Family Worship Guide 12/28

DON'T PUT THOSE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AWAY YET!!!!!

http://cultivatingahome.com/2014/12/26/my-very-favorite-christmas-tradition/

Before putting your Christmas stockings away think about doing this.

Inside each stocking put letters written to Jesus

In these letter recording ways you plan to serve Him throughout the upcoming year.

Next Christmas open these letters and share what you wrote with family and/or friends.

What does God want for Christmas?

What God wants is not
a selfie of Pastor Dave

What God wants for Christmas.  Now here’s the surprise

In this box is where it’s been disguised.

Peek in the box, for so long you have waited.

What God wants is you – the one He created!

“Me?” you ask.  “Why is this so?”

”I cannot wrap me and put on a bow!”

No you cannot; but what you can give

Are the choices you make in the life that you live.

God wants you to know Him and love Him within.

And this is called worship, an offering to Him.

To do this   trust Jesus, who died in your place

When you didn’t deserve Him – that is called grace

Give him control of your life and your heart

Say, “Jesus I need You.  I’d like a new start.

Forgive me today for the sins I’ve committed

So one day in heaven I will be permitted.”

When you this way, the heavens rejoice
That you have made worship of God your life’s choice.

God wants you to know Him, so choose every day

To love God and thank God

And give Him all Praise.

December 25: The Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke

December 25:  The Christmas from Luke 2.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

What to do after The "Present" Message Christmas Eve service

So you were at the Christmas Eve service and you heard about the gifts.
  the pink slippers
  the Bible
  the Snowball
  the present.

You heard
Luke 2:1-21 read.
You were encouraged to
read it as a family
on Christmas day.
You were challenged to
treasure these things
in your heart.


Pastor Duke talked about Separation, Substitute, Savior and Salvation.

Here is what was inside the present Pastor Dave showed the kids.
Not a selfie.
A mirror

What does God want for Christmas?
Us.  Our worship.  Click HERE for the "What God Wants for Christmas"

HERE is a link to some free downloadable resources from the "What God Wants for Christmas" resource.



It is our prayer that this year's Christmas Eve service
focused your heart and mind on Jesus Christ.

During the month of December we have been posting daily advent readings HERE
that you can use throughout the year to help you focus on the greatest gift ever given.
JESUS CHRIST!

Christmas Pitfalls for Parents

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-christmas-pitfalls-for-parents

It’s Christmastime again, and if you’re a parent you may be having familiar conversations about gift-giving, consumerism, and the cross. Discipling children through the Christmas season is challenging. Our lists of errands are as endless as the numbers of cookies we hope to bake. With teachers to honor, traditions to uphold, parties to attend, and all the gifts to buy and eventually wrap, the physical demands can overshadow spiritual needs.

If we want to give our children the gift of clearer gospel understanding this Christmas, we must put more thought into how we lead them than we put into buying gifts and making Pinterest crafts. How should we shepherd our kids through a season laden with greed? Should we give one present per child, tithe in their honor, or stop giving gifts completely? As you think and pray through how to answer these questions for your family, consider three Christmas pitfalls that I’ve commonly observed parents pondering.

Here are the 3 pitfalls with a couple of the main points.
You can read more details at www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-christmas-pitfalls-for-parents

Pitfall 1: How can I keep the world from hijacking Christmas?

The world doesn't define our celebration; we do, in obedience to God. 

 So when the world publicly hijacks our holiday, peacefully take it right back within your home and community by teaching, showing love, and shining Christ’s light to everyone around.

Instead of fearing the world, teach your children to engage culturally for the spread of the gospel.

Pitfall 2: Why should I give my kids gifts when they don’t need or deserve them?

Giving presents can demonstrate the greater spiritual truths in a tangible way.

God gave us the gift of Christ—his birth, his death, and his resurrection—by grace. All gifts we place under the tree should be given in the same manner we’ve received Christ: freely.

Give gifts in an effort to cultivate worshipful longing for Christ’s return.

Pitfall 3: How do I teach my kids to love Jesus more than Christmas presents? 

