Chick-fil-a family activity page...

Chick-fil-a cow
and Josiah at UPWARD

The activities on the chick-fil-a page are not Bible activities.
However, they are great activities to get your family talking and having fun.

From this page, www.chick-fil-a.com/Kids/Family-Activity-Resources

Time for the Talk: Leading Your Son Into True Manhood

Currently this book is $1.99 for Kindle.  Click HERE

Zollos writes that the talk is not a specific one time conversation you have with your son.  It is  "a process that takes many years and can be profoundly rewarding."

While this book is written specifically written to fathers, it contains a preface to mothers.
It's up to you to show him that becoming a true man depends on being changed by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.

Here are some quotes from the book...

Your young man needs conviction and these cannot come from you.  Convictions come from hearing the LORD.

The book talks about developing these six characteristics in your son.

HUMILITY
To pursue humility means chosing to accept the fact that your knowledge and abilities are limited and in light of that, you are regularly seeking help and graciously receiving advice and correction.

COURAGE
To pursue courage means choosing to do what is right despite the opposition of others or your own desires (often the more difficult enemy to fight).

PURITY
To pursue moral purity means choosing to live by the highest moral principles in both speech and physical relations despite your own desires to do otherwise and despite any external pressures to compromise.

FAITHFULNESS
To pursue faithfulness means acting in integrity, keeping your word and doing what is right before God, with fortitude and without complaint because you trust God to give you the ability to complete all things he has given you to do.

SELFLESSNESS
To pursue selflessness means placing the well being of others before your own needs and desires.

SELF-CONTROL
To pursue self-control means to live according to the Spirit of God, choosing to glorify God with our lives and denying the sinful nature when tempted to do otherwise.

July 27: Family Worship Guide

Using Bible Memory and Family Prayer

Last night 33 adults and children gathered in the children's wing for our Wednesday night prayer time.
We had a great time of large group family worship time.  
Here is what the evening looked like...

First, we had a time of building with blocks (connection - this week's children's ministry story was rebuilding the tabernacle from Ezra)

Then, we read through some portions of the book of Ezra (You can check out the teacher resource page to see what passages we read)  

After that, we worked together on this week's memory verse, Psalm 95:6, 7a and looked at how we could pray this verse.  
- Praise God He made us, our parents and our children.  
- Praise God He watches over us and protects us as a shepherd watches over His sheep.
- Praise God He sent His Son to sacrifice His life for our sin and God's glory.

Finally, we closed with the song My God is So Big.

You can use all or some of these ideas in your own family worship...
Directed play
Bible reading
Bible memory
Singing

Lesson sheet for July 20 and Info for the next 6 weeks

Over the next six Sunday off the Unashamed week we have some special things going on Sunday mornings and I want to let you know some ways you can use these opportunities with your family.

July 27 during the 9:00 am class, the Krueggers will be sharing there ministry to the Chinese in Canada.  You can bring your kids in for this time.

August 24 during the 10:30 am service time, Pastor Duke will be sharing about Biblical sexuality.   

Because of the end of the quarter and the nature of this sermon, there will be a special Bible review class/party this Sunday at 10:30. Parents of 4th and 5th graders are free to decide what they want to do with their childen on this Sunday.

Be  sure to check back here for other ministry updates regarding August and our UNASHAMED series.

Wednesday Night's Prayer Walk

Prayer Walk Around the Church.

This is designed to help you and your family pray for and think about different ministries of the church.  This prayer list is not meant to include all of the ministries of the church.  Please be in prayer for these and other ministries of EBC.

#1:  Children’s Wing – Gathering Area.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for families to grow closer and closer to God
• Pray for the children’s ministry workers
• Pray for Andrea Fansler, Children’s Ministry Director and Pastor Dave
• Specifically pray for two other families you know from the church.

