SKY VBS- June 10-13th

Our VBS this summer is called SKY. At Sky, faith and imagination soar as kids discover that everything is possible with God. Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, make and dig into yummy treats, experience electrifying Bible adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind them to trust God, and test out Sciency-Fun Gizmos they’ll take home and play with all summer long. Plus, kids will learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God Sightings. Each day concludes with Fly Away Finale—a celebration that gets everyone involved in living what they’ve learned.

Just wanted to let you know the dates to mark your calendars. More info to come soon....



Written on 1/10/2012

PreTeen Camp-July 26-30, 2012

This is the Pre-Teen camp that we will be attending this summer. It is located in Groveton, TX, which is about 3 hours or less south of White Oak. This camp is for kids who are currently in grades 3-6. We have had an awesome camp the last two years and have seen God move in wonderful ways. I am super excited this year to be able to check out a new camp and to see what God has in store for our group!! There will be a camp meeting on Sunday, January 22nd immediately after church A non-refundable $50 deposit is due by Feb. 1st to secure your child's spot.



Written on 1/10/2012

Four Keys to Raising Devoted Kids

Here are four key elements that can help your kids become devoted followers of Jesus for life:

1. Role Models: Parents are the single most influential factor in a child’s spiritual development. The Lord gives moms and dads unique opportunities to teach their children about godly living. Through their parents’ lifestyle and instruction, kids can discover that they are personally accountable to God. Because some parents cannot give what they do not have, we are thankful for godly teachers who step in as spiritual parents.

2.Influencers: The old African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” is true. Other adults in a child’s extended family, church, and school are influential. The support, advice, love, and help they offer are important ingredients in a child’s faith development. The more godly adults children have in their lives, the more likely they will become devoted Christ-followers.

3.Prayer: Andrew Murray wrote, “Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens the way for God, Himself, to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as God’s messengers be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us.” Prayer is paramount in kids’ lives. The more they pray and see prayer modeled at home and church, the more they become connected and committed to God.

4.God’s Word: The poem spells out, “Children learn what they live.” We do that which we believe is most important. If we believe that God reveals Himself in His Word, then the Bible should be central in our lives at home and in church. Kids will recognize the value and priority of the Bible as they see us read, meditate, and study His Word. We can help children develop a passion for God as we develop and model a passion for His Word.

Obviously, these four key elements are not new, but they do serve as reminders that the basics of our faith are unchanging and vitally important.



Written on 9/19/2011

WOCC KIDZ Facebook Page

We are excited to have announce our WOCC KIDZ Facebook page. This will be a great way for you to keep informed of the upcoming events and meetings that will be going on. We will also be posting pictures of events. Be sure to check it out!



Written on 1/10/2011

What Happens For Children On Sunday Mornings?

Because we lcve our children we make sure they are safe and secure. One way we do this is to sign-in all our children.

You may sign your child into a class in either the Foyer or the Hall table. Write the child's name on the name tag and place it on their backs (preschool) or front (elementary). Then sign them in on the Sign-In sheet with child's name, grade, number from the name tag, your location or cell number and then sign your name. Parents must retain the numbered stub for the pick-up of their child. Having a number tag also enables us to put your number on the screen, should we need to get you for some reason for your child.

Visitors are asked to sign a visitor's card for their child. Once a child has attended 3 times, you may fill out a registration card so that you can receive pertinent children's information.
9:00- After signing in your children, the K-4th graders will go straight upstairs to Children's Church. The adults will attend Life Classes of their choice at this time. At 10:00 AM, the parents will pick up their children from the back row of the sanctuary. The children will remain with their parents through Worship in the Sanctuary. After worship, Pastor David will excuse the children to go upstairs for Sunday School. After church is over, the parents will come up the stairs to pick up their children. The Nursery through 5 year olds will go to their classrooms downstairs. They will remain in their classrooms for Sunday School and Church.

