Elementary DECEMBER 2016 small groups

Joy is a response to the character of God.  

  

When God created the world, He made it to be a place of peace and contentment. In the Magnificent Paradise, God provided fruit trees that were pleasing to the eye and good to eat. And He personally walked with His creation! But when sin entered the world, so did greed and jealousy. As circumstances changed and life presented more challenges, people found it harder and harder to be happy. However, even now in this broken world, God wants us to have joy.

Even though we try to find joy through our stuff, or our vacations, or our relationships, joy isn’t dependant upon any of those things. Joy is about being content beyond our circumstances. We can have joy when we recogize that God’s plan is greater than our own. Joy is a response to our trust in God.

Jesus is the reason we find joy.

God sent His only son as a baby, born in humble circumstances. Jesus wasn’t what anyone expected, but this was how God wanted to rescue the world. God made good on the promise He made hundreds of years before. This December, we pray that through the story of Jesus, kids realize that God loved them so much that He sent His Son to be here on this earth. The story of Christmas can remind us through every season, regardless of our situation, there’s a reason to celebrate what it means to have a relationship with God.

Week 1-  12/4/2016

1st Grade Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

1st Grade Activity Page 

(Click link above to download PDF doc) 

2-3 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

2-3 Activity Page - 

(Click link above to download PDF doc)

4-5 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

4-5 Activity Page 

(Click link above to download PDF doc)

Week 2- 12/11/2016

1st Grade Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

1st Grade Activity Page 

(Click link above to download PDF doc)

2-3 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

2-3 Activity Page - 

(Click link above to download PDF doc)

4-5 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

4-5 Activity Page 

(Click link above to download PDF doc)

Week 3- 12/18/2016

We are going to celebrate Jesus's Birthday in a New Life Kids way.

 Jesus Birthday Party Blowout (for the kids)

&

Leader/volunteer Appreciation (for you)

all 3 services

Week 4 - 12/25/2016

NO CHILDREN'S CHURCH 

ON CHRISTMAS DAY

ADULT SERVICES ONLY 

11 & 12:30

Elementary NOVEMBER 2016 small groups

Honor is a response to the character of God.           

Chances are if you have kids in sports or competitions of any kind, you have a growing collection of ribbons and medals, sashes and badges, certificates, trophies, or plaques. Some might hang on your walls or sit propped up on shelves somewhere. But if we’re honest, others get stuffed into a drawer and eventually thrown out. These were so important when they first came into our homes, but at some point they just lost their value. All those awards and medals can only mean so much, because honor has a deeper meaning.

People should not just be honored because of what they do; they should primarily be honored because of who they are. Stuff will lose value over time, but not people. At its core, honor is seeing people the way God sees people. We’re naturally wired to put ourselves first, but honor is the opposite of self-centeredness. It is something that flows from your relationship with God. In a sense, one of the best ways we can HONOR God, is by honoring those who reflect the image of God.

Throughout Scripture we see how much God loves us:

He created us in His image.
He knows the number of hairs on our heads.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
He pursued a relationship with us even when we wanted nothing to do with Him.
He sent His only Son to pay for our sins to make an eternal relationship with Him possible.  And He did all of this for us without us even asking. 

Jesus was the ultimate example of someone who showed others their value.

When Jesus came here, He showed us how to love and show honor to those around us. He taught us to love our enemies, care for the “least of these,” and become the servants of all who puts others’ needs before our own.

That’s why it’s important for us to help our kids and families discovery more about honor—letting someone know you see how valuable they really are.

Week 1-  11/6/2016

1st Grade Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

1st Grade Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF doc) 

2-3 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

2-3 Activity Page - 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

4-5 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)
4-5 Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

Week 2- 11/13/2016

1st Grade Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

1st Grade Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

2-3 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)

2-3 Activity Page - 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

4-5 Small Groups
(Click link above to download Word doc)
4-5 Activity Page 
(NO ACTIVITY PAGES THIS WEEK)

Week 3- 11/20/2016

1st Grade Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)
1st Grade Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

2-3 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc) 
2-3 Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

4-5 Small Groups -

(Click link above to download Word doc)
4-5 Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)

Week 4- 11/27/2016

1st Grade Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)
1st Grade Activity Page - 
(Click link above to download PDF doc)
 2-3 Small Groups

(Click link above to download Word doc)
2-3 Activity Page 
(Click link above to download PDF)

4-5 Small Groups
(Click link above to download Word doc)
4-5 Activity Page 

(NO ACTIVITY PAGES THIS WEEK)

(NO ACTIVITY PAGES THIS WEEK)