#2:  Children’s Wing – Walker Nursery.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for the UPWARD basketball ministry
• Pray for the families who were part of UPWARD last year
• Pray for families who will be a part of UPWARD this year
• Pray for coaches and halftime devo leaders
• Think about who you can invite to be part of UPWARD

#3:  Foyer.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for visitors,
• Pray for our church, including you, to be friendly to others
• Pray for those serving as greeters and for Pastor Shane
• Think about ways you and your family could help people feel welcome when they visit our church

#4:  Auditorium.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for Pastor Duke as he prepares the Sunday sermon
• Pray for Pastor Andy and those serving on the music team
• Pray for people to live out the truth that is preached

#5:  Missionary House or 1^st – 3^rd grade class.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for our missionary families
• Pray for the Collins family as they serve with GAP (Global Access Partners) and help
• Pray for the McMasters who are staying in the missionary house now.
• Pray for other missionaries you may know.
• Take time either tonight or this week to write a letter to one of our missionary families.  You can put your letter in Pastor Dave’s mailbox and he can make sure the missionary gets the letter.

#6:  Room 401.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for our EBI (Emmanuel Bible Institute) classes in the fall and spring
• Pray for our Sunday morning 3E (Educate, Encourage, Edify) classes
• Pray that we as a church would want to know God’s word AND live it out.
• Pray for our missionary families

#7:  Room 409.  Click HERE for video

• Pray for the Groceries 4 Life ministry which serves the community on the 1^st and 3^rd Monday nights of the month. 
• Pray for the families impacted by this ministry.

#8:  Emmanuel Christian School Parking Lot

• On your drive home, pull into the parking of ECS and pray for the school
• Pray for Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Flamm and Mr. Farley
• Pray for the teachers
• Pray for the students  

Pray like Daniel!

During tonight's prayer time Pastor Shane will challenge our church to prayerfully go and share the Gospel.

Families will meet in the chapel with everyone to begin the night and then head back to the children's wing to learn about prayer as it relates to this past week's Bible lesson on Daniel.

Daniel was a man who had faith in God and this was shown by his commitment to prayer.  If we claim to be a family who is trusting in God, this same prayerful attitude should show itself in our lives.  

Here is the passage we will be looking at tonight, Daniel 6:25-27

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.  I make a decree,
that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and
fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God,

enduring forever;

his kingdom shall never be destroyed

and his dominion shall be to the end.

He delivers and rescues;

he works signs and wonders

in heaven and on earth,

he who has saved Daniel

from the power of the lions.”

As we lead our families in times of prayer and worship, may we be sure to look to him and help others do the same.

Every Thursday the prayer activity from the previous night will be posted on this website.

Families and Family Prayer time

This Wednesday night (07/09), we begin our summer prayer meetings.

Last year we began a family prayer in which we made calendars and prayer reminders.
We  also went on a prayer walk.

We are going to continue with this family tradition this summer.

Families with children, plan to come out spend time in prayer with your family and other Emmanuel families.

Talking to your kids about lions!

We love sharing resources that families are using to disciple their children.
Especially when they help connect what we are teaching at church with what families can do at home.

Here is the opening activity of Week 75 (Daniel and the Lion's Den) from Thursday's free devotional book Long Story Short, which as of 07.05 was no longer free but still a great deal at $4.39

Bring a picture of a lion to Bible study. Showing the picture to your children, tell them some facts about lions:

• The African lion is the largest carnivore (meat eater) in Africa.
• Male lions can grow eight feet long— not counting the tail!— and stand four feet high. (Show your children how that compares to the size of your living room couch.
• A mature male lion can weigh more than 500 pounds.
• His roar can be heard five miles away. (Give your children an idea of how far this would be from your home.)
• Their needle-sharp claws are an inch-and-a-half long.
• Their longest pointed front teeth are more than an inch long and their jaws are very strong.
• They can run thirty miles an hour in short bursts.
• They can knock down a zebra with one swipe of their paw.

Machowski, Marty (2010-11-03). Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God (Kindle Locations 7188-7194). New Growth Press. Kindle Edition.

Long Story Short devotional for Free

Here is a facebook post from Danielle Wilson about a free kindle book: "I HIGHLY recommend this devotional book for families! We have been using it for about 4 months and love it! We have a hard copy, but I downloaded the kindle version for free today! This is a steal, and will bless your family! Great reason to start family devotions if you don't already do them."

Click on the picture for the Amazon site.