Salvation is the only gift that will eternally satisfy our longings. Don’t shame your children when you sense their greed; teach them. 

If you are tempted to make wild changes to your Christmas giving (scrapping all presents), pause. Realize you can’t shock children into godliness. 

Don’t shame your children for loving presents more than Jesus; help them to understand what the baby in the manger means and why we anticipate his return.

Here is another article with ideas for parents at Christmas time.

http://www.davidwhiting.org/my_weblog/2014/12/ideas-for-advent.html

This post in no way shape or form suggests you need to do everything listed.  It is our prayer to provide options for you to choose for your family.

If you want to bookmark the advent ideas on this blog for next year use http://ekidzministry.blogspot.com/search/label/Advent

December 24: The Baby Jesus: Jesus Is Born!

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/day-24-the-baby-jesus-jesus-is-born/

Do you remember what Advent means? It means coming–the coming of Jesus. This Advent season we have been celebrating when Jesus, God’s own Son, was born into our world as a little baby in Bethlehem. We have been looking at the story of Jesus’ birth–how God made the good world, how we have all gone astray like sheep, how we needed a Good Shepherd to come and bring us back to God. We have learned how the angel came to Mary, and told her that God would give her a special baby by the Holy Spirit. We know that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem and had to stay in a stable. And Jesus was born! When Jesus came the first time, not many people knew who he was, that he was God’s great king who had come to save us from our sins and bring us peace with God. This is the good news of great joy that the angels sang to the shepherds. When Jesus comes again, everyone in the whole world will know. He will come with a loud trumpet and with many angels. We are waiting for him to come.

Dear God, we all want to thank you again for sending your Son Jesus to be born into our world and save us from our sins. You are so good and so merciful to us, O God! Please help us to be ready for when Jesus comes again. Amen. 

Bible Readings: 1 John 4:7-12; Revelation 22:12-17

December 23: The (Empty) Manger: Jesus the Servant King

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/day-23-the-empty-manger-jesus-the-servant-king/

When you go to sleep tonight, where will you sleep? You sleep in a bed. The Bible tells us that, after Jesus was born, Mary wrapped him in cloths and lay him down to sleep. But remember how there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn? There wasn’t a bed or a crib to lay him in! The baby Jesus was tucked in to a manger. A manger is a wooden box used to hold food for animals to eat. It probably wasn’t very soft or even very clean. Maybe Mary filled it with hay to make it softer for the tiny, new baby. This is a very surprising way for a great king to be born. And it is very strange that when God chose to send his own Son into the world he had him enter a stable and sleep in an animal’s food box. The humble way that Jesus was born was the same way that he would live his whole life. Jesus came as a king, but as a king who serves his people. The world had never seen a king like this.

Dear Jesus, it is amazing to us that when you came from God into our world, you were born into a stable and slept in a manger instead of a king’s bed. We thank you for coming as our servant king. Amen.

Bible Readings: Mark 10:42-45; John 13:3-17

December 22: Gifts #2: Why Do We Give Gifts at Christmas?

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/day-22-gifts-2-why-do-we-give-gifts-at-christmas/

Do you remember what the wise men brought when they came to see Jesus? They brought him gifts! They did this because Jesus was God’s great king. Did you know that we give gifts on Christmas? Part of our celebration of Jesus’ birth is that we give Christmas presents to each other. We give presents because it is the time when we remember the greatest gift ever given. Do you know what it was? It was Jesus. God gave us Jesus, his only Son! Jesus was born into our world back in Bethlehem and he lived a life on earth and died to save us from our sins. Because of Jesus we can have peace with God! That is the biggest and best gift we could ever have. That is good news of great joy for all people. When we give gifts this Christmas, let’s remember that Jesus is the greatest gift, given to us.

Dear God, thank you for giving us your own Son, Jesus. He is the best gift ever given. Help us to remember him when we give presents on Christmas. Amen.

