Happy New Year! Here's what happening with HillsideKids in January!

Waumba Land (birth through PreKindergarten)

We want preschoolers to take a first look at who God is and understand...

God made me.  God loves me.  Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

A new year gives us another reason to celebrate that Jesus wants to be my friend forever!

This month, we will share several of the miracles that Jesus performed in His short time with us here on earth, showing us that nothing is too hard for Him. If Jesus is so amazing and powerful that He can walk on water then surely He can help me learn to share with my friends.

Preschoolers will hear how Jesus turned water to wine (we call it a “super fancy drink”), helped His friends fill their nets with fish, fed thousands with two fishes and five loaves of bread, and calmed a storm by just telling it to stop. Through each story, our little ones will learn that Jesus can do anything, and “With God, all things are possible,” (Matthew 19:26).

UpStreet (Kindergarten through 2nd grade)

Avenue252 (3rd through 5th grade) 

January is a great time to work on changing the way we play this game of life. It feels like a fresh, crisp start to a new year! So, we’re going to spend the month in Proverbs, a book packed full of wise and visual verses to challenge our thinking—especially about the topic of Self-Control.

Self-control means choosing to do what you should do—and not what you want to do. In the moment, that’s hard for a lot of us. The good news is that God doesn’t ask us to do anything all on our own. We’ll share verses like 2 Peter 1:3 that say: “God’s given us everything we need to lead a godly life.” Self-control is a way to display to the world around us that we have God in our lives. And He’s present every hour of every day, ready to help us take control of our thoughts, words and actions.

Each week, we’ll talk specifically about choosing to have self-control in areas where we know kids (and adults) typically struggle, plus we’ll focus on faith skills like navigating the Bible and personalizing Scripture in their everyday lives.

We are so excited about this month in Proverbs with a different principle each week addressing real life situations where we need self-control. Isn’t it great to know that God’s given us everything we need to live a godly life and to grow in wisdom? Join us this month as we dive into our virtue of Self-control: Changing the way you play!

Gingerbread House Building - A parent/child event!

Join in the fun of this parent or grandparent and child event!

Build a Gingerbread House together!  

Date:  Tuesday, December 20th

Time:  6:00-7:00pm

Cost: $27.50/family

All supplies included.

Checks payable to Hillside Church.

Location:  Gingerbread Builders in the Strawberry Village by In and Out Burger.

Sign up between now and Sunday, December 18th at the information counter in the main lobby of the church or drop by church anytime this week to sign up and drop off your check/cash.  Church office is open 9-5pm.

Questions?  terri@hillsidemarin.org

HillsideKids Go Christmas Caroling this Sunday!

Join us for Christmas Caroling this Sunday!

You are invited to this upcoming parent/child event of HillsideKids!

A group will be going to sing Christmas Carols this Sunday.

Meeting at 12:30pm at Church for a quick run through then off we'll go to Aegis Living to sing for the residents there.

Then we can head out into the neighborhood and share Christmas Cheer!

Then back to the church by 2:30 for cookies and coco!

Email me back and let me know if you are planning to attend and how many children/adults are in your group.

This is not a drop off event - a responsible adult must attend with the children in your group.

Blessings,

Pastor Terri

terri@hillsidemarin.org

HillsideKids in December

HillsideKids & Families in December

Seems like we have been forced to think Christmas since before Halloween this year.  For those of us who have Thanksgiving as our favorite holiday, it has been a battle to keep Christmas at bay!  Well, December is finally here!   The reason for the season is in front of us and as parents and church, we want to work together to make sure that Jesus isn’t lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays.  

To make sure that you are connected, even if you aren’t able to be at Hillside Church each week, please go to the facebook page: HillsideKids and “like” or “subscribe” and then watch our postings as they come up on Facebook.  

Below I have given the basic dates for December activities for kids at each of their age-levels.  Please go to the Hillside Family Ministry blog to get more details about each event and to sign up to get notified when new information is posted.

FamilyTime Christmas Caroling

Sunday, December 11, 2011 12:30-2:30pm

We will do a quick run through of the songs and then we will be walking (with strollers if needed) from church parking lot  and back by 2pm for cookies and coco down at The House before heading home.

