Volunteer Positions - 2014-2015 School Year

 

We have volunteer opportunities for you in Bible Trek!

Volunteering in Bible Trek is very easy to do -- and it's a whole lot of fun!  We have some opportunities for you to get involved in the next school year.  Grab a spot fast, before they're gone!

9:30 Service
Coaching Positions Available: Kindergarten Girls, 1st Grade Girls, 3rd Grade Girls, 1st Grade Boys, 2nd Grade Boys, 3rd Grade Boys

Coaches come and stay for an entire service, and attend adult worship as well.  They lead a small group in discussion about the lesson and they help with activities.  Small group questions are pre-written for coaches, and have Bible references for where you can find the answers in case you missed it during the lesson time!  It's a great opportunity to influence young lives for Christ!

 

Special Education Aide: We are looking for 1 person with experience with children with Special Needs to be an aide in our classroom during the 9:30 service.

 

11:00 Service (North)

Coaching Positions Available: 1st Grade Girls, 2nd Grade Girls, Kindergarten Boys, 3rd Grade Boys

Coaches come and stay for an entire service, and attend adult worship as well.  They lead a small group in discussion about the lesson and they help with activities.  Small group questions are pre-written for coaches, and have Bible references for where you can find the answers in case you missed it during the lesson time!  It's a great opportunity to influence young lives for Christ!

 



 

Special Education Aide: We are looking for 1-2 people with experience with children with Special Needs to be an aide in our classroom during the 11:00 service.

 

11:00 Service (South)

Coaching Positions Available: 1 Coaching Position Available (all age levels)

Coaches at South Campus come and stay for an entire service, and attend adult worship as well.  They assist the Director with helping kids understand the lesson, feeling welcome, and playing in centers.  It's a great opportunity to influence young lives for Christ in a smaller setting!



 

Special Education Aide: We are looking for 1-2 people with experience with children with Special Needs to be an aide at our South Campus to rotate between all classrooms (ages Toddler, Pre-K, and Bible Trek).

 



Other Jobs (Not During Service)

Snack Supplier: We are looking for 1-2 people to purchase our snacks (and get reimbursed) for about 100 kids each week, including both of our North and South campuses for all services.  Deliver snacks by 9:25 to North Campus (we have someone to bring them to South) and turn in receipts to Elizabeth for reimbursement.

 

Center Leader Positions Available (North Campus Only): Logical Center, Active Center, Creative Center

 

Center Leaders come for 30 minutes before each service (both 9:30 and 11:00 if possible, though we can be flexible) to help the kids pay in their specific center.  Center supplies is all provided, and simple instructions will be there for your reference.  Your job is simply to play with kids who come to your center!  It's a fun and simple job, and you won't miss to be there!

 





Two Homework Assignments

This week your Bible Trek kids had two homework assignments:

1. Make a breastplate of righteousness and a belt of truth.  Post a picture of your creation to our Northgate Kids Facebook page!
2. Find something in the Bible that is true.  Write it down and bring it in next week!

 

These homework suggestions were found on your Field Guide this week.  Doing these activities with your kids during the week is so important to their spiritual development!  Remember, YOU are the greatest influence on your kids!  Make some time tonight or tomorrow to open the Bible with your kids - no matter how young they might be!

Memory Verses - End of the Year

Memory Verses

               End of the year: 2013-2014

These verses will only receive Commitment Coins (not Verse Master credit).  Verse Masters have already been calculated for the year.

June 1

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.” ~ Ephesians 6:13

June 8

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place” ~ Ephesians 6:14

June 15 **Verse Master Announcements Today!**

“with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” ~ Ephesians 6:15-16

Verse to be recited on first day of Summer Trek:

June 29: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” ~ Ephesians 6:17

This verse will be included on our Summer Quarter list

Field Guides

Why do we send home Field Guides each week?

Why would we go through the trouble to write out extra activities, on top of the curriculum we are writing?

Why do we use color ink and lots of paper to print the Field Guides?

The answer is simple.

Because we believe in the influence of a parent on their child's spiritual development.

At Northgate our mission statement is to bring people to Jesus Christ, and to build them up in that relationship.  In Bible Trek, one of the ways we build children up in their relationship with God is to help you as parents connect with your kids spiritually.