Bible Readings: Isaiah 55:1-9; Romans 5:12-17

December 21: Gifts #1: The Wise Men Bring Gifts to Jesus the King

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/day-21-gifts-1-the-wise-men-bring-gifts-to-jesus-the-king/

When the wise men followed the star to find God’s great king, they didn’t come with empty hands. They brought some very costly gifts with them to give to the baby. When the wise men came in the house where Jesus was and worshipped him, they laid these precious gifts at his feet. They gave him gifts because they knew that Jesus was God’s great king and they wanted to show him honor. What do you think the gifts were? The Bible says that the wise men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold was the most valuable and beautiful metal they had. Frankincense and myrrh came from special trees and were burned to make sweet-smelling incense. They were both used in the temple in Jerusalem. What would you want to give to Jesus?

Dear Jesus, you are worthy of all honor and glory! Help us to honor you–not only with what we give, but in how we live. Amen. 

Bible Readings: 1 Chronicles 29:10-18; Matthew 26:6-13

December 20: The Camel

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/day-20-the-camel-the-wise-men-come-to-jesus/

When they saw the special star that God put in the sky to announce the birth of his Son, the wise men began a long journey to find him. They traveled for a very long time until they came to Herod, the king of Israel. They asked Herod where to find Jesus. Do you remember that God had promised long ago that Jesus would be born in the city of Bethlehem? Herod learned this and he told the wise men. But Herod was a bad man. He didn’t want the baby Jesus to grow up and be God’s great king. So he asked the wise men to come back and tell him where Jesus was. He said he wanted to worship Jesus, but he didn’t. He wanted to get rid of Jesus. On the way to Bethlehem, the star rose for the wise men and led them to the house where Jesus and his parents were. When they saw the star again, they were so happy! They came into the house and saw the young Jesus, and they knew who he was. They worshipped him. But they didn’t go back and tell King Herod, because God was protecting his Son Jesus.

Dear God, we praise you because you are in control of the stars in the sky and all of the people on the earth. We are so thankful that you had a great plan for Jesus to come. We pray that many people from many places would come to find Jesus. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 60:1-14; Matthew 2:13-23

December 19: The Third Wise Man

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/day-19-the-third-wise-man-the-whole-world-needs-to-hear-about-jesus/

Do you remember when we looked at the magi, or wise men? The wise men served foreign kings in faraway lands. Some of them studied the stars and they saw the great star that God put in the sky when Jesus was born. They knew that this star meant that a great king was born. They set off on a long journey to find him. The wise men remind us that the baby Jesus would become a great king who would rule over the whole world. Jesus came not only for the people of Israel but for everyone. God wants everyone in the world to know that Jesus is his Son and that he was born to bring salvation. Jesus’ birth is the good news that everyone needs to hear.

Dear God, we thank you that Jesus came for everyone. Please help us to share this good news all around us. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Psalm 67; Revelation 7:9-12

The "Present" Message - Christmas Eve Service

This year's Christmas Eve service is geared towards kids

and applicable for everyone.

Plan to come out and celebrate Christ together!!

We will have a great time of singing Christmas songs

and then Pastor Duke and Pastor Dave have a special message about presents 

that is designed to teach some important Biblical principles with different objects.

To prepare for the service each family can do two things:

-  Talk about what have been some of your favorite gifts. 

-  Read Luke 1:1-21.

We have been posting Advent devotional reading (http://ekidzministry.blogspot.com/search/label/Advent)
Another way to prepare for Christmas and/or our Christmas Eve service.
Here is a modified devotional schedule to catch up with the readings.

  December 18:  1 -4

  December 19:  5 – 8

  December 20:  9 – 12

  December 21:  13- 16

  December 22:  17 -20

  December 23:  21 -23

  December 24:  24

  December 25:  Luke 2:1 - 21

The Nursery is opened but not staffed.  

What in the world does that mean?  

The nurseries will have the TVs on and they will be showing the service live.

So the entire service can be viewed from one of our nurseries in one of our very comfortable chairs.

