Pitts Baptist Church Preschool & Children’s Newsletter Vol. 8, Issue 12

In this cold and flu season, please be reminded of the Please join us as we celebrate church’s Healthy Child Policy: the birth of Christ!

We ask that parents not bring their child to our programs if Sunday evening, December 20 he/she has had any of the following symptoms in the last 24 Games from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm hours: Cake cutting at 7:30 p.m. with parents • Fever higher than 100 degrees • Diarrhea All children are asked to bring their favorite • Vomiting cereal wrapped as a gift box. These • Flu donations will be taken to • Throat or ear Infections Baptist Children’s Home. • Body rash • Contagious disease Kindergarten—Fifth Grades ROCK Children’s Wing If a child develops an illness or fever while attending a Three years—Preschool church function, the parent(s) will be notified immediately and CORE Activity Room asked to pick up the child. Thank you for your help in keeping the campus as healthy as possible for everyone! Two years and younger (With a parent) Due to sudden onset of sickness and the church’s insurance CORE Activity Room requirements, parents are reminded that they must be on campus during all Preschool & Children’s Ministry events.

Wednesdays 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm Two years—Sixth grade

IMPORTANT AWANA DATES

December 2 Sparks Store Night

December 16 Deadline to qualify for 2010 Games T&T and Sparks clubbers must have completed at least 10 sections this club year

AWANA Birthday Party

December 23 & 30 No AWANA December Monthly Coordinator: Amanda Hudgens 704.298.0051 Email: [email protected] If you are unable to fulfill your commitment, please trade with someone on the schedule and then notify this month’s coordinator.

Sunday Nursery 10:15 AM Preschool Worship 10:30 a.m. Infants Kim Ochsenreiter & Donna Wilson Twos I Tony & Sharon Cockerham Crawlers Anne Mosier & Carol Rouzer Twos II Bert & Joanna Loftis Ones I Cory & Denise Sane Threes I Dan & Denise Estes Ones II Jason & Becky Shanks Threes II Teresa & Amanda Werme Week of Week Sunday Nursery 5:45 PM Fours I Jeff & Karen Waters

December 6, 6, 2009 December Children’s Musical Fours II Brian & Pam Kaler Christmas Around the World K-2nd Gloria Thurman

Sunday Nursery 10:15 AM Preschool Worship 10:30 a.m. Infants Kim Ochsenreiter & Donna Wilson Twos I Christine Anderson & Jennie Phillips Crawlers Anne Mosier & Carol Rouzer Twos II Sheri Freeman & Heather Walker Ones I Rob & Ashley Goodman Threes I Steven & Amanda Decker Ones II Mike & Doris Stype Threes II Jeff & Traci Ashbaugh Week of Week Sunday Nursery 5:45 PM Fours I Steve & Traci Sweetser David and Amber Gourley Fours II Gavin & Melody McKinnis December 13, 2009 2009 13, December K-2nd Tammy Redmond

Sunday Nursery 10:15 AM Preschool Worship 10:30 a.m. Infants Kim Ochsenreiter & Donna Wilson Twos I Eric & Melissa Morrison Crawlers Anne Mosier & Carol Rouzer Twos II Lewis & Barbara Oot Ones I Miriam Lafferty & Tonya Cook Threes I Chris & Gina Stonestreet Ones II Rick & Tammy Calkins Threes II Travis & Jill Rogers Week of Week Sunday Nursery 5:45 PM Fours I Joe & Angel Britt Caroling & Happy Birthday Jesus Party Fours II Scott & Amy Hornbeak December 20, 2009 2009 20, December (Two and younger must be accompanied by a parent) K-2nd Allison Walker

Sunday Nursery 10:15 AM Preschool Worship 10:30 a.m. Infants Kim Ochsenreiter & Donna Wilson Twos I Christy Norton & NEED TEACHER Crawlers Anne Mosier & Carol Rouzer Twos II Evan & Suzanne Arno Ones I Bill & Shannon Nalbone Threes I Threes and Fours will Ones II Natalia Caggiano & Jori Watts Threes II join their family in the Week of Week Sunday Night 5:45 PM Fours I CORE for a Family No Evening Services Fours II Worship Service December 27, 2009 2009 27, December K-5 Family Worship in the CORE 2009-2010 Classes, Teachers, and Locations

