Kids Stuff, Fundraiser Lunch Info

Good Monday morning.  I hope you all are enjoying the warmer temps this morning since we’ll be back into the Artic temps tonight. I don’t know about yall but this girl is ready for spring.  I am thankful God gives us different seasons but I am ready for this one to move on.  Anyway, wasn’t church great yesterday? I love it when we start out with a baptism, even better when it is a youth proclaiming her love for Jesus. I have known Morgan for a very long time. She was one of the 1^st kids I had a church.  I want to say her & Kylee Johnson were big 2^nd graders & now they are about to become seniors.  It is crazy how time flies and how God makes things work. If you had asked me 10 yrs. ago, when I was setting around a table w/ Joshua, Judson, Morgan, Kylee & Jeremy Entrekin ,if we would ever have a packed church, lots of youth and children & looking for a full time youth minister, I would have said,” I doubt it.”  I just sit in amazement at our church sometimes. Of course, I shouldn’t limit God but back in those days it just seemed so farfetched to see our church packed, to see the choir loft packed & to think that we would experience growing problems. Over the years I have seen many unbelievable things take place at WBBC and thru those experiences I have learned to not limit God.  I hope you are not limiting Him. He can get you thru whatever is troubling you this morning.

I hope by now all of you parents who are on FB and have a child in the children’s dept have joined the Whorton Bend Baptist Children ministry page.  I am trying to post notes, words of encouragement, craziness with children moments (I have a lot of those) (I am sure yall heard Jack holler he wanted his turn in the pool after Morgan got out of the baptism), lessons we have discussed in children’s church or Sunday school with the hope that you can question your children or reinforce those lessons & last minute notices there. Yesterday, we discussed the Good Samaritan and how we should help others.  Feel free to send me a private message if there is a certain message you think your child could benefit from & I’ll try to do a lesson pertaining to that subject.  I hope to see all of your children Wednesday night for Big City Studio!  We will have a Valentines party on Wed. Feb 12 and I’ll let you know as we get closer on what I might need parents to bring. That night would be a great Wed. to let your child invite a friend to church.  

I had asked for some Sunday volunteers during CC so here is the list of who is helping with Children’s church & when.  Courtney Jones was yesterday, Michelle Lawley is 02-02, Paula Hopper is 02-09, Tina Patterson is 02-16, & Teresa Coley is 02-23. Thanks for volunteering. If there is anyone else who wants to volunteer please let me know. You do not have to teach. I just need extra eyes with so many children. I would love a couple to volunteer to teach one Sunday. When I say couple I just mean 2 people. It might mean 2 moms who want to pair up and do it together.  Remember this Sunday is the soup lunch for the Disney mission trip. Monies raised are going strictly to the mission portion of the trip. I need each person who volunteered to bring a soup, chili or stew (everyone please do not pick chili... we can’t have 10 chili’s and 2 soups lol) a dessert and a tea. This is the list I have of those who are going to Disney & who said they could bring Sunday: Mcburnett’s, Runyan’s, Smith’s, Martin’s, Holly Patterson, Layton’s, McKee’s, and Gutheries’s, Coley’s, Benefield’s, Fortenberry’s, Harwood’s & me.  If I left someone off please let me know. Also, I’ll text you this week to see what kind of soup you are bringing & I’ll send several reminder texts. I do not want anyone to forget and us be short of food & not have enough to feed people.  If you are interested in the Disney trip check about the 3wks back in the blog posts for the info & you still have time to join in. 1^st deposit is due march 2^nd $100.00.

Whew, I think that is it! Questions text me or call me. I hope you all have the very best week and experience many blessings and moments with Jesus!

SATISFIED????

