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chure.
Issue 40
Welcome to the WAY2GO magazine. It’s full of ideas for people who work with children in their churches and local community. Pull it out and pass it around.
S A M T S I R CH IS COMING! ourselves thinking about what we can give the children in our churches and local communities — maybe a special book or a little knick-knack? But actually there are some far more important gifts for us to think about. These gifts are ones which our children really need because they will help their faith grow. Knowing what they believe is an important part of faith development for children so let’s help them learn the foundational truths, stories, wisdom and emotions of the Bible as part of their exploration of who God is. The second gift is the gift of belonging. It is important that children know they are wanted
and experience belonging to the church community. The quality of the relationships they form with the adults around them will teach them a lot about belonging to God. The third gift is the gift of becoming. As children build a relationship with God and learn to believe in him, let’s encourage them to put their developing faith into practice in the real world they live in. These aren’t just gifts we give our children at Christmas time - they are gifts we give all year round. God wants our children to have these faith in him - faith as they believe in him, faith as they realise that they belong to him and to his family, and faith as they become the people he created them to be.
children’s faith develop in Top Tips on Encouraging Faith to Grow. This is available from SU for $7.99. Buy copies for your team and look at it together. It’s a great book and very easy to read. november I 11
WAY2GO 2013 conference for people children’s ministryministry is SU’s WAY2GO 2013 conference forin people in children’s is coming up. This up. year, we’re with New Wine it willso beit will be coming This year,partnering we’re partnering with NewsoWine SU’s
extra good. Whether you’re ayou’re new volunteer or an expert extra good. Whether a new volunteer or anchildren’s expert children’s worker, worker, this conference will be an inspiring and enriching experience. this conference will be an inspiring and enriching experience. Come asCome a team enjoy it enjoy together. asand a team and it together.
WELLINGTON WELLINGTON
Saturday 2nd March 2013 2013 Saturday 2nd March
AUCKLAND AUCKLAND
Saturday 16th March 2013 2013 Saturday 16th March
INVERCARGILL INVERCARGILL
Saturday 23rd March 2013 2013 Saturday 23rd March Ask us for a brochure or register online atonline www.sunz.org.nz Ask us for a brochure or register at www.sunz.org.nz Registrations open in December. Registrations open in December. Group discounts apply. apply. Group discounts “An
“An
awesome “Very “Very “Great place to place toawesome “Great day — great day — great inspirational, very inspirational, very bring ourbring young our young fellowship, relevantrelevant and veryand very leaders and to and tofellowship, leaders refreshing, refreshing, God based. was It was GodItbased. relevant,relevant, a privilege to be to be a privilege what wewhat are doing we are doing here.” here.” and howand to do it to do it learnt learnt how heaps!” heaps!” better.” better.” “It was a“It real eye opener see how was a real eye to opener to see how we implement God’s work through we implement God’s work through our children’s ministry.” our children’s ministry.” 12 I sunz.org.nz
GOD’S GREAT GIFT GOD’S GREAT GIFT Christmas is a greatis time to do something extra special Christmas a great time to do something extra special with thewith children in your church localand community. the children in yourand church local community. Try this programme — it tells—the storythe of story God who gave Try this programme it tells of God who gave us Jesusus because he loveshe us.loves us. Jesus because
1.GAMES 1.GAMES
Choose fromChoose the following games: from the following games:
4.RESPONSE 4.RESPONSE
Explain to the children that this is athat truethis story Explain to the children is afrom true story from the Bible. Show the children where Luke where 2 is in Luke your 2 is in your the Bible. Show the children Collect Christmas pictures. Cutpictures. each picture • Collectcard Christmas card Cut each picture Bible. into 4 and give to each child. intoa4piece and give a piece to Then each when child. Then Bible. when Ask the children thechildren following questions: Ask the the following questions: matching pieces and put the and picture matching pieces put together. the picture together. • What gift• did Godgift givedid us?God (Jesus) What give us? (Jesus) Put pieces Christmas paper on thepaper on the • of Put pieces ofwrapping Christmas wrapping • Why did •GodWhy givedid us God Jesus? (Because he(Because loves us.)he loves us.) give us Jesus? When Jesus grew up he grew did some amazing things. • When Jesus up he did some amazing things. mas music plays. Whenplays. the music as many mas music Whenstops, the music stops, as• many do? (Jesus all about God. He did hetold do? us (Jesus told us all about God. He children as possible on squeeze to each sheet children squeeze as possible on to of each sheetWhat of did heWhat showed us how much andloves wants showed usGod howloves muchusGod usto and wants to be our friend.) Every time the music again,starts take again, away atake away be Every timestarts the music a our friend.) piece.
piece.
