The New Year is here and with it comes a new season of Kid’s Church. If you are interested in growing with the kids at WCV, here are some ways you can do that. We are currently looking for volunteers to join our teams in these areas. Please contact Andy Arthur to find out more details. 204-999-1292
Junior Youth Helper – Saturday Evening
Elementary Small Group Leader
Grade 5&6 Co-teacher
Sunday Morning Youth Teacher
KidCheck Volunteer
We have some exciting news… we’re hiring! We have a few meaningful and impactful roles working with our kids, youth, and the volunteers who work with them. If you have energy and passion to see kids and youth grow in their love for God and want to inspire volunteers to do the same, perhaps this is for you.
There are three job positions posted below: A director position that combines both Kids and Youth, and two other job descriptions that separate the two.
Hey parents of kids Grades 1-7!
We’d like to help you understand how the Imaginative Prayer book can power you up in spiritually leading your kid/youth/family.
What we’ve been doing: After a wonderful season in Gifts4God, we are back in our regular rhythms in Kids Church and Youth Sundays. We are really excited about how we’ve been exploring the Imaginative Prayer book with the Grade 1-4 class @ WCV. The Grade 5-7 class are also following along! The first six weeks we’ve had various leaders lead in the Imaginative Prayer in the large group. All four of us who have led in some way so far, have been a part of Spiritual Direction in these last two years. What a delight it is to now be able to lead the kids in this. Jared Boyd, the author of Imaginative Prayer, was our teacher and is our friend! Thanks to Gloria Fligg and all of our small group leaders in Kids church.
The parent or mentor section: It can be easy to go through our week, not giving time or space for God to speak to us, especially with the busyness of our schedules, but the book can save you time by giving you something to build off of. We encourage you as parents to briefly/deeply look at the “parent or mentor” section of the chapter with your kids.
This past week: Small group leaders led the kids in week 8. This coming Sunday, Jan 28th, we are exploring week 9. Dig in and find out how you can follow up and discuss with your child. See Jodi if you do not yet have a copy of Imaginative Prayer.
We’re in sync: If you have kids in elementary and youth (grade 1-7), you will be happy to know we are in sync with them, so we’re using the same chapter on the same week.
Talk to Jodi if you have any questions. As the spiritual influencers in your home, we pray that God would lead you and nudge you as you parent your most precious gifts.
Parents, we are so excited as we launch into Imaginative Prayer with the Grade 1-7 this fall and winter!
Jared Patrick Boyd is the author. Jared was my spiritual direction teacher in my first year at the School of Spiritual Direction. He is a pastor and a father to four children. His heart is amazing and you can read all about his vision in his introduction to Imaginative Prayer or hear Jared here.
In Kids Church we will be going through a lesson per week. You can follow along as parents and follow-up with your child. As Jared states on page 25-26 “This book is not a guide for busy parents. It’s an invitation for busy parents to slow down, take some deep breaths, and recognize that you are the most important person in your child’s life and spiritual formation. There is no environment your church can create to compete with the kind of connection that you are able to nurture with your child.” You’ll find if you give yourselves to this process (even if you can’t do all the exercises), you will experience growth.
Here’s what our fall calendar will look like. Feel free to follow along!
There are also some new changes to our structure. Grades 1-4 will continue to meet upstairs in Kids Church with our AMAZING team. Grades 5-7 will have a new youth team meeting with them in the youth room. Grades 8-12 will meet in the Comfy Couch Room.
“This book is about connection because of the way Jesus asks us to imagine our life with him – he is the vine, his Father is the gardener, and we are connected to him. This is how we bear fruit. This is the image he give us. This is what he asks us to imagine.” (13, Imaginative Prayer)
WCV is providing one copy per family. (More copies of this book are on order and will be here the week of Oct 13)
Filled with hope at what’s ahead . . .
~ Jodi Labun
Every year before Christmas, we designate a special Sunday for our kids to lead us throughout the morning. For the past 6 weeks and during advent, our kids have been putting together this special Sunday for us. Here are some things you can expect for this coming Sunday, December 18th, 2016:
There are many ways we can worship God. One of those ways is to worship God through “play”. There will be three four-square stations available during our musical worship that folks of all ages are invited to come so they can play & worship. The 4-square on the stage will be reserved for the youngest children.
During these past 6 Sundays, the kids and youth have had a chance to reflect on how God has made them and what their interests are. They’ve selected a class based on their interest.
Some of the kids chose sports. In that class they learned that God made all the places we play in and the stuff we play with, and described it as good. God is creative, intelligent and relationship-oriented. We are made in His image, and our play reflects our creativity, intelligence and need for community. In this way, play can be an expression of gratitude to our God for His good gifts to us.
We normally worship by having musicians, dancers, and artists “play” or create in front of us and they invite us to join them. This coming Sunday we are including sportive play as well. All are invited to watch or participate in this play as an act of worship to God.
So, how do we play as an act of worship? Just like singing, each of us does it in our own way. But here are some keys:
Other activities the kids chose were Flags, Dance, Drama, Cooking, Creative Arts, and Musical Worship. Some of these activities you will be able to see and experience this coming Sunday, but let’s recognize and appreciate all our kids this Sunday as they have poured their hearts out into their passions and interests.
In the Vineyard we hold very dearly to the notion that ministry isn’t solely for a select group of “anointed” people. The fullness of the Spirit’s presence fills everyone who believes in Jesus! On the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2, the Spirit came with the sound of a violent wind and what seemed to be tongues of fire rested on each of the believers gathered together in the upper room.
Whereas in the Old Testament the Spirit filled people (usually leaders of some sort) for a specific time and purpose, Acts 2 marks the inauguration of the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence with all believers. It was this wonderful news that motivated Peter to address the crowd and proclaim the fact that God promised to pour His Spirit out on “all people,” including “sons and daughters, young men, old men, even on servants, and men and women.” In short, the Spirit doesn’t exclude anyone.
And if the fullness of the Spirit is for every believer, then so are all the hallmarks of Jesus’ ministry. So we’re really not that surprised that Nasira (a four year old) healed her sister Maiya’s arm in the name of Jesus. We’re filled with excitement and joy that kids get to participate in ministry, and that God has anointed them to do all of the works of the kingdom. After all, everyone gets to play!
