Try not to be too sad, but it’s the final week of our latest series. We’ve had a blast exploring how we can trust God in the wilderness. Hopefully, you have, too!
THE PLAYBOOK
BIRTHDAY BAG PROJECT.
Continue to encourage our kids to participate in the Birthday Bag Project in any of these ways:
- Donations of birthday bag items are welcome in the Kids Lobby. Donation lists are available in the Kids Lobby.
- Cash/coin donations are welcome at the Kids Greeter Desk in the Lobby – or there will be a Birthday Bag available in each Large Group room. Please let kids know that they can bring their offering and drop it in any location to exchange for a prize.
- Birthday Bag Kits are also available if you’d like to make one or three – talk to Barb anytime.
THE ESSENTIALS
VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK REVIEW
In the Volunteer Handbook, we list Expectations for each of the basic roles within Westwood Kids. Here are a few of the common expectations for all Westwood Kids volunteers:
- Show up when you are scheduled
- Wear your name tag
- Engage with parents at drop-off and pick-up
- Participate during the hour
Let’s dig into some details of these expectations:
SHOW UP WHEN YOU ARE SCHEDULED:
- If you aren’t able to serve on your scheduled week, you are responsible to find your own sub (unless it’s a last minute sickness or family emergency). Use the Team Contact Lists given to you each quarter to reach out to others in your area to find a switch or a sub. Let Barb know who your sub will be so she can update the schedule.
- Arrive to your position at least 15 minutes before the hour begins. Kids begin arriving at least 10 minutes before the hour – you need to be there before they are!
WEAR YOUR NAME TAG:
- Be sure to check yourself in at the Kids Lobby to receive your name tag.
- Identifying yourself as Westwood Kids volunteer puts families at ease when they are dropping their kids off – they can see that you are supposed to be the one taking care of their kids.
ENGAGE WITH PARENTS:
- Westwood Kids is all about relationship building – and that includes building connections with the parents of the kids we care for and teach.
- Don’t forget to share the good with the parents too! So often, we only talk about the not-so-good that happened with kids. Let’s brag about the good that happens too!
PARTICIPATE DURING THE HOUR:
- Being on the Westwood Kids team means that you are actively engaged with the kids you are serving – nursery workers reading infant Bibles to little ones, elementary small group leaders sitting with their small group during Bible story, preschool classroom leaders doing the messy projects with the kids in the classroom.
- When you are actively engaged with the kids throughout the large group time, they will listen so much better during the small group time!
THE CALENDAR
UPCOMING EVENTS TO WATCH FOR
OCT. 24: PICK YOUR PATH – Family Just for Fun Event – This is a site-based event – if you are interested in hosting a site or volunteering in any other way, please contact Barb right away.
DEC 12: MERRY MARKETPLACE – Christmas Event for families – Event will be right after Choir rehearsal.
DEC 13: KIDS CHOIR IN CHURCH – Kids will sing Christmas songs in Big Church (rehearsal will be Dec 12) – All hands on deck for this, please! Here are the songs we are singing, in case you want to practice ahead of time:
- Hope Has Come – start at 0:33 for song and motions
THE LESSON PLAN
ARE WE THERE YET?
A 5-Week Series from Genesis on ISRAEL & THE WILDERNESS
OVERVIEW Can you imagine needing to walk through the desert? You’d be surrounded by cacti, sand, snakes, and more sand. With the heat of the sun, we’d wind up so thirsty and wondering “Are we there yet?” That’s probably how the Israelites felt as they wandered around the desert, waiting to enter the Promised Land. But no matter how tired our feet get, we can focus on what’s happening in our lives right now rather than just on where we’re going. In this five-week series based on stories from Exodus, we’ll explore how we can choose to be thankful, love God and others, turn to God when we’re lost, go to God when we need rest, and remember God’s promises.
Are We There Yet? – Volunteer Devotional
ELEMENTARY LINKS –
PRESCHOOL LINKS –
5TH GRADE FOUNDATIONS
Foundations worksheet – Week 5
Feel free to share your questions and feedback with Westwood Kids anytime! Email barb.filiatrault@westwoodstcloud.org.