Children’s Church in 2012

Dear Members and Friends of Bernardsville United Methodist Church,

            Grace and Peace of our Lord God be with you and with your family!  I pray that God may continue to bless you and your family with His abundant Grace.

            It is my joy to announce to you the return of our children’s program at our Bernardsville United Methodist Church.  Starting from the second Sunday of 2012 (1/8), we will have Children’s Church for our young ones, (Kindergarten through 5^th Grade).  This program will be run and coordinated by Elise Heil, one of our own members.  Elise is a graduate of Ohio Northern University, a private Methodist University, with a BA in Education as well as a sincere Christian.  She has experience in the public classroom, private tutoring, and pre-school areas. For example, while in Colorado, Elise taught the 2 year olds in the church’s Parent’s Day Out program.  It is only one example of her devotion to teaching.  It is a blessing for us to have Elise as our Coordinator of Children’s Church.

            Every Sunday after my ‘Message for Children’, the children will be led to the basement of the sanctuary for their 40 minute session.  The session will be filled with prayer, Arts & Crafts, circle time, and singing a song.  On the first Sunday of every month we won’t have the children’s session because we want them to have a chance to participate in Holy Communion.  Subsequently, each child will be given an educational package which they can work on during the service in their pew.

             With the return of our children’s program, I would like to share my thoughts on this wonderful opportunity of ministry. 

 First, I’d like to see our Children’s Church as an educational ministry, not as a baby-sitting service.  In Proverbs, King Solomon said, “Train up children in the right way, and when they are old, they will not stray.”(22:6)  It is our duty as a church to teach our children the wonderful words of life we find in Jesus Christ.  Thus, the primary goal of Children’s Church is not providing a baby-sitting service but, rather, a learning environment for our children to understand the precious and wonderful word of Jesus.

Secondly, I’d like to see this ministry as an evangelistic opportunity. Educating children becomes the most crucial part of the married couple these days.  From my past ministries, I have learned that people come to the church when they have found that the church has a meaningful educational program for the children in spite of the pastor who can’t preach. (Of course, it does not mean that I can’t excuse myself for ill prepared sermon! J)  Preparing and praying for the return of our children’s program, I kept asking myself, “Do I have children?  Do I have to have a child at least to start the ministry? ”  Every time this question blocked me, I answered, “We do the children’s ministry not only for the children we have now, but for the children we will have!”  I envision that we could reach children and their parents in this town by developing a fun, exciting, and meaningful children’s ministry at our church.

Thirdly, I’d like to see this children’s ministry as one way to prepare the pastors for the church’s future generations. Quite a few pastors experienced their first call to ministry when they were very young.  I remember one statistic showed more than half of the pastors felt God’s call to ministry for the first time when they were in elementary school.  I personally felt the call of God into ministry when I was very young.  Of course, my call to ministry was confirmed through the various events throughout my life, but I still remember the initial call to serve God when I was in elementary school.  Thus, children’s ministry is not only for the future of the local church, but also for the Church in general.  Who knows?  We could have the next Billy Graham among our children!

            For this wonderful ministry for children, we need your help.  Without your help, this wonderful ministry simply can’t happen.  You can help in the following ways:

1)       Pray for the Children’s Church!  Please, pray for all, children and adults, who will be involved with this ministry.

2)       Welcome the children for the Worship.  When children run around or make a noise during the worship, consider it as background music for the worship.  When the noise really bothers you, why don’t you approach to the parents and gently seek for what you can do for them?

3)       Please, volunteer for the Children’s Church.  We need a teaching staff.  Your teaching commitment will be only once a month.  Furthermore, the church will supply all of the details of the teaching plan and even train you as a spiritual guide.  If you are willing to volunteer, please contact Elise at (908) 234-1085, or  heile@mindspring.com and she will coordinate the volunteers.

4)       Spread the word to your neighbors.  Do not be shy in sharing this good news with your neighbors.  Invite them into our worship and let them know that we cherish children in our church.

            Just like anyone who spent their childhood at the church, I remember the Sunday School as the best time of my church life.  Especially, the songs that I sang in my Sunday School remain so clear in my head.  The one that is still echoing in my heart is “If I Come to Jesus” (F. I Crossby)

            If I come to Jesus/He will make me glad
            He will give me pleasure/When my heart is sad.
            If I come to Jesus/Happy I shall be
            He is gently calling/Little ones like me

            When my first son, Jason, was an infant, I often sang this song to him as a lullaby. As I sang this song to Jason—holding him in my arms while gently patting him—I remember, I often ended up in tears.  This is a simple song, but it carries so much truth: “Jesus is calling a little one like me.  Whenever I come to Jesus, he will always welcome me.”  For sure, the lessons that I learned from my Sunday School days—love and grace of Jesus—is alive and well in my heart. It is the very strength for my life today.

           Friends, I want to give our children this kind of lifelong lesson of Love and Grace so that they may find the hope and love even in the midst of the darkest night of their life.  The lesson that we will give them will be the precious foundation for them which will lead them onto the right path.

            Elise and I are open to any suggestions and advice for making our children’s church as fun, exciting, and meaningful a place as possible.  Please feel free to reach Elise and me for your suggestions!

            The children belong to all of us.  It is appropriate for us to give them the greatest gift that we can give: the love of Christ Jesus.

Thank you for your support and prayer.  God bless!

Your friend in Christ,
Myung