December 1, 2013

4th & 5th Grade December 1, 2013

December 1, 2013

Dear Families,


We are about half way through our study of the Gospel of John. We have been looking at “who Jesus is” and what it means to “believe”.

In our room is a chart listing the I AM statements of Jesus. These are the things that Jesus has said about Himself.
I AM the Bread of life (John 6:48-51). Just as our bodies need food, our hearts need Jesus. For food to be of benefit to our bodies, we must eat and digest it. For Jesus to benefit our hearts, we must read His word, believe it and obey it.
I AM the Light of the World (John 9:5). The world we live in is dark with sin, but the light provided by His word exposes sin and reveals paths of righteousness.
I AM the Gate (John 10:7-9) and I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:14-16). In a sheep pen the gate keeps the sheep in and protected and the predators out. The Shepherd takes care of the sheep, Jesus takes care of us. The shepherd will even lay down his life for his sheep and that’s what Jesus did for us.
You might focus on one of these I AM statements each day for four days and talk about why Jesus referred to Himself in this way. Ask, “Is Jesus really a loaf of bread, a light bulb, a gate or a shepherd?” How is Jesus like those things? How has Jesus been that to you? Has His word given your strength to do the right thing, or fed you truth so you can resist temptation? How has the Bible directed you away from stumbling and in the right direction? How does Jesus provide protection?
Parents - be sure to share your stories with your kids as to how Jesus has been these things to you.

We had a drawing for our Baskin and Robbins gift certificate and Malachi Massey was our winner!!!

We will have another drawing in about 6 to 8 weeks so keep helping your children with their memory verses and take home pages (sign and return).

Here are the verses for the next few weeks
John 10:10 A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I came to give life, life in all its fullness.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will have life even if he dies.”
John 12:36 The person who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so they you may become sons of light.
Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Enjoy your week,

Nancy and Severn

2's & 3's December Lessons

This is the 2's & 3's Sunday School lessons for December. The first 4 weeks are about Jesus Birth.  The 5th week is about God's love and how much He cares for us.
 
Thank you,
Cindy Bare
2's & 3's Teacher
 
 
Unit 1:  I'm Glad Jesus is born      Bible Verse:  God loved us and sent his Son. 1 John 4:10
 
December 1   Lesson 1   Mary Meets An Angel   Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56
 
We're glad to know about God's promise, too.  We can thank God for His promise to send Jesus.  We're getting ready to celebrate Jesus'
birthday at Christmastime!  The Bible says, "God loved us and sent his Son."
 
Bible verse:  God loved us and sent his son 1 John 4:10
 
December 8   Lesson 2  Jesus is Born    Luke 2:1-7
           
Mary and Joseph were glad that Jesus was born.  We can be glad, too! We're glad that God's Son, Jesus, was born.  It's the reason we celebrate Christmas! 
     The Bible says, "God loves us and sent his Son."  
 
Bible verse:  God loved us and sent his Son." 1 John 4:10
     

December 15  Lesson 3 Angel Tells the News       Luke 2:8-20
 
The angel and the shepherds told the news about Jesus' birth.  They thanked God for sending Jesus to be born.  We can thank God for Jesus, too.
The Bible says, "god loved us and sent his Son."  At Christmastime, we're thankful for Jesus.  We want to tell others that He was born!
 
Bible verse:  God loved us and sent his Son." 1 John 4:10
 
December 22   Lesson 4  Wise Men Give Gifts    Matthew 2:1-12
The wise men were glad to see Jesus.  They were very thankful to God for Jesus, and they worshiped Him.  We can thank God for
His Son, Jesus, too.  We can sing and pray to tell our thanks.

 
Bible verse:  God loved us and sent his Son." 1 John 4:10
 
Unit 2:  Jesus Loves and Helps Me   Bible Verse:  I will sing of the Lord's great love forever.  Psalm 89:1
 
December 29   Lesson 5  Jesus Tells of God's Love   Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31
 
Jesus said that God loves and cares for each person, even more than He cares for birds and flowers!  The Bible says, "I will sing of the
Lord's great love forever."  We can sing songs about God's love and thank Him for His care.
 