9 AM Sunday Service CLASS WORKER ROOM # Infants (Butterflies) Crystal Taylor & Lisa Carter / Trina Morris & Lori Myers D 113 Crawlers (Parrots) Heidi Fromke & Amanda Hudgens / NEED TEACHER & NEED TEACHER D109 Ones 1 (Bunnies) Brian & Mandie Nance / Kelley & Courtney Willis D118 Ones 2 (Kangaroos) NEED TEACHER & Ellen Allen / Amber Setzer & Amy Setzer D 117 Twos 1 (Sheep) Phil & Amy Bush / Randy & Becky Sims D 115 Twos 2 (Monkeys) NEED TEACHER & NEED TEACHER / NEED TEACHER & NEED TEACHER D 111 Threes 1 (Turtles) NEED TEACHER & NEED TEACHER / NEED TEACHER & NEED TEACHER D 122 Threes 2 (Alligators) Johnny & Alisha Carroll / Danny Brown & Jason Adcock D 120 Fours 1 (Pandas) Brandy & Stephen Best / Patrick & Sheri Waddell D 107 Fours 2 (Zebras) Andrew Wolterman & Crysti Yawn / Erikka Hanright & Nicole Werme D 105 Kindergarten Beverly Hardister & Karen Cloys E 28 First Dale & Jennifer Prillaman E 27 Second Garet Ensley & Patty Whitener E 25 Third Chris & Melinda Edgerton E 26 Fourth/Fifth Dave Seger & Kim Seger E 24 New Christian’s Class Melody McKinnis & Tracey Anderson E 23

10:30 AM Sunday Service Infants (Butterflies) Rowena Stype & Brooke Williams / Kim Ochsenreiter & Donna Wilson D 113 Crawlers (Parrots) Carol Rouzer & Anne Mosier / Amy Borras & Michelle England D109 Ones 1 (Bunnies) Nursery Monthly Rotation D118 Ones 2 (Kangaroos) Nursery Monthly Rotation D 117 Twos 1 (Sheep) Preschool Worship Monthly Rotation D 115 Twos 2 (Monkeys) Preschool Worship Monthly Rotation D 111 Threes 1 (Turtles) Preschool Worship Monthly Rotation D 122 Threes 2 (Alligators) Preschool Worship Monthly Rotation D 120 Fours 1 (Pandas) Preschool Worship Monthly Rotation D 107 Fours 2 (Zebras) Preschool Worship Monthly Rotation D 105 Kindergarten / First Byron & Dee Dee Ford E 28 Second / Third Dustin & Andrea Keith E 25 Fourth / Fifth Jeff Morris, Chad Ford, & Ginger Isenhour E 26 If you can meet a need, please contact Christina Brown. [email protected] OR 704-786-1953

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 Sunday Evenings 10 am 6-7:15 Children/ Children’s Choir Preschool Choirs Dress Rehearsal

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Children’s Choir 3:30 pm Concert Children to OCC 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Christmas Eve Happy Birthday Service No Evening Jesus Party PM Church Office Activities Closed 27 28 29 30 31

No Evening No Evening Activities Activities

December 19 December 1 Allie Gourley Grace Carter December 22 December 6 Rachael Sweetser Jacob Lafferty December 23 December 11 Amelia Edgerton Nathan Barrier Derek Prillaman

Birthdays December 14 December 29 Kathryn Morrison Morgan Pepper Nick Pepper

December 2009

Keep Christ in Christmas By Starting Some New Traditions Ask God: Traditions are important for families because they provide 1. To help your family keep your opportunities to keep your unique legacy going. From the simple to Christmas celebrations focused the silly to the sentimental, traditions can create meaningful on Jesus. memories. Perhaps you buy a new ornament for each of your

children every year. This Christmas, don’t hesitate to try out some 2. To give your family members new traditions. See what does and doesn’t work for your family. You positive attitudes about trying just may create a new tradition that’ll keep going for generations! new traditions.

