Parenting (Page 4)

 SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER   Today’s Services: Access our streamed services here. Jesus is like a lighthouse, providing light to guide us through our lives. So, we have a new kids’ song for you this week, My Lighthouse. And we start a new 3-week talk series today, looking at generosity. Families, what does being generous mean to you? Do you like to share, give things away, do things for other people? Make a list of ways you could be generous – think…

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER   Today’s Services: Access our streamed services here. Our kids’ song today is Jesus Number 1. Kids, in this song we honour Jesus by placing him first in our lives and sing about him ruling for eternity. When you think about rulers and leaders, do you expect them to have people do things for them, or for them to serve others? Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is not about recognition and rewards, but about service to…

SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER   Today’s Services: Access our streamed services here. We will be sharing Communion in the service today, so have some bread and wine/juice ready if you would like to partake. Would you ever turn up to a dinner party you had not been invited to? The woman in Luke 7:36-50 did! Jesus used her actions to show that the faith of people who know they have made bad choices and done wrong things, but seek forgiveness, is greater…

SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER   Upcoming event: Next week, Sunday 11 October, in the Zoom get-together after the 9:30am service, we will be running an all-ages Trivia Quiz! Gather the whole family together for this fun session. The Zoom link will be provided in next week’s blog and will also be in the 9:30am service description on YouTube on the day. Note: You will also need a second device, a phone or tablet different from your Zoom device.   Today’s service:…

 SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER    Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week we continue our Good News in Action series, looking at another of Jesus’ healing miracles and application for our lives today. Read Luke 7:11-17 in preparation. If you have shakers or bells, have them handy for this week’s kids’ song, Shake My Shaker. Activities, if needed, to keep hands busy while listening to Kirk’s talk: Colouring 1, 2, 3 Activity booklet, Crossword, Wordsearch   St John’s Kids Sessions:…

Thank you to all the families who completed the recent Parent Survey. In response to feedback, we are going to implement some changes to our St John’s Kids program for Term 4. For those of you who have been enjoying the format of watching a video and working through devotion questions and activities as a family, we recommend you subscribe to QuizWorx Home Delivery (FREE).  The Digging Deeper devotions that accompany the engaging videos are ideal for splitting into sections…

SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER   Today’s Events: St John’s Kids Grade 3 Fun & Games Online Event is at 4pm this afternoon. Please contact us to RSVP or if you need the email invitation resent for the Zoom meeting details.   Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. Today concludes our series on The Spirit of Truth which has been a great reminder that the Holy Spirit is a person within the Trinity and is our ever present helper, friend, advocate, and…

 SUNDAY 6 SEPTEMBER   Today’s Events: Make dad feel special! During both services you can send a live Father’s Day message to your dad by texting 0490 453 293. Messages will be displayed on screen during the service. After the 9:30am service (approx. 10:30am for those who are not watching the service at that time), Mark will run a family friendly game of Scattergories with a Father’s Day theme. Join Zoom here. (If prompted – Zoom Meeting ID: 833 565…

 SUNDAY 30 August   Events: This week (30Aug): After the 9:30am service (approx. 10:30am for those who are not watching the service at that time), Krissy will facilitate a family friendly conversation and activity about maintaining good mental health during lockdown. All welcome, whether you have kids with you or not! Join here. (If prompted – Zoom Meeting ID: 833 565 287 / Password: SJDC) Next week (06Sep): Mark will run a family friendly game, with a Father’s Day focus,…

SUNDAY 23 August   Reminder!!! From 5:30-6:00pm TODAY we will be having a social get-together and game, specifically aimed at young families from all of our services, but EVERYONE is welcome! Kids, do you have a new tooth? Have you learnt to write your name, do cartwheels, or finished a series of books? Try to think of something that has changed, or that you have learnt or achieved, during lockdown that you can share with us. Please note: Kids must…

 SUNDAY 16 August Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. We start a new series of talks this week, The Spirit of Truth. In John 14:15-24 Jesus talks about the love between the Father and the Son and how we can be part of that love. Jesus promises his disciples that when he leaves them, they will not be alone, like orphans, but that God the Father would send his Spirit to live in them. The gift of the Spirit is…

SUNDAY 9 August Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week is the last in our series, Back to the New Future, which has looked at how we might develop a new ‘normal’, post-COVID, that centres on God’s norms. Our service will include communion, so have wine/juice and bread ready if you wish to partake. Our bible reading Matthew 4:12-17 marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry; preaching the word of God and setting an example for us to live…

SUNDAY 2 August Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week, we continue our series, Back to the New Future, looking at what our lives might look like post-COVID and how we might develop a new ‘normal’ that centres on God’s norms. Use some blocks, or something else you can stack, to make a tower. Which block is the most important? Take off the top block – what happens? Pull out the bottom block – what happens? Imagine we are…

SUNDAY 26 July Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week, we continue our series, Back to the New Future, looking at what our lives might look like in the future and how we might develop a new ‘normal’ that centres on God’s plans for our lives. We are God’s light in the world, and today’s kids’ song, Let Your Light Shine, encourages us to live for God and make him known to others. Today’s bible reading looks at some…

SUNDAY 19 July Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week, we start a new sermon series, Back to the New Future. Our lives have changed due to COVID. When restrictions lift, people will begin to return to their ‘normal’ lives. But what is ‘normal’ and what about the new things we have learnt or enjoyed while being in isolation? Can we keep these things in the new, future ‘normal’? This series will challenge us to reframe what our lives…

 SUNDAY 12 July Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week, we have one of our mission partners as guest speaker – Josh Bartlett. Josh’s work with Wycliffe focuses on bible engagement in Australia. Older kids should find Josh’s talk quite engaging – have your bibles open at Acts 4. As well as listening to God’s word, we will be worshipping through prayer and music – including a kids’ song Never Be Shaken, which encourages dependence on God. And, later…

 SUNDAY 5 July Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. This week we have a service of Storytelling – reflecting on, and celebrating, what God has been doing in our lives during the last term, while experiencing physical distancing restrictions. There will be a slideshow of some of our kids’ activities, other art, poetry, testimonies, prayer, and music – including a kids’ song Jesus Number 1. You may find that there is a lot more happening on the screen to capture…

 SUNDAY 28 JUNE Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. Today, we have two Live Q&A services, with different panels at 9:30am and 6:00pm. Kids (and adults), do you have a question about anything we have been learning this term? Or a general question about faith, the bible, or being friends with Jesus? Now is your time to have them answered! Text your questions to 0490 453 293. (You do not have to wait for the service to begin to send…

SUNDAY 21 JUNE Today’s service: Access our streamed services here. 2 Corinthians 7:2-16 shows that experiencing sadness over areas of our lives can be good, as it was for the early believers in Corinth, if it leads us to turn away from our wrong behaviour and ask God for forgiveness. Join in our kid’s song today, Before I Go, I Stop – a celebration of obedience, prayer and being alive in Christ. To keep hands busy while listening to Tim’s talk,…

Hi families! To celebrate all that God has done for us over the past term, one of our school holiday services will contain lots of creative elements. It would be wonderful to be able to put together a slideshow of some of the things the kids have been up to during the services and family devotion activities. What has stood out to you? Have you particularly enjoyed the kids’ songs and have photos of dancing, singing, or instrument playing Perhaps…