We will sing for the residents at Aegis Living (5555 Paradise Drive at 1pm as they finish lunch) then divide into two groups if there are enough of us and walk through the neighborhood behind Aegis as well as across the street (Mariner’s Cove), dress warmly and festively and wear your walking shoes.  Songbooks will be available.

Gingerbread House Building

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 6:00-7:00pm

750 Redwood Highway #1210 in Strawberry Village south of In and Out Burger.

All supplies included to build a family gingerbread house for $27.50/small house.

We will meet there at 6:00pm.  Check payable to Hillside Church is due at time of sign up.  

Sign up will be at the information counter in the main church lobby.  No calls to the office, confirmations of paid spots only.  Reservations necessary for this event.  Last minute spots can add as long as spots are available so that group rate will apply.  Small Gingerbread House is only option for this outing, cost $27.50 for one small house.

Christmas Eve 

Saturday, December 24th:

A description of the services is available elsewhere in this issue of Hillside News.  Here are the details about what we are offering to children on Christmas Eve.

4:00 pm and 6:00 pm Children’s Programs

Waumba Land

Nursery Room 1 for birth-toddlers

Preschool Room 2 for 2 & 3 yr olds

PreKindergarten Room 3 for 4 & 5 yr olds

UpStreet & Avenue252

Elementary UpStreet Room for K-5th Grades

8:00pm & 11:00pm No Children’s Programs/No Childcare

Families are welcome to worship together.

Christmas Morning

Sunday, December 25, 2011

There will be NO services on Christmas Morning at Hillside this year.  We encourage you to enjoy your family time, remembering the brightness of the day that our Savior and King was born and finding ways to incorporate Jesus into the day like having a Birthday Breakfast for Jesus Party.  On Christmas Eve we will have available a kit for you to take home so that you can bake your own cake and celebrate Jesus’ birth as a family.

New Year's Day

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Regular Schedule resumes.

REMINDER: 

Our children’s environments are staffed and ready to receive children beginning as early at 9:15.  All our children’s environments will close at 9:45am once the teaching elements have begun.  The Waumba Land, UpStreet and Avenue252 teams thank you in advance for arriving in a timely way.  Should you and your children arrive after 9:45am, you are welcome to worship with them in the auditorium or choose to attend the 11:00am service where limited childcare is available for younger children.  

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES:

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day 

Please consider lending a hand on these special outreach days when we have many guests and visitors with us.  It also is a way to show your appreciation to our dedicated volunteers who work year round to care for all the children in the church.  No training required, just arriving a bit earlier than usual to help set up (4pm) or staying a bit later to help clean up (6pm).  Youth welcomed to serve as crew leaders and community service hours are available.

Contact Terri Woodard terri@hillsidemarin.org or 415/342-9130 to volunteer or to find out what is needed.  

Kids & Families November Preview

FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL

Thanks so much to all who joined us for the Family Fall Festival on October 22nd.  40-50 people came and had a great time carving pumpkins, face painting, eating and having conversations.  To see photos of the event, click here.

Special thanks to Heidi Kane and Deena Berger and their families and friends who helped them run this event.  

A spring event is in the works!

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER

November not only brings a change in season and weather but also an opportunity to really connect on Sundays.  In Family Ministry, Ryan and I take our responsibility to create meaningful experiences for children and students seriously.  We strive to make our hour with the kids and our volunteers the best hour of the week.  

Children learn by repetition so getting your children in front of their small group leader as often and as regularly as possible is critical to the growth as Christians.  

Please take time before November 1 arrives and make attending a priority.  Consistency builds trust and comfort for all of us, but it is especially important for our children and students.

Waumba Land:  Birth through PreKindergarten

In November, Waumba Land will be diving into “Happy Helpers” Month.  We will be teaching a different aspect of helping each week.  Our Memory Verse is Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and loving to each other.” (NCV) as we unpack that God made people who help me.  So look for your child to be doing some special helping this month at home and at school!

UpStreet:  Lower Elementary (K-2 grades)

UpStreet  in November is all about the virtue of Gratitude.  It’s all about slowing down and showing gratitude for both the big  and the little things of life.  We remember that because of what God has done for us, we have a reason to be grateful.  Our theme for November is:  Pitstop: Pull over for a Gratitude Adjustment.  So if you have Nascar gear to wear this is the month to break it out and show it off!  

