Church Family

Dear folks who occasionally work in the church kitchens,

We hope that lots of folks who sometimes work in our church kitchens will have/get/renew a Food Handlers card. This is a requirement for anyone who works in a restaurant, and we try to adhere to those standards. 

The Environmental Health Dept. at the county courthouse no longer does regular classes for Food Handler cards because so many folks do the test online. I know that we have a few folks who wouldn’t touch a computer with a ten foot pole, but we want them to have the opportunity.

Jess Pankey, from the health dept., is willing to do a class for us at the church. It would take an hour and a half, maximum, and at that point each person would take and pass the test to get a food handler’s card. The cards are good for 2 years, but if you renew yours before it expires, it is good for 3 years. A bunch of us will need to renew our cards in the next few months.

Therefore, to get to the point, our Food Handler’s class is scheduled for Tuesday, August 23, at 10 am in the church parlor. If you know of anyone else who might like to get a card, please let them know. 

Please RSVP to me so we know how many are coming. We need to have 12 people for the county to do the class for us.

Thank you so much!  Robin

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Church Family Needs

• Now is the time to be making crafts for this fall’s bazaar. We accept any well-made craft gratefully: sewn, crocheted, wood-crafted, ideas from Pinterest, soap, knitted, metal-worked, etc. Ask Robin if you have questions. We’ll be happy to store items when they’re finished. 

• Needed: quart mason jars (regular or wide mouth), because we’ll be making homemade pie filling to sell along with ready-made pies by Grace K. 

• Still needed: any fruit you grow that you are willing to donate, disposable pie tins, baby food jars

If You Love Me

“If You Love Me”

“If you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray unto the Father

And He will give you another Comforter, That He may be with you forever.

Even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, will remain in you.

You know Him, You know that He lives and will abide in you.”

As the Sanctuary Choir rehearsed this anthem this past spring, they were blessed by these reassuring words which Christ spoke to all believers. What a blessing it is to sing with other Christians the powerful promises of God!

Choral music is so stirring. “Let All of the People Praise Thee” is another anthem which made our hearts sing when we presented it to our 9:30 worship service! Thank you, congregation, for your expressions of appreciation and outward support of our choir.

 As you’ve noticed, from time to time to time we also have the privilege of giving our worshippers music presented by small ensembles in addition to our choir numbers. Such was the case on June 19th when the Koon Family sang an arrangement of their own in honor of Father’s Day. Thank you Jennifer & her daughter Ayamika along with Melissa & her daughter Jordan for your beautiful number!

The “Summer Singers” have opened our next series of musical presentations by singing a powerful arrangement of, “America” on our nation’s day of Independence and will continue to bless us with songs as the summer progresses.

The Summer Singers group is made up of people who are unable to practice every week but are able to sing once or twice a year with others who also are available in the summer. So, if you would like to sing with this special group, speak to Betty Hanson & she’ll gladly give you a copy of the few times they practice. The next time they will sing this year is on July 17th which is the date of our combined service called, “Celebration Sunday.”

 Come sing for the joy it will give you and for the blessing your song will be to all who worship with us in our special 10:00 a.m. service that Sunday.

 “Sing”cerely,

-Betty-

Celebrate Life Sunday 07.17.16

I am so excited to share with you about this fantastic event called Celebrate Life Sunday that is coming up on July 17th! In past years we have had a community outreach BBQ on a Saturday in July and more recently a diaper drive for My Choices out at the city pier. This year we are combining these two events and rebranding it as “Celebrate Life Sunday”. We hope to create a service that not only celebrates the life that we have in Christ but also celebrates the new lives that God has created in mothers on the peninsula.

For the next couple of weeks we will be collecting diapers, wipes, and monetary donations to benefit My Choices. On July 17th we will have a combined celebration service at 10am followed by a BBQ (provided by Blues City BBQ!) with bounce house, children’s games, and lots of other activities for kids. My Choices will be bringing out their new mobile unit that services many cities all over western Washington. We will be able to tour this mobile unit, which provides an exciting new opportunity for My Choices to help mothers meet and begin to bond with their babies before they’re born! We have so much to celebrate and give thanks for!

Our prayer is that you will take this opportunity to invite your friends and family to join our celebration service! Come enjoy free food, fun for the kids, and let’s show some love to this wonderful organization that does so much for young families in our community!

Can’t wait to see you there!

Lynn Crawford

Dear Flock,

Did you know that May was “Teacher Appreciation Month”?  Well it is, and boy, we have some fantastic teachers to give major ‘high-fives of thanks’!  The great news is that if somehow the month of May passed you by without getting that moment to tell our teachers, thanks… well I’m sure they’d still like to hear it in June, (…. and July… and August, and…)

To help make the point of how much we have to say thank-you for, let’s just talk numbers.  If I were to ask you to guess how many different kids have participated in our Children’s Church program this year… what would be your guess?  Go ahead and pick a number of how many little ones, from the cradle to 5th grade you think have attended church with us at least 1 Sunday this calendar year.  If your guessed 30 – well then I’d suspect that you have just read our quarterly business report and saw that our AVERAGE attendance has been 28 and added a couple numbers.

No my friend, the total number of kids with whom we’ve shared the love of Jesus is much higher than 30.  Go ahead, guess again.  

Perhaps you think it is 50 kids.  What a wonderful, joyful number that would be.  What if we could boast that there are 50 kids in Port Angeles who know more about the love of God because of our faithful Children’s Church teachers?  Wouldn’t that be something to celebrate!

Indeed it would.  And we can celebrate that AT LEAST 50 kids have learned about this Good News because, in fact the number is even higher still.  Go ahead, guess again.

