Do Not Break God’s Heart!!

Stop!  In the Name of Love!

Today, I presented my last Christian Education program at Newark First United Methodist Church with the Sunday school students and a few of the Teaching Team members.  It was great fun and I truly enjoyed it.

I am posting below the program that I wrote up, so that you can try it out.

First, say out loud the Sunday school student statement.

Second, sing the Chorus (it is written out for the first time – just repeat for the others)

Third, say out loud the scripture that speaks directly to each of us about the incorrect action referred to in the Sunday school student statement.

Try it – it is fun!

  • Sunday school student:  When you are unkind to other people.

Chorus:

Stop!  In the name of Love!

Before you break God’s heart.

Stop!  In the name of Love!

Before you break God’s heart.

Think it over….

Think it over….

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” Matthew 7:12a

 

  • Sunday school student:  When you act out in anger towards someone.

Chorus

“Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”  Psalm 37:8

 

  •  Sunday school student:  When you talk in a mean way about another person.

Chorus

“Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.” Proverbs 26:20

 

  •  Sunday school student:  When you judge people based on your beliefs and feelings.

Chorus

“The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.”  Romans 14:3

 

  •  Sunday school student:  When you refuse to forgive someone who made a mistake and asks you for forgiveness.

Chorus

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  Mark 11:25

 

  •  Sunday school student:  When you worry about life’s problems and do not have faith in Jesus that He is in control.

Chorus

“Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.””  Luke 12:22

 

  •  Sunday school student:   When you are grumpy about things you do not like and do not acknowledge your blessings.

Chorus

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

  •  Sunday school student:  When you ignore the “Can a Day” food drive or a similar helping project to share good food with those who are hungry.

Chorus

”John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.””  Luke 3:11

 

 Chorus:

Stop!  In the name of Love!

Before you break God’s heart.

 

Stop!  In the name of Love!

Before you break God’s heart.

 

Think it over….

Think it over….

heart-made-of-hearts

 

 

A Special Covenant with Jesus

On Sunday, January 10th, we had a special presentation by a few of the Sunday school students centered around a remembrance of Baptism and our special covenant with Jesus.

The presentation went as follows:

“Everyone here may not remember the ceremony when they were baptized.”

“However, we know that being baptized is a special covenant with Jesus.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

“Baptism brings you into the community of Believers.”

“We are grateful to have a place to worship Jesus with other Believers.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

“Baptism does not mean that Believers will never struggle with life issues.”

“It does mean that Believers can draw strength from their special covenant with Jesus.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

“Sometimes, even Believers feel like they are broken shards of glass or that they are falling apart.”

“Our feelings do not always tell the truth about our covenant with Jesus.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

Dry Ocean Glass

“Jesus polishes us with His love and guidance.”

“How blessed we are to have a special relationship with Jesus.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

“Ocean glass was once a broken object.”

“We all were once lost without Jesus.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

“The sands of an ocean beach polished the shards of broken glass.”

“Jesus is polishing each of us to become beautiful Christians.”

  • “Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

“The waters of the ocean cleaned the shards of broken glass.”

“The waters of our Baptisms cleaned each of us and made us a new person in Christ.”

Ocean Glass in Water

“Remember your Baptism and be Thankful.”

 

 

 

#FifthDay of #Christmas

Wow!  It is the 5th day of Christmas already!  I always loved singing Five Golden Rings  whenever I heard the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” being sung.  five golden rings

We are almost half way to Epiphany (January 6th)!  There are so many great spiritual lessons to be learned on this journey between Christmas and Epiphany centered around Thankfulness and Gratitude.

In just a couple days, we will be celebrating a new year.  It is a great time to start a new journey of spiritual development and growth for yourself and the younger members of your household.

There are a variety of Sunday school programs for children and youth at Newark First United Methodist Church.  All programs start at 9:00 am and end around 9:50 am, and can be found in a variety of rooms on the second floor of our church.  These are great programs to help our younger Christians explore their faith questions and fellowship with their peers. New students can start at anytime.  Titles of the programs for each class are as follows:

PreK – 1st grade    “Deep Blue Kids” (younger elementary series)

2nd grade – 5th grade   “Deep Blue Kids” (upper elementary series)

6th grade – 8th grade    “Submerge”

9th grade – 12th grade   “BL4Y – Bible Lessons 4 Youth”

If you want more information about each of these programs, you can find explanations on www.Cokesbury.com.  Any questions about the Sunday school program or how to register your child/youth can be sent to Christina – Christian Education Director at NFUMCxtianed@gmail.com.

