Sunday mornings this winter we have been looking at ways we can build for God's Kingdom while we are here on Earth. On Sunday, March 10, our theme was celebration and we celebrated Associate Pastor Scott Shelton and his 25 years of ministry at ZPC! Please join in on our celebration by thanking God for Scott! Learn a little more about Scott by watching the following video.
Editor's Note: ZPC Children's Ministry Director Amy Crispin writes about what's been going on down in her area of the building. This year's Third Grade Bible Dedication will take place Sunday, February 24.
It’s that time of year again! Actually, it’s my favorite time of year! Third Grade Bible Dedication time! I love this event for so many reasons. The first being, third graders are some of my favorite people in the whole wide world! They are still young and silly, but they understand my humor and can be quite introspective and wise.
Third Grade Bible Dedication is our young ZPCer’s first rite of passage as Christian children in the church. This event provides their parents the chance to give them the most important tool they will need as they transition from primary to secondary learners. This precious tool, for most, will be their very first Bible or perhaps their very first “grown up” Bible. Within its pages parents will write letters of encouragement and include letters and verses from loved ones. Each child will also be given special Bible highlighters and page-tabs as an encouragement to highlight important verses. My prayer for these children is that they will write their thoughts and questions in their new Bibles, and look back at the words they wrote as nine- and ten-year-olds when they’re older and see how far they have come in their walk with Christ.
Rites of passage are important. Bibles are important. But in the eyes of a third grader, fun is more important! Third graders who participate in our dedication class meet with me and two fantastic volunteers every Sunday afternoon for six weeks to play games and make crafts. Oh! And learn what is actually in the Bible and where to find answers to questions. But it’s the games and the crafts that makes this class really fun! We get to run around and get sweaty playing Noah’s Ark tag. We sit on the floor making Bible covers, or fancy books-of-the-Bible flashcards and talk about school and friends and sports and whatever pours from our mouths. This special time creates a bond between our third graders (and us adults) that will hopefully carry them through high school and beyond. I spend most of this time laughing with these goofy kids! It’s so much fun.
Anyone is welcome to come and visit during our class. You’ll laugh, you’ll get sweaty, and you might even learn something you never knew before!
Please pray for these children as they cross the bridge from dependent to independent learners. Pray that they find time each day to spend in the word learning about Jesus. Pray that their Bible gives them the answers they seek and that the words and love of our Lord and Savior penetrate their souls.