Good morning! Some of you are still curled up in the bed since it is a school holiday, others are working. I wish I was curled up in my bed but my brain ran all night. There has been lots going on and I am very excited at the new possibilities so my brain just sits and turns information over and over all night, runs thru things said, actions, verses & I pray. I know it sounds crazy!!! Anyway, if you are up reading this I hope you are having a great morning. Arlo said something yesterday that stuck with me and that was we don’t need to get satisfied. I agree!! So if you are happy with your Sunday school numbers, if you are happy with the nursery numbers, with the children church numbers, with the youth numbers, with the choir numbers & with a pew not completely filled something is missing. I say that because we are supposed to be out telling others about Jesus and if we are all doing that in every aspect of our lives then there would be no room in a pew, the gym wouldn’t hold all the children, the choir loft would need to be busted out and the Sunday school classes would need to expand into the storage rooms! Sure we love our church like it is but there is so much more we have been called to do. We are called to reach nations with God’s word, thankfully the Mayo’s are doing this, but for us folks not called into overseas missions we still have a job to do here. We are called to go out into our communities and reach the lost. If we are happy with the way things are then we won’t have a need to go tell the lost about Jesus. I haven’t been as proactive as I would like to be in this area. I need to be out busting my tale for Jesus, putting myself in places where I have the opportunity to make new relationships and show the love of Jesus to others.  I want to see more growth, not just in church numbers but in people having real relationships with Jesus. I want to see people really connecting with Jesus and relying on him in their everyday lives not just when times are tough. Yesterday I heard a man say something I have never thought about; he used a youth mission trip as the example. He said the parents, Sunday school leaders, church elders were all asking why these kids weren’t signing up for a mission trip & the person telling the story said he asked those asking,” why aren’t you signing up for a mission trip?” So basically, how can we expect people to be all in on something, if the leaders & parents aren’t all in & willing to try things & participate too? Just gave me something to think on. I hope you all know that I am never calling anyone out on here. I propose questions, things I myself need to do better, and then hope it makes you think too and question if you can do anything better. It takes all of us out working to make a difference! To bust the doors of the church open it will take all of us out reaching the lost, not just a few. Pray on it and God will guide you!

Now on to the kids…We had a great group Wednesday night in The Big City Studio but I am still missing a few kids. I hope to see everyone this Wednesday night! The 4 & 5 yr. olds still need a group name Ashley, Courtney & Donna, unless we are really going with the Runaways!!?? Lol I mentioned last week that I need some parents to volunteer their time during children’s church. Out of all of our parents I had 2 volunteer. I know Joey provides lots of entertainment but so do me & the children. This is a real need so please pray on it & if God directs you please volunteer for 1 Sunday. This can be youth parents too or even those without children & youth. You’ll just be helping watch over the children while I teach. Some Sundays we have 35-40 kids in CC & it isn’t safe for 1 person to watch over that many kids, especially when some of them are young. Thanks in advance! I have also announced that we are doing a soup lunch Feb 2 for the mission portion of the 2015 Disney trip. I need to know how many of you plan on making a soup, stew or chili, dessert & tea so I know that we have enough participating to feed the church. Please let me know ASAP! If you still have questions about the Disney trip read 2 blog posts back. It has the latest info.  I am trying to post words of encouragement of info pertaining to things we have learned that parents can reinforce at home on the Whorton Bend Baptist Children Ministry Facebook page. I know some of you don’t do fb but those of you who do please make sure you have joined the page and check it for updates. I hope yall have a great blessed week & I hope you share the love of Jesus with someone else this week. Get out an invite someone to church. Be the hands & feet of Jesus and don’t be satisfied with good enough!!

Following What They Learn

Good morning! Wasn’t church just wonderful yesterday? Everyone seemed so upbeat and excited to be in God’s house. God blessed us with more new visitors and that is always exciting to me! My Sunday school class was packed to the rim and that pumps me up before I ever make it to preaching. I just love a classroom full of kids!

In children’s church I talked about evil leaders of Israel from the past and how they lead the Israelites down an evil path & how God dealt with those leaders. (I know that sounds boring but there was more to it than just evil leaders) We talked about how a good leader acts and how a bad leader acts. The reason I mention that now is because the Israelites followed their evil leader & did evil things. So this morning in my house (I know the twins would die if they knew I used them for my blog, but we have to use what we have to use when it comes to making a point for God! Lol) I get hit right in the face with the fact that my boys have been following THIS leader. I am a procrastinator, so they have learned to be procrastinators. Judson had a huge book he was supposed to read. We have known about it for a month. We bought it 2 weeks ago. I reminded him over & over to start reading. I assumed he had started. We were busy Friday night, He was at a quiz bowl Saturday, went to a friend’s house Sat. night, church Sunday morning & boom we get home yesterday afternoon & he says I have to read my book today, it is due tomorrow. He is a fast reader so I really thought he could do it. He did. The point is that he shouldn’t have waited until the night before to do his work. He learned that from me. I will put off anything I can, esp. house work, which is piled to the rim & overflowing right now. So he learned from his leader. So now you’re probably saying what does this have to do with God. Our children learn by what they see us doing or not doing. If your child sees you handling a tough situation with prayer, calmness & reliance upon God then they will prob learn to do the same. They might see you handle it with anger, arguing, fit pitching & so they will learn to do the same. If you place value on being at church most Sundays, chances are they will too. If you pick up your bible and read in front of your children or too your children, they will be more likely to read theirs too. I have blogged on this several times before… kids learn by example. So what kind of leader are you being to your children? Think on it. I am this morning. Are we acting & leading the way we want our children to act & lead?