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever.  Psalm 89:1

4th & 5th Grade November 23, 2013

Dear Kids Zone Families,

Our memory verse for this week will be John 9:5 and is as follows: "While I am in the world, I AM the light of the world."

Jesus spoke these words to a man born blind who had never before even seen light, only perhaps felt warmth from the sun on his skin.  Jesus gives the man sight as a way of explaining his purpose in the world, to show us the truth.  In the lesson, we will be teaching the children two things:  That if we believe in Jesus we will be shown even more truth by Him but if we reject Him we cannot learn the truth.

We are all like the man born blind in that we are born not knowing God or the truth.  In order to know the truth we must first come to know God Himself.  Thank you for partnering with us to help teach your children the truth about Christ!

The take home activity this week is an interesting one to help reinforce the memory verse.  We will be making light switch covers with the memory verses on them in class.  The children can take them home to put on a light switch they use at home to remind them about the memory verse.  Please help them to remember this and take a minute to recite the verse with them!


Have a blessed week,

Nancy and Severn

4th & 5th Grade November 9. 2013

Dear Kids Zone Families,

This week, the children will be learning about the Feast of Tabernacles and what Jesus said at it.  Jesus' words at the feast supply our memory verse for the week:

John 7:37b, "Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.'"

Jesus says that whoever believes in him will not be thirsty but in fact have waters of living water flow from within them.  John 7 tells us that Jesus is talking about the gift and presence of the Holy Spirit that all believers have access to.  The Holy Spirit is the often forgotten member of the Trinity but the one who is eternally present within us, sustaining and comforting believers.  We hope all the Kids Zone parents can find the time to pray with their children to the Holy Spirit this week!

We know the weeks are all busy in some way or another!  We will praying for opportunities in everyone's schedule to go over the memory verse and pray together.

Sincerely,

Nancy and Severn

4th & 5th Grade November 17, 2013


November 17, 2013
Dear Families,
Our memory verse this week is John 8:31-32;
Jesus said. . .If you continue to obey my teachings, you are truly my followers.
Then you will know the truth and the Truth will make you free.

   We are learning that sinful habits can become so routine and customary that they are like traps or bonds that keep us from being free or able to make different choices. A personĂ¢€™s lying can be so habitual that they donĂ¢€™t even know what is true any more. We are also learning that Jesus can set us free from our sinful habits when we obey His teaching and follow His example.

   Be sensitive and honest with your children this week about habit you may be struggling with and allow them to be honest with you then pray with and for each other to be set free from that sin. Keep this confidential just between you, your child and the Lord. If you have trouble thinking of anything here is a list of the things that we came up with in Sunday School: lying, stealing, mean talk/gossip, put downs, bullying, anger, not doing our best, eating more that we need, evil or hurtful thoughts, putting something as more important that God, etc.

   John, in his Gospel, gives us an up close and person vision or image of Jesus, and what it means to believe in Him. I encourage you to read a few paragraphs or even a chapter at dinner or before putting your child to bed. If you start today you will have read the whole Gospel before the new year.

Thank you for teaming up with your Kids Zone teachers,
Nancy and Severn

4th & 5th Grade November 12, 2013

Dear families,
   You and your kids have been working hard to memorize verses and share the lessons and learning at home and we thank you.

   Severn and I are always disappointed when your kids are not present and miss an important truth.  We understand lives are busy and schedules very full, so as you seek to make Kids Zone a priority in your week we appreciate the effort it takes and pray that God's truths would take root and give your children a strong foundation for their lives.

   We wanted to have our Ice Cream Gift Card drawing last Sunday, but there were only a few 4th and 5th graders present, so we postponed it until this coming Sunday November 17.  We will have our drawing this week and the student must be present to win.  Everyone has worked hard to fill up our jar with tickets.

Looking forward to a full class every week,
Nancy and Severn

4th & 5th grade November 8. 2013

Dear families,
   I hope you have taken time and enjoyed reviewing the Kids Zone lessons with your children.  One of the questions was -

   What did Jesus mean when he said, " I am the Bread of Life that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever?" 
     