On your Field Guide each week you will find the following information:
- The main idea of that week's lesson
- The passage of the Bible which we based he lesson around
- That week's memory verse
- Something to do in the car on the ride home
- Something to do as a family during the week
- Something to do in your quiet time (geared toward our 3rd and 4th grade kids, and for parents)

 Main Idea
The main idea of the lesson is what we want kids to understand at the end of service about how the Bible story relates to their relationship with God.  For example, in our Kingdom of God year we taught a lesson in which the main idea was "God sent angels to tell the shepherds the Good News, and God sends us to tell the Good News to our friends!"

During this lesson, we wanted children to see the impact they could have on their friends' lives by telling them about Jesus.  We send home the main idea of the lesson each week so that you will know what your children have been taught, and hopefully will talk with your kids about it throughout the week!  It's a good way to gauge their answer to the question, "What did you learn in Bible Trek?"

Bible Passage
We want kids to understand that they are part of God's story.  That's why we have a big timeline on our classroom wall with the kids' pictures on it.  Part of understanding their role in God's story is recognizing the power of the Word of God.  We send home the Bible passage that we used so that you can look it up and know what your kids were taught each week.  You could also use it as a passage to read during your family devotional time.  We hope the kids are opening their Bibles at home, not just at church.

Car Ride Home
The ride home from church can go many ways.  We hope, though, that it becomes a time of reflection on what God is speaking into your lives as you process what you have heard on Sunday mornings.  The activities we send home for the car ride might seem silly sometimes, but they always have something to do with the lesson your kids just heard - - and you can quiz your kids on how the game relates!

Family Time
It seems to be getting more and more difficult for families to gather around the dinner table these days, let alone find the time for a family activity!  But we truly believe that doing these activities together with your kids will help them learn to become lifelong followers of God.

Quiet Time
Our Quiet Time activities are geared toward the older kids in Bible Trek, but they certainly can be accommodated for younger kids as well.  We hope that you, as parents, are taking advantage of the quiet time suggestions so that you might better understand what your children are learning in church.

Everything we do in Bible Trek has a purpose.  Every conversation, every piece of the curriculum, every picture on the wall, every paper sent home.  Thanks for taking the time to read and understand more about why we do what we do!

This Week's Memory Verse Activity

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

~ Matthew 28:19, 20a

 

Memorize this verse for next week to receive TWO Commitment Coins to buy something from our prize locker!
 

Activity: Write this week’s verse on index cards and hide them around the house this week.  When you see one, read it out loud and then hide it somewhere else for someone else to find!

Take a picture of the craziest place someone hid a card and post it to our Northgate Kids Facebook Page!

Devotions

Hey, Parents!

I thought this week you might be interested in doing the devotions that our coaches do in preparation for our lessons.  These devotions go along with the curriculum, and will prepare you to talk with your kids about the lesson this coming Sunday (May 18th), but are meant to be done this week (May 12-16).

Monday - - Read Matthew 28:16-20

When reading this week’s passage, what does Christ say our job is as his disciples? What is his promise to us?

Tuesday - - Personal Reflection Questions

1)  Why did Jesus go to heaven?

2) Is it harder for you to hear Christ’s call to service or to believe his promise of always being with you?

3) How can you help the kids in your small group understand that Jesus is still with us, even though He went to heaven?

Wednesday - - Read Acts 1:1-11

When reading this passage, picture it from a child’s perspective.  How does that change how you read this story?

Thursday - - Discuss this week’s readings with your small group or accountability partner

Even if you can’t make it to this week’s small group, we encourage you to talk through what God is placing on your heart with someone this week.

Friday - - Memorize Proverbs 18:24

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” ~ Proverbs 18:24

This Week's Memory Verse

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

~ John 20:29b

 

Say the Bible verse as a chant. Make a motion to go with the words: blessed, not seen, and believed. Go through the verse several times.

 

Draw a Picture

Have your kids draw a picture of Jesus after He rose from the dead, and bring it in to Bible Trek on Sunday!

 

 

“So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” ~ Matthew 28:8

Pass the Prayer Cross

I was browsing Pinterest this afternoon and I came across this idea, and thought I'd pass it on!  It's a family prayer cross - - this woman made it to be passed around the table during prayer time so that the kids would start to understand how to wait their turn to pray (and not interrupt each other), and to help them focus on Jesus as they prayed.  What a clever idea!

 

 

Find the instructions at this site: http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/pass-the-prayer-cross/

Jelly Bean Prayer

Photo credit: http://churchhousecollection.blogspot.com/2012/03/jelly-bean-prayer-coloring-pages.html

10 Ways to Teach Kids about Easter

This is seriously an amazing blog post!  10 great ways to help your kids grasp the story of Easter.  I highly recommend it!  Just follow this link: http://www.leeanngtaylor.com/teach-kids-about-easter/#sense

Easter Break 2014

Bible Trek will resume on Sunday, April 27, 2014.

