Category: Children

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“Family Activities from PUMC Children’s Ministry” Evangeline Burgers

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, it is a glorious time! I hope you are all well and having a wonderful week together at home.

I’ve recorded another read aloud video for our children: What Mary Jo Shared, by Janice May Udry. It is the story of a girl who has a hard time finding a story to share, but when she does it brings her new life! This is a great one for those of us (young or old!) who always feel like, “I don’t know what to share!” I hope you can check it out with your family on our PUMC Flipgrid: https://flipgrid.com/45caa357 and respond with your own stories.

I was inspired by Pastor Jenny’s inclusion in her sermon last Sunday of the importance of changemakers telling their story to make a difference for our world. I picked up this book earlier this year called, Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints, by Daneen Akers. It is a book full of stories of real-life faith heroes, many who are still doing important work among us. The price tag is, unfortunately, a bit high, but the author is reading aloud a new story each week on her YouTube channel. I highly recommend this resource for you and your kids!

Family Story Activity: 

That’s Not How the Story Ends (from 52 Uncommon Family Adventures)

Take turns sharing your favorite stories from books, movies, and TV shows. Briefly explain how the story actually ends and then take turns offering your own ending – one that’s happier, stranger, or more interesting. Your ending may turn a minor character into a heroine or turn a tragic death into nothing more than a close call. The aim is to inspire creativity. Then, talk about some real-life alternate endings you’ve experienced – that is, when you thought a situation would turn out one way but were surprised when it turned out another way. Try to keep the stories positive, with endings that turned out better than expected. Your goal is to help kids understand that dread, fear, and worry are sometimes misplaced emotions. If we can’t see how something good ultimately can come from something that seems bad, we’re not looking at it from the right perspective. We’re not taking into account how
God can change the ending.

 

 

 

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Happy National Day of Prayer! Evangeline Burgers

To honor this National Day of Prayer, here are some great resources:

For our younger ones (and young at heart!),  ‘Friends With God: Discover How to Pray by Jeff White and David Harrington, contains prayer activities and stories from friends in the Bible. Consider taking a walk around the house with your child, looking at photos of family and friends. Use these photos as an opportunity for prayer. You might say, “God bless Grandpa.” or “I pray for peace for my friends from school.”

 

For our older kids and families, here’s a great family prayer activity from  Faithful Families by Traci Smith.

Smartphone Prayers:

1. For this practice, one family member will act as the leader, and others will be participants. Rotate who serves as the leader, to give everyone a chance to participate in the prayer.

2. The leader will call everyone together and explain ‘Smartphone Prayer.’  Say, “This prayer moves through five different activities on our smartphones. Each is one minute long. I will tell you what to do for each activity and then start my timer. When the timer rings, look up at me and listen for the next mission.”

3. Go through the five missions as follows, making sure the leader sets his/her timer after each instruction and calls everyone back together before presenting the next mission:

– Minute One: Go to your text messages and take a look at the last five people in the recent messages, whether they are people you text regularly or people you don’t know at all. Take this minute to pray for each of the five people listed there.

– Minute Two: Go to a news app or website and take a minute to scroll through the headlines. Pray for what jumps out at you as a prayer need this day.

– Minute Three: Go to the notepad and spend this minute typing out whatever comes to mind: praise, gratitude, confession, or requests to God.

– Minute Four: Go to your favorite social media site and spend this minute praying for the people who come up on your feed during this minute.

– Minute Five: Go to your photos. Take this moment to scroll through the most recent twenty or so photos. What prayers come to mind? Lift them up to God now.

4. Follow up: After the five-minute prayer is over, take a couple of minutes to talk about the activity together using one or more of the following questions:

Was there anything surprising or unusual that you heard from God when you were using your cell phone to pray today? What was the most important prayer that came through today? How can we incorporate this attitude of prayer as we use our smartphones throughout the week? In your opinion, does technology draw us closer to God or farther away? Talk a little about your opinion.