December 18: The Star

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/day-18-the-star-jesus-birth-is-a-cosmic-event/

Mary and Joseph had found a place to sleep–maybe a stable–in Bethlehem. And Jesus was born. In that time, at that place, Jesus, who was God, became a baby. Nothing like this had ever happened in the world before and nothing like this would ever happen again. It was the most amazing thing that has ever happened. Have you ever seen a tiny newborn baby? Babies are born every day. But the baby Jesus was very special. He was God. To show how important Jesus’ birth was, God put a new and unusual star in the sky over the place where he was born. The star was shining out to announce to the whole earth that Jesus had come. Have you noticed that we decorate with stars at Christmastime? Many families put a star on the top of their Christmas tree. When we see the stars, it reminds us of the special night when Jesus was born.

Dear God, we thank you for the many ways, like the star,  that you have shown how special the birth of Jesus was. Help us to have hearts and minds that are ready to think about Jesus when we see all of the decorations of Christmas. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Matthew 2:1-12; John 3:16-21

Kids In Church Without Being in Church

This past Sunday the 1st through 3rd graders were "in the service."
We watched this week's sermon live in the children's chapel.

This is the note sheet the kids had for the sermon.
http://www.emmanuelbaptist.com/images/File/kids_1_sam_25.pdf

Here are the lessons from this week's sermon.

1. In this world, you will be sinned against…EXPECT it!
2. What comes OUT of you was already IN you
3. Your life is a COMMUNITY project
4. Part of growing is your willingness to admit, CONFESS and forsake your SIN
5. God deals with FOOLS.
6. Be thankful for GIFTS, but worship GOD.

December 17: The Second Angel

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/day-17-angel-2-or-angels-wand-good-news-of-great-joy-for-all-people/

Do you remember what the shepherds saw when they were in the field watching their sheep? They saw some brilliant angels! What did the angels say to them? The angels told the shepherds that they were bringing them good news. We have another word for good news, it is the word gospel. Gospel means “good news” and it is the very good news that Jesus came into the world to save us. This news brings so much joy to us and to all people who believe in Jesus. The angels said that this joyful good news would be for all people–not just for the shepherds, not just for the wise men, or even just the people of Israel. The good news about Jesus is for everyone everywhere who believes in him. Do you remember when we learned that everyone in the world was in the dark until Jesus came? This is why we celebrate Jesus being born for so long. He is the Light of the World!

Dear God, we thank you for the good news! We are so glad to know about Jesus coming into our world to save all who believe in him. Help us to tell others about Jesus, too. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

December 16: The Shepherd's Staff

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/day-16-the-shepherds-staff-the-shepherds-come-to-jesus/

On the night when Jesus was born, there were some shepherds watching their sheep in a field nearby. Suddenly, the sky above them filled with glorious light and an angel appeared! When they saw this, the shepherds were scared. But the angel told them not to be afraid because he had a message of very good news for everyone. He wanted them to know that a Savior was born in the town of Bethlehem. He invited them to go and find the baby, who was wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger. Then the whole sky filled with brilliant angels singing praises to God and proclaiming peace to his people. When the angels went back to heaven, the shepherds went all the way to Bethlehem in a big hurry to find the baby Jesus! Would you have liked to go and see the baby Jesus? When they found him, they told everyone what the angels said: that Jesus would be a great Savior. They stood and looked at that teeny, tiny baby and they believed that he would save God’s people. Then they returned to their sheep in the field, praising God for sending Jesus to the world.

Dear God, we praise you for sending Jesus into the world, too! Thank you for giving us a Savior who would give us peace with you. Amen.

Bible Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11; Ephesians 2:12-18

December 15: The Shepherd

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/day-15-the-shepherd-his-sheep-know-his-voice/

We are about to learn about the shepherds in the story of Jesus’ birth. Do you know what a shepherd’s job is? A shepherd’s job is to take care of sheep. Taking care of sheep is a lot of work. Sheep need fresh, green grass to eat; they need cool water to drink; they need somewhere to sleep; and they need someone to protect them from other animals. If there isn’t a shepherd to take care of the sheep, the sheep are in big trouble. We learn from the Bible that we are like sheep–we have all gone astray and gotten lost. Jesus is like our good shepherd who finds us, gives us what we need, and protects us. He even gave up his life to save us! When Jesus calls us, we listen to his voice like the sheep listen to the shepherd. Advent is a good time to remember that he is our shepherd and to listen to him.