Avenue252:  Upper Elementary (3-5 grades)

We love our new environment for older elementary kids called Avenue252.  While this group does the same lesson as UpStreet, they do it with a whole different attitude - this is more of preteen youth group.  So this group is getting ready to do some special events.  We are working on one for November....so keep an eye on the HillsideKids page on Facebook (Parents: go there and “like” or “subscribe” to it so you stay in the know).  Since our theme is “Pitstop” for the month - I can guarantee you it will be a race for pure fun and something to be grateful for after you have been with us! 

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES:

Family Ministry happens at Hillside because of volunteers.  The volunteer team makes what we do at each age level such an amazing experience for the children and their families. We are looking beyond our current families and those who worship with us on a regular basis.  If that’s you, then please prayerfully consider serving in one of the following ways:

Currently we have the following openings: 

• Host Team (greeting, registration)
• Assistant Small Group Leaders  (K-2 grades) 
• Mentors (3-5 grades)
• Registrar (to set up attendance data base and input weekly attendance, make name tags, parent tags, etc.)
• Graphic artist to work with me on different elements within each environment
• Publicity Coordinator to help us get the word out of our activities
• Photographer/Videographer for occasional Sundays and events

If you are able to serve, even if in a limited way, please contact me.

STAY CONNECTED

Please take a minute and go to these two website and join them through “like” or “subscribe”.  This is not only a way for us to communicate to you but for you to give us feedback and get your questions answered.

For parents of kids birth through 5th grade: click  here

For parents of Middle School and High School Students: click here

Waumba Land this Fall....things you are going to want to know before Sunday!

HILLSIDE FAMILY MINISTRY

Back to school is here and it is an exciting time in the life of a preschooler.  As young families transition into new routines, your Waumba Land Team wants to let you know about some necessary changes to the program that they have been working on as they get ready for the Fall Launch of Waumba Land.  

The primary purpose of Family Ministry at Hillside is to partner with parents in the spiritual development of their kids.  As an effort to continue to hone that relationship, we have made some changes to how we run our environments that we hope will make communication easier, make our environments better for your children and help our dedicated volunteers to maintain balance in their lives.  

Information regarding all environments that you need to know:

1. Our new formats will begin on our Fall Launch date of September 11, 2011. 
2. New registration forms will need to be filled out on your first visit beginning with September 11.  Registration area will open at 9:00am on launch day.  One form per child.   
3. Our registration area will be open by 9:15 each week beginning September 18 to allow for parents to drop off in a timely way each week.  Our program begins promptly at 9:30.   Environments will be closed to arriving children after 9:45 each week.  Our program begins at 9:30, by 9:45, just like in the adult worship experience, our leaders have progressed into teaching the foundational components which the rest of the morning is built. So to respect those who are leading, those who arrive in a timely manner and to minimize the disruptions in all of our environments we are asking that you arrive to register your children between 9:15 and 9:25 each week.   
4. Safety ratios will continue to be adhered to which may mean that you might be asked on any given Sunday to help out in one of our environments.   
5. Security: the two tag plus sign in and out process will continue by age-level.   
6. Take home papers/Parent Cue will continue to help us partner with you to keep reinforcing the lessons from Sunday.  Please take time to read through those take home papers and choosing some of those helps to engage your family in a deeper spiritual conversation.   
7. Curbside Welcoming.   We have discontinued offering candy as a part of our curbside welcoming.  Stickers will continue to be offered when a greeter is available.   
8. Community Service:   Youth are welcomed at both 9:30 & 11:00 to come be Small Group Helpers.  Sign up with Terri terri@hillsidemarin.org.

