New Season. New Curriculum. New Registration. New Teachers. Same God.

A post from our Children’s Ministry Director, Louise Brooks:

Yippee!  It’s time!  New pencils!  New markers!  New crayons!  New teachers!  Same merciful, gracious, compassionate God!

Children’s Ministry kicks off a new season on September 12 with joy and anticipation.  We are excited to have wonderful teachers who are committed to our vision of growing our children closer to God by building relationships and modeling what it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ.  Much of what our teachers do downstairs is get to know your kids.  Talk to them.  Pray for them.  Teach them.  Cheer for them.  Have fun with them.

Our babies and toddlers have begun their first Bible study.  It sounds silly, but it’s all about planting seeds.  Each week, those in the nursery gather together on a blanket to hear a Bible story and to pray.  It is amazing to watch.  The baby and toddler curriculum parallels that of the preschoolers.  And . . . this year, our preschoolers will continue with the Gospel Light preschool curriculum we used (and loved!) last year.  Our elementary students will tackle a new curriculum for us —  Children Desiring God.  K-2nd graders will study Jesus, What a Savior!  A study for children on redemption and our 3rd-5th graders will examine In the Beginning . . . Jesus.  A chronological study for children of redemptive history. This is a time where our elementary students will engage in more in-depth, hands-on Bible study.  It’s good stuff.

So, a new season also means new registration information, too.  Every child – nursery through elementary school – needs to register for this school year.  If your child is of nursery age (newborn to not yet 3), click here to register. If your child will be three by September 30, 2010, click here to register for preschool- and elementary-aged Sunday School .

We have the most fabulous team of new teachers for the year – Caitlin Staples, Patty Downie, Anne Galdo, Sophie Camp, Adam Lucas, Nadia Lucas, Brent Jones, Melody Jones, Laura Hassell, Rachel Hutchison, and middle-school helpers Graham Terry, Darcy Jones, and Abby Hassell.  Please pray for each of them by name as they prepare to commit their time and talent to growing our children.

Despite all the changes, we have the same God who is merciful, gracious, and compassionate.  His desire is for us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. . . . Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Mark 12:30-31)  THAT is what we are teaching our children at Restoration.