Written on 9/7/2010

Sunday Morning Schedule

Starting in September 4th for 8 weeks, at 9:00 AM, the children will come upstairs for Children's Church. We will be using Elevate's Entourage. Lights! Camera! Action! Come and join Julie Simpson and the cast and crew of Treasure Hunters 7 as we learn how to be the right kind of friend. Through the stories and examples found in the Bible, the children will also learn how to choose good friends and how to be a good friend. So get excited and join us for Entourage!!


We will be having Sunday School at 10:15 AM for children K-4th Grade. The children will go with their parents to Church where they will stay through Worship. Once Worship is over, they will be dismissed to go upstairs to their appropriate classroom. We will be using the BUZZ curriculum. Every Buzz lesson includes all four of these critical elements: R.E.A.L. learning which guarantees each lesson is intentionally Relational, Experiential, Applicable, and Learner-based. The result: Buzz lessons involve children-and effectively communicate the lesson's biblical point in a way that sticks. Children don't just "learn" a lesson; they discover how to live it in daily life.

For the Nursery through 5 years olds, they will have class at 9 and 10:15 also. They will remain in class during both times. They will be using the HearShaper Curriculum HeartShaper introduces children to God, His Son, His Word, and His Church through meaningful Sunday school lessons that include active participation in Bible stories and Bible study, multisensory learning, Bible skill-building activities, and focused life application based upon age appropriateness.




Written on 9/7/2010

Centri Kid Camp 2010

What an amazing time we had at camp!! We took 22 kids and 5 adults! We had 2 rededications and 3 new salvations!! Praise GOD!! We are already looking forward to next year- July18-22nd, 2011!

"All the Girls"


"Boys at Lunch"


"Learning to Work Together"




Written on 7/12/2010

Weekly Parenting Tip-When Young Children Run the Other Way

Parenting Tip

October 20, 2011

When Young Children Run the Other Way

It's hard to get very far in the discipline process if you call to Johnny and he runs the other way. Furthermore, it's not respectful when parents yell across the house or parking lot to their kids. At least part of the solution is to teach children to come when they’re called.

Some parents react at the thought of having children come when they're called. It conjures up visions of authoritarian leadership like a sergeant yelling at a private in the military, belittling a person by pulling rank. These parents need to catch a vision for helping children develop a character quality of responsiveness. It doesn't come naturally but children who don't learn to be responsive to another person make poor team members, inconsiderate mates, and difficult employees.

To teach children to come when they're called, you first have to explain what you mean. With young children you might say, "From now on, whenever I call your name, you need to come close to me and say "What Mom?" or "What Dad?" You might explain that it's important that they learn to listen carefully to your words and when they hear you call, they need to come and find out what you want.

The next step is to practice every chance you get. With a two or three-year-old you'll practice it several times an hour. Be careful that you don't just practice when you want to give an instruction or when your child is running away from you in the store. Practice at home and at the park. Call your child often just for fun. When he comes, say something like "I just wanted to tell you I love you" or "I just want to see how well you can obey."

The "Come When You're Called Rule" teaches responsiveness to authority. When children become teenagers you can tell the difference between those who have learned this concept and those that haven't. We're not suggesting that teens come running to you when you call, but there is a way that they treat their parents that communicates respect.

The "Come When You're Called Rule" is a way that parents honor children and teens as well. It says, "I'm not going to yell at you across the house or parking lot. I'm going to take time to sit down and talk to you or get away with you to discuss this issue."



Written on 9/28/2009

Something To Think About:-Being Impulsive

DAILY THOUGHT

Children can be impulsive and often want everything "now!" (So can grown ups!) It is the wise parent who does not give in to every demand, but rather keeps some things on hold until the time is right.

God deals with us the same way. He makes every good thing available to His children, but only in the right time. As our Father, He loves to prepare His us for all that He has for us to know and enjoy. But out of fatherly wisdom, He trains us to trust Him, even when we want something right now, so that we will become mature, Christ-like adults, who are better able to appreciate and enjoy His blessings. He also keeps us from greedy self-centeredness by answering some of our requests with a firm, NO.

To try and move ahead of God's perfect plan for us is to deny Him the privilege of teaching us and watching us grow to be like Him.

