April 2019
13904 S 36th St Bellevue, NE 68123 Office: (402)292-4546 Fax: (402)292-2421 www.lifespringchurch.com
Easter Reveals Jesus’ Strength and Power POWERSOURCE TALK TO JESUS: 1. Thank Jesus for being allpowerful and for defeating sin and death. 2. Ask Jesus to remind your family that he controls all things. 3. Ask Jesus to help you share the meaning of Easter with your kids.
“We are weak, but he is strong.” That’s a line from one of the first Christian songs many kids learn, “Jesus Loves Me.” For young children, strength is a physical concept associated with big muscles. As kids become abstract thinkers, they understand concepts such as moral strength and divine power. Because God is omnipotent, or allpowerful, all things are under his control. As Luke 1:37 (NCV) says, “God can do anything!” During his earthly ministry, Jesus stood up to Satan’s temptations, calmed a raging storm, healed sick people, and rose from the dead. Jesus’ power is especially evident at Easter, when we celebrate his victory over sin and the grave. Death is no
match for Jesus, who lives forever and offers us eternal life in heaven. To share Easter’s good news—and Jesus’ power—with your children, emphasize that Jesus wants us to be his friend and have the power to live forever, too. That happens when we believe that Jesus is alive, tell him we love him, and say we’re sorry when we mess up. We ask Jesus for forgiveness and promise to follow and love him every day. Doing this means we’ve put our faith in Jesus. It also means we have Jesus’ power with us every day to help us. And, like Jesus, we’ll live forever. Use the ideas on these pages to enhance your Easter celebrations.
He Is Mighty to Save In our sinful world, we’re bombarded by problems and fears. That may be one reason kids gravitate toward superheroes and crime-fighters. Knowing we’re protected is comforting. Yet no animated character is a match for Jesus’ strength. Throughout the Bible, he solves dilemmas from feeding large crowds with just a little food to casting demons out of suffering people. Jesus also calms people’s fears, serving as a good Shepherd who protects his sheep. Today Jesus continues solving the toughest problems and easing our fears, reminding us daily of his goodness, mercy, and might.
TEACHABLE MOMENTS Packed With Power Read aloud Ephesians 3:20. Ask: What does it mean to have God’s power working in us? Hand out rulers and measuring tapes. Say: Measure your foot. (Pause.) Now measure a chair. (Pause.) Now measure this wall. (Pause.) Now measure the distance from here to Mars. (Pause.) Say: That’s right—we can’t measure that distance, can we? That’s what God’s power is like! It’s so big and wonderful we can’t measure it. But we know it’s there because God tells us he’s powerful, and God showed his power by raising Jesus from the dead. That power can help us every day with any hard things. Say: Think of one area where you need God’s power. Silently ask God to use his power to help you. (Pause.) After a minute of silence, close in prayer, thanking God for using his power to raise Jesus from the dead and to help and strengthen us.
You Can’t Keep Jesus Down! Place five or six inflated helium balloons (with long strings) inside a laundry basket, and cover the basket with a blanket. Say: “On Easter, nothing could keep Jesus in the grave. This basket is like a grave. The blanket is the stone. When God rolled away the stone, Jesus rose from the dead.” Remove the blanket. Say: “Try to get the balloons back into the basket while keeping one hand behind your back.” After playing, read Luke 24:1-6. Ask: “What does it mean to you that Jesus used his power to rise from the dead?” Parade of Strength Make some homemade instruments and crepe paper streamers. Ask: “What things are hard for you to do? Who helps you do those things?” Read aloud Philippians 4:13. Say: “Jesus gives us strength to be kind, to forgive, and to serve. He helps us do anything. Let’s celebrate with a parade!” Play music and march around, waving streamers and playing instruments. Repeat the Bible verse as you march. Power Drawings Form two teams and take turns drawing (and guessing) things that remind them of Jesus’ power, like an empty tomb, a volcano, lightning, or any answer to prayer. Afterward, ask: “What are some new or different things you learned about Jesus’ power? What else can you think
of that’s tough to draw? How can we keep a lookout for Jesus’ power?” Resurrection Relay Read aloud John 20:1-18 and talk about the disciples’ excitement on Easter. Have family members form two groups, and have groups line up on different sides of a room. Give one group a hula hoop or large ball. Say: “Let’s pretend this is the stone that was rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. Take turns rolling it back and forth, and each time shout, ‘Jesus is alive! ’” Afterward, say: “Easter news about Jesus’ resurrection is powerful. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we can live with him forever. Who can you tell that Jesus is alive?” Super Strength Have family members play Freeze Tag while you play a song. Say: “While the song plays quietly, the person who’s It will have normal strength to tag people. When the song gets loud, the person who’s It will have super strength, so everyone else has to hop on one foot.” After playing, read Judges 16:4 -30. Ask: “What was it like to play this game with normal strength? What was it like with super strength? Where did Samson get his strength? Where do we get ours?”