Last week I mentioned children’s church and that we have so many kids we will probably need some volunteers. I know we have had parents volunteer to teach but I like consistency & I like for the kids to know who is going to be with them, plus if we have a child visit & I am not in their teaching I might never get a chance to meet them or their parent which is why I teach it most Sundays. WE DO NOT HAVE CHILDEN”S CHURCH this coming Sunday because the youth are giving testimonies from Winter Extreme but starting Jan. 26 I am going to need 1 volunteer each week. I still plan on doing the teaching but I would like another adult to help with behavior issues, bathroom visits for the littler ones & just general helping watch over so many children. Some of you might want to teach, if that is the case I’ll do the watching the children for you. So I am going to start out with just from Jan 26 – the end of March for the 1^st schedule. Please let me know if you would be willing to go to CC with me and watch over the kids. I would like a couple to teach CC Feb. 9 so I can have a Sunday in preaching. Does this make sense? I need a volunteer, woman or man every Sunday for CC & on Feb 9 two people, one willing to teach so I can stay in preaching & get recharged.  If I confused anyone let me know.

Last Wed. night, we had a child saved!!! Isn’t that awesome???? This Wed. night we will be back to Big City Studio unless God moves me again to go in a different direction like last week. The young children, 4s & 5s, will be back into their own class too. We will meet in the gym and then let their leaders; Ashley, Courtney & Donna take them to their class. I am going to mention to the older children about starting a bible drill group. I think it will benefit them when it comes to being more aware & knowledgeable about where verses are located in the bible. I’ll let you know more when we have a definite plan. I wanted to pass on a few ideas for the future. For the past 2 years the youngest children have had a day just for themselves, having pizza & inflatables on a Saturday. I am thinking on doing that again but maybe adding more to it. Let me know what you think if you have a child younger than 5. I had also mentioned when we 1^st started discussing a Disney trip that we would do no Spring Break trip this year. I am leaning towards a one day trip, something inexpensive but fun. I like it when we travel together because it gives parents a chance to get to know each other better & the children a chance to bond even more. I am, still interested in the animal safari place so I’ll get some info & let you all know ASAP. If any of you have suggestions please let me know. Also, as we grow it is very hard to keep up with visitors. If you invite someone with children & they come to church, if you don’t mind, send me a text or message with a reminder of their names & maybe a contact number or you could even send me that in advance so I can try to start remembering the name. I try to reach back to those who visit & Facebook seems to be a great tool to locate them, but sometimes they do not do fb. A few last things. Bible Trivia is missing from my room. I actually had 2 & can’t find either. If anyone has seen them please let me know.

Reminder the about the soup lunch for raising money for the mission portion of the Disney trip will be Feb. 2. Be thinking about what soup, stew or chili you would like to make. I’ll be getting up a list the week before. If you have questions about the Disney mission trip please read last weeks blog post.

Thank you so much for the calls, texts & messages pertaining to Mom last week. You have all been so encouraging & we are thankful for each of you. Continue to keep the Mayos in your prayers as they began this new chapter of their lives. I know they are going to touch many lives for God! I hope you have a blessed week! Feel free to call me, text me or email me if you have any questions or if you would like to help in the children’s ministry!

Expectations for the New Year & Disney Info

Good afternoon! I thought I better go ahead and blog today because if we are lucky & get snow I’ll be outside playing tomorrow.  I was so glad to get back to church today! Since we were in Gatlinburg last week, it has been 2 weeks since I have been at church & that is a long time! I was so glad to see my kids in Sunday school & children’s church. We are still missing some but I know we have some still sick & some still traveling. Hopefully, everyone will be well & back at church soon.  The kids will be back to regular Wednesday nights this week. I don’t know if we will do Big City or something else.  With it being the 1^st week back in school & it being hard to get in the groove….I might just break out and do something different. I’ll decide by Wednesday! Lol