Perhaps you think our volunteer teachers have impacted the hearts and lives of 60 little ones this year.  Well you’d be right, expect the total number is higher still.  And if you guessed 70 kids, well then you missed the mark by 1.  So far, in 2016 – we have had 71 different children come to our church to learn about Jesus.

Let’s just stop here and take a breath, and mediate on that for a moment. God has seen fit to entrust us this year with the growth and development of 71 children!  This, my friends, is what it looks like when the Holy Spirit is on the move!  

If you need to give a shout of praise while you are reading this go ahead.  When those around you look at you strangely just share this letter with them and invite them to join you at church on Sunday.

And do you know how we are able to have this impact on these little ones?  It is only because we have a dedicated group of people who have given selflessly of themselves to “train up these little ones in the way they should go,” (Proverbs 22:6).  So sometime soon, find an opportunity to find one of our amazing volunteer teachers and tell them how you appreciate them.  And help them remember the importance of what it is they do.

I mean that sincerely… do, help them remember the importance of what they do.  It is so easy when surrounded by enthusiastic six year olds, to forget the eternal significance of helping little hearts open themselves to the love of Jesus.  The very mission of our church to ‘lead people in an ever changing culture to the hope of Jesus’ is what is being fulfilled every week in those classes down the hall.  These teachers don’t do it for a paycheck, they don’t do it for accolades or praise.  They do it because they love Jesus and they want to help kids love Jesus too. 

So find time this week to tell one of our fantastic teachers – “thank-you”.

And, in reading this letter you find stirring within your own heart the desire to help teach our little ones about Jesus, then reach out to me, or Chris Cummings, or Deziree Greenstreet.  Simply let one of us know that you are willing to learn what it takes to be one of the few and proud and we’ll happily help sign you up for the teaching corps!

Will You Join?

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am for some of the changes that are coming at First Baptist! I admit that some change can be a scary thing, like Chris and Stacie Cummings moving out of ministry here at FBC and into ministry with YoungLife. However, when we’re falling in line for what God has for our lives, that is when God blesses and when God grows and multiplies! I’m thrilled to see how God is going to bless, grow, and multiply Chris and Stacie’s efforts! I’m also thrilled to see how God is going to bless, grow, and multiply the efforts of those who are faithful to follow God’s lead in taking over some of Cummings’ responsibilities at the church. Imagine how He is going to use these changes to bless, grow, and multiply our church! These are exciting times!

Over the last year, as preparations have been made at the beginning of each small group season, I’ve felt a strong pull that I’ve been called to do more to help out with organizing small groups. As with many things, I’ve been making up excuses why I can’t or why it’s a bad idea.

In the last couple of months I’ve been highly convicted that even though worship is important to do and to do well (it’s what we’ll spend eternity doing), there’s so many people all around me that are lost, dying, and headed for an eternity separated from God and I am doing NOTHING to stop it!  God has been challenging me to look with fresh eyes at the things that break His heart and consider if I will be moved enough to do anything or if I will continue to ignore and pretend my agenda is more important than His.

When Chris made his announcement to step down, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was as if God was saying, “How about now?? Will you do what I’ve been asking you to do?”

I am incredibly passionate about small groups. I’ve seen first-hand that God uses them to grow and stretch people, even to change lives, to draw people closer to Himself, to help to meet real needs. Through small groups, He allows us to care for our brothers and sisters in away that we simply can’t do when we just share a pew with them on Sunday morning, and He creates opportunities for us to be the hands, feet, words, and love of Christ to those in our community who desperately need to experience Him. And so, I have prayerfully decided to take on small group administration. I pray that God will work through me to grow this ministry to do amazing, mountain-moving work for His glory!

Will you help me? Will you pray for me? For these groups? For the leaders? For His will to be done and glory to be made known in and through this ministry?

Will you join? When sign-ups start in May, will you pick a group to join and begin passionately praying for your leader and for God to move in that group? In excitement and anticipation of what God is going to do, will you encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ to sign up as well? Finally,  will you pray about who God is leading you to invite to come to group with you who does not yet know Christ?

Thank you so much for your love and devotion to Christ, for desiring Him and hungering after His will for your life!

May God draw you to Himself, may you sense His Spirit leading you, and may God grant you peace and joy as you delight to follow where He leads you!

~Lynn Crawford

We at First Baptist are blessed with many who serve “heartily, as to the Lord.” It is evident in all the departments including the music department of our church that we have an exceptional band of willing participants. When I think of all the choir singers, accompanists, song leaders and hand bell ringers in our midst, that quality of serving the Lord “heartily” stands out in my mind.

So, thank you 9:30 church musicians for your loyalty and energetic spirit which you bring to all our rehearsals and presentations. What a blessing you are to our worshippers through the music you present. Thank you, thank you!

A big “Thank You” goes to the following servants who collaborated to bring a very meaningful devotional segment in place of the normal sermon to our 9:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday, January 3, 2016:

Juanita Rapids – Congregational Hymn Sing

Rosemary Brauninger – Organ

Ray Hanson - Scripture  

Sierra Horsley – Flute solo

Congregation – The Lord’s Prayer

James Kaufman – Communion

Thank you for creating a very worshipful experience for our congregation. Requests have come in to hold more of this type of worship service occasionally throughout the year. This director appreciates your encouraging responses.

The Sisters of Sacred Song (SiSS) prepared and presented a beautiful number on Jan. 31st. The words and music are still ringing in the minds of many people. Some have told me that the choral numbers stay in their heads throughout the week. Now that’s the power of sacred music! What a blessing!!

