When I was young, the church I grew up in had a Children’s Choir. We sang at Christmas and we performed musicals each spring. I can remember my sister playing “Queen Esther” or the time that I played Abednego in the “Fiery Furnace” with my two friends who played Shadrach and Meshach. Do any of you remember Kids Praise and Psalty the Songbook from the 1980s? We did that musical too. There were others too…Jonah, Daniel, and more. But a random coincidence in my children’s musical history is performing a musical in my middle school years about Colby the Computer, which was directed by Cami Nyquist who was living in Seattle that year. I had no idea then that twenty years later I would be directing musicals in McMinnville with the same Cami Nyquist!

As an adult now, I realize how much these opportunities for singing at church helped me do something that I love and hone a God-given gift…singing. I’m not a rock star or an opera singer (HA! – nowhere near it), and I don’t know of anyone in my old Children’s Choir who is a star. However, there are a number of us who continued on in high school and college choirs and singing groups as well as singing with worship bands in the churches we attend. I was given an opportunity in my early years to sing out, develop a skill, gain some confidence, and share a gift with the whole church. In reading this, it is obvious that I was/am greatly influenced through singing. That is not the same for everyone. Not everyone loves to sing or considers herself a singer. I recognize that this is unique to me, but a musical also includes speaking, set design, lighting, sound and more.

This congregation has encouraged musicals for our youth often as well. And I am honored to carry on this opportunity for young people because of what it offered for me. As a director now, it is energizing for me to watch and see the development of the musical from the first practice to the day of performance. There is so much learning going on – and it’s not always easy – in fact, some lessons are really hard. But there’s also praise as we are making music! In the church, however, I hope that we can allow a performance to be a worship to God and allow God to fill us up instead of filling ourselves. And through it all, I hope that each participant and observer receive God’s joy and grace. We are all gifted in different ways…singing, speaking, running the sound system, lighting, building a set…. It’s great that at church we can use our skills and gifts as we continue to develop. Singing and dancing and speaking are actions often used in the Bible to rejoice and thank God. And I believe a musical passes on joy to others through its message and through the participants. So I hope you will all enjoy this talented group of participants share the message of the angels in Angel Alert!

-Anna

Fall is rolling right along, my friends! From October’s end with creative costumes and candy to the immediate onset of November and the holiday season. Ta da! It’s here! I want to welcome November for you.

I have appreciated November for as long as I can remember. To me, it’s like a comfort month. Fall fully in the midst, winter looming, and Thanksgiving just around the corner. We’ve pulled out the children’s stories about the fall and Thanksgiving…it just feels comforting. However, that doesn’t mean that it is actually comforting in reality! Life experiences are sometimes discomforting, and the fall and holiday seasons are BUSY. This can be uncomfortable.

This month in Super Church children will be taking a pit stop to slow down and take a moment to be grateful. There is always something to be grateful for, and we often need to take a moment to make an attitude adjustment. I know I do! Not only should we be grateful to God for creating us and loving us, but we should also show appreciation to the people in our life who care for us and love us. The New Testament book 1 Thessalonians says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (5:18) Even on the cross when Jesus died, he was thinking of others – not himself. This is a truly amazing role model for us to follow. I hope that each of us will take a pit stop this month, regularly, to show gratitude and to say thanks.

I hope kids will come and check out Super Church this month – Sunday mornings during the worship hour.

Blessings!

I wanna build! Say what? Build! Say what? BUILD! My LIFE ON JESUS!
He is the Rock! The what? The ROCK! The what? R-O-C-K, THE ROCK!

Imagine a large group of children chanting this...that they want to build their life on Jesus. We had a great week with this building filled with children learning about how they are accepted and loved by Jesus, saved by Jesus, forgiven because of Jesus, and that we can live for Jesus!

As I walked around the church during the week, it was comforting and invigorating to see the VBS campers asking questions, telling stories and actively participating in the activities. Through the workshops offered, the campers learned a variety of skills. In Rock Art, they made unique creations which will remind them that Jesus is their Rock. There were outdoor games and outdoor sports, fun with food, pottery, mural painting in our children's hallway , martial arts, and theater performance. These were some of the fun, learning opportunities available to children, and the items they created and produced were amazing! It was a solid week!