    Understanding this is key to understanding who Jesus is and what He came to do. I hope your children told you about the cracker box illustration we used in class and the nutritious snack we enjoyed.  In case there was some confusion or misunderstanding here is what I hope your children are learning (I would not expect all of this but this is what we are building on previous lessons)
     1. from John 1:4 (first lesson)  In Jesus was life (He is our creator) and His life was the light of men.  We are given physical life through Jesus our creator and spiritual life through believing in Him.
      2. from John 1:12 (lesson 3)  We must receive Jesus, and He will become His children - adopted into His family.  Receive is equal to believe.
      3.  from John 20:31 (lesson 5) These things (in the Gospel of John) have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Believing in Jesus as God, our Creator and Savior gives us eternal life.
      4.  from John 5:24 (lesson 7)  whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal
life. Eternal life comes from hearing and believing who Jesus is.
      The main point is that we may "know", have head knowledge about Jesus, but unless we "ingest" the truth that He came from and is equal to God combined with a heart response and believe, we will remain in our sin and not experience eternal life with Him.

Ok that was a lot! but hope it helps you to see the progression of the Gospel of John and our lessons up to this point.  Please give me a call, send an e-mail or catch me after class, if you want to talk further.

Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to share God's truth with your children.

Nancy and Severn      

4th & 5th grade November 3, 2013

Dear Parents,
So far in the Gospel of John, we have seen the Word become flesh (the incarnation of Jesus), the first miracles and the beginnings of the conflict between belief and unbelief. The words and works of Jesus cause some to believe and follow and others to walk away in unbelief.

Today we read about the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. We discussed the value of eating nutritionally healthy food and how long it satisfies us, and we discussed Jesus’ response to the peoples returning the next day for more food. Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life.” We also began working on our memory verse, John 6:33 (For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.) and exchanged words for pictures.

As you review the memory verse with your child, ask them to tell you what they remember from the lesson. Here are some questions to prompt their memory.
Who provided manna in the wilderness for the Israelites? (God, not Moses)
What did the people want to make Jesus after he feed 5000 people? (King)
What did Jesus mean when he said, " I am the Bread of Life that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will life forever?"
Remember to return this paper with your signature for a drawing for an ice cream certificate.
We are thankful for every opportunity to spend time with your children and partner with you in their spiritual growth. Pray for us as we pray for you.

Thank you,
Nancy and Severn

October 28, 2013

4th & 5th Grade Sunday School - October 27, 2013

Dear Kids Zone Families,

I hope all of you who were able to make it to the Harvest Festival had a wonderful time!  Thank you for aiding your children with memory verses and the home connection assignment.  Please let us know if they do the lessons or have them tell us so they can get more ice cream raffle tickets!

Oct 27th, 2013  Home Connection


Dear Parents,

This morning we will be looking at two different miracles that had two completely different results.  In the first miracle, a man begged Jesus to heal his son.  Jesus healed him and this lead to their entire household believing in Jesus.  In the second miracle, Jesus healed a man who had been lame for 38 years.  However, Jesus had done this on the Sabbath day of rest and so he was persecuted by the religious leaders of the time.  While both miracles resulted in a healing, they also resulted in either belief or unbelief.

In our key verse for today, Jesus reveals that it isn't a miracle that will give eternal life.  Believing in God is what leads to truly eternal life.

This week would you read the following part of the memory verse with your children.

John 5:24  "...whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life..."

See if your children understand the quotation.  Ask them whose word is being talk about and who sent him.


Thank you for partnering with us in ministering to your children,

Nancy and Severn

4th & 5th Grade Sunday School - October 20, 2013


Dear Kids Zone families,
   We had a great lesson this morning and missed and prayed for those that were absent. Thank you for helping your children memorize their Bible verses and 10 to 15 minute Home Connection assignments.  We check those on Sunday morning and the kids can put their names in for a drawing for a $5 ice-cream certificate in November.




                                                                                                                         October 20, 2013           
                                                                                                                          Home Connection

Dear Parents,

Who or what is influencing your child's thinking? Is it you, their friends, their teachers, the computer or TV? This is a serious question in the age of information or misinformation we live in.

