Month: December 2015

RMC Kids Volunteers

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RMC Kids has a team of kind, creative and generous volunteers who do things like…

Renovate our rooms!

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Take time out of their schedules for relationship, training and exploring what the Bible means when it calls us to have faith like a child.

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Pull off events year-round that help RMC Kids explore the Gospel.unnamed-111

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And tell our children the beautiful story of God (which is their story, too!).

Krys is teaching the Mystery of Christmas.

We are thankful for them.

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

Christmas Sunday: December 27th

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Beulah Land: Christmas

  • Memory Verse:  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people! Luke 1:68
  • Summary: This week we are back to our regular curriculum and using the felt board to tell the story of Christmas! We will also watch pregnant Mary reach the center of our Advent spiral.

    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one very similar.
    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one that is very similar.
  • I Wonder… : what it is like to see a angel? what would have happened if Mary said “no” instead of “yes”? why the shepherds were afraid? what the wisemen thought they would find when they followed the stars? what was so special about this baby?
  • Once more, I’m not adding extra “at home” things as I’m sure your calendar is full this week! Being present is enough. You can always check the RMC Kids Advent Resources Board if you would like ideas.

Godly Play I & II: The Mystery of Christmas

  • Memory Verse: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people! Luke 1:68
  • Summary: This week, we will use the story of The Mystery of Christmas. It uses the book, The Glorious Impossible by Madeline L’Engle to convey the events of the Incarnation. We’ll also employ the use of glowsticks (inspired by this video) as we celebrate the Light who came to pierce the dark!

  • From Godly Play Resources
    From Godly Play Resources
  • I Wonder…: what you like most about this story? what is most important? what is about you?
  • Once more, I’m not adding extra “at home” things as I’m sure your calendar is full this week! Being present is enough. You can always check the RMC Kids Advent Resources Board if you would like ideas.

Advent Sunday: December 20

On By rmckidsIn Beulah Land, Godly PlayLeave a comment

Eve, my sister, the one who took the fall. Eve, my sister, mother of us all. Lift up your head, don’t hide your blushing face. The promised One is finally on his way.  – Rain for Roots

Beulah Land: Get Ready!

  • Memory Verse:  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:9
  • Summary: We are continuing to build anticipation for the arrival of the Christ Child! This week’s lesson is called Get ready!, and tells the story of the Israelites returning from exile and captivity. As they realize their inability to live according to God’s word, they also remember that God intended, all along, to rescue them. They had to get ready to receive what was about to happen! So do we. This week, Mary is nearly to Bethlehem in our Advent spiral. Almost there!

    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one very similar.
    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one that is very similar.
  • I Wonder… : why God’s people were sad about what Ezra read them? how we wait for God’s rescue plan? what exactly are we waiting for?
  • I’m not including extra followup at home because it’s the week of Christmas! I’m sure you’ll have many opportunities for wonder and reflection.

Godly Play I & II: Advent Wise Men and the Christ Child

  • Memory Verse: The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:9
  • Summary: We are continuing to prepare for the Mystery of Christmas through Advent stories. This week’s lesson draws attention to the Magi, or Wise Men. The story mentions that the Wise Men did not actually make it to the birth, but discusses that we remember them anyway since they, too, are on their journey to Christ! This week’s story also culminates in the arrival of the Christ Child as our squares turn from purple to white…the color of pure celebration! Next week, on Christmas Sunday, we will focus on the Christ Child’s arrival in The Mystery of Christmas.
  • I Wonder…: what it was like to see a new star? what they thought it was? what your favorite part of the story has been? what the magi thought about as they traveled to meet Jesus? if they knew who they were going to meet? what baby Jesus was like? what everyone thought and felt when they saw him?
  • I’m not including extra followup at home because it’s the week of Christmas! I’m sure you’ll have many opportunities for wonder and reflection.
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From godlyplayblog.