Additional Information for Waumba Land Parents

• Baby Cuddlers:  We are looking for 6-8 volunteers who will serve in our baby and crawler environment (Nursery), ministering to new Moms and cuddling the many new babies that we have and are having within this coming year.   If you are willing to serve at the 9:30 or the 11:00 a.m. services twice a month, please contact me (terri@hillsidemarin.org) or Jessica Pridemore (jessicapridemore@gmail.com) for more information.  Background checks are required for this position. 
• Changes in Staffing.  As a part of our preparation for the coming year, the Waumba Land team has decided on changing the way we staff our environments.  So please note that your child’s age-level leadership team may be different this year than last year.  
• Parent Take Home is called the Parent Cue now.  It is now also available by email.  To receive your Parent Cue by email please email admin@hillsidemarin.org and request to be added to the list for Waumba Land’s Parent Cue.  
• Allergies or Restricted Diets: Please note that our Waumba Land children do have a snack time each morning.  Unless noted otherwise at the registration table, we serve a very limited snack selection.  Cheerios, Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Pepperidge Farm Fish Crackers, and Kirkland Animal Cookies.  A list of ingredients is available in registration, please ask to see it if you need to check the contents.  Those with nut &  allergies need to know that we cannot guarantee that these products are nut or dairy free.   Please complete an allergy sticker at affix to the back of your child’s name tag to alert the leaders of your child’s allergy.  All parents are welcome to provide a snack container with their child’s full name on it and hand it to their age-level leader each week.  Parents of children who have an epi-pen are asked to provide a backpack or bag with their child’s name clearly marked on the backpack/bag.  Parents are asked to talk to the lead teacher in their child’s age-level environment to ensure their child’s safety.
• Safety Drill:  On Sunday,  September 18 we will be having a practice safety drill at 9:50am so that our staff and children know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency.  We will prepare the children for the drill, walk them through it and then return to classrooms and continue with the program.  A note will be posted in the registration area reminding you of the drill happening. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Terri Woodard at terri@hillsidemarin.org.

Changes in the UpStreet Environments that you Need to Know!

The summer months have given the ministry teams time to gather and debrief last year’s experience for them and for our children and to make some strategic changes that will hopefully have a positive impact on everyone. 

The primary purpose of Family Ministry at Hillside is to partner with parents in the spiritual development of their kids.  As an effort to continue to hone that relationship, we have made some changes to how we run our environments that we hope will make communication easier, make our environments better for your children and help our dedicated volunteers to maintain balance in their lives.  

Information regarding all environments that you need to know:

Our new formats will begin on our Fall Launch date of September 11, 2011. 

1. New registration forms will need to be filled out on your first visit beginning with September 11.  Registration area will open at 9:00am on launch day.  One form per child.   
2. Our registration area will be open by 9:15 each week beginning September 18 to allow for parents to drop off in a timely way each week.  Our program begins promptly at 9:30. Environments will be closed to arriving children after 9:45 each week.  Our program begins at 9:30, by 9:45, just like in the adult worship experience, our leaders have progressed into teaching the foundational components which the rest of the morning is built. So to respect those who are leading, those who arrive in a timely manner and to minimize the disruptions in all of our environments we are asking that you arrive to register your children between 9:15 and 9:25 each week.   
3. Safety ratios will continue to be adhered to which may mean that you might be asked on any given Sunday to help out in one of our environments.   
4. Security: the two tag plus sign in and out process will continue by age-level.   
5. Take home papers/Parent Cue will continue to help us partner with you to keep reinforcing the lessons from Sunday.  Please take time to read through those take home papers and choosing some of those helps to engage your family in a deeper spiritual conversation.   
6. Curbside Welcoming. We have discontinued offering candy as a part of our curbside welcoming.  Stickers will continue to be offered when a greeter is available.   
7. Community Service: Youth are welcomed at both 9:30 & 11:00 to come be Small Group Helpers.  Sign up with Terri (terri@hillsidemarin.org).

UpStreet

For our incoming Third, Fourth and Fifth graders....

We have heard your children’s comments and this year we are offering them a special environment, all their own.  

Sundays at 9:30am, UpStreet for the older kids will be offered in the Conference Room.  

We will do our best to make the space fun and friendly.  Your child’s small group leaders be waiting for them on September 11 and ready to create an UpStreet experience just for them.   

For convenience, parents will be able to sign their older elementary aged kids in outside the Conference Room.  

There will be a parent sign in/out sheet as well as a continuation of the security 2-tag system.   

