Sue

I just received a request from my niece. She wants Vol. 2 of Hymns for a Kids’s Heart for her Christmas gift this year. Last year I gave her family Vol. 1. She has three children under seven and they have used the book and CD for family devotions. The CD has become the favorite for long trips in the car and all family and friends are amazed that her children have memorized all these great hymns of the faith.

A few years ago her older sister called me before Christmas to request another volume of the Ella Lindvall Read-aloud Bible Stories. Her children requested these for bedtime stories.

I love being a “hit” with my Christmas gifts. In the CEP bookstore we have great music and book gifts for families and children that are difficult to find anywhere else.

If you want to give a gift that will bless the families in your life all year round, think about shopping in house or ordering online from www.cepbookstore.com.

I highly recommend:

Hymns for a Kid’s Heart Vol. 1 (book with CD)

Hymns for a Kid’s Heart Vol. 2 (book with CD)

Christmas Carols for a Kid’s Heart (book with CD)

Read Aloud Bible Stories Vols. 1-4

Right to the Heart of the Matter
Sue Jakes, CEP Christian Education Specialist

My four children are all grown up. When my youngest got married last year I was reminded, however, that the responsibility to train up our children is never ending. As the mother of the bride, I was supposed to stand up when signaled so that my daughter could begin her walk down the aisle. I missed the signal because I could not take my eyes off my grandson, the cutest ring bearer I had ever seen. My attention had already moved to the next generation. And so it is with the Kingdom of God. It will not end until Jesus comes back.

The 2008 WIC Love Gift will help provide new and better resources for equipping our churches to make disciples of the next generation. Making disciples of the next generation is the very heart of Christian Education and Publications. We believe our heart is in the right place.

There was silence for four hundred years between the Old and New Testaments. God did not speak. But the last words spoken in the Old were a prophesy fulfilled four hundred years later when he spoke again. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction,” Malachi 4:5-6.

Luke 1:17 is the announcement of the coming of John the Baptist and his message to “turn the hearts of fathers to children.” This message was to make the path straight for the Word to come forth.

Today, as we long for revival in Jesus’ church, turning our hearts to our children will help straighten the path which has been made so crooked by our sin, the enemy and our culture. What a sweet privilege we have to tell God’s story to the next generation! What a sweet privilege you have to put your money where your heart is.

Giving Opportunities

Give as group: View the video as a group. Ask individuals to give to your church or local women’s treasury and designate for the Love Gift. Then send one check from the church made payable to the 2008 WIC Love Gift.

Give individually: Individuals may desire to give directly to the project by sending a check to CEP designated to the 2008 Love Gift. CEP will send a receipt qualifying the gift is tax deductible.

Give online: CEP will receive contributions made using Visa, Mastercard, Discover and AMEX via a secure website. Donors will receive a receipt reflecting the tax deductible donation. Click here to give and select 2008 Love Gift for the gift designation.

Give real estate or stock: CEP is able to receive gifts of this nature through the PCA Foundation 1-800-700-3221.

I remember when I first began teaching high school students thirty years ago. I was told never to smile before Christmas and to make sure they knew who was boss. I was quite young then, so there was “some” wisdom in those words. However, now as I teach our high school class at church, I see a need to be much more honest and real with these young people.

Jesus is the Master teacher and we can always learn from him as we seek to teach his children. Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father, I have made known to you” (John 15:12-15).

Are your students your friends? Do they respect you as your friends do? Would they come to you for help? Do they learn how to love and serve each other through your example of loving and serving each of them? Are you teaching them all that you have learned from your Father?

Perhaps this year would be a good time to make “new” friends. If your life is already very busy, pray about finding just a little more time. It may mean a weekly phone call, a post card to tell them they were missed last Sunday. Sit with them in worship and at church fellowship event. It seem like a sacrifice at times, but remember…” Greater love has no one than this, that one lay his life down for his friends.”

They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!

The Covenant of Grace. How do we teach this great doctrine of our faith? God is with us. How does God in his Word teach this great promise to us? He definitely uses all of the learning styles. Abraham heard the voice of God and the people heard the thunder at Mount Sinai. God illustrates the vast reaches of his promise through the stars in the sky. The Israelites travel through the wilderness guided by a cloud and pillar of fire. And over and over, they experience the physical reality of his presence as he protects and provides for their bodily needs. It is a spoken covenant, sealed with a physical and visible sign.