Advent Sunday: December 13

On By rmckidsIn Beulah Land, Godly PlayLeave a comment

Don’t try to explain the Incarnation to me! It is further from being explainable than the furthest star in the furthest galaxy. It is love, God’s limitless love enfleshing that love in the form of a human being, Jesus, the Christ, fully human and fully divine. – Madeline L’Engle

Beulah Land: Operation No More Tears

  • Memory Verse:  You shall go out in joy and be led forth with peace, the mountains and the hills will burst into song and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12
  • Summary: We are continuing to build anticipation for the arrival of the Christ Child! This week, they are learning about Isaiah, prophet to Judah, and what he foretold of the Savior. The story is called Operation No More Tears. It combines several summaries of chapters in Isaiah, including 9 and 55. We will continue to see a pregnant Mary get closer and closer to Bethlehem in our Advent spiral.

    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one very similar.
    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one that is very similar.
  • I Wonder… : what Isaiah’s name means? what a prophet is? what message Isaiah had for God’s people? what about for us?
  • At home: Read at Isaiah 9 together say the names of Christ. Try to memorize them or the memory verse from this week.

Godly Play I & II: Advent Prophets

  • Memory Verse: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people! For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11
  • Summary: We are continuing to prepare for the Mystery of Christmas through Advent stories. This week’s lesson draws attention to the shepherds out in the field on the night of Christ’s birth.
From the Wonder Circle Blog
  • I Wonder…: what the shepherds thought when they saw angels? what they felt? what you would do if you were a shepherd?
  • Additional Follow-up: Some interesting footnotes from The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible: Shepherds were unable to keep ceremonial law due to their line of work. They were a despised class and were considered unreliable — to the extent of not having permission to testify in court. What an odd group to witness such miracles! What an irrational group for the Lamb of God to come close to! Another interesting thing to note is that Scripture uses the word “host” as a military term designating an army…yet the angelic “host” that appears to the Shepherds is announcing peace. Wonder what that could mean? HERE is a link to blank comic strips. Maybe you and your child can create a comic of the shepherds and angels?

Advent Sunday: December 6

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I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word, I put my hope. Psalm 130:5

Beulah Land: The Good Shepherd

  • Memory Verse:  God! My shepherd…your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m home in the house of God for the rest of my life.- Psalm 23: 1 & 6, The Message
  • Summary: We are continuing to build anticipation for the arrival of the Christ Child! Last week, we talked about a King who is coming. This week’s lesson is called The Good Shepherd. It is taken from Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 7, and Psalm 23. The story ends with this, “Another Shepherd was coming—a greater Shepherd. He would be called the Good Shepherd…and lead all God’s lambs back to the place where they had always belonged.”

    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one very similar.
    This is from A Holy Experience. We use one that is very similar.
  • I Wonder… : what a Good Shepherd is like? how Jesus is your shepherd?
  • At home: It might be interesting to look up some pictures of sheep and shepherds online. Talk about what a shepherd’s job is. Talk about what sheep are like. Sing I am Jesus’ Little Lamb, our baptism song, together. Pray to God as your Shepherd who guides and protects you. Wonder how the shepherd is also the lamb. That is a wonderful mystery!

Godly Play I & II: Advent Prophets

  • Memory Verse: And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”- Luke 1:46-47
  • Summary: We are continuing to prepare for the Mystery of Christmas through Advent stories. Last week, the lesson focused on the prophets. This week’s lesson draws attention to Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem. The goal behind taking time to concentrate on each present party is that the kids can marvel over the beauty of the Incarnation. We want them to consider every angle possible and wonder over it!
From the Wonder Circle
From the Wonder Circle

 

  • I Wonder…: if you have ever been full of something wonderful? what Mary and Joseph talked about as they walked to Bethlehem? what they thoughts about and felt?
  • Additional Follow-up: This might be a good time to read passages with your child from the Gospel about Jesus’s parents (the annunciation, Mary visiting Elizabeth, Joseph stopped from divorcing Mary). I think it could be interesting to show some famous artwork of these encounters to your child and see what your child notices from them! I pinned some to the Advent Resource board HERE. Rain for Roots has a beautiful set of songs to sing along with… this week might be a good one for Mary Consoles Eve and the Magnificat. Behold the Lamb has one about Joseph that is wonderful.