IMPORTANT: Please note that we will be closed to incoming children after 9:45 each week so come on time.   

Registration forms are also going to need to be completed this year so please be prepared and allow time on your first visit from September 11 on to fill out forms.   

For your Kindergarten, First and Second Graders...

Things will continue much the with only a few changes that will help streamline the flow and bring the level of teaching down to their level of learning.  We realize that this means that there are two or three areas where you will be required to sign in your children.  

We suggest that you start with your youngest child, since we have early care available for them.  The older kids can enter their room as soon as the door to the conference room is open.  Children are in your care and supervision until the have been signed in and are wearing their name tags.  We ask that you pick up children from youngest to oldest as well to give our oldest the most time to wrap up their small group time. 

Children will continue in the same color group and with the same small group leader as last year.  

New nametags will reflect their color group better this coming year. 

Please arrive early to complete registration forms for your child on your first visit beginning with September 11. 

Immediate Service Opportunities in UpStreet

• A small group leader for 3rd Graders.  If you would be willing to come along side this amazing group of Third graders, please contact Terri Woodard (terri@hillsidemarin.org) to get more information.  

Until the position is filled, we will be asking parent volunteers to assist in the older children’s environment until a group leader has been found.  A sign up for specific Sundays will be available at the registration table outside the conference room as well as in the registration area in the children’s ministry wing. 

Fall Launch of Waumba Land and UpStreet

FAMILY MINISTRY

Kids & Families Ministry

Fall 2012 is an exciting time for all of us working with kids.  We have had our Island Summer with Camp Can-Do and are ready to get back to the fun of our regular schedule.

The summer has also given the ministry teams time to gather and debrief last year’s experience for them and for our children and to make some strategic changes that will hopefully have a positive impact on everyone.

The primary purpose of Family Ministry at Hillside is to partner with parents in the spiritual development of their kids.  As an effort to continue to hone that relationship, we have made some changes to how we run our environments that we hope will make communication easier, make our environments better for your children and help our dedicated volunteers to maintain balance in their lives.  Please take a few minutes to read about these 

Information regarding all environments that you need to know:

1. Our new formats will begin on our Fall Launch date of September 11, 2011.
2. New registration forms will need to be filled out on your first visit beginning with September 11.  Registration area will open at 9:00am on launch day.  One form per child.  
3. Our registration area will be open by 9:15 each week beginning September 18 to allow for parents to drop off in a timely way each week.  Our program begins promptly at 9:30.
4. Environments will be closed to arriving children after 9:45 each week.  Our program begins at 9:30, by 9:45, just like in the adult worship experience, our leaders have progressed into teaching the foundational components which the rest of the morning is built. So to respect those who are leading, those who arrive in a timely way and to minimize the disruptions in all of our environments ask that you arrive to register your children between 9:15 and 9:25 each week.  
5. Safety ratios will continue to be adhered to which may mean that you might be asked on any given Sunday to help out in one of our environments.  
6. Security: the two tag plus sign in and out process will continue by age-level.  
7. Take home papers/Parent Cue will continue to help us partner with you to keep reinforcing the lessons from Sunday.  Please take time to read through those take home papers and choosing some of those helps to engage your family in a deeper spiritual conversation.  
8. We have discontinued offering candy as a part of our curbside welcoming.  Stickers will continue to be offered when a greeter is available.  
9. Please note that on September 4, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, we have give our volunteers the day off to allow them some of their own family time before the fall launch on September 11.  There will be activities for children at both services in the UpStreet Room.  If you’d like to help out that day to honor our regular dedicated volunteers, please contact Terri directlly.  Youth are welcomed at both 9:30 & 11:00 to come be helpers.  Sign up with Terri (terri@hillsidemarin.org).

