Christmas Eve Worship Times & Christmas resources for Families

Sending you an invitation to worship at Lake City Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve and share a few fun Christmas resources for your family.

There are two services planned:

5:30 pm Family Worship Service - A 30 to 45 minute service focusing on traditions of Christmas and how they can be reminders of Jesus... includes singing some favorite Christmas songs and service ends with the congregation holding candles and singing Silent Night.Wiggly children and 

7:00 p.m. Tradition Carols and Scripture Lessons service. Also ending with Silent Night by candlelight. 

Bring your whole family and celebrate the birth of Jesus together including the wiggly children and restless/vocal babes-in-arms. 

Family Resources for the Season:

** Would you like to have the music and words for traditional Christmas Carols for your family to sing at home or for caroling in the neighborhood (or on that car ride to visit others)? Kididdles.com has put together a free Song book with the lyrics to 28 classic Christmas Carols.If you go to the website you can print out sheet music and activity pages to accompany the songs. Click here to download the pdf. document now: http://db.tt/vv6QEJs (from my Dropbox.comaccount).

** Like Veggie Tales? The entire mp3 version (for those using Ipods,mp3 players, i-tunes, etc) of The Veggie Tales Incredible Singing Christmas Tree album is free for the download (completely free!) on Amazon.com. Click here to get started!

If you're looking to get a Bible for a child/teenager in your life here are a few quality options: 

For the preschool and elementary age children:

* Check out the beautifully illustrated paraphrased Jesus Storybook Bible. It is currently 50% off on Amazon.com that can ship to you by Christmas! 

* If you want a general bible I really like:The NRSV Children's Bible by Abingdon Press and the NIV Adventure Bible. Some illustrations, study helps, maps, and faith-life application questions for kids to ponder.

For teens and young adults my favorite solid standbys are:

* New International Version Student Bible (Revised)  or the New Revised Standard Version edited by Phillip Yancey. Both Bibles have study guide, lots of great historic information, glossary, maps, and devotional pieces for applying scripture to life as a young adult.

* If you're looking for a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible for teens/young adults - I'd recommend the The Message Remix by Eugene Peterson. When looking at the various options for this Bible, be aware there are some versions of the Message that have only The Psalms, Proverbs, and New Testament.

I hope some of these resources will be helpful to you and perhaps we'll see you and your family on Christmas Eve. 

Merry Christmas!

~Leena Prindle, Director of Faith Formation

Haiti: Presbyterians are Present - How YOU Can Help

The devastation of Haiti after the earthquake is on so many of our hearts and in our prayers. Here is the response from the national PC-USA

We pray for Haiti

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As the eyes of the world turn to Haiti, let us join our hearts in prayer:
God of compassion
Please watch over the people of Haiti,
And weave out of these terrible  happenings
wonders of goodness and grace.
Surround those who have been affected by tragedy
With a sense of your present love,
And hold them in faith.
Though they are lost in grief,
May they find you and be comforted;
Guide us as a church
To find ways of providing assistance
that heals wounds and provides hope
Help us to remember that when one of your children suffer
We all suffer
Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives
and rules this world with you. Amen.
(Adapted from Book of Common Worship)

— Bruce Reyes-Chow, Gradye Parsons and Linda Valentine

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is responding to this earthquake through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and its partners. Presbyterian World Mission is gathering information on the safety and status of our mission personnel and ecumenical partners in the area. For updates on the earthquake and the church’s response, please continue to visit PDA. Initial reports indicate a large number of casualties and widespread damage especially in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

You, too, can be part of God’s answer to prayer for those affected by this disaster. Information on the situation and prayers and worship resources will soon be available. Funds from One Great Hour of Sharing are already helping with the initial response. You can give to the ongoing relief through PDA account number DR000064.

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Follow these updates and find out more information about the work and presence of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and their work around the world at: http://www.pcusa.org/pda/index.htm

Veteran's Day Rememberance Room Activities for 11/11

Veteran's Day Remembrance Room.

Wednesday, Nov. 11th, 2009

11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. 

 in LCPC Youth Room 

(lower level across from the Fireplace room) 

In this room will be interactive stations where children, youth, and parents & other adults are invited to:

* Light a candle or a few in honor of friends and family who are veterans

* Write a prayer on a banner to pray for those who are veterans

* Mold playdough, build with legos, or color/paint a picture focused on giving thanks for those who fight for American freedom.

* Write a letter or make a card to be given to a veteran through Operation Gratitude.

* Bring & donate your leftover Halloween candy (an extra bag) to donate to Operation Gratitude Halloween Candy Collection (they take the candy to children in various places around the world to make friends.(Here is a video about the candy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxIHgabfxKA).

So stop in anytime between 11am and 2pm take 15 minutes or a few hours to remember and honor our Veterans, 

it is up to you. Invite friends & family to join you!

Peace in Jesus, 

~Leena Prindle

Director of Faith Formation @ LCPC

Halloween Alternatives (Trick or Treat & beyond)

Halloween can be a special family time for the Christian family. Here are some suggestions for making this time more meaningful. Perhaps these suggestions will be helpful in building your own family traditions. Just try one or two this year.

