Focus on the Reason for the Season POWERSOURCE
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December 2015 Focus on the Reason for the Season Although our society tries to remove and families’ priorities can shift from Jesus from the Christmas holiday, he’s heavenly things to earthly things. Here POWERSOURCE the sole reason for its existence. De- are some tips for taming the materialism ASK GOD: spite what retailers want you to believe, monster this Christmas so you can Christmas would still happen without concentrate on the good news of Jesus’ 1. To help your family make Jesus overloaded shopping carts and maxed- birth: your top priority during the out credit cards. Christmas season—and beyond. Emphasize nonmaterial values. As followers of Jesus, our efforts to hon- Spend time as a family doing 2. To remind you and your kids to or the true meaning of Christmas do bat- activities besides shopping. Set a be satisfied with what they have. tle with our consumer culture. The temp- good example in this area, too. tation to overindulge our children isn’t 3. To help you seek and value limited to December, though. All year Help children explore their spiritual gifts, not material gifts. long, kids of all ages are bombarded by values. Instead of just saying ads for “must-have” items that promise “no” to every request, discover fun, excitement, and even what’s important to kids—and why. popularity. Recognize various forms of Parents often give in, either because overindulgence. Don’t indulge they can or because they don’t want their kids emotionally by expecting too children to be deprived. The result? Kids much or too little of them. Set can become selfish and self-centered, limits, as well as age-appropriate chores. Argyle UMC Children’s Ministry Team Liz Edwards Director of Children’s Ministry [email protected] Dawn Garrison Nursery and Childcare Coordinator [email protected] Shayleigh Ward & Kristen Stroud Children’s Ministry Assistants [email protected] Zone56 Coordinator Cayla Jackson Argyle United Methodist Church 940.464.1333 Phone 940.464.3350 Fax 9033 Ft. Worth Dr. Argyle, TX 76226 Argyle UMC Children’s Ministry https://vimeo.com/user19985566 Join us Christmas Eve For AUMC’s very first Children’s Christmas Service Bring your families to celebrate and worship the birth of the Savior in this Kid-friendly service. Dec. 24th 2015 2 PM Want To Participate? Is your star interested in participating in the Children’s Ministry Christmas Eve Service? Both Speaking and non-speaking parts available! For more information or if you are interested email Shayleigh Ward at [email protected] by December 13th. Parent/Children Greeter and usher teams needed also: Contact [email protected] Keep Christ in Christmas Have you ever experienced the Christmastime tug-of-war? As a parent, you want to shower your children with good gifts and revel in their expressions of joy. Yet you want to say “enough is enough” with material possessions and remind kids why we celebrate the holiday in the first place. To maintain bal- ance, experts recommend keeping things simple when children are young. Be selective with gifts, ensuring each will stand the test of time. Don’t feel guilty when gift-opening isn’t a three-hour extravaganza. Instead, create memories and traditions that kids will cherish for years to come. And find ways to make Christmas special for other people, too. Try these ideas with your family this holiday season: It’s a Boy! As a family, create a staple it together. Every Christmas birth announcement for Jesus— Eve, read the book together. complete with a baby footprint, if you have Share the News, Part 2 With older access to an infant. Make copies of kids, let them each choose a role TEACHABLE the announcement, use them as your from the Christmas account and then Christmas cards, or give some away write and present a Christmas drama MOMENTS with small gifts. from that viewpoint. Record the plays, and watch them together on The Greatest Gift I Heart Jesus Make a big felt stock- Christmas Eve. ing with the name “Jesus” in glittery Beforehand, wrap small gifts that are gold or silver. Then have each family Silent-Night Sleepover Curl up in appropriate for any age. Sit in a circle, member make a felt or paper heart, sleeping bags beneath your tree on and give every family member a gift. Say: put his or her name on it, and give the Christmas Eve. Just before you go to I’ll read the Christmas story. As I read, “heart” to Jesus. After all, that’s what sleep, talk about what it must have pass your gift to the person on your he wants most at Christmas! been like for Mary and Joseph to right every