Celebrating God's World in Children's Church


Book Description

A book filled with active, hands-on programs designed for ages three to seven. Each program features a simple Christian message; a Bible verse; a story; a prayer; time to sharing; time for singing; a snack; and a game, craft, or additional activity. The programs are structured to last from thirty-five to forty minutes. An additional activity is included in each program for those who want to extend children 's church to a full hour. Supplies and set-up are kept to a minimum and the book 's easy-to-use format makes it just right for today 's busy teacher.




More Five-Minute Devotions for Children


Book Description

For ages 4-8. From the patient three-toed sloth to the trustworthy pigeon, animals model behaviours in a way that even the youngest child can appreciate. Each story tells about a different animal and its outstanding trait. Along with each story, the authors have included a relevant Bible verse and questions to encourage discussion. Parents can use this book to introduce topics like sharing, encouragement, and co-operation, while children will love the animals stories and whimsical art.




The Day When God Made the Church


Book Description

This is a book - a first of its kind - to help kids understand and celebrate the birthday of the Church. The Day When God Made the Church is the story of Pentecost and how the Holy Spirit shaped, and continues to shape, who we are as God's Church.




The Celebration Place


Book Description

Church is more than just a building—it's a gathering of God's people to celebrate who he is and all that he has done. It's also where we learn about God's vision for justice and unity! Told in a delightful rhyme, this colorfully illustrated children's book also includes tools to help parents engage in conversation about the content.




The Better Mom


Book Description

Mothering is messy. Our joy and hope in raising children doesn’t change the reality that being a mom can be frustrating, stressful, and tiring. But just as God is using us to shape our children, God is using our children and motherhood to shape us. In The Better Mom, author Ruth Schwenk, herself a mother of four children, encourages us with the good news that there is more to being a mom than the extremes of striving for perfection or simply embracing the mess. We don’t need to settle for surviving our kids’ childhood. We can grow through it. With refreshing and heartfelt honesty Ruth emboldens moms to: Find freedom and walk confidently in purpose Create a God-honoring home environment Overcome unhealthy and destructive emotions such as anger, anxiety, and more Avoid glorifying the mess of mom-ing or idolizing perfection Cultivate life-giving friendships At the heart of The Better Mom is the message that Jesus calls us to live not a weary life, but a worthy life. We don’t have to settle for either being apathetic or struggling to be perfect. Both visions of motherhood go too far. Ruth offers a better option. She says, “It’s okay to come as we are, but what we’re called to do and be is far too important to stay there! The way to becoming a better mom starts not with what we are doing, but with who God is inviting us to become."




Five Minute Devotions For Children


Book Description

This delightful devotional is perfect for bedtime, dinnertime, or anytime. Each short devotion includes a story about an animal illustrating its dominant trait as created by God. That trait is then related to a child. Questions at the end are fun for the young child to answer, such as picking out something in the picture, asking what the animal is doing, and asking what God wants us to do. Each devotional concludes with a short bible verse.




ColorFull


Book Description

Why be colorblind when we can be colorFULL instead? Imani and Kayla are the best of friends who are learning to celebrate their different skin colors. As they look around them at the amazing colors in nature, they can see that their skin is another example of God's creativity! This joyful story takes a new approach to discussing race: instead of being colorblind, we can choose to celebrate each color God gave us and be colorFULL instead.




The Super-Sized Book of Holidays, Special Days, and Celebrations


Book Description

"Packed with 250 Holiday and Celebration Activities for the Whole Year! Don't just keep your kids busy, keep them learning with these exciting holiday and celebration lessons for children ages 5-10, all centered around Christ! The Super-Sized Book of Holidays, Special Days, and Celebrations: Bible Activities for the Whole Year gives you the ease and flexibility to fill your calendar with plans, projects, and parties for many special occasions throughout the year. The lessons in The Super-Sized Book of Holidays, Special Days, and Celebrations remind kids that God created us and provided for our salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ. Whenever we are mindful of God during the special days we celebrate, we are giving God the glory for the blessings he has bestowed upon us. It is our prayer that by observing Christ-centered celebrations, our children will become firmly rooted in Christian principles and desire to live lives that will be pleasing to God."--Provided by publisher