Resurrection Rolls Recipe

{Photo credit for all photos used in this post goes to the beautiful blog called Eat at Allie's}

 
Today we made Resurrection Rolls in Bible Trek, and we'd like to share the recipe with you here.  Try making them at home, and perhaps use it as a way to connect with your kids spiritually!
 
Ingredients:
Marshmallows {Body of Christ}
Crescent Rolls {Tomb}
Butter {Oils to anoint Jesus' body for burial}
Cinnamon {Spice to anoint Jesus' body for burial}
Sugar {Spice to anoint Jesus' body for burial}

 
Step One: Anoint Jesus' Body for Burial
Cover the marshmallow in melted butter, then roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

 
Step Two: Place Jesus' Body in the Tomb
Wrap the marshmallow in the crescent roll and pinch all openings together tightly.  Bake according to package directions.

Step Three: Arrive at tomb to find it empty!
Once baked, the marshmallow will have melted and your tomb will be empty!  Jesus is alive!

Verses to read while baking together

~ Matthew 27:57-28:4 {This is the end of the passage we talked about in Bible Trek today}
~ John 20:1-18

Reading the Bible Together

In this week's Field Guide we asked you to ponder this question: How can you make reading the Bible together part of your regular routine?

This is something that does not always come naturally.  First, someone has to take the initiative to make it happen.  Then, everyone else in the family has to get on board (boy, what a feat that can be!).  And once everyone is convinced, there are so many logistical questions to be answered: When will we do it?  How long will it take?  What devotional will we use, or how much of the Bible will we read each day?  It can all be so overwhelming - - and even if you get past all of these hurdles, it's tough to stick with it.

Let me tell you one simple thing that makes it all worth it, though:

YOU are the greatest influence on your kids.

That's right - - YOU!

Not Pastor Gloria.  Not Ms. Elizabeth.  Not your child's coach.  YOU.

That's why we send home Field Guides each week: because we know that one hour in Bible Trek each week is not going to make lifelong followers of Christ.  We plant seeds in Bible Trek, but you cover them with soil and water them and give them sunlight.

So I strongly encourage you to think about how you can foster spiritual growth in your child at home.  You already have a great start, bringing your kids to church!  Bring Jesus home with you, and you will be amazed at what you see happen in your family!

$13.19 Paperback (Online Price)

$10.55 Paperback (Online Price)

$12.31 Paperback (Online Price)

Communion

In Bible Trek each year when we talk about the Last Supper, we also teach kids about communion.  Parents of children in Bible Trek are invited to join us this Sunday for the last 15 minutes of service at North, or after service at South, for communion.

We do use grape juice, not wine, in the Free Methodist Church.  There will also be a gluten-free option.

In Bible Trek we believe that it is our job to teach kids about communion.  That is why you will notice that when serving communion we spend a lot of time talking with the kids about why we are doing what we are doing.  We walk through it with the kids, and use it as a teaching moment.  We believe that it is important for kids to understand why we do these kinds of things in church, rather than just expecting them to do it.

Three questions your kids should be able to answer after taking communion in Bible Trek:

1. What do you think about when you eat the bread?  When you drink the juice? {When we eat the bread we remember that Jesus sacrificed his body for us.  When we drink the juice we remember his blood.  A simpler answer for younger kids might be we remember Jesus, or we think about Jesus.}
2. Is communion a good snack?  {No.  Communion is not to fill our bellies, it's to help us remember Jesus.}
3. Why do we take communion?  {To remember Jesus, and because He told us to.}

If you have any questions about communion in Bible Trek, or talking to your kids about communion, feel free (as always) to contact me!

Memory Verses Quarter 4

Memory Verses

Quarter 4: 2013-2014

 The verses are recited on the week of the date listed.

(i.e. 1 Corinthians 12:5 will be recited to coaches on

                               March 23)

After May 25 verses on this list may not be recited for Verse Master credit.