 

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What’s Your Story: Name Edition

Letter From Evangeline Burgers

Hello Church Community,

I pray that you had a great time celebrating our Earth on Wednesday and that you’ve overall had a good week with your families at home. 

Last week, Pastor Jenny started a new sermon series on stories and she challenged us to share a story about our beginning. One way children might think about their story of beginning is through sharing about their names. One of my very favorite activities to do when I taught Kindergarten was for parents to share the story of their child’s name with the class. We all learned so much about our friends this way and I found it a powerful opportunity to build up a child’s esteem and affirm their identity.

I’ve recorded a read-aloud of my personal favorite book, Chrysanthemum, to help our children think about names and their significance. There’s also this fun video from Scholastic featuring people sharing their name stories. 

If you have a chance, talk with your child about their name. Tell the story of how you decided on their name when they were a baby. Are they named after a specific ancestor or special friend? Is there a funny story about how their name came to be? Why did you love it? Then help your child to share the story of their name in the read-aloud YouTube comments. I pray this will be a fun way for our children to share their personal name stories with one another.

Names are just one small piece of what makes our story special. I love the image Pastor Jenny mentioned last week from Psalms about God knitting us in our mother’s womb. What a beautiful and exciting life we live, that we get to co-write our stories with God!

To follow up from Sunday School last week, I challenged our children to reach out to a friend they are missing and tell them how much they care about them. I’ve attached a “Thinking of You” coloring page here for them to do just that!

Have a great week and let me know if you need anything!

Love,

Evangeline Burgers

Director of Children’s Ministry

Princeton UMC

609-924-2613 (church phone)

She/Her/Hers

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Happy Earth Day!

Canticle of Creation
The Canticle of Creation
By Evangeline Burgers
Happy Earth Day! Did you know that today marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day? To commemorate this special day, I’ve put together some fun resources for your families to use. Pastor Jenny opened her new sermon series this past week talking about God’s story (and our story!) in Genesis and it feels fitting to continue to celebrate our Earth and Cosmos with Genesis this week with our families!
St. Francis of Assisi wrote a beautiful “Canticle of Creation”. Feel free to print off the attached coloring page of the prayer to reflect on God’s creation. Then you can turn it into a “stained glass window” by following these easy steps with your coloring page.
Here is an imaginative prayer to celebrate Earth Day!  I’ve recorded myself leading the prayer, but you might rather do it as a family so there is a .pdf attached of this prayer, “God Loves So Many Things”, from Jared Patrick Boyd’s book, Imaginative Prayer.
Henry and I have been LOVING reading a new book this week that is inspired by God’s story told in Genesis. It is called Love Made and it was written by a spoken word artist named Quina Aragon, when she was pregnant with her daughter. Here is a beautiful animation video with the same poem that was made before the book was published. Then the author tells her powerful story here, with a preview of the picture book. I’m excited for us to continue to explore our own stories with our families in the coming days.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about anything and I hope to see our children at 4:30 today at online  Children’s Choir practice with Mr. Tom.
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When God Made Light –

When God Made Light

For the children’s message on April 19, 2020, Pastor Jenny Smith Walz introduced this book, When God Made Light. by Matthew Paul Turner, illustrated by David Catrow.

One of the scripture stories for the first Sunday after Easter was from Genesis 1.

The second scripture was from John 1, a retelling of the birth of Jesus.

(If trying to support area merchants, this book can be ordered from Labyrinth Bookstore, with free delivery or curbside pickup. )

 

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‘Butterfly Hug Prayer’ for Stress and Worry

by Evangeline Burgers

Are you and/or your child experiencing anxiety right now? The Butterfly Hug may be a good prayer and calming technique for you to try. I’ve recorded a video to help your family learn this Butterfly Hug prayer, which was developed by a therapist in Mexico to help children who were dealing with trauma following a hurricane. While we may not be currently facing an actual hurricane, we are very much experiencing trauma. I pray this prayer practice brings feelings of peace to you and your family. Remember that it is a “practice.” which means it may not come easy to all of us right away. Practice makes better!

Lines from Psalm 139,

If I flew on morning’s wings
    to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
    you’re already there waiting!