#Our Christmas Play

Our Christmas Play on Sunday, December 13, 2015, was a wonderful event filled with joy, peace, love and faith.  Oh, yes, laughter too!  The Sunday school Teaching Team and the students who were participating in the play gathered around in a circle holding hands just before the dress rehearsal started early on Sunday morning.  I led the group in a prayer focusing on everyone using their gifts and talents from God to bring the story of our Savior’s humble beginning to our congregation.  The Holy Spirit then led all of us who were part of the play to present the story in such a way that many lives were touched and renewed.

I want to thank everyone who helped to make this Christmas Play so spiritually refreshing – those names that are listed on the play program as well as Lucina Hallagan who directs our media ministry.

Christmas play program 2015

#Preparing for The Play

The costumes have been selected, the lines have been practiced, the songs have been sung, and the screen shots have been designed all in preparation of our Christmas Play 2015.   Tomorrow morning the programs will be printed on fancy paper and the final dress rehearsal will be performed.

Come and Join us in celebrating the Greatest Story Ever Told – the birth of our Savior, Christ Jesus!  The Sunday school will be presenting a Christmas play based on Luke 2 during the 10:00 am Worship Service at the Newark First United Methodist Church on Main Street in Newark, New York on Sunday, December 13th!

Here is what the backside of the Christmas Play programs will be tomorrow.  Sunday School winter listing

My next blog entry will feature more details about the Christmas play.  You can also look forward to reading about our activities from August to November 2015 as we wrap up this year and make our way towards 2016.

May Joy fill your hearts this third week of Advent….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#SundaySchool Rooms take on new look @ NFUMC !

Summer Transformation ART project for Sunday School Area

The summer of 2015 will be remembered as the year the upstairs Sunday School areas were transformed from bright and vivid to…..

Well, keep in touch with this Christian Education Blog and you will find out the answer to what new look our Sunday School area take on with plenty of hard work from a dedicated crew.  It will be an exciting new environment for Biblical learning!

C and T painting helpers July 20, 2015 – a very hot day – Cecilia & Trinity showed dedication in the priming part of the project.  Thank you girls!  Three adults were also working on the priming and cutting in of the new color – Vicky George, Janie Reeder and myself (Christina H. Beiderbecke), and enjoying each other’s company.  Every wall that was covered brought a sigh of relief and some delight.

Goodbye wall art  Good-bye Wall Art!  Vicky lends a painter's hand

Even the bulletin boards will be transformed with a new look for our former Pre-K Sunday school room….  Bulletin board takes on new look!  (Middle of Priming Transformation)

On our agenda for our next work day is painting the Pre-K room with the new color and priming the bright blue wall of the next room….

Looking at our next project room A view through our adorable doorway!

Sign up to get emails from this Blog each time I post and you will be “in the know” about our entire ART transformation project….just click the Follow link and fill in your email.  If you have any questions about our Sunday school, please email me (Christina) at nfumcxtianed@gmail.com.

A Shake It Up Cafe Farewell….

Wow…this past Sunday, June 21st, was our final session for Shake It Up Cafe.  The projects that day focused on science experiments.  With each experiment, the teachers and I helped the students make a connection between the experiments and a Bible based lesson.

For example, in one of the experiments we combined vinegar and food coloring. After we mixed the two ingredients together, we added vegetable oil.  When we gave the mixture a couple good shakes, everything stayed mixed up.  As the ingredients settled, the oil mixture separated from the vinegar mixture.  Our Shake It Up Book told us that we have to work very hard to be a follower of God.  It listed how we need to be ready to do the right thing, we need to find time each day to pray to God, to read our Bibles and to give to others out time and talents.  It reminded us that God never leaves us.  I am going to finish their explanation with a quote out of the book – “Sometimes our choices and our actions separate us from God, just like the oil and the vinegar separated.  But when we shake up our lives to follow God’s recipe, we stay connected to God.  Remember to shake it up!”

I can definitely say that I had a great time at the Shake It Up Cafe and I believe the students felt the same way.  Some of our student got together for a farewell picture.

Farewell @ Shake It Up Cafe

Our 9:00 am Sunday school program will return in the Fall with a brand new line up of classes for all age groups.  More information about these programs will be posted on this Blog during the summer months.

Meanwhile, mark you calendar for the community VBS program in Newark, NY.  It will be held August 10th -14th.  More information will be posted soon!!