PLAYDOUGH PRAYERS

 

Teaching intercessory prayer using play dough and simple prayer prompts to develop a practice of having a little talk with Jesus.

This is a meaningful way to have whole group prayer/devotion time with children and most everyone loves the smell and texture of play dough. I once led a church staff devotion time with this activity.

Using four different prompts to shape our visual prayer time.

Each person needs one container of play dough. Even adults enjoy choosing their color. I like to use the party size mini tubs.

Prayer Prompt #1 The World

Form a ball. Thank God for creation. Pray for places where people are dealing with natural disasters. Pray for peace for those experiencing times of war and blood shed. Pray for those who live in communities where friends have lost lives to violence. Pray for the world leaders.

Prayer Prompt #2 Christians

Form a cross. Give thanks for the resurrection and the word of God. Pray for all who share the Gospel. 

Pray that people who do not know Jesus will come to know him.

Prayer Prompt #3 Families and Friends

Form a heart. Lift up the needs of family and friends. Pray that God will help you be a blessing to them.

Prayer Prompt #4 Me Myself And I

Pray for yourself. Ask God to help you with hard things. Thank Him for the good things He has blessed you with.

Quietly place your play dough back in the container, place the top on and say, "Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer."

Your play dough prayer time is over for today.

Jesus Listens When I Pray

 A new month brings new beginnings and at All Things Children's Ministry we are excited for a new season of sharing , encouraging and cheering each other on in our roles of parenting and teaching. 

This Family Prayer Calendar project has been on my heart for along tine and I am over the moon excited to share with you the first monthly calendar for this new season of ministry.

Each month, families will find a prayer starter to use each day to encourage one another to take time out of the day and pray. 

 At the bottom of the calendar is a focus verse . Weekly devotion posts will include encouragement from the  focus verse and can be found  on my Facebook Ministry Group page All Things Children's Ministry.

 Click on the calendar to download and print. The calendar prints full page 8.5 x 11.

To go along with the focus verse of the month will be a Scripture Doodle that I create . This Scripture Doodle card prints 3 x 2.5 and can be be printed in multiples of 6 and 9 to be used for sharing, bookmarks and journaling. Click on the graphic to download to your computer.

 

Prayer is our Armor against sin and the devil. Prayer is an essential part of faith formation for our children and ourselves. It is how we have a relationship with God. It is how we allow Him to be part of our day. It is how we grow in our faith walk with the Heavenly Father.

Prayer time will build up a wall of protection for our hearts and homes.

Let's Connect

@BeeBeeBost

@All Things Children's Ministry

ALL THINGS CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Christmas Eve. Don't Miss It!

The calendar shows that the corporate church will have 52 weeks to connect with families and share Jesus during the year. Attendance shows us that Christmas Eve, Easter and Mother's Day are the three most attended services of the year. On Christmas Eve, every seat in the sanctuary becomes occupied with members of the congregation, folks from the community and first time visitors. 

Christmas Eve; a unique worship opportunity for families. A unique opportunity for those who are trying to find their way back to church. A unique opportunity for the non believer looking for something to believe in! 

Christmas Eve! We need it! Here is why!

Light and Dark!

There is something calming and magical about being in the church at night. Most often we worship during the day. On Christmas Eve the trumpets sound, the Processional Cross makes its way to the chancel , we sing . The candles of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love are lighted. The Christ candle, the tallest candle is lighted .

Joy to the World , The Lord Has Come ! Happy Birthday Jesus! 

 People. Lots of people!

Here is the  church, here is the steeple open the doors and see all of the people. Yes, this fun kids finger poem holds true on Christmas Eve for sure. The phrase " big church" on Christmas Eve means that every pew is filled with " all of the people!" What a joy it is to  be part of something really big! Bigger than all of the gifts under the tree. Bigger than the crowd at the mall, Walmart, and Target and bigger than Santa. 

The Story

Luke 2 ...is the story. Even if you are in the pew for only Christmas Eve, you know the story. The good news that brings great joy to all people!  " Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you!" Luke 2 " 11. As the scripture is read you probably can recite it silently. 

Singing

There is nothing better, than singing hymns accompanied with organ, bells and trumpet. Folks sing and are not self conscious of being heard. And of course the singing of Silent Night in the candle light is the icing on the Christmas Eve worship birthday cake! 

Singing, the multi vitamins for the soul.

Family Traditions

Worshiping on Christmas Eve as a family creates over the years a treasure chest of memories. Come , Now Is the Time to Worship! Come as you are. Be in community. Be in fellowship. The best gift you can give yourself and your children is the gift of Jesus. It is free!  Santa and Rudolf can be part of the night  for sure, but when we hold on to the truths of John 3:16 For God so loved us..that he gave to us.... Jesus a real baby boy, a boy that became a man, a man who died for us, a  man who rose for us and ascended into heaven and makes a place for us in heaven.  We find hope for tomorrow!