Make Affirmation Ornaments—Have each 3. To help you create strong family member cut out a large ornament shape bonds and lasting memories. from construction paper and write his or her name

on the front. On the back, have other family

members write (or draw) something special about Parenting Insights the person whose name is on the front. Then decorate the ornaments, attach yarn hangers, and The editors of Parents’ Guide to the put them on your Christmas tree. Spiritual Growth of Children (Focus on the Family) share these tips for Get Crafty—Have a family craft night so family incorporating new traditions. members can make simple homemade gifts for one another. These can include coupon books for 1. Make them fun! When your help with chores or for special outings. celebrations are filled with laughter, the real message Share the News—As a family, dress up and put on a Christmas behind them will be reinforced play for neighborhood children. Serve juice and homemade cookies. more positively in your family.

Adopt a Child in Need—Anonymously assist a young person in 2. Use Christmas symbols. your community through small gifts, money, and encouraging cards. Many symbols have Christian If possible, do these acts of service all year long. origins. For example, St. Nicholas was a shy, generous man who secretly did good deeds for the poor. Decorating “I Believe…” with festive Christmas lights According to a recent Associated Press poll, 86% of people believed in also has Christian roots. Santa as children. More than 60% of parents with young children said Santa is an important part of their Christmas celebrations. 3. Don’t ban all secular traditions. Take a balanced Other findings: approach to your Christmas • 47% of people said Santa detracts from the holiday’s religious celebrations, for your children’s importance, while 36% said Santa enhances the religious sake. Then they’ll be more nature of Christmas. open to receive the true reason • 81% of people said they believe in angels, including more than for the season. half of people who say they aren’t religious. “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:14

On the first Christmas, the angels announced Jesus’ birth. As we celebrate Christmas, our worship and traditions also What do traditions—and Christmas—mean to your children? focus on our newborn Savior, Discover their opinions and insights by asking these the King of Kings. questions:

Teachable Moments 1. What are your favorite things to do around Christmastime, and 1. Make waiting fun. why? Which do you plan to continue with your own children? Patience is a difficult life skill to learn, especially 2. How do our traditions help make Christmas more special? How during December. Harness might some traditions interfere with our celebrations? children’s wonder and anticipation by letting them 3. What traditions would you like our family to start or stop, and explore their creativity. why? What traditions can kids in our family be in charge of? Keep red- and green- colored paper, as well as 4. How would you explain “Christmas” to someone who was other craft supplies, readily unfamiliar with it? available. Have kids make gift tags, wreaths, cards, and more. Family Experience: Star-Studded Fun 2. Deck the (stable) halls. Instead of a gingerbread Brighten up the dark winter nights by trying these joy-filled, house, decorate a Christ-based experiences with your family and friends:

gingerbread stable with • Follow the Star—Hang a trail of stars throughout your house, assorted candies. Prop and at each star, place a nativity-scene figure. Hang the last, animal crackers inside largest star over a cake with three candles, and place baby graham-cracker walls, and Jesus by it. Then follow the stars. Stop at each one and talk use toasted coconut as hay. about the role of that person (or animal). At the final star, light 3. Read all about it. Many the three candles. Say, “These candles families read aloud the represent the star of Bethlehem that shone Christmas story before brightly over baby Jesus; Jesus, the light of opening gifts. Go beyond the world, who was born into a dark night; Jesus’ birth to Luke 2:25- and how God wants us to be a light for 38, where Jesus is others and point them to Jesus. Sing presented in the temple. “Happy Birthday” to Jesus and share the Talk about faithful Simeon cake. and Anna, whose prayers were answered. Then • Star Square—This game, which is ideal for discuss ways you’ve seen play with extended families, is a reminder God in action during the of the wise men who followed the past week. Christmas star to find Jesus. With masking tape, divide an 8x8-foot space into four squares. Tape a construction-paper star in one quadrant. Put one person in each square, and have everyone else stand in a circle around the quadrants. The “star” square starts play by tapping the ball into another square. Players tap the ball into another square whenever it enters theirs. Play continues until someone misses, and then that person steps out and a new player rotates in from the circle. Players rotate clockwise toward the star. Whenever a player steps into the star, he or she should share one thing about Jesus or Christmas. 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 wear.