“God has told us stories. He has given us cherished keepsakes. There is a family history with celebrations and traditions that must be embraced and enjoyed by His family. There is a family treasure to discover and share. And there is plenty to go around. We don’t have to squabble over this inheritance. In this economy, the more you give, the more you have.” Heirs of the Covenant, by Susan Hunt.

SOMETHING TO HEAR…

On Volume 1 of PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS FOR KIDS (GCP) there is a precious song entitled, “Covenant Child”. This is a wonderful song to teach children of all ages. Take the time to explain all of the meaning behind phrases like “claimed as God’s own.” Have someone teach the children to sign this song as they sing it. It becomes a beautiful sight and sign of what it means to be a chosen child of God. One of our young couples had the children sing and sign this at the baptism of their baby. It sent such a powerful message that it has become a tradition at all our covenant baptisms.

SOMETHING TO SEE…

If we are teaching our students that church is family because of God’s covenant promise to us, the church should do what families do. Families take pictures and remember.

With today’s technology, reproducing pictures and memory book pages is very inexpensive. How about a class project – A covenant family album. Buy some disposable cameras for all of your students. Give them the assignment to catch on film the fellowship and works of service in their church. Start with pictures of all the Sunday school classes working together, gathered around the teacher. After the film is developed you can scan pictures into a computer and come up with a great memory book for every child. They may want to write their own copy to give the book a personal touch.

SOMETHING TO DO…

Go through your church directory praying for every family by name, one each week. During class make a special card to send to that family telling them that you have prayed for them. Invite the elders and deacons to class to give their testimony. Have questions ready for the children to ask when they come. What is your vocation? What are the names of your family members? What is your favorite hobby, book, sport, etc.? We know these things about our biological family members. Let’s extend the boundaries and really get to know our church family. Give a family party. Each child will make an invitation inviting its family to the class party. Have each household bring something to see, hear, and do that demonstrates important characteristics of their family.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” (Ephesians 2:19)

“People often ask me why I take so many detours when I speak. I just tell them it’s because those I’m trying to reach don’t live on the highway.” As a parent and an educator, I sat there thinking about how hard we try to get children to move onto the highway so that we don’t have to put up with the inconvenience of detours. Perhaps instead of spending so much time and effort trying to convince our children to move onto the path we’ve designed, we could encourage them to get to their destination by allowing them a few minor detours. Who knows? We may even discover some places we’d like to travel off the beaten path! ( from The Way They Learn, by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias)

AS WE TEACH CHILDREN LET’S GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH…

TRY SOMETHING NEW TO DO….

Fall is a great time to prepare your classroom to be activity friendly. For younger children, make sure you have puzzles, play dough, safe scissors, pictures for coloring, water colors, paint brushes and all the supplies to activate learning for those tactile/kinesthetic children who will come into your room this year. For older students, have magazines, scissors, construction paper, art supplies, bible board games, and memory work card. If you can, a digital camera and some computer equipment also provides for some possible creativity in your classroom.

SOMETHING TO SEE…

You only have one chance to make a first impression. When your new students come in this fall, what will your room say to them? The walls, the work stations, and all of the contents of the room should say, “I love God, I love you, and I love teaching God’s word.” Think creatively as you put up a bulletin board or posters. If you do not have much space or share the room with other activities in your building, cover your table ith pictures. Consider using a large cardboard (furniture boxes work) backdrop that you can cover and change each week.

SOMETHING TO HEAR…

CD players are so inexpensive these days, it is a wise investment for every classroom. If you do not have a large repertoire of music, invite your pupils to bring their favorite worship music to share with the class. Sing together with your favorite songs.

Also remind yourself each week to “listen” to your students, modeling their need to “listen” to you. Have a special sharing time. You may even want to announce the topic a week ahead to give students a chance to think about what they want to contribute to the class discussion.

IT’S FALL…GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH…BLAZE A NEW TRAIL!