In our lesson today, we acted out two interviews. First we looked at Nicodemus, an important religious leader who knew God was with Jesus, because of the miracles Jesus had preformed and found out that no one can Ă¢€Å“knowĂ¢€ God in a personal away apart from belief in His Son and experiencing a Ă¢€Å“new birthĂ¢€ through the Holy Spirit. Next we reenacted the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well. This exchange revealed JesusĂ¢€™ knowledge of the womanĂ¢€™s life and his compassion for her. In both situations the people has some light, some belief, and were given more.

Jesus influenced Nicodemus and the Woman at the well with truth and light. The question we each must answer is -- what are we doing with the truth and light that we are given?
This week would you read with your children John 3:17-21, and discuss it? An would you pray for Severn and me as we seek to guide your children in truth and light.

Thank you,
Nancy and Severn

October 5, 2013

4th & 5th Grade Sunday School - October 5, 2013

October 5, 2013

Dear Parents,

In Kids Zone, we are digging deep into Chapter One of John's Gospel. Our objectives have been to:
1. Verbalize the purpose of John's Gospel (John 20:31)
2. Identify The Word as Jesus (John 1:1)
3. Explain how The Word provides light for our direction

This week we are looking at Matthew 2:1-12 and Jesus' birth. We will look at the responses of three groups of people that knew about His coming -- the Magi, King Herod and the Chief Priests and Scribes.

As the stores are already preparing for Christmas, we too can prepare our hearts for the celebrations of Jesus becoming flesh. How will you prepare? Will you be like the Magi who took time to come and bring gifts to the Christ Child, or like Herod who wanted to get rid of this rival to his position, or like the Chief Priests and Scribes, who knew the prophecies, but couldn't care less?

Will you talk with your child this week about the day that they were born and became apart of your family. Talk about who came to see and welcome them. What gifts did they receive, etc.
Thanks for letting us partner with you in your child's Christian education.

Kids Zone Teachers,
Nancy and Severn

2's & 3's October Sunday School Lessons

This is the 2's & 3's Sunday School lessons for October. We continue with the lessons about Samuel and obeying God.  Then it's about David helping his family
and how God cares for us.
 
Thank you,
Cindy Bare
2's & 3's Teacher
 
 
Unit 2:  I Can Know God Loves Me      Bible Verse:  I Love the Lord.  Psalm 116:1
 
October 6  Lesson 6   Helping at the Tabernacle        1 Samuel 1:28; 2:11, 18-21, 26
 
Samuel obeyed God by learning to be a helper at the Tabernacle.   We can be helpers, too.  We can be helpers to show how much we love the Lord. 
The Bible says, "I love the Lord."
 
Bible verse:  I Love the Lord.  Psalm 116:1
 
October 13   Lesson 7  Samuel Listens and Obeys    1 Samuel 3
           
The Bible says, "I love the Lord."  Samuel showed His love for the Lord by listening and obeying.  We can show that we love the Lord, too.  We can listen
to our moms and dads and teachers.  We can obey them, too.
 
Bible verse:  I Love the Lord.  Psalm 116:1
 
October 20  Lesson 8  Samuel Obeys God       1 Samuel 16:1-13
 
Samuel loved God.  Because he loved God, he obeyed Him and did what was right.  We can show our love for God by obeying, too.
The Bible says "I love the Lord."
 
Bible verse:  I Love the Lord.  Psalm 116:1
 

Unit 3:  I Can Show God's Love   Bible Verse:  With love, help each other.  Galatians 5:13
 
October 27   Lesson 9  David Helps His Family   1 Samuel 16:11-12, 18; 17:34-35
God took care of His people by giving them food and water in the desert.  God loves and cares for us, too, by giving us the
food and water we need.  God is so good!
 
Bible verse:  With love, help each other.  Galatians 5:13

September 21, 2013

4th and 5 Grade - Sept 22, 2013

September 22, 2013

Dear Families,
  
   Thank you for bringing your children Kids Zone.  We teachers are enjoying learning God's word together with them.

   At this point your children should be able to verbalize the PURPOSE of John's Gospel (John 20:31) and should identify Jesus as The Word who brought light and life to the world (John 1:4)

   This week we will meet John the Baptist (not the writer of the Gospel of John), who came to point people to Jesus - the light of the world.  Your children will hear what John the Baptist said and see how the people responded.  Just like today some people did not accept Him and other believed.