“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him.” —Exodus 15:2
MEDIA MADNESS
CULTURE & TRENDS MOVIE
TV
Title: Missing Link Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy Rating: PG Cast: Zoe Saldana, Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Zach Galifianakis Synopsis: Sir Lionel Frost, selfproclaimed expert on monsters and myths, tries to bolster his reputation by proving that a legendary creature tied to early man really exists. After Frost and his partner Adelina find Mr. Link in the Pacific Northwest, the trio embarks on a global search for the creature’s longlost relatives. Our Take: This film’s “fear factor” is quite low, as Mr. Link turns out to be a lovable dimwit. The title implies a “link” to evolution, but the movie’s theme is about finding the place where you belong. The trio discovers that family can be found in unexpected places.
Title: Sydney to the Max Network: Disney Channel Synopsis: On this new family sitcom, rated TV-G, a middle schooler lives with her overprotective single dad and her grandma, who used to be a single mom. As the dad copes with modern-day parenting dilemmas, flashbacks to the ’90s reveal what he was once like. Misbehavior and rebellion are played for laughs, without much focus on consequences. Our Take: The intergenerational aspect of this show adds perspective to common conflicts. Subjects are kidfriendly, such as wanting a dog or a new hairstyle and pushing back against rules. Watching the episodes with your preteen can lead to conversations about your changing relationship.
Games, Sites & Apps Melbits World
In this puzzle game for PlayStation, two or more players guide cute creatures through levels. Teamwork is key, and young kids can master the moves. The only “violence” is when Melbits fall off a ledge. By downloading an app, you can play on various devices. Rated E for Everyone.
Noodle Loaf
A dad trained in music education created this 10-minute interactive podcast for kids ages 3 to 9. Families will enjoy listening to the songs and games, which feature rhyming, rhythm and patterns, movement awareness, trivia, and a bunch of silly fun. Kids can submit material to the show.
Gorogoa
This award-winning app takes the puzzle genre to an artistically intricate level. The story is told through very detailed illustrations with multiple layers. Players point and click to guide a boy through encounters with a monster as well as times of war and rebuilding. Rated E for Everyone. $4.99
This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions about what your children watch, read, listen to, and play.
$7.09 That’s the difference between what boys make on average for a weekly allowance compared to girls. $13.80 is the average weekly allowance for boys, while for girls it’s only $6.71. The gender gap in allowances sheds interesting light on this aspect of family life. (busykid.com) Earworm Alert! Following its “Baby Shark” music video sensation, the South Korean company Pinkfong is planning a penguin-related follow-up. Also watch for content for older kids (ages 5 to 8), a Netflix cartoon series, and games for Alexa and Google Home. (bloomberg.com)
QUICK STATS Principal Concerns In a survey of 900 K-8 principals, 74% say their top concern is an “increase in the number of students with emotional problems.” That’s followed by “student mentalhealth issues” (66%) and “students not performing to their level of potential” (62%). (wallacefoundation.org)
Parental Priorities Sixty-five percent of parents say they’d prefer a night of uninterrupted sleep to a night of intimacy. And 81% would choose a totally clean home over a piece of expensive jewelry. (today.com)
April SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
2
3
4
8
9
10 Easter Prayer & Training 6:30 pm (childcare for Birth-PreK)
15
16
1
7 Chew, Chat, & Play 5th & 6th Grade & Worship KidStyle Leaders 12:30-1:30 14
WEDNESDAY
Palm Sunday
SATURDAY 5
6
11
12
13 Island 6 Mystery Scavenger Hunt 5:30-8:30 pm
17 Pre-Easter Service 7:00 pm
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ASPIRE Women’s Conference 7:00pm
(childcare for Birth-3 yr olds)
Easter
21
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29
30
7:07 Sunrise Service (childcare for Birth-3 yr olds) 8:15 Breakfast in the Chapel 28 Island 6 Celebration 9:30 & 11:00
Recipe of the Month “Empty Tomb” Marshmallow Delights Ingredients
8 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 8 large marshmallows 1/4 butter (melted)
NEEds: 1st Grade Special Needs Asst. Children’s Music PreK
Children’s Snacks Preschool Rec Preschool Crafts
Media Team Children’s Crafts Kindergarten
Why VBS: It’s Worth It! Be apart of these VBS statistics:
Directions 1. Separate the rolls into 8 triangles or cut the sheet into 8 squares. 2. Combine sugar and cinnamon. 3. Dip each marshmallow into butter then roll into the cinnamon and sugar. Place on a dough piece. Roll up or lift corners of the squares to meet and pinch to seal. 4. Dip the tops of each roll into melted butter and then into cinnamon and sugar mixture. 5. Place seam side down in muffin tins. 6. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes. 7. Eat warm.