1.    Alternative Trick or Treat Ideas:

a.   Collect Money for Children supported by Unicef – project started by a Presbyterian pastor. Follow this link for more information.

b.   Bring an extra bag or box along to collect food for your local food bank. Using feedingamerica.org to locate your local food bank and their needs list, print out and ask neighbors if they can donate something on the list. (Make sure items are unopened and not expired or soon to expire).

2.    Carve a pumpkin for others.
Then take it to a family who have no children, or to someone in a convalescent hospital or a widow.

3.    Take a box of food for a needy family.
Include an uncarved pumpkin or take it to a family in your church, community, or neighborhood

4.    Give out Halloween tracts/Bible verses/prayers at the door.
Of course, give nice treats too. Tape a piece of gum to the tract/scripture/prayer and write “something to chew on” or tape a sucker with “a lick and a promise.”

5.    Save some of the Halloween candy.
Put it in a plastic bag in the freezer. Use this to stuff your stockings at Christmas.

6.    Make pumpkin bread as a family.
Then give it as a “love gift” to a friend. Save the pumpkin seeds and roast them in the oven for eating. (Follow this link for a recipe.)

7.    Invite another couple over to share the evening.
You might consider a couple without children. Have a simple dinner and let them enjoy handing out treats and/or helping with your children.

8.    Use the holiday to teach some of the negative aspects about Halloween.
With older children, use the story of the witch of Endor (I Sam. 28:7-25) to show the Biblical view regarding witches.

9.    Look up information regarding Jewish feasts and fall celebrations.
For example, the Feast of Tabernacles (see Exodus 23:16). Another festival is Purim (see Esther 9:20-32). Get some new family traditions.

10.   Have family discussions about honesty.
You might begin this with an object lesson on the masks of Halloween. Read Romans 12:1-2. Emphasize not being conformed to this world (by putting on masks), but be transformed by renewing of your mind (by putting God’s thoughts in your mind). Thus, being real honest about who we really are as Christians.

Blessing for the New School Year

"Blessing for the New School Year"
Excerpted from "For Everything A Season: 75 Blessings for Daily Life" by the Nilsen Family 

Prayer: Gracious God, you have promised to keep us safe and holy. Be present with (Name) during this time of preparation for school tomorrow. Give (name) an open and eager mind. Protect all your children from temptation, and guide them with your love. Amen.

Bible Text: (Name), the Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. - Psalm 121:8

Reflection: Invite those gathered (both parents and children) to share their thoughts and feelings about the new school year by finishing these sentences:
* I'm scared about...
* I'm worried about ...
* I'm excited about ...

Ritual Action: Parents and/or others not beginning school, make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child going to school while saying these words: (Name), Jesus is with you wherever you go. Then have the child going to school place a Christian symbol (cross or other symbol) in the backpack or book bag as an ongoing reminder that Jesus is always present.

Amen.

Youth Specialties Parents of Teens Newsletter

You can subscribe to this weekly newsletter either by emailing Leena she’ll forward it on to you next week, subscribe directly if you’d rather, and/or pass it along to your ‘parents of teens’ friends. Either way, each week will bring a new article or excerpt with valuable insight for parents of teens, along with links and insights into their teens' worlds, and more!

Subscribe via Leena Or Subscribe via Youth Specialties

Observing Memorial Day with Your Children

We all know Memorial Day brings students a day off from school, and for some adults a day off from work. It follows a popular weekend for camping, summer kick-off BBQs, and relaxing. But how can we help our children understand what the day really is about?

As Christians we can also consider the believers who have gone before us on this journey of faith in Jesus:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1

And ultimately remembering Jesus as he died for our sins to give us life forever:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." John 3:16

Below is an article from ChildrensMinistry.com. Read to glean an idea or two. Leave a comment on this blog to share with others how you will or how you observe the true purpose of Memorial Day. Enjoy!

~Leena

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Understanding the Importance of Memorial Day

(Found at - http://www.childrensministry.com/article.asp?ID=443)

Don’t let Memorial Day pass by without helping your kids understand the importance of honoring others. Great ways to observe this important day include:

• Visiting and tending the graves of loved ones.
• Visiting a museum or memorial dedicated to national heroes.

• Wearing a red poppy to honor those who died serving the country (for more information, go to http://www.usmemorialday.org/.

• Sharing stories about loved ones.

• Observing the National Moment of Remembrance (a moment of silence observed at 3 p.m. to honor our fallen heroes), a resolution passed in December 2000.

• Discussing what it means to be a hero.

Tracing Your Family Tree
Over Memorial Day weekend, trace your family’s roots by creating a family tree keepsake with your children. This is a wonderful way to help kids understand about the Memorial Day holiday, learn about their roots, and remember loved ones who’ve passed away.

Cut out a brown construction paper tree trunk and three large green construction paper circles. Glue the trunk to a large sheet of paper. Then overlap the three large circles to make the leaves of the tree (see illustration). Cut out a red construction paper apple for each ancestor you add to the family tree.

Place an apple in the center of the tree with your first child’s name and birthday written on the apple. Directly below the first child’s apple, place any siblings’ apples with the same information. Branch out from the children with parents and grandparents. You can make the tree simple by adding only immediate relatives, such as parents and grandparents.

If you’d like to make the tree more detailed or continue the project, your family can research to find distant relatives, along with their country of origin or occupation. If you’d like more information on how to search your family’s ancestry, check out one of these Web sites: http://www.familytreemaker.com/; http://www.ancestry.com/; or http://www.genhomepage.com/.