Minister to Preschool Blog | Peachtree Corners Baptist Church | 4480 Peachtree Corners Circle

VBS: “Paul’s “P” Dictionary: Can you find them”

Friday, 03 May 2013 13:54 | Written by Susan Rutledge |

Do you have the “blah’s?” Need a new focal point? Facing problems or perils? Then June 10-14^th is a definite “pick me up” prescription! 2013’s Colossal Coaster VBS World will get your pacesetter up and revving as we proceed from seeing Paul as a passionate persecutor to a passionate preacher of the Word. He will face the perils of persecution but through them all Paul patterned his new walk by this truth: 2Tim 1:7 paraphrase “God did not give me the spirit of timidity-fearfulness; instead, I can and will be bold for Him who died for me! God gave me power to preach and preach I will! God gave me a love for the unreached and I will travel far and wide telling all who will listen to the gospel message! God gave me wisdom and discernment to face any and all foe and friend.”

Can you tell that we are excited to share this week with your children? Our heart is to live by this verse both now and in the future. You won’t want to miss a day with the Apostle Paul who was passionate, persevering, principle led, professing his love for Christ. Come and join an exciting week filled with Paul’s adventures!

A quick snapshot! Each day we will follow Paul as he passionately perseveres and be thrilled with the eye-popping panorama of his preaching schedule. Sign up online! Invite your BFF (best friend forever) or better yet: “NFF” (new fast friends). Needs: Are you passionate about the hearts of children? Passionate is the buzz word at PCBC and we have a place for you! It all begins on Sunday, May 5^th at 3:30. Perhaps you are timid about the thought of teaching children? Then we have the “Practical Provision of Equipping Possibilities” where our PCBC - VBS team will personally and proudly provide your individual “practicum” of the how to’s! No excuses allowed!

So what’s the point? We need Proud PCBC’ers like YOU!!! Practically speaking VBS is in need of six more core teachers who will offer their passionate hearts to win children for Christ! We have in place prayer guides and a prayer leader taking time each day to lift up the needs of the teachers and children! Proud PCBC’ers…We need YOU!! And together we will partner with Paul in saying: 1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

A Peak ahead: You don’t want to miss “FFF” …that stands for Fabulous Friday Fun which will close out our week!

Popcorn! Peanuts! Pretzels! What do these all have in common?

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VBS/Summer Recap

Monday, 23 July 2012 17:47 | Written by Susan Rutledge |

July is quickly winding down and we are in the throws of Sunday School promotion planning.� As it is in church work, we are looking ahead, planning forward, trying to stay ahead of the 'push'.� It seems we too often can't enjoy the moment for thinking about what is next.� I want to take this opportunity to look back on where we have invested time and energy in the life�of our children's ministry�this summer and how we have seen God's hand at work.

School ended and Vacation Bible School was upon us.� We spent June 11-15 using Lifeway's "Amazing Wonders Aviations" as our VBS theme.� It was a God-filled week with 370 children in attendance.� Through the course of the week, we were blessed with over 120 adult and 70 youth volunteers.� Together we numbered approx. 565 in daily attendance.� What a wonderful week we had together and we praise God for the 12 children who made decisions for Christ and are invited to attend our New Christians Class for children starting in August.� �

�A personal highlight for me was when a father approached me at our mid-week VBS Family Night expressing his delight that his daughter had�made the decision earlier that day at VBS�to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior.� It was especially meaningful since this was a visiting family to our church.� In follow up with them, she is scheduled to attend our next�New Christians Class�and the family�is showing interest in worshipping with us on Sundays.� To God be the glory - this is truly what this wonderful outreach opportunity is all about!� We have to seize every�moment that�is given us to reach a child for Christ.��It is also unfathomable to�begin to grasp the seeds that were planted for eternity in the�life of each child who attended.� I am blessed to be a part of�a church that values this outreach to children.

Another exciting program has been our Summer Daze Camp for 2 year olds through 2nd graders.� We have 155 children registered to attend every Tuesday and Thursday through�Aug. 2nd.� This summer they are learning about�kings in the Bible.� It has been a delight to open our doors to many families in our community as well as PCBC church families.� We are again blessed with teachers who desire to share God's love and teach valuable lessons imparting truth in to the life of each child.�

I am reminded�that each day is a gift from�God�and how we choose to use that gift is up to us.� My prayer is that in the hustle and bustle of what lies ahead, we truly seek God's face and arise each day anew in Him.� May you be able to�recap your summer by seeing how�God's hand was�mightily at work through you!

�

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Your Children Need Your Prayers

Monday, 23 April 2012 15:53 | Written by Susan Rutledge |

May I suggest to you that the greatest thing you can do for your child is to consistently pray for them. Too often even Christian parents today do not grasp this source of strength as quickly as they should. I know it took me longer than I care to admit before I came to realize the impact my prayers held in the lives of my children. For a child to have the knowledge that they are being prayed for by their parents on a consistent and regular basis is a true blessing. Plus, we are modeling for them a life of prayer and displaying our faith and trust in God alone on their lives.

In my Bible I have a bookmark titled "31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for your Kids" by Bob Hostetler, excerpted from Pray! Magazine issue #4 (2002). Not only has this been a wonderful source for me personally, but I refer young parents to this in an effort to encourage the kinds of specific prayers that we need to be praying over our children everyday. I would like to begin sharing these biblical virtues and specific related scripture to encourage you in your prayers for your children.

Virtue #1 - SALVATION - All Christian parents long for the day when our children come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Is is ever too early to start laying that foundation and planting those seeds? Of course not. As I prepare to address new parents in our next Parent Dedication class this coming weekend, they will realize that their act of public dedication and vowing to raise their child in a Christian, God-centered home, is one of the first steps they will take in planting a seed for God in the life of their child. We must plant the seeds and allow God's timing in the Holy Spirit's cultivating of those seeds. "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8 , 2 Timothy 2:10 ).

Stay with me as we continue to explore more virtues to pray over our children.

Joyfully serving,

Susan Rutledge

Minister to Preschool

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Praying Grace and Love Over Your Child

Thursday, 03 May 2012 13:17 | Written by Susan Rutledge |

As we continue to look at the Biblical Virtues that we need to be praying for our children, I want to open with this scripture. "I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18 ) Previously we prayed for their salvation, so the obvious next step comes straight from this scripture.

Do we as adults fully understand grace? The true grace that comes only from a loving Father that pours it out to those who truly seek Him. Webster's dictionary has several meanings for the word grace, one of which is 'divine favor'. As christian parents, we long for our children to grasp the favor that God so freely pours out to all who call upon His name. How freeing that is! To know that our walk with Him is not based on our perfection, but on the "grace that is greater than all our sins," as the popular hymn proclaims. The full understanding of grace will continue to grow within us as we spiritually mature and grow to love Him more each day.

Grace leads right in to love. God's grace is extended to us because of the great love that He has for us. As John 3:16 states "For God so loved the world that He gave His Son." Can we begin to imagine how great that love is? We know the love that God has for us is even greater than the love we have for our own children! The Bible clearly directs us to teach our children about love - especially loving others. A young child will first understand love as an action before they begin associating love with a feeling. As they grow, the concept of love broadens as they learn how to show love to others. May we as parents model the love of God in all we do and say, so that our children have that firm foundation to build their lives upon. (Gal. 5:25 , Eph. 5:2 ).

Keep praying.......your child's life is depending on it!

Susan

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