In case you didn’t get to worship to the ladies number, here are some of the words to the song they sang. Perhaps the words alone will be a blessing to those who read this article:

“If you would my disciple be, Take up your cross & follow me,

If you would set the world aright,  Then walk with me and seek the light,

Where peace shall reign from shore to shore, And love will triumph evermore.

So come with me and find the way, It lies before us day by day,

And together we will bring in the Kingdom of the Lord.”

With words such as these matched with a memorable melody, it is easy to see why sacred music continues to bless our souls long after the presentation has ended.  Thank you SiSS for putting your heart and soul into that presentation.

Thank you male quartet for the beautiful number you sang on Feb. 21st, "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." The world would be a better place if we all followed even the first verse and chorus of that song everyday. Right? Here are those words: 

"I am weak but Thou art strong. Jesus, keep me from all wrong;

I'll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let it be."

Thank you, Baptist Belles, for your beautiful hand-bell number on Palm Sunday. The joy of ringing hand bells is quite unique and we have a very loyal group of ladies who enjoy practicing together in order to present such hymns as the one you heard on 3/20: "All Glory, Laud and Honor.”

Thank you, choir, for inspiring us with your anthem: "My Redeemer's Love" on Easter Sunday, 3/27! 

If you would like to participate in any one of our musical groups, please let this director know. We welcome all those who want to contribute their time and talent to our on-going musical groups at First Baptist whether it is on a part time basis or year around.

We will soon be focusing on our summer musical activities. Please come and join in with others who sing or play from their hearts to the Lord and discover the rich, spiritual rewards which arise from this type of involvement.  

“Sing”cerely, -Betty-

May 15th Family Tools

Preschool

Peter Helps Dorcas

Acts 9:36-43

BIG IDEA: One way God shows that He helps us is by providing for us.

GET TALKING:

• How did Dorcas show God's love and help those around her? (She sewed clothes for people who needed them.)
• Why did Dorcas's friends become sad? (Dorcas got sick and died.)
• Dorcas's friends asked Peter to come help. How did he show God's love and help? (He prayed for her and told her to get up!)
• How did her friends feel when they saw her alive again? (Happy, excited, thankful, praised God.)

ACTION PLAN: Name a few people God has given you to help you.

PRAYER: Tell God thank you for His help.

MAY MEMORY VERSE: 

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us." 1 John 3:1

Pre-K/Kindergarten

Peter Helps Dorcas

Acts 9:36-43

BIG IDEA:  One way God shows that He helps us is by providing for us.

GET TALKING:

• How did Dorcas show God's love and help to others? (She sewed clothes for people who needed them.)
• When Dorcas died, people were very sad. Who did they go get to help? (Peter)
• How did Peter show God's love and help? (He prayed for her, and then told her to get up.)
• What happened next? (Dorcas opened her eyes. She was alive!)
• How do you think her friends felt when they saw her alive again? (Happy, excited, praised God)

ACTION PLAN:  Talk about the different ways that God helps you each and every day.

PRAYER: Thank God for His love and help.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

 "See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us." 1 John 3:1

Elementary

Who’s the Greatest?

Mark 9:33-37; 10:13-16

BIG IDEA: No matter who we are, we all have value in God’s eyes.

GET TALKING:

• What were Jesus’ friends arguing about? (Who was going to be the greatest.) What did Jesus tell them? (To be the greatest, serve others.)
• What did Jesus do when His friends chased the kids away? (Invited the kids to come to Him. Said God’s kingdom is for them! )
• What did Jesus’ friends learn? (Jesus loves children. God values every person.) 

CONNECTING TO JESUS: The stories of Jesus talking with children are usually some of our favorites from the Bible. These stories also teach us a lot about God’s kingdom and that we need to have attitudes like little children to become part of God’s family. Just like children need help from adults, we must recognize our need for Jesus’ help and welcome Him into our lives. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the only way for anyone to become part of God’s family.

ACTION PLAN: Tell why God values each person and why I should, too.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

 "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."  1 John 4:11

We are also currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible...

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

May 8th Family Tools

Preschool

Paul's Escape

Acts 9:20-28

BIG IDEA: We can feel God's love and comfort in ALL situations.

GET TALKING:

• Why were some people angry with Paul? (They didn't like him telling people about Jesus.)
• What were the angry men going to do? (They were waiting at the gates to hurt Paul when he came out.)
• God gave Paul some good friends.  How did they help him escape the mean men? (They put him in a basket and lowered him down the city wall.) 
• How do you think Paul felt as he was being lowered? (Scared, excited, thankful) 

ACTION PLAN: Think about times when you might be afraid and how God can help you in those times.

PRAYER: Thank God for His loving care and help.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us." 1 John 3:1

Pre-K/Kindergarten

Paul's Escape

Acts 9:20-28

BIG IDEA:  We can feel God's love and comfort in ALL situations.

GET TALKING:

• Why did some people want to hurt Paul? (They were angry that he was telling people about Jesus now.)
• God showed Paul love by giving him friends to help him. What did the friends help him do? (They helped him escape and leave Damascus, without the mean men finding him.)
• How did he escape? (His friends lowered him in a basket outside of the city walls.)
• How do you think Paul felt as he was being lowered? (Ex. Afraid, excited, trusted God to take care of him.)

ACTION PLAN:  Talk about times when you might feel afraid, and how you can trust God in those times.

PRAYER: Thank God that we can trust Him, even when we're afraid.

 MAY MEMORY VERSE:

 "See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us." 1 John 3:1

Elementary

Lunch for Everyone

Mark 6:30-44

BIG IDEA: God will help me notice and care about people’s needs the way Jesus did.