Building a life on Jesus means building life on a solid, firm foundation of love, acceptance, grace, faith, justice, peace, goodness...that's what Jesus gives, and that's why we can live confidently for Jesus - sharing those virtues in turn! "See what great love the Fathers has lavished on us that we should be called children of God." (1 John 3:1) What a great gift, and what a solid life that is.

I'm so thankful to all the children who participated, the youth who helped, the adults who volunteered and taught and served, and to the whole congregation for the support and prayers that go into VBS. And to God be the glory!

Blessings!

June is here, my Covenant friends! And June means that school is almost out for summer! Once again, it feels like another year flew by faster than I can remember. As we enter June, I imagine students are counting down the days to summer break and teachers are winding down the year and parents are planning activities for the coming summer days. There’s that time squeeze and, yet, the days feel longer with more hours of daylight! I find myself wanting to enjoy more time at home and more time outside (and the weather to improve so we can be outside), yet I still feel anxious about things that need to be done – plans, work, cleaning – whatever it may be…big or small.

In Matthew, Christ says, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27) Yowza! No, I cannot add an hour to my life at all and worrying about time isn’t going to change that. I cannot suddenly have magical powers to give me time. Believe me, I have considered many times how I could possibly gain an hour or two here or there – from writing papers in college, to spending more time with a faraway friend who’s visiting, to packing before a trip, to catching up on the regular evening schedule after a delayed children’s bedtime because a lesson or game went long, or just plain-old wanting extra time so I can squeeze in all the things I want to do with the things that I need to do. I have dreamed about just a little bit more time…many times!

Two thousand years ago Christ said this, and still his relevancy speaks to me today. And of course, he didn’t just stop there. Jesus continued his main point by saying, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34) Seek God first! Prioritize! Deal with things as they come and rest in God’s goodness. (Kay Hotaling’s Manna Principle – if you missed that one from a few weeks ago ask her about it.) It’s not that my to-do list will get accomplished just because I put God first and prayed, but that I will gain a Godly perspective that will help me throughout each day. Philip Yancey called it the “God’s Eye View”. The view God sees from up above looking down on all of earth, the universe, and how God loves all of it.

So as the summer begins to shine on us and the days give longer hours of daylight, may you seek God first – kingdom and righteousness – and may you not worry about what’s ahead. May you feel and know God’s peace and grace each day. We cannot add an hour to the day, but we can enjoy it to its fullest. Each day.

Anna Carlson, Children's Ministry Coordinator

I often get lost in how to pray to God. Where to start, what to say, how long…and if I am praying with my children then I can’t help but think about how short I should keep it (so I can keep their attention). Can you relate to that feeling of just not sure exactly what to say to God who already knows everything?! I attended a private Christian school K-12th where prayer was used daily – sometimes each teacher prayed to start a class. One would think that having such exposure to prayer makes it easier…it did make it more comfortable for me, but it didn’t mean I would know exactly what to say or how to say it. Even after 12 years, I was shy to pray publicly.

The discipline of prayer is evident throughout the Bible as the key way to communicate with God and also to get quiet and listen to God. You can look to the Scriptures to find stories of how followers used prayer to thank, praise, confess, and supplicate to God. Jesus is the best role model for us of taking the time to find solitude and pray to God. Before and after gatherings with large groups of people, the Gospels show how Jesus took time to be alone and pray. The Apostle Paul, who wrote many letters in the New Testament to young churches, includes his prayers for those churches in his letters. Just reading Philippians 1 shows Paul’s prayerful encouragement for in verse 9 he says, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…”. These are such strong examples, and yet I still know I come short in setting apart time to pray to God.

This month, Pastor Mark and Pastor Ted are preaching and teaching about the Lord’s Prayer – how Jesus taught the disciples to pray. I encourage myself and all of us to pray regularly. To give that time to God, to confess, to go to God and say “let your will be done”. What “will” happen if we do? To God be the kingdom, the power and the glory forever! Amen.

Anna Carlson, Children's Ministry Coordinator