Credit for the prayer:

Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home by Traci Smith.

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Talking with Children About Grief

Evangeline Burgers - Director of Children’s Ministry
Evangeline Burgers – Director of Children’s Ministry

by Evangeline Burgers

In talking with members of our church family in the past few days, I am realizing that COVID-19 and the loss that trails behind it is starting to hit very close to home for many of us. A member of our church family passed away last week from the virus. You may very well know others who have lost their lives recently, due to COVID or other causes. Unfortunately, there may be more in the coming days.

So how do we tell our kids about death and dying? How can we help them grieve? Last Fall, our Sunday School teachers participated in some training in how to help our children with grief. I have some of the highlights below and I’ve also added some more tips I found helpful in watching this recent webinar* on talking with children about death. I encourage you to watch the video, but here are some highlights.

Helping Kids Cope with Grief:

– Speak completely about death with children: “____ stopped breathing and they have died.” Avoid saying confusing things like, “_____ is sleeping for a long time.”

– Model openness and vulnerability for children: Name exactly how you’re feeling when you find yourself missing someone who died.

– Name that it is okay to laugh and be happy when you’re feeling sad and missing someone who has died.

– Encourage children to ask questions.

– Reflect on coping strategies that work well for you. Model these and name them for your child(ren). For example, “I need to go for a walk right now to help me think about my sadness.”

– Grief is not only about people dying. Our children may be currently grieving other things, like seeing friends, playing sports, going to church and school, etc.

– Follow kids’ leads for their preferred grief outlets: coloring, imaginative play, playing games, etc.

– Some children may be withdrawing into solitude in their rooms – keep inviting them to do activities as a family, like eating together, going for a walk, playing games, or whatever their interests might be.

– Talk about all of the helpers in your community and the extraordinary displays of love being shown by humanity right now!

– Don’t try to fix their feelings. Let them feel sad and affirm their sadness with statements like, “I feel sad, too.”  Giving them space to feel their grief equips them for emotional regulation.

– Be patient with their grief process: your child might have big feelings about seemingly trivial things. (my son Henry was SO mad today that he couldn’t eat pizza for lunch!) This is part of their grief process.

Good Theology for Talking with Kids about Loss:

– Jesus came here to be human and show us all of the feelings. John said, “Jesus wept”. God’s faithful people do not always experience joy. It is okay to feel sadness and despair.

– When children ask tough questions, it is okay to tell them that we don’t know all of the answers. Have grace for yourselves. We don’t know the full nature of God.

– Children may need some sensory practices to help them remember God is with them. Light a candle, ring a bell or chime, or give them a rock to hold to remind them that God is near.

– Children can write a letter to God with their feelings. Tell them God is big enough to handle any feelings or thoughts they lift up.

– Go into the Psalms and read them with your child to show them that generations of people have suffered and asked questions of God.

– Reread the Holy Week scriptures together. Acknowledge the suffering Christ endured, while also reminding them that the story did not end with Christ’s death on the cross. Help them make spiritual meaning in this: what we are experiencing now is not the end!

– Be ready to theologically learn from your child. They can be the best theologians around!

Children’s Book Recommendations:

Badger’s Parting Gifts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRTRABhJTbo

The Invisible String: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlUxXexjhYI

Images of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rWTFJPTvA0

 We Are Here For You:

Please know that our clergy and church staff are also here for you and your family right now. Feel free to email us or give us a call if you and/or your children need someone to talk with about big feelings. I also encourage you to join our PUMC Families WhatsApp group to share/receive ideas, prayer concerns, and to stay connected. While we cannot gather together physically, please know that your feelings are valid and that you are not alone!

Love,

Evangeline Burgers

Evangeline@PrincetonUMC.org

Director of Children’s Ministry at Princeton United Methodist Church

She/Her/Hers

Preview YouTube video Parent Webinar – Talking with Children about Death

Parent Webinar – Talking with Children about Death

Preview YouTube video [Badger’s Parting Gifts] By Susan Varley ♡ Spoken Ruby Dee

[Badger’s Parting Gifts] By Susan Varley ♡ Spoken Ruby Dee

Preview YouTube video The Invisible String Read Aloud for Kids!