What’s Playing at the Movies Culture & Trends Movie: The Princess and the Frog (Dec. 11) Genre: Animated fairy tale, comedy What’s happening right Rating: G now that may affect your Cast: Anika Noni Rose, Angela Bassett, Terrence children and family: Howard, Oprah Winfrey Synopsis: Tiana, Disney’s first African-American • More restaurants are princess, lives in New Orleans during the Jazz Age. She trying to lure families meets Naveen, a prince who’s been transformed into a with “kids eat free” frog by an evil magician. Naveen mistakes Tiana for a princess, and when meals. “Free is magic,” they kiss, Tiana becomes a frog, too. They go on adventures to restore says professor Barry their humanity. (Caution: They seek direction from a voodoo priestess.) Schwartz. “It will seduce Discussion Questions: What kind of true or untrue assumptions do people into eating out people often make about you? What can you tell (and not tell) just by who shouldn’t.” looking at someone? Read 1 Samuel 16:7. What do you think God sees when he looks inside your heart? • Preschoolers can have chronic depression, new What Music Is Releasing research shows. Symptoms include persistent sadness (even Artist: Sara Groves when playing), trouble Album: Fireflies and Songs sleeping, irritability, and Artist Info: Groves is a prolific writer of Christian frequent tantrums. folksongs that contain personal lyrics about faith and relationships. Her tours have benefited several ______Christian ministries. Summary: Groves says Fireflies and Songs is a Quick Stats candid, confessional album. In the nostalgic “This House,” Groves assures her 2-year-old daughter (and her listeners) that “the Lord • In this flailing economy, withholds no good thing.” many pregnant women Discussion Questions: During your life, what are some of the biggest are rethinking adoption. blessings that God has provided for you? How have some of those At a Chicago agency, blessings been disguised at first? Read Psalm 84:11. How might God be 30% more women are using you to be a blessing for other people? inquiring about placing a child for adoption than a year ago. What Games Are Out (USA Today ) Rating & Title Content Platform

Would-be cooks learn basic kitchen skills and Cook or Be Cooked E; Wii then advance to “real-life” food prep.

This music-simulation game is more kid- friendly than other popular titles. As the E10+; Nintendo DS, LEGO Rock Band band “travels,” some LEGO characters en- Xbox 360, Wii, PS3 gage in comic mischief. • The U.S. now has Young Finn joins a magical training camp for adventurers in this role-playing game. It between 1.5 million and 2 Adventures to Go! contains mild fantasy violence and mild sug- E10+; PSP million home-schooled gestive themes. students. That’s a 75% increase since 1999. RATINGS: EC=Early Childhood, E=Everyone (ages 6+), E10+ (ages 10+), T=Teen (ages 13+) (hslda.org ) NON PROFIT ORG. Pitts Baptist Church THIRD CLASS Children’s Ministry PERMIT PAID #28 140 Pitts School Road, NW HARRISBURG, NC 28075 Concord, NC 28027

Children’s Weekly Service Schedule Sunday Morning 9:00 a.m.—10:15 a.m. • Sunday School for ages 6 wks—Preschoolers in the Preschool Building • Sunday School for Kindergarten—5th grades in the ROCK Children’s Wing • Children’s Worship in the Fellowship Hall (Kindergarten—2nd grades) following Offertory • T.O.T.A.L. Worship (Kindergarten—5th grades) on 4th Sundays following the Offertory.

10:30 a.m.—11:45 a.m. • Sunday School for Kindergarten—5th grades in the ROCK Children’s Wing • Nursery - Preschool Building (Six weeks—one year) • Preschool Worship (Two year olds—Pre K) in the Preschool Building • Children’s Worship in the Fellowship Hall (Kindergarten—2nd grade) following Offertory • T.O.T.A.L. Worship (Kindergarten—5th grades) on 4th Sundays following the Offertory.

Sunday Evening 6:00 p.m.—7:15 p.m. Joy Jammers Choir: Three years (by August 31, 2009) - Kindergarten in the Preschool Building Harmonic Hearts Children’s Choir: First—Fifth Grades in the CORE Activity Room

Wednesday Evening 6:15 p.m.—8:00 p.m . • Nursery (Six weeks—one year) • AWANA (Two years —6th grades)

Jennifer Brayley, Children’s Director [email protected] Phone: 704-786-1953 Christina Brown, Preschool Director [email protected] Fax: 704-782-3096