Additional Information by Environment

Waumba Land

1. We are looking for 6-8 volunteers who will serve in our baby and crawler environment (Nursery), ministering to new Moms and cuddling the many new babies that we have and are having within this coming year.   If you are willing to serve at the 9:30 or the 11:00 a.m. services twice a month, please contact me (terri@hillsidemarin.org) or Jessica Pridemore (jessicapridemore@gmail.com) for more information.  Background checks are required for this position.
2. As a part of our preparation for the coming year, the Waumba Land team has decided on changing the way we staff our environments.  So please note that your child’s age-level leadership team may be different this year than last year. 
3. Parent Take Home is called the Parent Cue now.  It is now also available by email.  To receive your Parent Cue by email please email admin@hillsidemarin.org and request to be added to the list for Waumba Land’s Parent Cue. 
4. Allergies or Restricted Diets: Please note that our Waumba Land children do have a snack time each morning.  Unless noted otherwise at the registration table, we serve a very limited snack selection.  Cheerios, Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Pepperidge Farm Fish Crackers, and Kirkland Animal Cookies.  A list of ingredients is available in registration, please ask to see it if you need to check the contents.  Those with nut &  allergies need to know that we cannot guarantee that these products are nut or dairy free.   Please complete an allergy sticker at affix to the back of your child’s name tag to alert the leaders of your child’s allergy.  All parents are welcome to provide a snack container with their child’s full name on it and hand it to their age-level leader each week.  

UpStreet

For our incoming Third, Fourth and Fifth graders....we have heard your children’s comments and this year we are offering them a special environment, all their own.  

1. Sundays at 9:30am, UpStreet for the older kids will be offered in the Conference Room.  We will do our best to make the space fun and friendly.  Your child’s small group leaders be waiting for them on September 11 and ready to create an UpStreet experience just for them.  
2. For convenience, parents will be able to sign their older elementary aged kids in outside the Conference Room.  There will be a sign in as well as a continuation of the security 2-tag system.  
3. Please note that we will be closed to incoming children after 9:45 each week so come on time.  
4. Registration forms are also going to need to be completed this year so please be prepared and allow time on your first visit from September 11 on to fill out forms.  

For your Kindergarten, First and Second Graders...things will continue much the with only a few changes that will help streamline the flow and bring the level of teaching down to their level of learning.  

1. We realize that this means that there are two or three areas where you will be required to sign in your children.  We suggest that you start with your youngest child, since we have early care available for them.  The older kids can enter their room as soon as the door to the conference room is open.  Children are in your care and supervision until the have been signed in and are wearing their name tags.  We ask that you pick up children from youngest to oldest as well to give our oldest the most time to wrap up their small group time.
2. Children will continue in the same color group and with the same small group leader as last year.  New nametags will reflect their color group better this coming year.
3. Please arrive early to complete registration forms for your child on your first visit beginning with September 11.

Staffing in UpStreet

We extend a great big thank you to UpStreet small group leader, Diana Byars as she leaves UpStreet.  She has been a valuable part of the UpStreet team for the past year.   Thank you Diana!  

Diana’s departure opens up a small group leader position on the UpStreet team in the Conference Room working with our lovely Third graders.   If you would be willing to come along side this amazing group of Third graders, please contact Terri Woodard (terri@hillsidemarin.org) to get more information.  

In the meantime, we will be asking parent volunteers to assist in the older children’s environment until a group leader has been found.  A sign up for specific Sundays will be available at the registration table outside the conference room as well as in the registration area in the children’s ministry wing.  

Youth & Families Ministry

The fall calendar for Youth is under construction at this time as Ryan meets with the youth volunteers to create events and check out the local camps and events.  

Don’t miss the Wednesday nights at the House at Hillside for Senior High Students.

For Middle Schoolers, as soon as we get the info from Wyldlife we will let you know but be sure to come on Sundays!

If you have a student at home that you want to receive information regarding what is going on in the youth department here at Hillside, please contact the church office (415-924-2297 x100 or x101) and ask to be placed on the youth email list.  Also to make sure that we have your students correction information about age, grade, gender, school, birthday, etc.  Or you can provide that information on a Welcome Card on Sunday morning and ask for Ryan to give you a call.  

Contact Info:  Ryan Reed  Office: 415-924-2297 x106   ryan@hillsidemarin.org

Join our Youth Group website on Facebook: search Facebook for Hillside Youth or http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=314878230206&v=wall

Mid-Summer Blahs

It's mid-July and it's so easy to get caught up in the activities of summer and take a vacation from church.

Here are some reasons why parents of children and youth should make coming to church a priority even during the summer.