GET TALKING:

• Why were people in Bible times so anxious to see Jesus and hear Him teach? (They wanted to learn more about God’s kingdom.)
• When Jesus saw the big crowd, what did He do to help them? (Taught them about God. Fed them.)
• How did the disciples meet other’s needs, even when they were hungry, too? (Gave out food. Obeyed Jesus.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: In the story, Jesus had a hungry crowd of 5,000 people listening to him and He took care of their physical hunger, as well as their spiritual hunger, despite His own tiredness! Jesus knew what the people needed, and He met their every need. Just as Jesus cared for people when He lived on Earth, He cares for us today as our Savior and to provide for all our needs.

ACTION PLAN: Describe attitudes Jesus wants me to have when someone else in is need.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."  1 John 4:11 

We are also currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible...

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

May 1st Family Tools

Preschool

Paul Meets Jesus

Acts 9:1-20

BIG IDEA:  We can experience God's love in many ways every day.

GET TALKING:

• At one point, Paul (Saul) did NOT love Jesus. What did he do to people that loved Jesus. (Put them in jail.)
• What happened to him while walking to Damascus? (He was blinded by a bright light. Jesus asked Him why he was hurting Him.)
• Jesus told Paul to go into Damascus and he didn't eat, and couldn't see for how many days? (3)
• God sent Ananias to help Paul. How did Ananias show God's love to Paul? (He prayed for Paul.)
• What happened next? (God opened Paul's eyes so he could see, and Paul believed in Jesus.)

ACTION PLAN: Talk about different ways God shows His love to you.

PRAYER: Thank God for His love.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us." 1 John 3:1

Pre-K/Kindergarten

Paul Meets Jesus

Acts 9:1-20

BIG IDEA:  We can experience God's love every day.

GET TALKING:

• Paul (Saul) did not love Jesus at first. What did he do to people who loved Jesus? (Put them in jail.)
• Why was Paul (Saul) going to Damascus? (To try and stop people from telling others about Jesus.)
• What happened to him on the way? (A bright light blinded him and Jesus asked Paul why he was hurting him.)
• What did Paul (Saul) do for 3 days in Damascus? (He couldn't see, he didn't eat or drink anything, he prayed.)
• God showed He loved Paul (Saul) by sending someone to help. Who did God send to help? (A man named Ananias)
• How did Paul (Saul) feel about Jesus now? (He believed and started telling others about Jesus!)

ACTION PLAN:  What are some different ways that God shows you love every day.

PRAYER: Thank God for loving us.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us." 1 John 3:1 

Elementary

Wake Up, Little Girl!

Mark 5:21-43

BIG IDEA: I can ask God for what I need and be confident in His love and help.

GET TALKING:

• What did Jairus want Jesus to do? (Heal his sick girl.)
• How did Jesus know He had healed the sick woman? (Felt power leave His body.)
• What did Jesus say to Jairus when his friends told him his daughter was dead? (Don’t be afraid. Believe.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: A desperate father and a long-suffering woman both came to Jesus because of their belief in Him. Even though there was a crowd of people, Jesus did not ignore these believing people. How Jesus healed the woman and brought Jabirus’s daughter back to life gives us a reminder of how Jesus helps and saves us. We can call on Him, not only for salvation, but also for help every day. 

ACTION PLAN: Talk about different ways God responds when we pray.

MAY MEMORY VERSE:

 "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11

We are also currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible...

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

April 24th Family Tools

Preschool

Philip & the Ethiopian

Acts 8:26-40

BIG IDEA: Everyone, both kids and grown-ups, can share the good news of Jesus.

GET TALKING:

• Who visited Philip? (An angel.)
• What did the Angel tell him to do? (God wants you to walk down the road out of the city.)
• Who did Philip see on the road?  And what was he doing? (An Ethiopian man in a chariot, reading the Bible on a scroll.)
• How did Philip help the Ethiopian man? (He helped explain the Bible and shared the good news of Jesus to the man.)
• The Ethiopian was happy to hear the news. What did he ask Philip to do? (Baptize him.)

ACTION PLAN: Think of someone you can tell the good news of Jesus to this week.

PRAYER: Thank God for the good news of Jesus' love.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Pre-K/Kindergarten

Philip & the Ethiopian

Acts 8:26-40

BIG IDEA: It doesn't matter how old we are, young or old, we can ALL tell others about Jesus.

GET TALKING:

• What did an angel tell Philip to do? (Go walk along the road, away from the city.)
• Who did Philip see on the road? (An Ethiopian riding in a chariot.)
• What was the Ethiopian doing? (Reading a Bible scroll.)
• How did Philip help this man? (He helped him understand what he was reading, and told him the good news about Jesus.)
• The Ethiopian believed, and asked Philip to do what? (To baptize him.)
• Why are people baptized? (To show that they believe in Jesus have become part of God's family.)

ACTION PLAN: Think of people that you can tell about Jesus this week.

PRAYER:  Ask God to give you chances to tell others about Jesus.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Elementary

Sleeping Through the Storm

Mark 4:35-41

BIG IDEA: Jesus gives me peace in scary times.