 Dear Jesus, you are such a good shepherd to us! Please help us to be good listeners to your voice now and always. Amen. 

Bible Readings: John 10:1-18; Hebrews 13:20-21

This morning, tonight and Christmas Eve Service

This morning the 1st through 3rd grade kids listened to pastor duke's sermon.  We had special note sheets for the kids.   I will post them this week.  In class focused the idea that no one makes you angry.  

At tonight's service the kids kindergarten through first grade will  hear the Briggs presentation.  The service will also be projected in the children's chapel.  There will be a nursery for kids for through pre-kindergarten.

We are going to have a Christmas Eve service at 6:30.  Pastor Duke will be preaching a message  for everyone but specifically directed towards the kids.  Over the next week and a half of days we will  share a some ideas to help you and your family prepare for this service!

The nursery will be open but not staffed.  What does the mean?  The service will be shown on the TVs in the nursery.

12.14: Jesus feeds the multitude shows that Jesus is God.

On December 21st and 28th the EKIDZ lessons will focus on the Christmas story most are familiar.

The week's lesson from later in Jesus life, reminds us that the baby born in the manger, was God in the flesh.

December 14: The Second Sheep

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/day-14-the-second-sheep-the-lost-sheep-jesus-came-to-find-us/

During Advent we celebrate when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and we wait for him to come again. When Jesus was on earth, he told many stories about what God is like. One of his stories was about a shepherd who had 100 sheep. That’s a lot of sheep! One of the shepherd’s sheep wandered away and was lost. What do you think the shepherd did? He left the other 99 sheep in a field and went to look for the one who was lost. When he found that sheep, do you think he was angry? Do you think he scolded the sheep, or disciplined it? No! He picked it up and brought it back home to the field, where he had a joyful party to celebrate the return of his little lost sheep. Jesus said that is just like the joy in heaven when one sinner repents and returns to God. Jesus told this story because some people didn’t like it that he was being kind to sinners. He wanted them to know that God loves sinners, and that Jesus was born to save sinners–like us–from our sins.

Dear Jesus, we want to remember why you came into our world: to save us when we were lost. We praise you because you are kind to us and show us mercy. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16; Luke 19:1-10

December 13: The Cow

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/day-13-the-cow-no-room-for-joseph-and-mary-in-the-inn/

Joseph and Mary were on a long journey. They were going to Bethlehem to be counted. When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they tried to find a place where they could stay. But many, many people were traveling to the city. It was crowded. Joseph and Mary found an inn, but there was no room for them there. What could they do? Mary was about to have the baby Jesus! Finally Joseph and Mary found a place to stay. It wasn’t a very fancy place–it may even have been a stable, or a barn! Does a barn sound like the kind of place for a great king to be born? God’s plan is sometimes very surprising. When he came to be born into our world Jesus humbled himself so much. He was obedient to God even when it meant being poor. He became poor so that we could become rich in him.

Dear Jesus, you are the Son of God and the greatest king and yet you humbled yourself. There is no other god like you! We praise you. Amen. 

Bible Readings: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9; Philippians 2:3-11

December 12: The Donkey

Before reading today's devotional here is a connection between this advent devotional and our current series "A Heart for God"  which is a look at the life of God.

Today's devotional talks about God fulfilling His promise to David.
God's faithfulness is what we have been looking at throughout the series.
When the Israelite, faced a giant enemy, God was faithful.
When David failed, God was faithful.
When David was living in cave,  God was faithful.


http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/day-12-the-donkey-the-journey-to-bethlehem/

Do you remember that in the Old Testament there was a powerful king named David? Joseph was one of David’s descendants–he was from Bethlehem, the city of David. Long ago God had said that Jesus would come into the family of King David and would be born in Bethlehem. This is how God fulfilled that promise: Around the time that Jesus was going to be born, the ruler of all the land commanded that everyone go to their home city to be counted. So Joseph and Mary had to make a journey to Bethlehem. It was a long journey, about 70 or 80 miles. It would have taken them a long time, maybe a week. Joseph and Mary might have walked the whole way. Or they might have had a donkey to help them. Maybe Mary even rode on the donkey when she was tired. Because God always keeps his promises, Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem just before Jesus was born.

