Children’s Ministry Edition
October 2012
Second Cape May Baptist Church Hope Is Ripe for Harvest We’re well into fall, and everywhere you look you’ll see the beautiful, warm colors of turning leaves, pumpkins, and all the rich produce that comes with the harvest. Amidst the fall festivals, corn maze tours, and pumpkin-spice lattés, take time to harvest hope with your kids. Introduce them to the needs of your community and beyond.
POWERSOURCE ASK GOD: 1.
2.
3.
For opportunities to be an example of love and compassion for your children. To equip your children to make a positive impact—starting with their school and community. How to plan family activities that serve others even while your budget may be tight.
Food shortages and poverty afflict the USA and the world at perilous levels as natural disasters and drought seem unrelenting. Despite events beyond our control, you can empower your kids to be a catalyst for compassion! Give them the chance to grow up in the knowledge that they can make a difference and God can work through them to reveal hope—no matter their age or location in the world.
INSIGHTS
When you volunteer, you almost double the likelihood your kids (between ages 12 to 18) will volunteer, too, according to research conducted by the Corporation for National & Community Service. The study also found that kids “in families where both parents and siblings volunteer, 86 percent volunteer themselves, and 47 percent are regular volunteers.” As a parent, your leading example makes an enormous impact. (www.polk-fl.net)
“The fields are already ripe for harvest.” John 4:35
TEACHABLE MOMENTS 1. Equip kids with compassion. In the past decade we’ve seen an alarming climb in the occurrence of violence at schools, devastating bullying, and depression in very young children. Teachers and caregivers are doing everything they can to reverse the trend, but there’s only so much they can do. The real solution is in the kids themselves and introducing them to the power of compassion. When your child witnesses bullying, takes part in it, or is the victim, use the experience to bring into focus that cruelty is not the answer — kindness is. 2. Allow for generosity. If you give your kids an allowance, label a savings jar where they can donate funds to go to a local charity. Don’t make it mandatory; Let your kids choose how much and when to give of what they’ve earned.
FAMILY EXPERIENCES Introduce kids to the impact they can have on the world:
• Harvest Time—Take your kids to a local farm or community
garden and volunteer together. Use the time to talk with your kids about food shortages around the world and discuss how to get involved, as a family, in the solution. Ask the farm or garden’s manager if they donate a portion of crops to a soup kitchen or other charitable foundation. Make that your next family destination to volunteer and see how the crops you helped harvest can feed the hungry. • World Well-Fare Website Tour—Introduce your kids to the needs in the USA and around the world with a virtual tour of the efforts of non-profit organizations. Explore websites such as compassion.com and worldvision.org to show your kids how other children in the world live with very little and how we can help them, even from the other side of the globe. There are also projects, such as Operation Kid-to-Kid (ok2k.org.), designed specifically for getting kids involved in impacting a stricken region of the world. Currently, ok2k is focusing on “squashing malaria in Mali.” The funds gathered by kids participating in ok2k will go to purchase effective mosquito nets that protect children and families while they sleep. • A Tricky Treat—If you take your kids trick-or-treating in your
neighborhood, challenge them with this twist on an old tradition. As they knock on doors, ask them to request a single, nonperishable canned good at each door (rather than candy). Help your kids gather the cans, and then go with them to donate the food to a local food bank. Reward your kids with something special for giving up the usual swath of candy to help those in need.
MEDIA MADNESS
MOVIES
MUSIC
Title: Frankenweenie
Artist: The Newsboys
Genre: Comedy, Animated
Album: LIVE at Sonshine Festival: God's Not Dead
Rating: PG Cast: Martin Short, Winona Ryder Synopsis: Disney and Tim Burton collaborate in this twist on the Frankenstein story. A young boy brings his dog, Frankenweenie, back to life. Our Take: Though much more mild than the horror flicks that dominate October, we’d steer clear. Tim Burton films are notoriously dark.
Artist Info: Formed in 1985, this band from Mooloolaba, Australia is one of the most well-known names in contemporary Christian music. Summary: The album is packed with recordings from their set at the Sonshine Festival on their current tour. Our Take: The Newsboys have a beloved sound—and are even better live. Introduce your kids to a new musical experience with inspirational, faith-centered songs.
CULTURE & TRENDS • A popular place for kids to volunteer is with local animal shelters. Kids love interacting with the pets, and shelters are often in great need of extra helping hands. Warning: You may come home with a new addition to the family! • A growing trend in family volunteerism is going on mission trips together. Check out the safe, well-planned options offered by Lifetree Adventures! (lifetreeadventures.com)
GAMES, SITES & APPS Title
Content
Rating & Platform
Skylanders: Giants
A sequel to the popular Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. These games also have fun, collectible action figures. For a video trailer: skylanders.com/giants.
RP (rating pending) by the ESRB; all major platforms. Best for ages 8+.
Fantage.com
A social website geared specifically for kids. Parental supervision is still highly advised but this website has won accolades for its safety and security.
E for everyone by the ESRB; ages six to 16.
A groundbreaking, robust app coining the term “appisode.” Preteens can download short appisodes bundled with much more. Sure to be popular!
$4.99 - $9.99, iTunes. Best for preteens. Preview before purchase.
Totally Amp’d
QUICK STATS • 73% of kids ages 6 to 11 equated the importance of kindness and helping others to the value of learning to read and write in a recent C&R Research study. (Children’s Ministry Magazine)
• The Foundation for Child
This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and play.
Development predicts that in this year alone, we’ll see an increase of over 3 million children living in poverty in the U.S. Nearly 500,000 could face homelessness. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look far to find those that need the help of giving hearts. (apa.org)
SUNDAY
7 Worship service and Kids Worship 10:00am
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
2
3 4 Rooted Kids 6:30 - 8:00pm
5
6
8
9
10 11 Rooted Kids 6:30 - 8:00pm
12
13
Columbus Day Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
14 Worship service and Kids Worship 10:00am
15
16
17 18 Rooted Kids 6:30 - 8:00pm
19
20
21 Worship service and Kids Worship 10:00am
22
23
24 25 Rooted Kids 6:30 - 8:00pm
26
27
28 Worship service and Kids Worship 10:00am
29
30
31
Trunk or Treat 7:00 - 8:00pm