GET TALKING:

• Why do you think Jesus continued to sleep during such a bad storm? (He knew God would take care of them. He knew He had power over the storm.)
• Why did Jesus’ friends think He didn’t care about them? (Because He continued to sleep, even through the commotion of the storm and His friends’ attempts to save their boat.)
• How did Jesus show them He would help them when they asked? (By calming the storm with the words, “Peace! Be still!”)
• Why do you think Jesus’ friends were so amazed when He stopped the storm? (They didn’t realize He had power over wind and waves. They didn’t realize how powerful He really was.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: Jesus slept through the howling storm because He was the one who made both the wind and the waves - they were His! His disciples did not fully understand who Jesus was, so His actions surprised them. But we can know who Jesus truly is because we have God’s Word, the Bible. The more we know about Jesus, the Savior sent by God, the more we can fully trust Him.

ACTION PLAN: Describe what it means to have peace from Jesus, and pray for peace in my life.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." Psalm 52:8

We are also currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible...

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

April 17th Family Tools

Preschool

Food for Widows

Acts 6:1-7

BIG IDEA: When we treat others with kindness, it helps everyone be friends.

GET TALKING:

• How did Jesus' friends show God's love to people? (By sharing food and clothing.)
• Some women in the story were unhappy. What was their problem? (They were not getting enough to eat.)
• When Jesus' friends found out, how did this make them feel? (Sad. They wanted everyone to have enough.)
• How did they solve this problem? (They chose 7 men to help make sure everyone got enough food.)

ACTION PLAN: Name some people that you can be kind to this week.

PRAYER: Ask the Lord to show you people that could use a friend.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Pre-K/Kindergarten

Food for Widows

Acts 6:1-7

BIG IDEA:  When we treat others with kindness, it can help everyone be friends.

GET TALKING:

• What was the problem that some women were having? (They weren't getting enough food.)
• How did Jesus' friends feel/respond when they found out? (They were sad, wanted the women to know people cared, came up with a solution.)
• How did Jesus' friends solve the problem? (They picked 7 men to be special helpers.  They made sure everyone had enough food to eat.  They prayed for the men and that God would help them do a good job.)
• How do you think the women felt after being treated kindly? (Good, loved, cared for.)

ACTION PLAN: Name some different ways you can show kindness this week.

PRAYER: Ask God to help us show love His love by being kind.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

 "Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Elementary

Working on the Sabbath?

Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-6

BIG IDEA: Do what’s right in Jesus’ eyes, even when others don’t.

GET TALKING:

• Why were the Pharisees upset with Jesus? (They cared more about their way of doing things than about showing love to others.) What did Jesus want them to do instead? (To use the Sabbath rules to help people.)
• What did the Pharisees choose to do? (They choose to be angry and plot to kill Jesus.) Why? (Because they were to invested in following the Sabbath rules.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: In today’s story, Jesus showed that He was in charge. He is in charge because He is God’s Son and has authority as our Savior. When we choose to follow Jesus, we ask Him to be in charge of our lives, as well. We choose to love Him and follow His example of loving others.

ACTION PLAN: Discuss situations in which people can choose to do good, and tell ways to do what’s right in Jesus’ eyes.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." Psalm 52:8

We are also currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible...

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

April 10th Family Tools

Preschool

Barnabas Shares

Acts 4:32-37

BIG IDEA:  God helps us have what we need, which lets us share with others.

GET TALKING:

• In this story, we learned one way to show God love and obey His word is... (To share with others)
• What were some of the things that Jesus' friends shared with others? (Food and clothing, with those that didn't have enough.)
• One man, named Barnabas, was always helping others.  What did he do? (He sold a piece of land and gave the money to Jesus' friends to share it with others.)

ACTION PLAN: Identify ways you can share with others this week.

PRAYER: Ask the Lord to help you show kindness and share with others.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Pre-K/Kindergarten

Barnabas Shares

Acts 4:32-37

BIG IDEA:  God gives us what we need, so we can share with others.

GET TALKING:

• How did Jesus' friends show their love to others? (By sharing everything they had.)
• What were some of the things that they shared? (Food, clothes, money)
• A man named Barnabas sold his field. What did he do with the money? (Gave it to Jesus' friends so they could share it with people who needed it.)
• Why do you think Barnabas did this? (Because he loved Jesus and others.)

ACTION PLAN:  Discuss some ways you can share with others this week.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you show God's love by sharing with others.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

 "Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Elementary

Friendship and Forgiveness

Mark 2:1-12

BIG IDEA: Jesus’ example shows me how to go beyond what is expected in helping others.

GET TALKING:

• What does it mean to be paralyzed? (Cannot move. Cannot move arms and/or legs.)
• What did the friends of the paralyzed man do to meet the needs of their friend? (They carried their friend to see Jesus. They dug a hole in a roof and lowered the man down.)
• What did the friends expect Jesus to do? (Heal their friend.)
• How did Jesus go beyond what was expected? (He healed the man AND forgave his sins.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: When Jesus healed the paralyzed man and forgave his sins, He showed how He can help us in powerful ways. Both Jesus’ words and healing act show that He is truly God’s Son. When we believe in Jesus, we too can be forgiven of our sins and be witnesses to His power in our lives.

ACTION PLAN: Describe ways to meet needs in expected and unexpected ways.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." Psalm 52:8

We are also currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible...

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

POETRY: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

April 3rd Family Tools

Preschool

The Lame Man Walks

Acts 3:1-16

BIG IDEA:  We are obeying God when we help others.

GET TALKING:

• Who did Peter and John see on their way to the Temple? (A lame man.)
• Why did this man need help? (His legs didn't work. He couldn't walk or stand.)
• What did the man asking people for? What did Peter and John do? (The man was asking for money. Peter offered something even better and said, in the name of Jesus, stand up and walk.)
• What did the man do next? (Stood up, walked and leaped into the Temple. Praised God.)