Sacred Celebrations


Book Description

All scriptural references are from the King James Having grown up being steeped in this world’s culture, which to a great extent revolves around this world’s holidays, I know full well the great influence that celebrations involving music, art, and poetry can have on young minds. It is my hope that these poems and lyrics, based on God’s ordained Holy Days and the inspired words of God, can help develop the kind of culture among God’s people that will influence the children of God’s church in the right way. Some of these poems have already been put to music, and hopefully others will lend themselves to this venue as well. When referring to child rearing, a wise man once stated that if you take something away from a child, you should give them something else to take its place. While he was referring to a child who wants to play with something he should not, the same principle applies when we take away this world’s holidays that mean so much to children; especially those children coming into God’s church from the world. We need many more songs about the true Holy Days, the true church, and the good news of tomorrow’s world that our children can relate to and internalize. We need to develop a whole righteous culture based on true knowledge—a culture that celebrates true values and virtues with uplifting songs, jubilant dance, wonderful art, and positive literature with memorable poetry—to give to our children in place of the traditions and culture this present evil world offers. Some will argue that all these sacred Festivals and Holy Days were abolished with Christ on the cross, but careful examination of all the scriptures reveal otherwise. Luke records that after Christ died, the women prepared spices and ointments to anoint the body, then “rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.” The gospel writers all agree that Christ gathered with His disciples to celebrate the Passover on the very evening before His crucifixion. The book of Acts shows the faithful believers and followers of Christ gathering together “in one accord” more than 50 days after the crucifixion for the Feastof Pentecost, called “the Feast of Firstfruits” in the Old Testament. Concerning the Days of Unleavened Bread, Paul told believers in Corinth to “keep the Feast.” Luke records that Paul, referring either to a spring or fall Festival, stated he “must by all means keep the feast that comes to Jerusalem.” Luke mentions other Holy Days and Festivals in the book of Acts. Jude, the brother of Christ, lamented that certain evil doers had crept into the church, and were “spots in your feasts of charity”—undoubtedly referring to those Feasts ordained of God. One cannot clearly see the incredible step by step plan God has for all of mankind without recognizing the outline for that plan as pictured to us by these sacred Holy Days: played out year by year in the very order by which God is carrying out His amazing plan of salvation. The poems in this collection have been written over a period of about 20 years. Several small booklets have been printed and handed out in a limited way to a number of members. Some have been sent to the elderly or infirm who were unable to attend the fall Feast of Tabernacles. Several requests have come from the brethren since, wanting copies of these earlier booklets which are currently out of print. More poems have been written and added to my collection since these were published; including a number of poems and lyrics for younger children. I would have desired for all these poems to be made available free of charge to all of God’s people, but being a man of limited resources, I knew of no way to do so. While it has never been my desire to profit from the brethren with these poems, the brethren could use second tithe funds during God’s annual Feast of Tabernacles to purchase this collection and defray printing costs. Perhaps in the future they can be used as fund raisers




God Made Me for Worship


Book Description

God Made Me for Worship (a part of the God Made Me series) by Jared Kennedy helps children understand the complexity of a Christian worship gathering by using the vision of Isaiah 6. This beautifully illustrated children's book celebrates how God reveals himself to his people in the movements of worship. Sitting in a worship service for any young child can be a difficult experience. One minute everyone is singing loudly, the next everyone is sitting and listening quietly (without talking!). Sometimes the adults know something that should be said out loud, like, "Thanks be to God!" How did they know what to say? How do people know when to talk to one another and shake hands? God Made Me for Worship focuses on teaching kids about the key liturgical movements in a worship gathering, including the call to worship, praise and adoration, confession, assurance and passing the peace, ministry of the Word and sacraments, and benediction and sending. Kennedy guides parents to help their kids understand why we're intentional about worship, encouraging them to engage—not just to manage behavior during a worship gathering, but to invite kids to respond to God along with the whole church body.