2.FOCUS TIMETIME 2.FOCUS
Pray together. Pray together.
5.ACTIVITY 5.ACTIVITY
Choose one Choose of the following activities: one of the following activities: Ask the children who celebrates Ask the children who Christmas celebratesand Christmas and • • encourage them to share their traditions. encourage them to family share their familyAsk traditions. Ask them: Whatthem: is yourWhat favourite part of Christmas? is your favourite part of Do Christmas? Do talks about talks God’sabout GreatGod’s Gift. Encourage Great Gift.the Encourage the you give gifts? things doof you give?do you give? youWhat give sorts gifts? of What sorts things children to talk about while Jesus they do the they do the children toJesus talk about while puzzles. puzzles.
3.BIBLE INPUT 3.BIBLE INPUT
• Make a Jesus Gift.a Give matchbox. • Make Jesuseach Gift.child Giveaeach child a matchbox. Let them put a piece of cotton wool and a square Let them put a piece of cotton wool and a square very of material of into the boxinto to make a bed and then material the box to make a bed and then Christmas gift. It was the best gift ever. Choose one Christmas gift. It was the best gift ever. Choose one tuck a littletuck plastic babyplastic into the bed. (These are (These are a little baby into the bed. of these methods to methods tell the story of the Jesus’ birth of these to tell story of Jesus’ birth available from shops like wrap- Glue wrapavailable fromSpotlight). shops like Glue Spotlight). from Luke 2:1-20. from Luke 2:1-20. ping paper around the cover thecover matchbox ping paper aroundofthe of theand matchbox and Draw a large picture of Jesus in the manger. • Draw a large picture of Jesus in the manger. slide it overslide the bed. Tiethe a ribbon around it allaround it all it over bed. Tie a ribbon Cover it with pieces of Christmas paper. Cover it with pieces ofwrapping Christmas wrapping paper. to hold it closed. a tag onto ribbon to holdPut it closed. Putthe a tag ontothat the ribbon that As you tell the story, thetake paper by piecesays, As you telltake the off story, offpiece the paper by “To you, from says, “ToGod.” you, from God.” piece until Jesus revealed. piece isuntil Jesus is revealed. Find a nativity Wrap each • Findset. a nativity set. piece Wrap up each piece up We have a copy We of have a copy of separately. Ask different children to unwrap separately. Ask different childrenthe to unwrap the MORE CHRISTMAS UPWRAPPED UP MOREWRAPPED CHRISTMAS appropriateappropriate pieces and put them out forthem everyone pieces and put out for everyone to see as you story. totell seethe as you tell the story. to phone us at and us mention this mention this to SU phone at SU and Use leaders to dramatise story. SU’s • Use leaders tothe dramatise thebook story. SU’s book magazine. It’smagazine. a great book! It’s a great book! More Christmas UpWrapped has someUp has some MoreWrapped Christmas If you miss out, youmiss can out, buy it from If you you canour buyonline it from our online good dramasgood you dramas could use. you could use. book store atbook www.sunz.org.nz or order it onor order it on store at www.sunz.org.nz freephone 0508 423 836. freephone 0508 423 836.
“ARE YOU AWAKE YET?” 9 year old Aaron has just been on a SUPAkidz Camp and he’s come back very enthusiastic about the Bible. Since camp, he’s woken his parents at 7am every morning because he wants to read the Bible with them. We’d like to encourage you to send some children from your church and local community on a SUPAkidz Camp.
What can you expect on a SUPAkidz Camp? FUN
013 OCTOBER 2 – Y R A U N d A J – Southlan
ton – Welling Auckland
SAFETY
Our camps are non-stop fun. Construction! Crafts! Bible Stories! Sports! Yummy food! Games Galore! Team challenges! Each camp has a special theme with unique activities to try out.
Our camps are carefully planned to promote physical, emotional and spiritual safety.
FRIENDS Our programme is structured so the children will make friends quickly and our leaders are fully focused on the wellbeing of their small group of children.
GREAT LEADERS Campers live, learn and play together in a friendly, stimulating environment, managed by capable Christian leaders our camps.
The brochure for next year’s camps is available now. Email us at supakidz@sunz.org.nz if you would like some brochures or visit www.sunz.org.nz
You can buy these books and others like them from our online book store at
www.sunz.org.nz or freephone us on 0508 423 836 to order or request our new resources brochure. Scripture Union wants to work with your church to create opportunities for children and young people to rld. We’d love to hear from you. Scripture Union in New Zealand — PO Box 760, Wellington 6140 supakidz@sunz.org.nz — 0508 423 836 — www.sunz.org.nz