Dear God, We praise you because you always keep your word. We can see how you are in control of all events, big and small. Amen. 

Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 7:8-16; Micah 5:1-5

December 11: Joseph

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/day-11-joseph-the-angel-visits-joseph-jesus-is-emmanuel/

Joseph was planning to marry Mary. Before they were married, Joseph had a visit from an angel in a dream. The angel told him that Mary was going to have a baby that came from the Holy Spirit. The angel said to name the baby Jesus, but Jesus was also called “Immanuel,” which means, “God with us.” Joseph would be with Mary, but he wasn’t really the father of Jesus. Jesus was the Son of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus was with God before the world was created. He was always with God. What makes Christmas so special is that we are remembering when God sent Jesus down to us. Jesus became a human child so that he might be with us.

Dear Jesus, We thank you that, even though you are the Son of God, you came down to be a human like we are in order to save us from our sins. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Joshua 1:1-9; Colossians 1:15-20

Christmas, the Gospel and Kids! There is nothing sadder than...

This post was originally made at www.emmanuelbaptist.com on December 9, 2014

This post gives more information about the different ministries mentioned in this week's church email.  If you are not getting the church emails, click HERE.

"There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child."  - Erma Bombeck.
The reality is there is nothing sadder than to awake any morning and not be a child of God.

This post is not only for kids and parents.  It is for anyone who wants to see kids and families grow closer to God.  And there is only one way this can happen - through Jesus Christ.

Often people talk about Christmas being a time for children.  The reality is God sent his only Son into the world, so that children and adults might live through Him (see 1 John 4:9, this week's EKIDZ memory verse).

As the pastor of children and family ministry, I want you to know that I consider it a great privilege and a huge responsibility to help parents and grandparents grow in their relationship with God share the joy of Christ with their children and grandchildren.

At this time of the year we have so many opportunities to help children grow closer and closer to Jesus. The BIGGEST way we can do this is by speaking the truth of the Gospel and living a life that shows our satisfaction is in Christ.

As a church we have ministries and programs that are designed to help children and families at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

• Our Single & Parenting Class, which we offered for the first time this past quarter, uses Biblical Counseling principles in a small class setting to encourage and challenge single parents.  The experiences and stories of single parents and the Godly, Bibical counsel of people like David Powlison, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Paul Tripp and Steve Viars remind the class they are facing REAL PROBLEMS and theire is REAL HOPE in Christ.

• Our Sunday morning EKIDZ classes continues to grow as more and more young families come.  We would love to have more and more disciple-makers partner with our teachers, assistants and families to teach the life changing truth of God's Word.  There are great opportunities to serve as teachers, assistants, security and other areas.  Check out the article entitled Volunteers vs. Disciple-makers (http://blog.emmanuelbaptist.com/volunteers-vs-disciple-makers/).

• Our UPWARD basketball ministry combines the fun of sports with the truth of God’s word.  Evaluations are this week.  If you haven't heard, evaluations have been changed because of a water leak at the school.  They will now be this Saturday (Dec. 13) and next Wednesday (12/17).  Thank you for your cooperation and prayers for this ministry.  You can find out more about this ministry at www.ekidzministry.blogspot.com/p/upward.html  Updated on 12/10/14

• Our ekidzministry.blogspot.com website provides families with resources to help parents disciple their children.  There are weekly family worship guides based on the Sunday lesson, seasonal resources like daily advent posts, helps to prepare your children to be part of the worship service in general.

• Our Emmanuel Student Ministry, emmanuelstudentministries.com, which is designed to help middle schoolers, high schoolers and their parents grow closer to one another and closer to God.  We call our Wednesday night middle school service and our Sunday night high school service D|Groups because everything we do at ESM whether hanging out with friends, playing games, worship with music or listening to messages is for the purpose of pushing each other to be a better follower/disciple of Jesus.