ACTION PLAN: Talk about some different ways you can help people this week.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you see opportunities to help others.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

"Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Pre-K/Kindergarten

The Lame Man Walks

Acts 3:1-16

BIG IDEA:  We can help others when they need help.

GET TALKING:

• Who was sitting outside of the Temple gates? (A lame man, his legs didn't work)
• What did he ask Peter and John when they walked by? (Asked for money)
• They didn't have money to give him, but what did they do? (They told him, in the name of Jesus, to stand up and walk)
• What happened next? (The man got up and walked, he was healed. He went into the Temple jumping and praising God)
• Who actually healed the man? Was it Peter and John? (No, it was Jesus)

ACTION PLAN:  Name some ways you can obey God by helping others.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you notice when others need help, and to find ways to help them.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE:

 "Hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Elementary

One Busy Day!

Mark 1:21-34

BIG IDEA: I can trust Jesus to be in charge of my life.

GET TALKING:

• Who needed help in this story? (A man controlled by an evil spirit. Peter’s ill mother-in-law. Other sick family and friends.)
• What did Jesus do to show that He was a leader people could trust? (Taught about God. Helped people. Healed people.)
• What did the people in Capernaum do or say when they heard about Jesus? (They were excited and brought sick people to Jesus. They spread the news about Jesus.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: The Gospel of Mark tells us about Jesus’ actions. We learn about Jesus being the Servant, being shown what Jesus accomplished on the Earth, and how His coming changed the world. When we believe in Jesus, He helps us change the way we live, too!

ACTION PLAN: Tell why I can trust Jesus throughout my life.

APRIL MEMORY VERSE: 

"I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." Psalm 52:8

Stepping Out in Faith

My wife Stacie and I shared some pretty significant news this weekend with our church family regarding some changes happening in our life.  One big change is that our family will be getting bigger.  As some of you probably could tell, Stacie is pregnant and this September we will be welcoming our third child into the mix.  We couldn’t be more excited to see our family grow and to get the chance to meet this little blessing.

More questions than answers

The other change coming our way this year is one that is bittersweet.  For the past 9 years, I have volunteered with an amazing organization called Young Life.  My family has been incredibly blessed and moved by the ministry of Young Life and what an amazing tool it is to reach High School students with the Gospel.  This has led us to lean into our role with Young Life and create space for God to use us in a more significant role here in Port Angeles.  In pursuit of a full time position with Young Life, Stacie and I will be stepping out of our roles at First Baptist Church this year.  There still seems to be more questions than answers at this point, but regardless of how much we have figured out, we feel strongly that God has led us to this point and that it was our place to take this step of faith in following His lead.  As we went through the discernment process it became more clear that God was opening doors and that we wouldn’t have all of our questions answered before we took this step.  As we have shared the news, the response has been nothing but encouraging.  Our family, friends and church family have all responded with love and excitement for this next step.

Stepping out of our roles at First Baptist is going to be hard, we have been pouring our lives into our church for the past 8 years and it has been awesome.  My kids have grown up seeing ministry first hand (lots of good, and some not-so-good), and we have found great joy in doing many things as a family.  We look forward to continuing this type of family ministry with Young Life.  The timeline for all this is still coming together, we know that we will be finishing out the school year without much change, and we plan to have a more answers within the coming months.

This year is a big one for the Cummings family and we look forward to sharing more with you as we go down this road.  We covet your prayers as we take this step of faith and would love to sit down and share more of what this entails with any of you.  A big change for us will be raising financial support, normally I wouldn’t be excited for this step, but both Stacie and I have felt so strongly the leading of the Lord through this process that even that mountain to climb doesn’t seem like too much.

I would love to answer questions and sit down and drink good coffee anytime.

Blessings,
Chris

March 6th Family Tools

Preschool

People Praise Jesus

Matthew 21:1-11, 15-16; Luke 19:28-38

BIG IDEA: Even though we're young, we can show love and praise Jesus, too.

GET TALKING:

• Jesus and his friends were on their way to what city? (Jerusalem)
• What did Jesus ask his friends to go get for him, and why? (A donkey, so he could ride on it.)
• People were excited to see Jesus, what did they put on the road in front of Jesus? (Coats and palm branches)
• The people were shouting praises, what did they say? (Hosanna! Hosanna!)

ACTION PLAN: Talk about different ways you can show praise to God.

PRAYER: Tell Jesus you love him and why.

MARCH MEMORY VERSE:

"Sing praises to the Lord." Psalm 9:11

Pre-K/Kindergarten

People Praise Jesus

Matthew 21:1-11, 15-16; Luke 19:28-38

BIG IDEA: We can join in with our church family to praise Jesus together!

GET TALKING:

• Where was everyone walking to? (the Temple, in Jerusalem)
• What did Jesus ask His friends to go get for Him? (A donkey)
• What did people lay on the road before Jesus? (Their coats, palm branches)
• What were the people shouting and singing to praise Jesus? (Hosanna! Hosanna!)

ACTION PLAN: Talk about different ways you can show Jesus praise.

PRAYER: Praise and thank God for His love.

MARCH MEMORY VERSE:

"Sing praises to the Lord." Psalm 9:11 

Elementary

Listen Up!

Matthew 21: 33-45

BIG IDEA: God’s plan of salvation is built on Jesus.

GET TALKING:

• What did you learn about Jesus from this story? (He is God’s Son. God sent Him.)
• Why do you think the religious leaders didn't accept Jesus? (They wanted people to follow them and not Jesus.)
• Why do you think Jesus told this story? (So that people would know that God sent Jesus ad would not reject Him.)
• How do people today show that they reject Jesus? (They don’t pray to Him. They don’t learn about Him.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: Jesus told the parable of the tenants to summarize how patiently and how long God has waited for His children to trust Him. He sent many prophets with His messages of hope and redemption. Jesus was the ultimate messenger - God’s own Son, sent to both Jews and Gentiles. The whole Bible tells that salvation depends on Him.