Father, God, how grateful I am for the good things you have brought into my life, but even more so, for the blessing of Your hand of guidance. Help me to wait for You. Amen.



Written on 9/22/2009

Good For A Smile-A Little Humor

Here's a little humor in honor of Mother's Day:
A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question:
"My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I?"
When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word Mother.



Written on 9/9/2009

Parenting Insight-Teaching Children to Deal with Competition

Children often compete with each other in order to be first or best. This tendency on the part of children comes from selfishness, a major roadblock to sibling harmony. The solution is to learn how to be a servant, but how do you convince a five-year-old or a twelve-year-old that being a servant is a valuable thing?

As parents we have to look for positive ways to frame the maturity issues that we know are best, but seem unreasonable to our children. In this case, you might try having a “Servant for the Day.” This child not only sets the table and takes out the trash but also gets some extra “Mommy time,” helps with dinner, and sits next to Dad during story time. Throughout the course of the day, Mom has an opportunity to talk about more subtle aspects of servanthood that involve how children talk, listen, and even think.

Take time to praise demonstrations of servanthood. One child may not get the first turn or the biggest piece, but he gets the praise of Mom for being the mature one. That's a far more valuable reward.

Teaching children to be servants will promote harmony in your family. Becoming a servant will help children deal with the continual desire to build themselves up while putting others down. Learning servanthood is a way to honor others in the family and it brings honor back as well.



Written on 9/9/2009

Inspirational Video-Love to A Child is Spelled T-I-M-E

Take a second and go to this website and watch this video. It has some very important and moving information in it for us as parents or anyone who has anything to do with children.

http://www.tacmovie.com/if/



Written on 8/18/2009

Take A Second To Read And Think: Sharing Jesus Should Be As Easy As Taking A Walk Across The Street

I thought I would share this with you. It makes you stop and think. This is what we have been trying to teach the children this summer, that sharing Jesus is easy and anyone can do it-even them. We as parents sometimes have to remember to lead our children by example.

Sharing Jesus: It’s just a walk across the street.

“Hey Daddy, I have an idea that we can do before school is out.”

It was Wednesday night. My son and I were driving home from church. He is a typical 7-year old, full of big ideas and the energy to make them happen. We had just talked about building a new doghouse over the summer break.
“Ok son, what’s your plan?”

“What if we tried to tell some of our neighbors about Jesus. I could read something from the Bible and you could tell them what it means.”

I paused, not sure what to say. In that moment, I could think of a dozen excuses. Like too many Christians, we do not really know our neighbors. From what we do know, we are not excited about learning more. In fact, the family he wanted to visit is known for their colorful language. What if they slam the door? What will that do to his faith?

I might have believed my excuses, if God had not giving me the same burden. Over the previous week, I had felt a growing conviction to witness to families on my block. How could I say that I love my neighbors, if I had never spoken to them? How could I tell them the sweetest name I know, if I did not even know their names?

“Ok son, we’ll try to go.”

“But when?”

“Maybe tomorrow, after you get home from school.”

“Daddy this is great. It’s just a walk across the street and it’s kind of like we’re being missionaries.”

So, we made our plans, deciding in advance what we would say. He chose John 3:16-17, then packed his Bible in a book bag. He even made some notes to help me explain about Jesus. That night, we said a special prayer for our neighbors.

To my shame, I wanted him to forget about it. But by morning, he was calling this our mission. Over breakfast and on the way to school, he kept plotting. After school, his excitement had only grown.

“Dad, are we still going?”

It was time. As we walked across the street, I put my hope in God. After all, this was his idea and it was up to him to work it out.

I knocked… No answer, but those few steps of obedience had filled me with courage.

“Son, let’s keep going and try the other neighbors.”

Over the next 20 minutes, we visited two apartments next-door to our house. Both ladies we met were church attendees who had already professed faith in Jesus. We have now learned their names and hope to become their friends.

“Hey Daddy, when do you think we can do this again?”

“I think tomorrow will work, we still have a lot of people left to talk to.”



Written on 8/10/2009