1) Consistency.  Where children are concerned, consistency of routine is critical to their learning regardless of their age.  Transitions are the hardest elements for parents to manage so keeping the routine helps children feel safe and secure.  Consistency also makes it easier for teens and limit the conflicts.  Most teens don't want to go where they don't have friends, want your kids to have a Christian peer group, then they need to make their primary friendships at church.  It's all about having a known and predictable schedule.

2) Community.  The Waumba Land and UpStreet teams work all year long at creating a community of friends within their small groups.  Community grows in importance as your kids get older.  We want our church community kids to be each others best friends, here and on the school grounds, where similar values are reflected in their friends and their families and ultimately in their choices.

3) Spiritual Formation.  Just like your children do not stop growing physically over the summer, their interest and need to know about God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Bible and so on, does not stop either.  Without intentional time spent talking about things of spiritual significance in your family life, church is the best environment for those conversations to begin and make it easier for you to piggyback on to as you lead your child spiritually from the home.

4) Reinforcement.  In each environment for children and youth at Hillside have core values that we are teaching and reinforcing each week.  In Waumba Land, 1) God Made Me, 2) God Loves Me and 3) Jesus wants to be my forever friend.  In UpStreet, 1) Make wise choices, 2) Trust God, and 3) Treat others the way you want to be treated.  Our Youth Department is focused on giving life skills to our youth through helping them Discover faith for themeselves, Wonder about the whys and hows of faith, and ultimately grow in Passion about their faith.  Our goal is to have each of these environments in Family Ministry build up a child to the point that when they exit High School they own their own faith journey and walk closely with Christ the rest of their lives.

The truth is that these things don't happen if you are only exposing your children to our environments  four or even ten times a year.  The reality for us is that for ministry to have a positive effect in a child's everyday life, we need to have your kids in our environments 40, yes 40 Sundays a year to even keep the process moving in that direction.  That's three out of four Sundays a month.  It will also take you, as the parent, having faith-filled discussions with your kids during meals, while traveling together, and any other time you can find a window to talk about faith, and the church providing excellent environments, leadership, materials for this to happen.  That is why partnering with parents is one of our primary goals.

As a function of that partnership, we want to equip parents well.  To do this we have take home sheets in all our environments called Parent Cue. The purpose is to help you keep the discussions moving at home, to build on what was begun on Sundays.  Our new CUE BOX ($12) brings home the lesson in a way that appeals to today's elementary age kids using technology and games.

In Waumba Land and UpStreet there is a monthly theme and we take that theme and we teach it through 4 different lenses, one each week.  This is why consistency is so important.  By the end of the fourth Sunday, children are able to share with others what they have learned, recite bible verses, sing songs and tell four unique stories and how they fit into the theme.  It's more than a Bible Story and a coloring sheet - it's not the Sunday School that we grew up with - which is why we call it by the name of the environments.  No one wants to go to another day of school.  At the heart of it all, this is about your child's spiritual journey!  It's important to us and we want it to be important enough to you that you would be willing to make sacrificial changes to make and keep the commitment to attend the 9:30 service 3 out of 4 Sundays a month.  How will we know it's important to you...we'll see you and your children consistently, engaging community and growing spiritually!

More information on the Orange Strategy that we use in family ministry at Hillside can be found at www.whatisorange.org.  Check out the Orange Parent tab!

See you on Sunday!!!!

June 19 - Promotion Sunday, Graduation Celebration, Special Guest at The House, Last chance for Summer Camp

11:00am @ The House

If you have a graduating Middle Schooler into High School or a High Schooler into College and Career then please plan to attend the 11:00am at The House for a brief time of celebration of your child's accomplishment.  

New Middler Schoolers:  If you have a new Middle Schooler, please plan on them staying for the 11:00am so that they can meet and make new friends and be a part of our promotion celebration.

Special Guest at 11:00AM at The House

We also have a guest speaker at The House this Sunday, a candidate for our new Youth Pastor, Ryan Reed.  Ryan will share a bit about himself and why he'd like to be our youth pastor at Hillside.  You can find out more about him on his blog: www.ryanr.org 

You are Invited to meet our Special Guest:

Following the service at 11:00am, parents and students grade 5th through college are encouraged to come directly to the House to meet Ryan and his wife Stacy.

