Franklin First United Methodist Church

As one Sunday school year approaches the summer and the joy and excitement of both children and parents, it is time to begin inviting people to teach and shepherd for the upcoming Sunday school year.

First K.I.D.s at Franklin First UMC has had great parent involvement during this past year. Those who have shared their gifts and their presence with children are greatly appreciated. Children’s Sunday school could not have happened without all the volunteers each week.

So why is it important that adults volunteer to teach and shepherd children each year in our Children’s Sunday school program? Adults help to plant the seeds to make authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. We need people to commit to plant the seeds of faith in children.  Experts say that Christianity is always one generation away from extinction. All it takes for this to happen is for us to forget to teach children about the Christian faith. If we forget then Christianity will not be here 40, or 50 years from now.

Think about all the activities, and groups that pull at our children’s attention. Don’t you think they need to be given a solid foundation for how to cultivate their lives that adds value, love, and care?  Proverbs 22: 6 says, “Train up a child in the way he/she should go and he/she will not depart from it.” Plant the seeds of faith! Children will remember the feeling they had when people cared, listened, and respected them.

If you teach or shepherd in a Children’s Sunday school class you will have the wonderful opportunity to hear children explain God; to create a welcoming, safe, friendly, and happy place for children in the church; help build relationships and communities of faith.

Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes a child in my name; welcomes me.” Will you be here to welcome children when they come to the First K.I.D.s Sunday school program at Franklin First UMC? I invite you to begin praying about where you can serve during our 2010-2011 Sunday school year.

Disasters can leave children in a variety of emotional states. A child’s response to disaster may include feeling frightened, confused, and insecure. Whether a child has experienced trauma firsthand, has watched the event on television, or has overheard it addressed by adults, it is important to be informed and ready to help if reactions occur.

Here are a few tips adapted from The Emergency Response Handbook for Children’s Ministry to help parents in our church and community.

• Share important information. Children will wonder what happened and why. The more children know the less scared and confused they will be. Answer questions honestly and openly. Remember to share age-appropriate details. If you don’t know an answer, it’s OK to say so.
• Pray. Praying with children will show not only that you care, but that God cares, too. Invite children to pray silently or share their concerns aloud. Give children the opportunity to lead the prayers as well.
• Let the children see your feelings. Children often don’t know what to do and how to respond. They look to the adults in their lives to give them clues. Be honest with the children about your feelings. Keep in mind that it is healthy to show emotions and be careful to shield children from hysterics.
• Give information about the future. Children will probably be fearful that such an event can happen again. Talk to the children about the methods in place to protect them should a similar event happen. Highlight specific plans that show how the  community has responded.
• Keep listening. Giving children a chance to express their feelings will help them process what happened. For some children, it may take more time to openly discuss their feelings. Other children may want to address the issue immediately. Be prepared to listen carefully to children at different times and in multiple conversations.
• Allow children to help. Give children the opportunity to help others heal from a disaster. Provide children with practical ways to help others recover through hands-on mission projects, prayer, care cards, etc.

A few months ago, I attended a workshop led by Patty Smith, who is the Director of Children and Family Ministries for the TN Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The workshop was entitled Understanding Kid Culture.  It was a great workshop. There were some words that spoke to me that day….Engage and relationships.
Patty spoke about the fact that the Children’s Ministries in our churches need to engage our children and develop relationships or partnerships between parents, leaders in the church, and the faith community. I began to ask myself the question if the Children’s Ministry at Franklin First UMC intentionally helped children to encounter God/Jesus on a regular basis.  I began to ask if our Sunday school program helped children to know about God/Jesus or have a relationship with God/Jesus. I am still gathering information because I know many teachers help children experience the Bible stories in creative and wonderful ways. I believe that by experiencing the Bible stories where a child’s imagination is captured, a child will encounter God/Jesus.

Our culture pulls on the time and imaginations of both adults and children.  Ivy Beckwith, in her book Formational Children’s Ministry writes: “So what must it take to capture our children’s imaginations, and then souls, through the hope and magnificent love of God’s kingdom?”  When I look at my own life, I think I find the answer to her question. Someone told me the story about the amazing love of God through telling me the Bible stories; by having adults, Sunday school teachers and others who knew my name and offered guidance; a faith community that offered me opportunities to encounter God through worship.  These are the things that helped to form my faith.  I not only had knowledge of Bible stories, songs about Jesus, memorized Bible verses, but I knew Jesus as my Lord and Savior and God as a generous God of love and forgiveness.

Becky Peeler
Minister to Children, Franklin First UMC

Our church has recently made a facebook page for itself, and I’m really excited about what it can do for our church.

Many people have an issue or two with facebook. Therefore, they will not appreciate this very much. With all of the amazing privacy and safety features, it is a very safe place for people and teenagers to interact with friends. It’s instant access to your friends feelings and emotions as they go about their day. It’s a place to begin conversations, which help us shape face to face conversations. Most recently, the Sunday School class which let’s me hang out with them, has had many things that have happened to the people within that class. It’s been a really tough time for some great and loving families. Even my own family with Allison’s recent hospital visit, I have fully appreciated how facebook draws communities together. No matter where we are, we can instantly send out requests for prayer, send a prayer to people, and write messages that empower those in crisis. From the ER I could update my status and have people all over the world pray for Allison. All we ever hear about are bad things that people use technology for, but I my life I see so much abundant good.

In our church we can, within minutes, upload pictures from events and communicate celebrations to people instantly. It’s an awesome tool that I am glad that our church will be using. Community can be enhanced on facebook and our community will be celebrated not only at 143 fifth ave. in Franklin, but anywhere and everywhere our church members are located.

I encourage everyone to become a fan of our church on facebook. Click here to see Franklin First UMC’s page!

In Him,

Jacob Fasig

For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you”. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good. (Psalm 122)

The Psalmist calls for peace in Jerusalem. As I read it this morning, I see it as a prayer for my family and the friends that are so important in my life. I see it as a prayer for the church where God has planted me. If this were our prayer each day… would our households become strong towers of peace that shine light in a world that experiences way too much darkness? Would our church family…the community of faith we call Franklin First United Methodist Church… would we stand as a family united in the peace of Christ, devoted to boldly following where the Holy Spirit leads us day after day, year after year? It is humbling to realize what God has entrusted to us. As imperfect and wounded as we are – God still chose the church to be the body of Christ in the world. That humbles me. It begs me to pray this prayer for those in my household, for those friends I hold so dear and for the community of faith where God has planted me. “May peace be with you. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” This is my prayer for all of us today.

In Him,
Rev. Vona Wilson