The Invisible String Read Aloud for Kids!

Preview YouTube video Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval

*The webinar involved two experts from Green Leaf Psychology (Dr. Jennifer McCollum, Licensed Clinical Psychologist) and Sandra Concannon, Marriage & Family Therapist, along with four from Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church —  Rev. Jaime Polson, Pastor for Family Ministry & Executive Leadership, Lori Robinson, Associate Director of Children’s Ministry, Keris Dahlkamp, Director of Youth Ministry, and the moderator, Ryan Timpte, Director of Children’s Ministry,

 

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Kids Singing Alone but Together

Princeton United Methodist Church

Tom Shelton Director of PUMC Children's and Youth ChoirsThanks to the video conferencing program Zoom and the efforts of church staff, children and youth can participate in church life through Sunday School, Confirmation Class, Youth Fellowship – and even the children’s choir meets online with Tom Shelton, children’s and youth choir director.

 

For instance, at the 30-minute practice on April 1, Tom  opened with fun vocal warmups, giving everyone a chance to demonstrate. With a short video, he reviewed what Palm Sunday means and connected it to Sunday’s worship. Children learned the “Hosanna” opening hymn to get ready to wave palms from their homes on Sunday.

Sometimes the children saw only Tom, sometimes they saw and heard one person singing a solo, sometimes their faces were spread out in a grid. “It does my heart good,” says Tom, when I look at all of their faces, and they are sitting up tall in their chairs at home and actually singing!

Connection is the most important part, Tom says. “These are troubling times. It’s nice to have some sense of normalcy or ‘routine’ when everything they are used to is ‘up in the air.’ They LOVE being together!”]

It is takes three times longer to plan a virtual class, practicing how to move from warm up exercises to showing a score. Mostly the singer’s screens are muted, but they unmute themselves to respond. “I love how much they want to be a leader and sing an example,” says Tom. “I have to be very conscious that It’s not ‘just singing,’ but that I’m stretching them musically, by asking questions and having them explain the answers or type the answer in the “chat” message box.

On April 15 the singers will enjoy a treat. They will reprise the musical from February in a virtual “sing along!”

Says Tom: “One positive thing – I’m growing a lot by doing this! I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! “

 

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Loving Music at an Early Age: PUMC’s Choirs

The beauty of Christian music comes alive when children and youth feel what the lyrics say, says Tom Shelton, PUMC’s director of children’s and youth choirs and a sacred music professor at Westminster Choir College.

Encourage families you know to bring their children to choir practice! Choristers learn good singing techniques and music theory; they participate in worship monthly, present a musical, and sing at special services throughout the year.

Open houses for parents and children will be Wednesday, September 18 at 4:30 p.m. (kindergarten and first grade) and the same day at 5:30 p.m. for second through fifth grade.

The first rehearsal for youth (grades 6-12) is Sunday, September 15, 5 p.m. Tom teaches the youngest children, ages three and four, during their Sunday School class.

There is no charge to be in a choir, and singers do not need to be church members.”I want young singers to love music their whole life, not just for the time they are with me,” says Tom.

 

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Summer Sundays with Legos: Fun and Learning

Building with Lego Robots to learn about God — it’s what people of all ages are doing at Princeton UMC for Summer Sundays 2019. After Children’s Time in today’s worship service, the younger children began to build elements of God’s Creation, and the older children will populate the scene by building robots — all under the super-organized direction of Steve Wong and Lorie Roth and their adult and teen helpers,including  Robin,  William, Phoebe, Mae, and Leanne.

The learning and fun continue through the summer and all children are welcome. You don’t need to be enrolled to attend. On Sunday, July 14, everyone will be in church to welcome home our Appalachia Service Project Team!

Meanwhile, downstairs, the younger children are learning about God through play in the well equipped nursery/kindergarten space. Thanks, Marie, Malisa, Abrefi, and Iona — other volunteers are welcome!