Vineyard Church North Phoenix | T.A.G. Newsletter for November

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T.A.G. Newsletter for November

T.A.G. stands for Teach About God. As parents, we are the ones God has chosen to be the primary educators in godliness in the lives of our children. The church’s job is to hopefully enhance what is already begun in the home. Many times parents find themselves at a loss on how to incorporate godly principles into their child-rearing endeavors. Some parents haven’t a clue even where to start. The purpose of this newsletter is to communicate to you as parents what we will be teaching your child in their classroom here at church on a monthly basis. The hope is that this will help you to reinforce what is being taught & to use it as a foundation to build upon at home. The newsletter may include a variety of things, such as quick parenting tips, ideas for teachable moments, current lesson enhancements to use on the home turf, statistics, book recommendations, or other items that you may find helpful or encouraging as you begin on a lifetime journey of training your little one in the ways of the Lord. Hopefully we will be able to work together to lay a foundation that will be built upon for years to come. If you ever have any questions about anything pertaining to the Infant/Toddler Ministry here at VCNP, need a resource recommendation or have prayer issues pertaining to your child specifically, please don’t hesitate to contact me in the hall Sunday mornings, or in the church office Wednesdays or Thursdays.

In His Great Grace,
Heather Richards
Infant/ Toddler Coordinator
623.934.4000 ext. 356

Child Dedication at VCNP

The decision you make to dedicate your child is one of the most important you will ever make as a parent. As you dedicate your child to the Lord for His plans and purposes, you are publicly committing before the church body that you will raise your child “…in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

Here at the Vineyard, we do all we can to make this a memorable and enjoyable occasion for your family, from providing invitation cards you can personalize and send out to your friends and family (paper and electronic) to a free reception for your family and friends, where you can meet your children’s ministry pastor and coordinators, to a gift bag filled with tools you will need to parent your precious little one.

In preparation for the ceremony, parents will be asked to attend a training meeting. You will learn the biblical basis for dedicating your child and the importance of laying a godly foundation in their life.

Ceremonies are always held during our 4:30 Saturday services. Upcoming 2008 Dates are: January 19th, April 26th, August 2nd & October 25th .

Here are some questions that we hear most often from parents wishing to take the step of dedication:

What is Child Dedication?: Child Dedication is a commitment made by parents to God, giving themselves to the work of laying a godly foundation in the life of their child that will be built upon for years to come. We are asking God to give us the tools we need to raise our child into a morally upright individual with godly character.; Child Dedication is also a statement of intent of the child’s parent(s) to the church community/family, who is then in turn asked to support the family with love, sharing of experience and prayer.; Child Dedication is NOT baptism. It does not involve salvation. We believe that each person must make their own choice to follow Christ and that parents cannot decide their child’s salvation.
Do I have to be a member of VCNP to dedicate my child?: No. As long as at least one of the parents has attended VCNP on a regular basis for four months or longer and the parent is in agreement with the guidelines of Child Dedication, they are qualified to participate in the ceremony.
Do both parents have to participate in the dedication of the child?: No, but both are welcome to--even if they are not married to each other, or one parent does not attend VCNP--as long as they are in agreement with the guidelines of Child Dedication.

Note: Parents in a cohabitating situation will be asked to wait until they are married to dedicate their child. We believe scripture is clear in regards to God’s best in this area of family life. For more information on what the Bible has to say about cohabitation, please feel free to make an appointment to speak with a pastor, (623) 934-4000.

We look forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion with you here at Vineyard North Phoenix! Please contact Heather Richards, the Infant/Toddler Coordinator (heather@vcfnp.com), or Jody Kingston, the Children and Family Ministries Pastor (jody@vcfnp.com), with any further questions about Child Dedication at VCNP. Watch the bulletin for your opportunity to register for a future Child Dedication date.

Activities for November

The Bible Tells Us About God's Love

“Using Scriptures, the person who serves God will be ready and will have everything he needs to do every good work.” II Timothy 3:17

This month, we will finish our quarter about The Bible. Every two-year-old who comes to Baby Church the first week of November will even get their own Bible to take home: just like the ones we use in class! We will learn that the Bible tells us everything we need to know every day of our lives. We will also be celebrating thankfulness this month, in anticipation of Thanksgiving.

We have SO MUCH to be thankful for!

Here are some ideas for you to use at home to reinforce what your child is learning at church:

Sing “God Gave Us the Bible” with your child:

“God Gave Us the Bible” Song

(Sing to the tune, “The Bear Went Over the Mountain/ For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”)
God gave us the Bible.
God gave us the Bible.
God gave us the Bible:
Because God loves us so!
Because God loves us so,
God wanted us to know.
So God gave us the Bible.
God gave us the Bible.
God gave us the Bible:
Because God loves us so!

Use the other items in this newsletter to begin to teach your child thankfulness. Let them hear you thanking God out loud for them and for other blessings in your life. They will begin to mirror your example in this area as well.

Fall Fun

Play ring toss with a pumpkin and a hula hoop.

Make leaf rubbings by gluing various leaves onto a piece of paper then placing another piece of paper on top, taping the edges. Then use a crayon or chalk to rub over the leaves, until you see the leaf’s outline, stem and veins.

Let’s Do It Together

“Shakin’ Praise” song

(Sing to the tune of “Camptown Races”)

Put your hands up in the air, (put hands in air)
Praise God! Praise God! (shake hands up high)
Put your hands up in the air, (put hands in air)
And praise God all day long. (shake hands up high)
Shake your hands up high, (shake hands high)
Shake your hands down low. (shake hands low)
Put your hands up in the air, (shake hands high)
and shake them way down low. (shake hands low)

Tummy Yummies

Praise Kabobs

You will need:

a plastic straw
mini-marshmallows
small pieces of fruit
round cereal pieces and anything else you can skewer onto your straw

As you add each piece to your straw, help your child to think of things they can praise/thank God for: house, bed, toys, mommy, daddy, pets, etc.

Pumpkin Smoothies