We need Christmas Eve. Don't miss it!

Merry Christmas

Belinda Bost, Children's Minister

Concordia Lutheran Church, LCMS

Conover , NC

Be The Light!

Be The Light

Teaching and Training. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. 

As Christian parents we teach and train on purpose and for a purpose. God has given you and I the significant vocational passing on of our faith as a heritage to our children; the most important job we will ever have.

 We want our children to have a relationship with Jesus, a friendship. One way we include Jesus in our lives is through prayer. We tell Jesus all of our hopes, dreams and fears just like we would tell a BFF.

Martin Luther tells us that "It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last of the evening".

In our homes we can model prayer by praying together. Praying for one another and with one another.

This hand prayer prompt works well with children. Each finger represents prayers of praise, confession, thankfulness, friends and family and self. The closing can simply be, Lord in your mercy hear my prayer.

The Lord's Prayer can be spoken out loud each morning before everyone goes their separate ways. Prayers of thanksgiving can be given each evening.

Create a "Ransom" note  Lord's Prayer family poster and hang it in the kitchen or family room.

Jesus said," I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. " John 8:12

We call the world dark because it is filled with sin. We call Jesus the light because He breaks through the darkness of sin by His death and resurrection. He shows us that through faith in Him as our Savior.

We light the candles in church to remind us that Jesus is present as the Light of the world.

These little tea light houses can serve as a reminder to bring Jesus into our homes .

To get this paper tea light house template use the link at the bottom of the post.

For the sake of time I chose to cover the windows up with paper before printing. Card stock works  well. I knew that I could not spend the required time that it would take to cut out all of those sweet windows. I used a heart  paper punch to make some small windows  and a scalloped circle to make the large front window. I added a window pane with card stock and used yellow tissue paper to the back of the large front window to give it a finished look.

Insert a tea light. Welcome Jesus! He is the Light!

As you can see with the reference of the pen , the little paper tea light house is...little.

Under 4 inches in height.

A perfect fit for my desktop shelving. A visual reminder to invite Jesus into my space and into my heart each day with bold prayers of praise, confession and thanksgiving ; prayers for others and prayers for myself.

 

 Growing our faith. Putting our faith in action. How can we as a family respond to God's Grace? 

Do an act of love to someone who is in a hurting, sad, or sick..in a dark place. Share Christ's light .

Tea Light House Template

Send me a Buzz here.

It's Just A Phase ...Don't Miss It Week #3

It's Just a Phase...Don't Miss It Week #3

 

 

As a parent you are not the only influence of the needs of your child. A church has the potential to connect your son or daughter to a leader who believes in their future like you do.
Every child is looking for a "tribe" outside of their family where they can find a place to belong. They will eventually find somewhere and someone on their own OR you can help them find a place that reflects your values and heart for their future.

 

If you are a Sunday School teacher, a Youth leader , neighbor or a friend of the family...BE LIKEABLE ! Discover their world. Know their culture. Consider watching their movies or the trailers. Read their books. Watch their TV shows. Follow their favorite celebrities. Listen to their music.

Lifetime educator Rita Pierson spoke at the TED conference to a room of educators to remind us all, "Kids don't learn from people they don't like."

 

Let's look at the culture. A child's culture changes the day they are born. CULTURE SCHOCK for everyone! Also when they become potty-trained, encounter discipline, enters elementary school, hit puberty, develop abstract thinking, enters high school, gets a drivers license and graduates from high school.

Don't assume you know what you don't know about their culture. For example; if you are a mother of a preschooler picking music for the sixth grade dance just may not be the job for you.

 

 

You will never know kids the way you need to know them if you don't take time to discover their world again and again. Show up where they show up; at ballgames, school plays and concerts. Look, listen and observe.Think of it as research.

Every phase of a child's life has unique cultural changes. Every phase presents new challenges when what is changing mentally and physically collides with what is changing culturally.

Relationships help resolve those challenges in a way that shapes their emotional and mental responses.

In the first 18 years of a life, kids are changing in six fundamental ways. Those changes affect how they think, learn, feel and relate. Research shows us that if we want to have influence, we have to understand what is changing physically, mentally, relationally, culturally, emotionally and morally.

 

 

Consider this; before we can lead someone where they need to go, we need to know where they are.

 

 

Kids! The more we know them, the more they will know they matter. They will believe they can win. They will feel that they belong. They will discern what they should do. If we don't now who we are talking to we can't really expect a listening ear. The better we understand who kids are now, the better they will understand who they are meant to be.

 

A look a week #4. Shaping character and faith is through small deposits in the KidBank. Investments, returns, rate of growth are financial words that we will use in a spiritual way.

 

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