March 23

“There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” ~ I Corinthians 12:5

March 30

“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” ~ Mark 11:10

April 6

“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ~ Luke 22: 19

April 13

“But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” ~ Matthew 26:56

April 27

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~Romans 5:8

May 4

“So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” ~ Matthew 28:8

May 11

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ~ John 20:29b

May 18

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” ~ Proverbs 18:24

May 25 (Worth 2 Coins)

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” ~ Matthew 28:19, 20a

Map of Judah

This week in your Field Guide you were encouraged to look up a map of Judah during the birth of Jesus.  We'd like to make that task a little easier for you!  Here are several:

Presentation About Drugs

On Tuesday, December 10th, 2013, at 7:00PM in the Teen Room at Northgate (North), there will be an important presentation/program for all parents. The presentation is about drugs, drug use among teens in general and the important things that we should all know about this.

The program will be presented by Mike Bruggman and Jose Ortiz.

If you have any questions, please call the church office at 343-4011 and ask to speak with Pastor Gloria.

If you are a parent or grandparent, we strongly urge you to come to this meeting. You are welcomed to bring any other adults you feel may benefit from hearing this information.

 

Thank you for keeping this meeting adults-only.

What Bible should I buy for my child?

What a great question to ask!  At Northgate we want every child to have an age-appropriate Bible that s/he can use at home as well as in church.  That's why in Bible Trek we randomly give the kids prizes for bringing their Bibles with them.

The Bibles recommended below include links to where you can buy them on Amazon, but here are a few other places you can go (or sites you can visit) where you can receive some more guidance, or even flip through Bibles as you choose which one will be best for your child:

Alpha and Omego Parable Christian Bookstore
1601 Penfield Rd. Rochester, NY OR 1540 Ridge Rd. West - Stone Ridge Plaza, Rochester, NY
(Order online or go in person)

Christian Book Distributor
(Order online)

Bender's Parable Christian Bookstore
8550 Sheridan Dr., Williamsville, NY
(Order online or go in person)

Life Resources Christian Bookstore
3902 Maple Rd., Amherst, NY
(Go in person)

If you are experiencing financial hardship and are unable to buy a Bible for your son or daughter, please speak with Pastor Gloria or Elizabeth Goodberry.

**Many of these Bibles can be bought in a Kindle or tablet edition.  This is a great way to get your child interacting with the Bible, but if your child doesn't have his/her own tablet, I personally recommend that you get your child a physical copy of a Bible.  This will allow your child to get into the habit of bringing a Bible with them to church, which is a great thing to do through adulthood!

If your child doesn't have an age-appropriate Bible, here are some good ones that Elizabeth, our Bible Trek Director, recommends - - based on age:

For Toddlers:

The Beginner's Bible is a great Bible for kids to learn some of the stories in the Bible, and to get them interested in the Bible.  It has great pictures and few words.  It's the perfect Bible to start some routine with your kids, reading to them from the Bible each night.  If kids want to look through the book themselves, the colorful pictures will draw them in!  The more your child touches and looks at the Bible when s/he is young, the more s/he will learn to love the Bible when s/he is older!!

They also have board books with individual stories from the Beginner's Bible, in case your child likes ripping pages out of books!!

 

For Pre-K Kids:

 

This bible, called The Jesus Storybook Bible, is absolutely wonderful!  It features stories from both the Old and New Testaments and helps kids (and adults!) to start to understand how Jesus has been at work in the world since the beginning of time.  It portrays God's love for His creation throughout... an amazing Bible!!  It also has pictures, and there are more words.  Parents will have to read to children, but it should be something they can sit through by the time your children are 3 or 4 years old.

 

 

For Kindergarteners & 1st Graders:

Notice that I am not going by age, but by grade level for elementary-schoolers.  This is because children are still learning to read, even through third and fourth grade, so we want to make sure they are getting into a Bible that they can read more independently.  In Kindergarten and First grade, your child will likely still be dependent on an adult's help when reading the Bible, but the Bibles listed below will grab their attention and make them want to read it!

 

By Kindergarten we really want to move our kids away from the "storybook" Bibles and into a Bible that includes books of the Bible and verses.

 

The Action Bible is something that we use in Bible Trek almost every Sunday.  I like it because it helps our pre-readers engage in the lesson and gets them looking at a Bible while we're reading directly from the Bible.  The kids can actually see what is happening.  This also might be a good resource for your child with Special Needs - - but take a look at it, first.  It could also be over-stimulating for a child with special needs.

 

The Action Bible features most, but not all, Scripture (for example, this year we will be doing a series on Parables that Jesus told, and they are not all featured in this Bible).  The really cool thing about it (especially for boys) is that each page looks like a page from a comic book!  It's a great way to get your kids excited about God's story of the world!!

