Families This Week May 30, 2020

Greetings from Jill This Pentecost Sunday we celebrate the forming of the first church, when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles. Even though we are not physically together in the sanctuary this Sunday, we can rejoice with our church family while watching the online service at 10 am. There are also great resources and activities to do as a family in this and the other newsletters available on our website and via email. As our communities enter Phase 1 of the reopening plans for some businesses (restaurants, retail, and hair salons), we all should continue safe practices when possible to keep ourselves and others healthy. My kids are excited to have a bit more freedom to explore local parks and our neighborhood, and they will hopefully feel less anxious and confined. May the Holy Spirit be with us as we venture out, as with the Apostles on Pentecost. To help illustrate this bible lesson to children, we encourage you to click on the puppet show link below. We have also put all of our family resources together on the Heart & Home page on our website for easy reference.

We Need Your Help! We are planning a celebratory video to congratulate ALL graduates during our worship celebration on June 7th. Whether or not you have a graduate in your immediate family, we are joining together to celebrate all graduates in the Crossroads family. Here's how you can help. You or your family can make a simple homemade sign to hold up that says, "Congratulations Graduate". Decorate it in any way you like. Hold it up in front of yourselves and take a selfie. Or, you can take a short video congratulating all those graduating and send a video instead of a photo. Get creative, sidewalk chalk messages are always fun, too. Send all photos and videos to Susan Yantis at syantis@crossroadsnova.org by the end of the day on Wednesday, June 3rd.

Honor Your Graduates! Graduation Sunday, June 7th, 2020 Do you have a student graduating from either high school or college? Click  here  to submit their name and school so that they can be celebrated by the Crossroads community!

This Week's Highlighted Resources

Crossroads Kids Bible Story Puppet Show   Watch Here! Watch this week's puppet show as Pastor Dave as Joey, Ms. Cathy as June Bug and Ms. Jill lead us in a Bible Story about the Pentecost and the first church family. Also, our puppet friends venture off for serve projects this summer.

Check out the following links (click on heading to go to a website link) for family activities and resources. Fun local museums to explore from your home After watching the SpaceX launch on TV, explore the local Air and Space museum online Watch how these Olympic Athletes are training from home

Growing Leaders at Home  Here is a great activity designed for parents to do with your kids during these challenging days. Click here for a discussion and lesson on Opportunity Statue (Three Control Buckets). It is designed by Tim Elmore from Growing Leaders for this extended time of being alone. We will feature a Growing Leaders at Home activity every week.

Self Care and Action  - FORTitude Parental Panel Wednesday June 3rd, 7pm Register here  "Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. " Together with our friends at SCAN of Northern Virginia our next panel will address the importance of taking time for yourself. When we take time to care for ourselves, we can: 1. Lower stress levels 2. Teach our children to value their health and well being 3. Be better, healthier, calmer parents

This Week's Hope in Action Activity

Hope in Action Send words of support and appreciation  to our heroes serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic including the military. A link to Operation Gratitude is  here . For other serve projects and updates see the weekly Hope in Action newsletter here .