Hi Families!
Welcome to week two of our Family Connection! We hope you are all staying healthy as we continue to practice social distancing. It's certainly not an ideal situation, but we are thankful for technology and its ability to keep us connected! At Crosswinds, we continue to work on new ways to encourage, support, resource and equip families at home to have meaningful moments with God and one another. Please take advantage of as many of the resources below to worship in your homes. You'll find family devotionals, activities, parent resources, and worship opportunities to do as a family. Also included are easy-to-use guides with fun activities and discussion prompts from our usual weekend gatherings. Families can now watch and talk about what to do with what they've learned.
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words from your kids' leaders
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Here are some words from the leaders who miss seeing their "kids" weekly at Crosswinds! Share these words and messages with your kids, please :)
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Hello to our beautiful preschoolers and their families! We miss you and hope you are well. Sundays feel so strange without a room full of eager, energetic 3 and 4 year-olds. I'm praying that we have some more warm days, so that everyone can get outside and enjoy the sun. Have you noticed that the birds are singing their little hearts out...to cheer us up and tell us that spring is here. God must have thought that these little creatures were the perfect messengers. When we last met, we were talking about how Jesus loves everyone, even us. He wants us to follow His footsteps. He wants to be our forever friend. By listening to our parents and sharing and being kind, we are following Jesus. But remember, even if we forget to do these things, Jesus still loves us and forgives us. "Come follow Me," said Jesus. That was our last memory verse, and the bottom line was "Who can follow Jesus?"... your answer should be: "I can follow Jesus." May God keep you in His embrace until I can give you a hug myself.
Miss Joanne and Miss Maddy (Preschool Place)
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Good morning, my sweet girls! It’s Sunday morning and I am especially missing you today!!! Although these might be challenging times, they are a great opportunity for you to practice your small acts of kindness and extra ways of being helpful. (Just a reminder, as nice as it is for others to receive these, it makes you feel good to be able to do them!) I hope to give out lots of Smiley Face stickers the next time I see you! Until then, I am praying for you and your families. Psalm 91 is a favorite of mine during this time, and I encourage you to read it, too. If you have permission from your parents or grandparents, please email me. I’d love to hear from you!
Love you to pieces,
Miss Kory (K-5 Small Group Leader)
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Hey guys! I've missed you more than you know. I've spent the time learning to tie my shoes and looking for ways to regrow my hair....no luck with either of those. :) During this time, let's remember that there is nothing that God doesn't know. He know how you're feeling, and He wants you to talk to Him. Lastly, I know that this can be a time of uncertainty and concern. God talks a lot about that, and one verse that encourages me is Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Remember, even when you can't go anywhere, God is with you! Can't wait to be back together and see how much you've all grown.
Mr. Chris (K-5 Small Group Leader)
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Each week, we work hard to create a fun but meaningful learning environment to help kids of all ages grow in their faith. Since we are unable to create that same environment all together, we are equipping you to make it at home!
Below you will find some things that are very familiar to your child and resources to help you have a fun "kids service" in your home! Depending on your child's age, check out the "parent guide." You can then watch the included videos and leverage the activities and God Time Cards.
For your reference, "
First Look" is our preschool curriculum, "
Elementary" is geared toward K-3, and "Preteen" targets 4th and 5th grade, but is also appropriate for 3rd grade.
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We really want you to feel like you have all the tools to have meaningful moments with your children and God. In these days, we strongly recommend building in habits that get you talking about God and being in His Word daily. Here are some great and free devotional ideas using YouVersion Bible.
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A nature walk! Spring has sprung, and it's the perfect time to thank God for His creation by getting outside and exploring it. There is a lot to see, hear and smell as flowers begin to bloom, trees bud, and birds are chirping! So here is what we are suggesting. Get your family together, pack some snacks and hit the great outdoors. You can even bring some paper and a pen along and make a scavenger hunt out of it! Keep track of all the things you find. Here's a list to get you started:
- What kinds of insects do you find crawling/flying around?
- How many flowers do you see beginning to bloom?
- BONUS: What kinds of flowers did you find?
- How many birds do you see? Any squirrels?
Enjoy the time out with your family, but please remember to practice social distancing during your walk! :)
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We wanted to pass along a wonderful resource from Proverbs 31 Ministries called, "
With God we are capable of feeling peace." Although this ministry is historically geared towards women, it certainly provides some powerful truths that are relevant to all parents. It address topics that parents are facing right now like:
- Anxiety
- Worry
- Trust
- Peace
- and Faithfulness
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We recommend also utilizing what is known as the "Parent Cue App." It’s designed to help parents connect with the heart of their child every week through Bible based content and practical things to say and do with their children.
The content is age specific, connected to Crosswinds Kids Min teaching focus and based on the number of weeks your children have left till graduation.
When you register, simply use Crosswinds' zip code of "14424" to connect to us.
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The results are in from last week's poll! Drum roll.... most families have been taking advantage of Disney +, followed by Amazon Prime during this increased time at home.
We'll continue to post previous results in the upcoming Weekly Family Connection messages!
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What type of games are getting the most play time in your home right now??
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