Registration Begins May 10
Empty tombs are a delicious treat for Easter morning. It’s the perfect idea for teaching kids about Christ’s Resurrection. Symbolism: Large Marshmallows– body of Jesus Melted Butter– oils of embalming Cinnamon & Sugar Mix– spices used to anoint the body. Crescent Roll– the wrapping of Jesus’ body or the tomb. Oven– the tomb Cavity in bun– the empty tomb or the empty cloths
Vbs 2019 June 24-28 8:25-noon Completed Kindergarten-5th Grade (Infants-PreK available for volunteers only)
Volunteer Highlight New: Pre-Teaching at Home
Jon Cook
We desire to come alongside YOU, as the primary faith influencer in your child’s life. We have decided to try something to aid and benefit this in each home. We will include the Bible lesson title and passage for each Sunday of the month in our Parenting Newsletter. We want this to provide you and your child(ren) the opportunity to interact with some basic questions in advance of the lesson. This is what we hope to see happen:
Family reads and discusses the passage during the week and Sunday the teacher asks the children, “What did you learn at home this week?”
Children come to class and delve in deeper with input and activities with their peers and their teachers and Sunday after church the parents ask the child(ren), “ What did you learn with your class and teachers today?”
Life is busy—we hope this will help your family intentionally create times of equipping and transformation.
The Gospel Project April Sunday School Lessons God’s People in Egypt (End Unit 4) April 7
The Red Sea Crossing
(Exodus 13-15)
Toward the Promised Land (Start Unit 5) April 14
Bread from Heaven
(Exodus 15-17)
Easter April 21
Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection (Matthew 26-28) Babies-3’s PreK-5th Grade Toward the Promised Land (cont. Unit 5)
Jethro Helped Moses
What are some of your favorite things about teaching and the kids?
I love the age group that I teach. They are starting to challenge ideas and really consider the merit of the different ideas presented. Pat Cole and I try to demonstrate to the kids how to back up what you believe so that your faith is based on the Bible and not what Mr. Jon and Mrs. Pat told you in Sunday School. Why do you teach Sunday school?
I grew up in a pastor’s home. I do not take for granted that God has allowed me to be faithful to Him. I know that many others from my circumstances have fallen away despite how close they were to preaching and teaching the Bible. I want the kids sincerely seeking God to have confidence that they can find Him in the truth of His word. What is your favorite memory of teaching?
Caleb Will was our student helper for a few years. Last Spring he taught a lesson on Jesus’ last teachings leading up to Easter. It was rewarding to witness his growth from a student to helper to teacher. What id your reward for teaching?
My reward is the relationships that I build with the kids, the teachers, and student helpers.
The BIG Story
April 28
He has taught Sunday School at LSC for 11 years. He currently leads Island 6 @ 9:30am.
(Exodus 18)
Unit 5 Scripture (4/14 & 4/28) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39 Unit 5 Big Picture Question & Answer (4/14 & 4/28) What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.
What is your favorite bible verse?
Philippains 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Thank You, Jon! We appreciate you!
Exclusively Island 6 (Sixth Graders)
As we wrap up our year in Island 6, please take this time to mark your calendars and encourage your 6th Grader to attend the last fellowship event and plan now to attend our Island 6 Celebration!
6th Graders & Parents are welcome to join Kelly Wallace and Ryan Jantz to celebrate moving up by enjoying refreshments and learning more about the Middle School Ministry. Parents will be free to leave for worship after the 15 minute introduction. LSST DAY IN CLASS MAY 12
Eagle Lake Camp | July 29-August 2 Ages 6-12 | 8:30-4pm, Mon-Fri $200 Register @ eaglelakecamps.com/lifespring Scholarships available! Contact
[email protected]
Kids will join their parents and the rest of the congregation by identifying their ONE friend, neighbor, classmate, or relative whom they will pray for, share Jesus with, and/or invite to church. Action Steps for Participation: 1. Write the person’s name (first and last) on a paper cut out! 2. Write their name on a card to take home and read scripture and pray over every day! 3. Write their name on a Sign Up sheet in their classroom– this will allow us as a staff to join in prayer for each person named! 4. Place their paper cut out on the Worship KidStyle wall as a reminder of all those who need Jesus. 5. Take an Easter Egg Invite (beginning March 31) to give to their One and/or anyone else they want to invite. God desires for ALL to come to Him! Let’s join His work– we are here for His purposes! “This is good, and it pleases God our Savior. God wants all people to be saved. And He wants everyone to know the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4
Wednesday, April 17 @ 7:00 pm For those who will be gone on Easter SundayThis Service, with childcare for Babies-3 year olds, is a perfect way to make sure you worship worth your church family even though you are unable on Easter Sunday and to being friends who cannot attend on Easter Sunday! This service will be identical to our Sunday worship minus children and youth features but including the Lord’s Supper. Saturday, April 20 @ 3:00 pm Volunteer for this great outreach at the Omaha Baptist Center by sending an email to
[email protected] Sunday, April 21 @ 7:07, 9:30 and 11:00 am With three services, extra hands will be needed to adequately cover our rooms as we share the Easter Story with the kids. Help us by worshipping an hour and serving an hour. Sunday, April 21 @ 7:07 am Join us for an early Easter morning service for the whole family. Childcare for Babies-3 year olds will be available. Sunday, April 21 @ 8:15 am Join us after the early service for a free breakfast provided in the Chapel. Sunday, April 21 @ 9:30 & 11:00 am Adult Worship Celebration 7th-12th Student Gathering Pre-K— 5th Grade Large Group BIG Story Babies-3’s & 6th Grade Sunday School