time I say “God,” Lord,” or sleep in a barn with newborn baby “Jesus.” When I’m done, I’ll say Shine On Cut out posterboard Jesus. When you awake in the morn- “amen,” and you’ll keep the gift that’s stars, and have family members write ing, you’ll have a sense of how un- in your hands at that time. their names on several stars using comfortable that first Christmas night glow-in-the-dark paint. Tape the stars must have been. Before you open Read aloud Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26- on the ceiling above your Christmas gifts, talk about the arrival of Jesus, 38; and Luke 2:1-20. End with “amen.” tree. Turn off the lights, and talk about the first and best Christmas gift. Have family members hold their gifts. Ask: the star that pointed people to Jesus What did you have to do to receive the when he was born. Tell kids they, too, “Pay” It Forward Use this idea gift you have? What did we have to do can be “stars” who help other people with money your children receive for to receive the gift of Jesus? What find Jesus and tell them about his love Christmas, and continue it year- stood out to you the most about the and forgiveness. round: Have kids use 10% of their Bible readings? money to help someone else, wheth- Share the News With younger chil- er they donate it or use it to buy a Say: Jesus is the best gift of all! Because dren, have them retell the Christmas small gift. Together, keep a journal Jesus came to earth as a baby, grew account to you. Write each sentence detailing how children use that 10% up, and then died for us, we have the on a different piece of paper, keeping to bless other people. Jot down new gift of life in heaven. it in children’s words. Then have kids ideas in the journal whenever you illustrate each page. Put the pages in think of them. Open your gifts and close in prayer. order, have kids create a cover, and “The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” —John 1:9 MEDIA MADNESS CULTURE & TRENDS STEAM-Inspired Toys Many MOVIE MUSIC parents are introducing kids to science, technology, engineering, Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Title: Purpose arts, and math through play. Toys Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Author: Justin Bieber that spur curiosity and creativity Rating: PG-13 Synopsis: The 21-year-old singer’s include Project Mc2 dolls, which Cast: Harrison Ford, John Boyega, fourth album—and much-anticipated come with science-experiment kits. Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver “comeback”—has generated lots of The dolls also star in their own Synopsis: The plot for this movie, buzz. Bieber is collaborating with Netflix show. (fortune.com) set 30 years after The Return of the bigger names, and the first single, Jedi, is rumored to revolve around Han “What Do You Mean?” debuted at #1— Safe or Sorry? With school Solo and Princess Leia’s kids. Many a first for him. shootings on the rise, lockdown actors from the original films are Our Take: Beware. Bieber seemed to and back—along with new, diverse faces. gain fame and fortune before knowing active-shooter drills are the new Our Take: It remains to be seen his true identity and “purpose,” and his fire drill. But some experts say whether the year’s biggest movie will poor choices have been well- those scare students unnecessarily be the year’s best movie. Now that documented. Bieber’s fans, known as and take resources from other Disney owns the franchise, expect it to Beliebers, remain faithful, though crime-prevention areas, such as be family friendly. Director J.J. Abrams’ parents are watching to see if he’s sexual abuse. (huffingtonpost.com) commitment to “real-life” special changed. In the past, the singer has effects—rather than digital ones— been vocal about his Christian faith, offers hope that he’ll stay true to the and he’s reportedly been consulting QUICK STATS original films. with religious advisers. Older Adoptees Almost 20% of kids who are adopted these days are preteens. Yet each year about 23,000 kids “age out” of the foster- Games, Sites & Apps care system; in other words, they Fish, Fish, Squish! American Folklore David Wiesner’s Spot turn 18 before being placed in a In this board game by At AmericanFolklore.net, The Caldecott-winning permanent home. Winning Moves, the parents and children can picture-book creator (psychcentral.com) goal is to be the last learn about folktales, merges art and tech in person with an myths, and fairy tales this visual adventure. Low-Tech Joys Don’t rush out to “unsquished” dough from throughout the Kids explore tiny worlds splurge on e-readers for your kids fish.