Please be in prayer for these and other ministries.

This post was originally made at www.emmanuelbaptist.com on December 9, 2014

December 10: The Dove

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/day-10-the-dove-god-sends-jesus-by-the-holy-spirit/

During Advent we are not celebrating Jesus alone. We are worshipping our one God in three persons: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a part of Christmas, too. Every baby that is born has a human daddy and a human mommy. But Jesus was a very special baby. He came from God. Before he was born God put Jesus into Mary’s belly by the Holy Spirit. This meant that Jesus was holy. When he was born he had no sin. It also meant that, even though he was born as a human baby, he was also the Son of God. God’s Holy Spirit that came to Mary was with Jesus all of his life on earth. The Holy Spirit is also with us–we who believe in Jesus. The dove is a symbol of God’s Holy Spirit.

Dear God, Thank you for sending Jesus down to us, to become a human baby. Thank you for your Holy Spirit, who works in amazing ways. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Matthew 3:13-17; John 1:9-18

December 9: The Angel

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/day-9-the-angel-his-name-shall-be-jesus/

Do you know about the angels? The angels serve God. We learn from the Bible that God often sends angels to be his heralds, or messengers. Before his son was born on earth, God sent one of his angels to Mary. Do you remember what the angel told her? She would be the mother of a special baby. The angel said to name the baby Jesus. The name Jesus means, “The Lord saves.” Jesus is a form of the name Joshua. In the Old Testament we read how God used a man named Joshua to lead his people into the Promised Land. Jesus would be a leader of God’s people, too. He would lead them home to God.

 God, we praise you because you are the God who saves. You planned to save all of us through Jesus, whom the angel spoke about so long ago. We pray now in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Acts 4:5-12; Hebrews 4:3-10

UPWARD evaluations this week!

Online registration is closed.

BUT you can register when you come for evaluations.

Registration is $80.
Basketball shorts are OPTIONAL at a cost of $15.

Everyone must attend ONE of the two basketball evaluations.
These evaluation will take place at Emmanuel Christian School
December 10 between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm
or
December 13 between 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm

Practices are in January.

We have practices on Wednesday evening and Friday afternoon.
And are waiting to hear about other practice times.

This year kids kindergarten through 5th grade can play.

For more updates, check out our facebook page

www.facebook.com/upwardsportsintoledo 

Here is last year's review video. 

Stay connected through

facebook:  www.facebook.com/upwardsportsintoledo
UPWARD for parents:  www.upward.org
UPWARD for kids:  www.teamupward.com
email:  upward@emmanuelbaptist.com

Family Worship Page 12/07/14

December 8: Mary

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/day-8-mary-the-angel-comes-to-mary/

This is what happened when the time was right for Jesus to come. In the city of Nazareth there lived a young woman who was faithful to God. Her name was Mary. One day God sent an angel to Mary, to tell her that she would have a special baby. Her baby would be called the Son of God, and he would be a great king whose kingdom would last forever. Do you know who her baby was going to be? God had chosen Mary to be the mother of Jesus! Even though it was so incredible, Mary believed what the angel said. She sang praises to God for making her the mother of Jesus and keeping his promises to his people.

Dear God, Thank you for sending Jesus at just the right time. We praise you because you use humble, ordinary people in your plan. Help us to believe your word like Mary did. Amen. 

Bible Readings: I Samuel 2:1-10; Luke 1:46-55

This quarter's memory verses (1 John 4:9 - 12)

During this quarter, our memory verses are from 1 John 4:9 - 12.
This may seem like a strange passage for Christmas time.
Here is the passage, followed by an explanation of why we are doing this passage at this time of the year.

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Christmas is the celebration of God sending His Son to this earth (v. 9)
God sent His Son so that we could know and have real life. (v. 9)
Christmas is only one part of God's great gift to us.  (v. 10)
God's gift of Jesus should impact the way we live and care for others. (v. 11)

As we work on these verses, let us remember what a great, giving God we serve.