Summer Camp - Last Chance!

We still have 3 spots for HS girls and 3 spots for HS boys for summer camp...deadline is June 20 to put your name on a spot and pay your deposit of $100.  Junior High has some spots in August.  www.MountHermon.org for more information.  HS:  Week 6, July 17-23. JH:  Week 9, August 7-13.

Cost:$545 per child.  $100 due at time of reservation; $445 due June 30.

If you have a 2nd through 6th grader that you would like to send to Summer Camp, please give me a call and we will talk about all of the options out there for your child.

Summer of Service

This summer our focus will be on serving others whenever and where ever possible.  Jeff Broussard is coordinating our Summer of Service so check in with him about ways that you can be plugged into a place of service with others.

Stay Up-to-date even if you are away from Hillside

Youth Facebook Page & the Family Ministry Blog will help you keep informed about what's going on...sign up to follow or to receive email updates.  http://hillsidefamilyministry.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=314878230206

 

If you have any questions, or want to register for one of the summer camps, please feel free to contact me directly and please be sure to RSVP if you have a graduate.

For parents only...encouragement to not "go it alone"

FOR PARENTS ONLY: 

Over the next three weeks, we are talking to your student about the importance of community & to be in service to others. What that means is simply this—we need other people. God never meant for us to go through this life alone. There are times when each one of us knows that very well, and then there are other times when it’s the last thing on our minds. Wherever you are at, you need other people. And they need you. It’s part of how we see God in action in our world. It’s also how we learn more about Him and ourselves. So as we kick off this series and begin or SUMMER OF SERVICE, I thought you might appreciated the thought represented in the article below.  

Recently, I ran across the following article from Carey Nieuwhof, the Senior Pastor of Connexus Church in Canada. It’s a very candid confession, and one that may reflect your story at some point in your life. 

FIND A FRIEND 

By Carey Nieuwhof

By default over the years, I have been a pretty private person. I handle most things pretty tightly. I don't have a lot of people who are close to me, but those who are close to me are people I trust implicitly and establish a deep loyalty to.

When I was going through a tough season a few years ago, I went to see some Christian counselors, and their helpful message was simply this—I couldn't go through this alone. Everything inside me said, "Yes, I can," but I realized they were right. I couldn't do it alone.

I remember the night I shared what I was going through with my community group at the time. I'm sure my pride had kept me from talking about it before. Plus, I had earlier been convinced I would just wake up out of this at some point and it would go away. I didn't need to tell anyone. Clearly, that strategy was failing. So I talked to our community group through some tears one night. The love, prayer, empathy and compassion that poured forth was huge. I was humbled and blown away.

Toni, my wife, continues to show an unbelievable kindness. And I have a handful of close friends near and far (some live a long way away), some colleagues and some staffers who tracked with me through this season. I am so grateful for them.

Friendship is still not easy for me. I am really quite private at my core. In this networked world, I know thousands of people by name, but if people get too close, I can still push away. I'm working on that. God's working on that. There has been some big progress on that, I think.

But what I want to say is that I have come to realize that you can't do it alone. We are social beings. We are meant to be together.

I am always surprised that when I sit down with someone to talk through a life situation they are going through, and I ask them "Who else do you talk to this about?", the #1 answer is "No one," That breaks my heart.

If you're going through a hard time, find a friend. Talk to them. Pray with them. For me, it was hard, but life giving, to include a handful of people in a circle. It was life giving to see a group of people in my community group care deeply. We can’t do this alone—and we were never meant to do it that way. 

If you have not found your way into a community group at Hillside yet, please note that most of our current groups will be taking a summer break and we are looking to launch new groups this fall.  So begin now to open a time in your weekly schedule for next fall so that you can join into a community that will enhance your life journey and hopefully deepen your walk with Christ.  Your commitment to opening a time and opportunity to join a community group and your own spiritual development will be worth it.

If you have any questions about Community Groups at Hillside for adults contact Pastor Steve Pridemore (steve@hillsidemarin.org) or for children and youth, contact me (terri@hillsidemarin.org).

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