WHO:  1st thru 6th graders (completed)

WHAT:  Games, skits, chapel times, songs, crafts, prizes, and much more!

WHEN:  July 18-21, 2011

TIME:  9:30 am – 3:30 pm

WHERE:  Lake Community Church, 1751 CR 44 NW, Alexandria, MN

COST:  $40

DETAILS:  Please bring your own lunch and beverage.  Snacks will be provided.  There will be a closing ceremony Thursday evening with activities, music, bouncy castle, and a slide show.  Parents and families welcome.

REGISTRATION:  Call the church office at 320-762-5424.  Download Registration form from lakecommunity.org.

My husband loves basketball.  He loves to play it.  He gets into watching it.  He appreciates its finer points:  the fast pace, the energy it generates on the court and in the stands, and the fact that no matter what size a player is, each has the opportunity to make a difference to the team.

Me, I follow basketball but in the sense that I “trail behind” rather than “understand” it.  Sure I want my alma mater to win, but I can’t predict plays or analyze what a player should’ve done.

Then, as work on the April issue of 252 Basics (which is about humility) was wrapping up and I was pondering this article, I remembered an item in the newspaper my husband shared with me some time ago.  You may want to read it for yourself (do a Google search of “the no-stats all-star”).  It’s about a guy who’s the antithesis of so much in professional sports these days:  an unselfish player who consistently puts the team ahead of his own interests.  He will tip the ball to another player rather than go for a less certain rebound, he’ll pass up a good shot of his own if a teammate has a better one, and he’ll take a charge, knowing it’s going to hurt.  His conventional stats may be unremarkable, but stuff like his plus-minus numbers (what happens to the score when a given player is on the court) are crazy.  Bottom line, when he’s in the game his teammates get better and his opponents do worse.  For a sport with LOTS of opportunities for ball hogs to seek their own glory, Shane Battier doesn’t.  And that’s pretty impressive.  Even to someone who doesn’t know that much about basketball.

Wouldn’t it be great if kids could see more superstar athletes with this attitude?  Or if we, who influence kids on a daily basis, could model it?  Paul gives good counsel on how to go about that:  ”Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of Himself.  He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.  Not at all.  When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!… He didn’t claim special privileges.  Instead, He lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death.”  (Philippians 2:5-8, The Message). Specifically, “don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand” (Philippians 2:3-4, The Message).

When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He pointed out that if He, our Teacher and Master, could put others first, then we need to do the same.  And because we serve a generous God, we’ll benefit when we do.  God offers us forgiveness and a listening ear, guidance, grace and wisdom (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalms 25:9; Proverbs 3:34; 11:2).

Kids need to understand what humility is (and isn’t) and why God wants them to have it.  Who better to model true humility than Jesus, and what better time to talk about how Jesus put us first than at Easter?  So here’s the line-up for April:

• Treat others like they’re more important than you. Jesus treated his disiples like they were important to Him (Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, John 13).
• To put others first, you may need to put God first. Jesus put us first by following God’s plan (Jesus’ arrest, Luke 22; John 18).
• Jesus put you first when He died on the cross. (Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, Mark 14-15).
• You should put others first because Jesus is ALIVE! Jesus gives us the power to put others first because of what He did for us (Jesus’ burial and resurrection, Matthew 28).

Peace, Melanie Williams, Editor in Chief, 252 Basics, The reThink Group

On March 14 during Sunday School, everyone is invited to join the kids from preschool thru 6th grade in an outdoor march “Praying the Walls Up” for the proposed new building education wing. Parents, we really want you to join in the fun. We will begin and end in the gym. Please make sure your kids have boots, hats, and mittens since we are going outside. Bring empty paper towel tubes to use as trumpets.

“The family exists, even in its imperfection, to display the heart of God to every generation.” (Think Orange, p.49). Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your strength. These commandments I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  We, as parents, must communicate what is most important, spiritually, at morning time, meal time, drive time, and bed time.

Not many of us parents feel equipped or trained to be the primary spiritual teacher in our family. Parents need churches to help them know how to be spiritual leaders. I will be exploring this area of “family” ministry so that we can guide parents to have a plan, show them how it works, and challenge families to teach regularly.  I don’t just want another church program.  I want the church to come alongside parents to help build faith and character in our children, youth, and into young adult-hood.  This is just a tidbit of information on the “Think Orange’ ideas.  More to come.

Sunday School resumes January 10.  Children’s Sunday School classes will be starting new books.  Regular attendance is helpful for consistent learning.  The kids are also fellowshipping and growing more intimate in their relationships with their teacher and classmates.

At this point, we have enough shoe boxes.  We need items to fill them! And, we need $7 to cover the cost of shipping each box.  Collection dates are now until November 22.  They will be delivered to Minneapolis on November 23.