December 7: The Second Wise Man

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/day-7-the-second-wise-man-jesus-is-the-promised-king-over-all-the-world/

We have learned that God promised he would raise up a great king for the people of Israel. God’s people were waiting for this great king who would do only what was good and right and who would defeat Israel’s enemies. God’s king would rule not only over the people of Israel but over the whole world. The greatest king that Israel ever had was named David. David’s kingdom spread over a wide land and many people. But David did not rule over the whole world. The king that God promised was Jesus! Jesus was going to be a king like David, but Jesus was going to be far greater than David ever was. Jesus was born to be king over all people and all of creation.

Dear Jesus, you are the greatest king. You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords and we praise you! Amen.

Bible Readings: Matthew 22:41-46; John 18:33-38

December 6: The First Wise Man

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/day-6-the-first-wise-man-god-promised-a-great-king/

This is one of the “wise men,” or magi. In Jesus’ time wise men served foreign kings. Do you know what a king is? A king is the ruler of a nation. He is the leader of everyone that is in his kingdom, for as long as he lives. Long, long ago God promised his people many times that he would raise up a great king for them. He promised them that this king would do only what is right and good. The people of Israel had many kings, but most of them did not do what is right and did not lead the people in God’s ways. Each of Israel’s kings died, and then the people would need a new king. But God’s promised king would rule forever and ever–his kingdom would never end. All of Israel was waiting for God to send them this great king. Then there would be justice and righteousness and peace in their land . . . forever.

Dear God, we long for your peace to reign in this world. We thank you for promising a king whose reign would never end. Amen.

Bible Readings: Isaiah 11:1-9; Hebrews 1:7-13

December 5: The Lantern

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/day-5-the-lantern-jesus-is-the-light-of-the-world/

Do you know what it is like to sit in the darkness? It is like being blind. You can’t see anything. Have you ever been in the dark and then someone came and turned on the light? There is a verse in the Old Testament that tells what it would be like for the world when Jesus came. It says, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). That was what it was like when Jesus came to earth. He brought light into the whole world! The light he brought is the truth about God and hope for all people. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Dear Jesus, we praise you for shining your light when we were in the darkness. We know that there are many people in the world who are still in the dark. Let your light shine through us, in how we live, that they might see it and believe in you, too. Amen. 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; John 1:1-9

December 4: The Lamb

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/day-4-the-lamb-jesus-died-to-save-us/

Do you remember that we have all sinned against God? The wrong things we do hurt us and they can hurt others. But most of all, when we sin we are disobeying God. God is holy, so our sins mean we must die. Our sins need to be forgiven by God. In the time before Jesus came God forgave the people’s sins by having a lamb die instead of the people. This was part of the Law that God gave to Moses. The Law was pointing ahead to Jesus’ coming. It was to show what Jesus would do. He would die for our sins instead of us. Jesus is called the Lamb of God because he died on the cross to save us. God saves us through Jesus.

Dear God, thank you for having such an amazing plan to save us from our sins! Thank you for sending Jesus to be the lamb. Help us to trust in Him. Amen.

Bible Readings: Exodus 12:21-27; Acts 8:26-38

December 3: The First Sheep

http://partofthemain.wordpress.com/2011/12/03/day-3-the-first-sheep-we-have-all-gone-astray/

Do you remember what “Advent” means? We have learned that in Advent we are remembering when Jesus came and waiting for him to come again. But why did God send Jesus into the world? God sent Jesus because every person in the world has a big problem. We are all sinners–we all do wrong things. We disobey God just like Adam and Eve did. The Bible says we are all like sheep: we wander off our own way, far from God. We can’t get back to God on our own. Jesus needed to come to save us from our sins and bring us back to God. By doing this, Jesus showed that God is righteous and merciful. He showed God’s glory.

God, we confess that we all wander off our own way. We confess that we have sinned against you. Please forgive us for our sins. Thank you for sending Jesus into the world to bring us back to you! Amen. 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 3:19-26