 

**If your child is going to bring his/her Action Bible to Bible Trek, please make sure that the front cover is clearly labeled with your child's name, since we have many copies of our own in the classroom.  Thank you!

 

 

This Bible is going to be one that your child can stick with through fourth grade, so you may not feel that your Kindergartener is ready for it yet, but I encourage you to get a Bible like this one for your child once s/he reaches 1st grade so that your child may start to get used to how to use a Bible.  Using a Bible is a difficult thing to learn at any age, so the earlier you start, the better!  We use Adventure Bibles in Bible Trek, and this particular version is written for young readers (kids ages 6-10).  Even if you choose not to go with this particular Bible, I highly recommend the "New International Reader's Version" (NIrV).

 

For 2nd & 3rd Graders:

See my full description above, in Kindergarten & 1st Grade

By 2nd & 3rd Grade, I really hope that kids are using a Bible such as the Adventure Bible for Young Readers (see Kindergarten & 1st Graders) that has all of the books of the Bible and all of the verses.  This is prime time for kids to learn how to look up verses in their own Bibles.

 

For 4th Graders:

I still recommend The Adventure Bible for Young Readers at this age.  See my full description and reasoning under Kindergarten & 1st Graders.

 



One of the great things about keeping the same Bible (for example, the Adventure Bible for Young Readers) for a long period of time is that your child can learn to start taking notes and underlining passages!  If you want your child to keep his/her same Bible, but still want to get something new - - Bible pens are a great gift!  They will get your child excited to take notes, and special pens that are made for Bibles will not bleed through the page.  These are the ones I personally use, and I love them!!

Although I don't have much personal experience with the Kids' Quest Study Bible, I do feel confident recommending it for your 4th or 5th grader.  I like that it is a Study Bible, which means that it will include helpful excerpts about how to apply God's Word to your life.  This is the perfect Bible for your child if s/he is eating up everything in Bible Trek and always wants to know more!  It will begin to bridge the gap between God's Word and your child's own life.

 

For 5th Graders:

You guessed it!  After your kids have grown out of the Adventure Bible for Young Readers, I am recommending the Adventure Bible.  It has all of the great features of the A.B.f.Y.R., but begins to help your child learn to read the language of the Bible.

 

The Kids' Quest Study Bible will be a great Bible for your 5th grader, as well - - especially at Northgate where we send 5th graders up to our Young Teens (Plugg'd In) program!  See my full description above, in "For 4th Graders."

 

 

For 6th - 8th Graders:

I really like the Teen Study Bible for kids at this age, for several reasons.  One, it gets them used to the idea of "studying" the Bible.  There are little excerpts that they can read to dig deeper into God's Word and start applying it to their own lives.  I also love that it tackles real-life issues that kids at this age are starting to face.

 

This is actually one of the Bibles I had when I was growing up.  You can apply everything that I said above about the Teen Study Bible to this one.  It helps kids start to learn how to study the Bible and apply it to their own lives.

 

For 9th-12th Graders:

 

The Life Application Study Bible is perfect for your child who has grown up in the church and is ready to start studying the Bible on their own.  This is a great time to get your son or daughter a leather-bound Bible, and even get the cover engraved with his/her name!  They also have cheaper Life Application Study Bibles, though, if you can't afford the leather one.

I believe that kids in senior high should have two very good Bibles: one that is portable (that they can toss in their backpack and bring to school or work) and one that is bigger and has more notes (which is why I recommend the Life Application Study Bible).  As you choose a smaller Bible for your teenager, try to stick with a version that is theologically sound (you can always ask a pastor).  If you don't want all of your Bibles to be NIV, I really like the ESV for personal study.  I do not recommend the King James Version, or even the New King James Version.  They are theologically sound, but they can be difficult to understand.

 



For Teenagers who are New to Christianity:

 

I love it when I hear that a teenager has given his/her life to Christ!  It was during my teenage years that my own relationship with God really began, and when I started understanding what it meant to be a Christian.  But teenagers who are new to Christianity can find themselves feeling "in over their heads" when it comes to reading the Bible.  That's why I recommend The Message version of the Bible for these kids.  It takes Scripture by the paragraph and breaks it down into contemporary language, so it's easier to understand.  It might be more difficult to follow along on a Sunday morning at church, though (because of how it takes paragraphs rather than verse-by-verse to make it easier to understand).  I recommend getting a cute or cool - looking edition, though. :)

 

 

 

If you have any questions, you're probably not the only one!  Please post questions or comments on this blog, and we'll make sure to answer them!