ACTION PLAN: Tell reasons why believing in Jesus is the only way to be saved.

MARCH MEMORY WORK: 

We are currently learning the Old Testament books of the Bible. 

LAW : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

February 28th Family Tools

Preschool

The Greatest Love of All

Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48

BIG IDEA: God wants us to serve and think of others, before ourselves.

GET TALKING:

• What were Jesus' friends arguing about? (Who was the best.)
• Jesus held a little child and said, being kind to this child is like being kind to... ? (Me)
• What did Jesus tell his friends to do instead of worrying about who was the best? (To be loving and kind and to serve others.)

ACTION PLAN:  Think of different ways you could show God's love by serving others this week.

PRAYER: Ask God to help us to be kind and help others.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"Be kind to everyone." 2 Timothy 2:24

Pre-K/Kindergarten

The Greatest Love of All

Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48

BIG IDEA: God wants us to serve others and not just think about ourselves.

GET TALKING:

• What were Jesus' friends arguing about on the road? (Who was the greatest, or best.)
• Jesus used someone as an example and told them, if you want God to think you are great, you need to be like this ____.  (A little child.)
• He said to treat children the way you would treat Me. He doesn't want us acting like we are better than others. He wants us to do what? (Treat others kindly and serve others.)

ACTION PLAN: Think of ways you can show kindness and serve others (friends or family) this week.

PRAYER:  Ask God to help you put others first and show kindness each day.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Elementary

Talent Uncovered

Matthew 25:14-29

BIG IDEA: God made us in wonderful ways so that we can love Him by serving others.

GET TALKING:

• What did the first two servants do what the money they were given? (They put their money to work.)
• Why was the master angry with the servant he’d given one talent? (The servant did nothing to earn more money for the master.)
• What do you think Jesus wanted people to learn from this story? (To use the talents and abilities God gives us. To be trustworthy and dependable. To always do our best.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: In the story about the three servants, Jesus teaches us what doing our best means. In our lives, Jesus is the King we do our best for! One day, Jesus will come back to Earth. In the meantime, we do our very best to serve Him by showing His love to others. This is the kind of service we give to the King we love: King Jesus!

ACTION PLAN: Discuss abilities God has given me and plan ways to use my abilities to please Him.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

February 21st Family Tools

Preschool

The Loving Father

Luke 15:11-24

 BIG IDEA: There are ways we can show love and forgive others every day.

 GET TALKING:

• How many sons did the dad have? (2 sons)
• What did one of the sons ask for? (He asked his dad for the money early, that his dad was going to give him.)
• What did the son do? (He moved away and spent all his money.)
• How did the dad feel when his son left? (Sad.)
• The son ran out of money and food, and was taking care of pigs. What did he decide to do? (To go back home and say sorry and try to work for his dad.)
• What happened when the dad saw his son coming home? (He ran to meet him, forgave him, gave him new clothes, a ring and a party!)

 ACTION PLAN: Name ways your family shows kindness to each other.

 PRAYER: Thank God for loving us and forgiving us when we do wrong. Ask Him to help you  love and forgive others, too.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"Be kind to everyone." 2 Timothy 2:24

Pre-K/Kindergarten

The Loving Father

Luke 15:11-24

 BIG IDEA:  We can find chances to love and forgive others everyday.

 GET TALKING:

• What did the younger son ask his Dad for? (His inheritance money early.)
• After he left home, what happened to the son's money? (He spent it all on clothes, food and parties.)
• What happened when all his money was gone? (He had to get a job feeding pigs. He was hungry. He decided to go home and tell his Dad he was sorry.)
• What did the Dad do when he saw his son coming home? (He ran to him, hugged him and forgave him. Gave him a fancy robe, new shoes and a special ring. Threw him a party.)

 ACTION PLAN: Describe ways you can show love and forgiveness to people in your family.

 PRAYER: Ask God to help you love and forgive others this week.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Elementary

It’s Not Fair!

Matthew 20:1-16

BIG IDEA: God’s love can’t be earned, but He gives it generously to everyone who believes.

GET TALKING:

• How much did the owner of the vineyard pay each worker? (One denarius.)
• Why did some of the workers think they should have received more money? (Because they had worked longer.)
• How is God like the owner? (He is generous in the He loves us too!)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: In the story Jesus told, the owner of the vineyard was generous and paid each of his workers the same - no matter how long or short a time they had worked. God is like this generous owner! Jesus lived, died and came back to life so that we could be forgiven for our sin and receive God’s amazing love. There isn’t anything we can do to earn it! It’s God’s free gift.

ACTION PLAN: Describe how I have responded to God’s great love.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

February 7th Family Tools

Preschool

The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

BIG IDEA: God wants us to be kind to everyone.

GET TALKING:

• What happened to the hurt man on the road? (Mean guys beat him up and took all his clothes and money.)
• How many people walked by and didn't help? (2)
• When the Samaritan walked by, how did he help the hurt man? (He bandaged his sores, and took him to an inn to take care of him.)
• Jesus told this story to tell people that we should show love to... Just our friends? (No, to EVERYONE!)

ACTION PLAN: Talk about different ways you could help someone this week.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you be kind to others.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"Be kind to everyone." 2 Timothy 2:24

Pre-K/Kindergarten

The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

BIG IDEA: God wants us to have compassion for others.