   As we study the Bible at  Kids Zone, we want to help your children develop their own habit of reading and studying at home.  We will be teaching them how to find a verse and use a common Bible reference.


   The context for our verse this week is John 1:10 - 12
    the : separates the chapter from the verse, and - refers to a series of verses in a chapter You would say John chapter 1 verses 10 through 12.

   To some this is very familiar to others it is completely new.  Either way would you look up the verses this week with your child, discuss the different responses and help them memorize John 1:12.


Kids Zone Teachers,
Nancy and Severn

4th and 5th Grade - Sept 8, 2013




 Dear Parents of Fourth and Fifth Graders,

   Welcome Back to Kids Zone.  Below is our first "take home" lesson.  We are excited to be studying the Gospel of John this year.
   Please take time to read it and find out how we can support each other in teaching our kids who God is and what it means to Believe.

Thank,
Nancy Laney




Dear Parents,                                                                                    September 8, 2013
           
            Here we are at the beginning of a new year.  Severn and I, your children's Kids Zone teachers are looking forward to working with you in teaching your children the great truths of God's word.
            We will be studying the Gospel of John this year, looking at "who Jesus is" and what it means to "believe".  We will have a weekly memory verse (see below) and some suggested activities for you to do with your child at home.  We know lives are full and time is precious, but these activities are planned to take no more that 5 minutes and God will surely bless the time.

            Here is the first:

            When it is nearly dark outside, stand in the center of a room with windows and with the lights off.  Look out the window and notice the dimly lighted sky.  Now turn on all the lights in the room and look out the window.  Notice now how everything outside looks totally dark. This is similar to God's Word, which is known at the Light.  When we are far from God's Light (in a dark room), the sin of the world outside doesn't appear so dark.  But when we are close to God's Light (in a well lit room), it is easy to tell how dark the sin of the outside world truly is.
          Prayer:  thank you God for your Word that is like a lamp that gives me light and helps me see and avoid sin in the path.  Help me walk in your light.


Memory Verses  (students will be given a ticket and entered in a drawing for every verse they memorize)

** John 20:31  These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son on God: and that believing you may have life in His name.

** John 1:4  In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

** John 1:12  As many as received Him, them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in Him name.

** (repeat) John 20:31  these things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

** John 5:24  Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.

** John 6:33  For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

** John 7:37b  Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."

May 27, 2013

2's & 3's May Sunday School Lessons



This is the 2's & 3's Sunday School lessons for June. The first 4 weeks are about how God was always with Joseph and God will always be with us, also.  The 5th week of June is the start of Unit 2 and is about how God loved and cared for Elijah and God loves and cares for us, also. 

Thank you,
Cindy Bare
2's & 3's Teacher


Unit 1: God is with Me    Bible Verse:  The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

June 2   Lesson 1  Joseph & His Brothers    Genesis 37

God was with Joseph everywhere he went.  God is with us, too.

Bible verse:  The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

June 9   Lesson 2  Joseph in Prison  Genesis 39:1-40:23
           
Joseph kept doing what was right, no matter where he was.  We can keep on doing what is right, too.  We know that God is always with us and will help us do what is right.  The Bible says, “The Lord will be with you wherever you go.

Bible verse:  The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

June 16  Lesson 3 Joseph shares Food   Genesis 41

Joseph shared grain with many people so that they could have food.  God is always with us.  He can help us share with others.  The Bible says, “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Bible verse:  The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

June 23  Lesson 4 Joseph Forgives  Genesis 42:1-8; 43:16; 45:1-28; 46:5-7

When Joseph forgave his brothers, he showed God’s love to them.  God was with Joseph and helped him.  God can help us to show love to people, too.  He is always with us to help us.  The Bible says, “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Bible verse:  The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

Unit 2: God Cares for me  Bible Verse:  God has been good to me.  Genesis 33:11

June 30  Lesson 5 Birds Feed Elijah  1 Kings 17:1-6

God loved and cared for Elijah every day.  God loves and cares for us every day, too.  The Bible says, “God has been good to me.”

Bible Verse:  God has been good to me.”  Genesis 33:11