Recently we had “Game Night” at HMS Kids Club. During the normal activity time, each class had fun playing arcade games in the large group room. The kids (and grown-ups too!) played pinball, basketball shootout, video dancing, air hockey, ping-pong, and carpet bowling. See the slideshow below.
This year our celebration of Reformation Day focused on Martin Luther and his posting of the Ninety-Five Theses. Children and adults gathered at 5:30pm to sing Luther’s most famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” and then learn about how Martin Luther, a troubled monk, uncovered the gospel of justification by faith alone and began spreading this good news. For the next hour, the kids visited five teaching activities/games designed to bring Luther’s life experiences that surrounded the early years of the Protestant Reformation to life. These stations included:
All the stations involved free candy for everyone! At the end of the evening, we all met again to discuss what we learned, what Martin Luther learned, and what happened to Martin Luther at his trial (the Diet of Worms) in 1521 that launched the Reformation movement he helped launch.
See below for the large group presentation and a slideshow of the evening’s activities.
October is here. That means the kids are back in school, the leaves are changing, the holidays are around the corner, and HPC’s HMS Kids Club is starting soon. Be sure to download the registration form to sign your child up (grades 1st-5th). If you need more information for yourself or a friend, download the Kids Club flier. (If your child older, HMS Youth is our club for grades 6th-12th that meets at the same time.) See you Sunday October 16 for the beginning of a great club year!
Civil War soldiers salute!
Perhaps the September highlight in terms of congregational activities was the Civil War Encampment HPC hosted for the community on 9/10/11. One family in the church that is involved in 19th century living history activities set up a typical Union soldier camp, providing replicas of period items, dress, food that gave us a glimpse into the life of Americans from a bygone era. We learned about the religious beliefs of typical soldiers and how their faith informed their attention to duty, honor, and principle. We even had a musket-firing demonstration that was a big hit with the kids! The day was such a success that HPC is considering hosting similar events in the future to provide living history education in the community, and a convenient entry way into the lives of people in the church.
One of the most exciting Christian educational ministries today is Third Millennium Ministries. They are producing quality resources in the world’s major languages to help train pastors, church officers, and laymen hungry to learn about God. We are excited to make their video training material accessible from our website. Visit this new feature from the top navigational menu under Resources | Videos. A good place to start is the video series Building Your Theology.
Last week a team from HPC hosted a Backyard Bible Club at Eva Walker Park in Warrenton, VA. Many children from our church and from the surrounding neighborhood showed up at the park to be club members.
The theme of the week was “Hidden Things.” Each day (Monday-Thursday) the children heard a lesson from one of Jesus’ parables about the hiddenness of the kingdom of God, and how Jesus reveals the kingdom in all its beauty and preciousness. Children learned about the following parables:
But Backyard Bible Club was not just about learning Bible stories. We also had a lot of fun with the kids singing “active songs”, and playing games like Tug-o-War, Freeze Tag, Simon Says, Dragon Lair, Duck-Duck-Goose, Sharks and Minnows, and others. Each day we shared a snack while we colored activity sheets keys to the daily Bible story and discussed the “hidden” meaning with the children. At the end of the week we fought a massive water battle with toy water pistols. But the little squirts weren’t enough to beat the record-breaking heat wave so we all drenched each other with water buckets!
Pray that the faithful labors of God’s children in His kingdom would bear fruit as He chooses to produce spiritual growth in the children (and adults) that were a part of HPC’s 2011 Backyard Bible Club.
In 2011, HPC is hosting a Backyard Bible Club:
The theme for this year’s BBCs is “to discover things hidden”. Elementary school age children (especially those from the local neighborhood!) are invited. Lessons will focus on five parables that Jesus told about the Kingdom of God. Each day’s event will include lessons, activities, games, crafts, and snacks.
Important note to parents: Backyard Bible Clubs are “neighborhood” activities. Children are welcome to participate on a voluntary basis. Children will be supervised while they are participating in club activities, but they are free to leave or go home as they please. BBC volunteers cannot be held responsible for children once they leave club activities.
Last week a team of people young and young-at-heart traveled to Wildwood, New Jersey to serve in an evangelistic ministry called The Boardwalk Chapel. The BC is in its 67th consecutive summer of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ on the boardwalk to vacationers who walk the boards. It is an evangelistic ministry of the New Jersey presbytery of the OPC.
The HPC team assisted the BC summer staff by performing several songs and skits, and by giving a sermon each night during the program. Our own Sarah Buckley and Andrew Gordon are full-time staff members at the BC this summer, and it was great to visit them and serve along side them in ministry.
Take a look at the video and photo slideshow below to get a feel for the summer program at the BC.
Summer is quickly approaching, and that means that students are wrapping up their studies and looking forward to some adventure and maybe a slower pace. HPC Youth got a little of both last Saturday when they met to go fishing. As you can see from the picture slideshow below, the fish were really biting. Many thanks to the parents and other young-at-heart adults who spent time fishing, teaching how to fish, and cooking out. This promises to be a good summer!
Jesus said... "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
Heritage Presbyterian Church
7850 Millfield Drive
Warrenton, VA 20187
© 2012 - Heritage Presbyterian Church
|