GET TALKING:

• What happened to the man hurt along the road? (Mean men beat him up and stole his money.)
• What did the first 2 travelers do when they saw the hurt man? (Walked right by him. Kept going down the road.)
• What did the third traveler (the Samaritan) do? (Took care of him. Stopped and bandaged his sores, put him on a donkey, took him to an inn and made sure he was taken care of.)
• Which traveler showed God's love to the hurt man? (3rd traveler, the Samaritan)

ACTION PLAN: Give examples of ways to show God's love to people who need help.

PRAYER: Ask God for His help to see others' needs and to show His love by helping them.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Elementary

Walking on Water

Matthew 14:22-36; 16:13-16

BIG IDEA: Because Jesus is God’s Son, I can trust Him when I’m afraid.

GET TALKING:

• Why do you think Peter had the courage to step out of the boat and walk to Jesus?
• What words would you use to describe Peter at the beginning of the story? At the end?
• What amazing truth about Jesus did Peter discover? (Jesus is the Savior, the Son of the living God. He could trust Jesus to help him in every situation.)

CONNECTING TO JESUS: Jesus showed His power by walking on the water. But when Jesus told His friends, “It is I. Don’t be afraid,” Jesus was telling them who He really was - God Himself! They could trust Him in every situation, and we can too!

ACTION PLAN: Discuss tough situations in which God can help me and give me wisdom.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE: 

"For I am the Lored, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

February 14th Family Tools

Preschool

The Good Shepherd

Luke 15:3-7

BIG IDEA:  We need to remember God's love and be ready to show it to others.

GET TALKING:

• In our story, how many sheep did the shepherd have? (100)
• How was the shepherd kind to his sheep? (Made sure they had food and water, and kept them safe.)
• What did the shepherd do when he found out one of his sheep was missing? (He went and looked for it, carried it home.)
• Who has God put in your life that shows you kindness? (Ex: mom, dad, grandparents, friends, etc.)

ACTION PLAN: Name some ways people have shown you kindness this week.  How can you show kindness to others.

PRAYER: Thank God for His love and kindness.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"Be kind to everyone." 2 Timothy 2:24

Pre-K/Kindergarten

The Good Shepherd

Luke 15:3-7

BIG IDEA: Because God loves us so much, we are able to share that love with others.

GET TALKING:

• What does a shepherd do? (Takes care of sheep. Gives them food and water. Protects them from danger.)
• Jesus told a story about a shepherd who had 100 sheep, but 1 sheep was missing.  What did the shepherd do? (He left the other 99 and went to find the missing sheep. Carried it back to the others.)
• Who is God in this story? Who are we? (God is the shepherd. We are the sheep.)
• How is God like the shepherd to us? (He loves us and takes good care of us. Wants us to be close to Him.)

ACTION PLAN: Name some ways you can show love and kindness to your family and friends this week.

PRAYER:  Thank God for His love and ask for His help in showing that love to others.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Elementary

Who, Me? Forgive?

Matthew 18:21-35

BIG IDEA: We can keep on forgiving others because God never stops forgiving us.

GET TALKING:

• What important question did Peter ask Jesus? (When he could STOP forgiving someone.)
• What was Jesus’ answer? (To forgive 77 times; forgive over and over again, never stopping.)
• What did the king do when his servant couldn’t pay what he owed? (He forgave the debt.)
• What did the servant do to the person who owed him money? (He demanded the money be paid back and sent the person to prison.)
• Which servant are you most like?

CONNECTING TO JESUS: In the story of the forgiving king, we see how import ant forgiveness is. This story reminds us that Jesus, the King sent to Earth, is the One who makes our forgiveness possible. Jesus showed that He can truly forgive us and make us part of God’s family. Jesus is the true forgiving King.

ACTION PLAN: Tell times we need God’s help in continuing to forgive others.

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE: 

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

January 31st Family Tools

Preschool

The Forgiving King

Matthew 18:21-35

BIG IDEA: To understand what it means to be forgiven and to forgive others.

GET TALKING:

• There was a man who owed the King LOTS of money, but couldn't pay it back.  What did the King do? (He forgave the man, and didn't make him pay it back.)
• The man ran into a friend who owed him a LITTLE money, but couldn't pay it back.  What did the man do? (He put his friend in jail.)
• Who showed kindness in this story? (the King)
• Does God want us to only be kind to those that are kind to us? (No, God wants us to be be kind to EVERYONE!)

ACTION PLAN: Forgiveness is one way of showing kindness.  Think of times when you might need to ask for forgiveness, or times when you have forgiven others.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you be kind to others and forgive them when they hurt us.

JANUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"Be kind to everyone." 2 Timothy 2:24

PreK/Kindergarten

The Forgiving King

Matthew 18:21-35

BIG IDEA: We can show God's love by forgiving others.

GET TALKING:

• In Jesus' story, what did the man owe the King? (Lots of money)
• How did the King show the man kindness? (He forgave him the debt, said he didn't have to pay it back.)
• Then the man ran into a friend who owed HIM money. How was he unkind to his friend? (He threw the man in jail because he couldn't pay him back.)
• God wants us to ________ forgive others, even when they are unkind to us. (Possible answers: Never, Sometimes, or ALWAYS!)

ACTION PLAN: Name ways you can show God's love by treating others kindly.

PRAYER:  Ask God to help you be kind and forgive others when they hurt you.

JANUARY MEMORY VERSE:

"The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made." Psalms 145:9

Elementary

5TH SUNDAY - FAMILY WORSHIP TIME!  

JANUARY MEMORY VERSE: 

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and with all your strength." Mark 12:30