministry to Families with Children! Our prayer is that we will embody Christ’s love, reaching out to the families of our community, embracing them in a caring fellowship and empowering them to share God’s grace in the world. We strive to provide all family members with solid theological formation, fun and engaging fellowship, holy worship, and a variety of opportunities to serve God as we serve one another. Through our various ministry programs, we hope that all persons will encounter the love of God in truly transformative ways.
If you are interested in anything you see here or would like further information, please contact Kristin Heiden, Minister of Christian Formation (kheiden@fayettevillefirst.com, 770-461-4313, ex. 17).
Family Ministry
From family picnics to the Fall Festival to the Easter Egg Hunt, we offer various events throughout the year to bring families together for fellowship and fun. Here are some of the events coming up:
Upcoming Events:
No Wednesday Programs on November 23
Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with your family!
Parents’ Night Out on December 9, 6-8 p.m.
Want a night out on the town? Or maybe time to do a little early Christmas shopping? Reserve a space for your children at our Parents’ Night Out on Friday, December 9 from 6-8 p.m. children will play games and enjoy time together at the church while you enjoy a little time to yourselves. There is no cost for the event, but reservations must be made by Sunday, December 4. Contact Kristin Heiden for more information and to reserve your space (kheiden@fayettevillefirst.com).
Upcoming Wednesday Night Children’s Schedule
Regular Wednesday night programs will be held on November 30 and December 7. On December 14, the children will celebrate with their annual Christmas party in the Fellowship Hall from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Parents are asked to bring something sweet or salty as a snack for the children to share. We will not have programs on December 21 or 28. Our regular schedule will return on January 4.
Children in Worship
The Advent season brings about many opportunities for our children to participate in worship. On November 27, the children will help decorate the sanctuary and hang chrismons in the Hanging of the Greens service. On December 11, all children will sing for the Service of Lessons and Carols at 11 a.m. Please meet in the chapel at 10:40 a.m. following the Walk Thru Bethlehem to prepare for worship. On Christmas Eve, children are invited to sing at the 6 p.m. service. Please note, children will not be dismissed for Wonders of Worship on December 11 or 25.
Children’s Sunday School
Please note, children’s Sunday School will not meet on Christmas Day, December 25. We will have one service that morning at 11 a.m. to celebrate the birth of our Lord.
Walk Thru Bethlehem
Children and their families are invited to join us on a journey through Bethlehem on December 11 as we meet the shepherds, talk with an inn keeper, and visit a shopkeeper while we search for the baby Jesus. All families will meet in the Youth Studio at 9:45 a.m. to begin the journey.
If you are interested in helping with the Walk Thru Bethlehem, please contact Pastor Kristin. Help is needed with setup on Friday morning, costumes, and acting roles. No experience necessary! :-)
Children's Ministry
"And Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Sunday Morning
On Sunday mornings, children are invited to take part in times of fellowship, formation, and worship.
Rock Solid
Seeking to build a solid foundation in their journey of faith, preschool-aged and kindergarten children meet every week to study the biblical stories and explore the Christian faith. Children ages three and four meet in room C-100. Children in Kindergarten meet in room C-120. (9:40-10:40 am)
Jubilation Nation
We are excited to announce a new Sunday School program for children in 1st – 5th grades, Crossings. The program is described as follows: "The bible contains hundreds of stories in a variety of forms, but the basic message of the Bible is God's covenant relationship with people. Crossings resources explore the Bible through eight core stories that you could think of as touch points: God's call, the exodus, the Sinai covenant, promised land, Davidic rule, Jesus' life, the cross, resurrection life. Crossings seeks to help children come to know those stories deeply in their own being, begin to grasp the power of God's word for their own lives, nurture their faith in God, and grow in service to God and neighbor."