When it is a new year I try to sit down, think about the coming year and think on what works, what doesn’t & what I would like to do different in the children’s dept. I feel like Wednesday night’s work well & I know that is because of the great group of volunteers we have in there. I feel like most children are able to understand the lesson, the Bible verse & get an understanding of Jesus.  Children’s church on Sunday is a different story. Many Sundays we have a huge group of kids in CC. That is a wonderful problem. The problem part is a lot of Sundays it is just me and I feel like that I am not getting the point of the lesson across because my eyes are wondering in too many places. If the kids are coming to church, I want them to leave learning something. Yes I know I was having parents volunteer & I still plan on doing that some, but I also like for the kids to have the same person with them for the majority of the time. I just feel like it gives them a dependable and a steady environment & I think it helps them to know who & what to expect. That probably sounds crazy but as a parent I know my children do better when we have the same routine. They get use to seeing the same face & knowing what that person expects of them. So I am going to see how this month goes but I might plan on doing CC every Sunday & then asking for a volunteer or 2 to help out with crowd control! Lol Then I might ask for a set of people to volunteer every once in a while to give me a break. Just some thoughts! I also try to think of events for the year. Yes I know we have the traditional egg hunt, fall fest & Santa breakfast but I would like to spice it up. Let’s think out of the box and see how we can make a traditional egg hunt more focused on Jesus.  I am thinking of maybe a live nativity at the Santa breakfast. Just thinking out loud! You might have a particular talent or background that I know nothing about that would be good to share with the children. I struggle doing crafts; you might love to so crafts. Let me know what you need and I would be glad to set it up one Wed. night or Sunday during CC. Local childhood hunger has been weighing on my mind lately too. There is just no excuse for children in our area to go hungry but they do. So I am thinking the children’s dept. might be able to help with that.  I want us to be the hands & feet of Jesus. Children learn what they see so let’s come up w/ some mission projects were they can be included. Send me some feedback folks! Don’t be shy!

I do need to let you know that Sunday, January 19, the youth will be speaking on Winter Extreme and we will not have CC that day.

Ok on to the Disney Mission trip. Let me cover the general idea for those who are new. It is spring break 2015. Can’t tell you the date until the school boards make the decision in May. My plan is for us to go to Disney but also do a mission project since the area around Disney is so poor. I am leaning towards backpacks of food for hungry children. So we would need to fundraise for that.  Plans are to collect deposits along the way so when we do know date of spring break we can go ahead & make our reservations & pay down the initial deposit. So starting March 1^st and each month after they’ll be a dep due of $100. That will go into a church act set up just for us. I know everyone might not be able to make that, things come up & you might need to skip a month & double up on another month… no biggie. We will collect that until we have our rooms paid for which run $150.00 a night. Once I pay the deposit the money will be nonrefundable, up until that point I can give you your money paid into the church act back.  We can do other fundraisers too but we don’t need to rely on the church because we will want to ask them for donations for the mission projects and youth trips.  We will do a 31 order around Mother’s Day & make 25% off of that.  I need some people to say I’ll head this or that fundraiser up, tell me what & when it is & get it going. I would like to get a mission fundraiser done 1^st so we can set that money aside. I had mentioned today a soup lunch Jan. 26 but there is a women’s conference that night so let’s push it to Feb. 2. Basically, I will ask all who plan on going to Disney to make a soup, chili or stew, a dessert & a drink. We will serve the congregation after church & ask for donations. We normally do really well on these lunches, esp. on a cold day! Everyone will be needed to help clean up. I had a gun offered for a raffle, which I think would be awesome, but I just want to make sure ok w/ the church. I think that was done one time before but I’ll feel better if I double check.  I also forgot to mention that in Disney we will have a devotional time each day. We will not be required to hang out together but I can tell you the kids & adults who did last time had a great time together. I’ll never forget all those kids in the log going down a hill together & Judson being so scared he bit Jami or watching Fantasmic & having to keep Morgan Martin under control before she let the drinker & cusser in front of us have it or praying together in the Animal Kingdom for Mrs. Carr. This is a trip you don’t want to miss. If you have questions message me!!! There is just something about being in a group!  Don’t sit there and think you can’t handle that much of a trip. I was pregnant with Jack & managed just fine… except for the ride I didn’t realize was a shake me up ride & momma & Alicia Garmon’s Mom held me in my seat praying Jack wouldn’t be shook too bad. Lucky, he didn’t come on after that ride! So just let me know what yall think?

Please remember the Mayos as they travel this week. Please remember Mom as she has the heart cath Friday. Pray that we hear God’s call and that we listen and follow His plans for our church & our own lives in 2014.