Children in 1st and 2nd grades will begin this new program the first Sunday of the new year, August 14. Children in 3rd – 5th grades will begin Sunday, October 9. For the first eight weeks, these grades will participate in the “Learning to Use My Bible” program. This hands-on program will invite children to explore the Bibles they have received from the church, learn what resources are available in the Bible, how to use the Bible, and how the Bible came to be. This program will become a yearly addition to our children’s ministry curriculum for each 3rd grade class as they receive their Bibles. Please note, children in 3rd-5th grades will meet first in the Youth Studio before going to their classrooms.
Wonders of Worship
 While bringing children to worship may not always be an easy task, we need to remember that attending worship is an extremely important part of a child’s spiritual growth. Children learn what it means to worship God by observing the examples of adults. The presence of children in the life and mission of the faith community is an opportunity that should be taken seriously as we respond to the call of raising the next generation of God’s people! Fayetteville First UMC is responding to this mission in two ways. First, we are beginning our new Wonders of Worship program. Following the children’s moment in both the 8:30 and 11:00 am services, the children will gather to learn about the different aspects of worship. They will discover exactly why we do what we do and what it means. They will also begin to learn the common prayers, creeds and hymns of the church.
Second, we want to help parents guide their children before, during, and after worship so that all members of the family are able to be a part of the worship experience. Yes, there will be squirming. Yes, there will be some whining, but the church wants to partner with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles in caring for our children and helping them to discover the wonders of worship. As part of this effort, every few months we will publish various tips for helping prepare your children for worship as well as ways to lead them during the worship service.
"Parenting in the Pew" tip sheets:
Wednesday Night
This year, we are excited to announce a new program outline for children ages 4 (as of September 1, 2011) through 5th grade. Joan Aycock and Kristin Heiden have joined together to create a cohesive program that invites all children to worship together, participate in music opportunities, and take time for focused Bible study and Christian formation. The new program, The Big Picture, is “a world of colors, smells, sounds, tastes, and textures designed to reflect its Creator’s beauty. The Big Picture is a mosaic of kids’ talents and gifts united in creative worship.” The Big Picture will invite children to connect with God, to serve God and one another, and to share God’s love will all people. The following is the new outline for Wednesday nights with children:
5 – 5:30 p.m. Children’s Ensemble with Joan Aycock in B-134/145
5:15 – 6 p.m. Fellowship Dinner in the Family Life Center Gym
6 p.m. All children meet in C-280 for Gathering Time
6 – 7 p.m. Children celebrate worship together before separating into choir groups and learning groups.
Sonshine Choir (4 years – Kindergarten) meets in C-140.
Melody Choir (1st and 2nd grades) meets in B-225.
Joyful Noise Choir (3rd – 5th grades) meets in B-125.
Learning Groups will be separated by age with 4 year olds and Kindergarten meeting in C-160 and
1st – 5th grades meeting in C-280.
7 – 7:30 p.m. Kids FLIP (all ages) in C-280
Children’s Chimes (2nd and 3rd grades) in B-320
Children’s Handbells (4th and 5th grades) in B-140
Summer Activities
Vacation Bible School
Thanks to everyone who joined us at Shake It Up Cafe! We had a great week learning all about the ways Jesus shakes up our lives with his love. Click Here to watch a highlight video from the week.
Dreaming with Joseph Day Camp
Although Wednesday night programs are suspended in the summer, children still have a place for fellowship, learning, imagination, and play! Children ages 5-9 are invited to join Pastor Kristin as we enter the world of Joseph, his dreams, and his colorful coat. Together, we will explore the stories of this great Old Testament figure, his relationship with his brothers, his time in jail, and his time with royalty. We will meet on Thursdays, July 7, 14, and 21 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Cost is $5 per day. Click here for a registration form.
Summer Fun Days
Children ages 2-4 (as of September 1, 2010) are invited to come on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June and July from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. for a day of fun and excitement. Cost is $15 per day, and you can register for as many or as few days as you like.
Informational Letter
Registration Form
Dance Group
We had so much fun moving and grooving together! See you next year!
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