Children's Ministries Newsletter
June 1 - June 15 John Wesley UMC - 2 Week Edition!
A Note From Hope : )
Happy Monday & Happy Summer!
This week's newsletter will contain info for the next two weeks and there will not be a separate Children's Ministries Newsletter next week. My family (all of us!) are going to the beach next week for a full week together and I am going to plan to truly take a break (which those of you who know me well know that I rarely do!). I'm very excited to spend this time with all of us together (that gets so much harder as children grow up!) and hopefully relaxing before I come back and hit the ground running for Montreat, Sports Camp, and VBS, along with 2 weeks of Day School camp. Please be patient if you reach out next week, and please know that I will respond, just likely not as quickly as a normal work week. I will be in church this coming Sunday, but I will not be here on the 15th, so I am working this week to be sure to have everything covered that Sunday. Look for information for the next 2 weeks in this newsletter, and if you see a way you can help and you're willing to join us as a volunteer, we'd love to have you and yes! we DO need you!.
Summer at JW is not our "slow time" in Children's Ministries; we continue on with our Sunday morning ministries and we offer lots of other ways to join us as well; you'll find more information about our summer plans and HOW YOU CAN HELP right here in this newsletter. We need you to make this summer a success!
We are gearing up for a fun-filled, faith-filled SUMMER 2025 and there's no better time to join us. Read more about our upcoming ministries in this newsletter and please reach out if you have questions or want more information about how you and your family can be involved in all that JWUMC has to offer families and children and youth of all ages!
With Love,
Hope
hmurphy_227@yahoo.com / 843-343-3314
Montreat Meeting THIS Wednesday 6/4/25 at 6 p.m.
We are excited to be taking over 50 children, youth and adults to Montreat this summer!
There will be a Montreat meeting this Wednesday, June 4 at 6:00 pm in the sanctuary. This meeting will cover important information about our upcoming trip. All children, youth, adults, and chaperones attending need to be present, as well as the parent of a child/youth attending.
Our children and youth will be attending the conference at Montreat June 22 - 28th.
Worship Helpers for the next TWO SUNDAYS: June 8 & June 15
Sunday,June 8, 2025
Bible Bearers: 8:30 Riley Pickard / 11:00 Olivia Peper
Children's Sermon: Hope Murphy
Children's Church: 8:30 Carrie Tamsberg / 11:00 Celia Jones
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Bible Bearers: 8:30 Brooks Pickard / 11:00 Preston Stanley
Children's Sermon: Dan Schwartz
Children's Church: 8:30 Mary Wise / 11: Celia Jones
*Look Ahead At Children's Church Dates to Serve:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094CA5AD2FA13-childrens1#/(Children's Church)
*Look Ahead At Bible Bearer Dates to Serve:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094CA5AD2FA13-bible#/ (BIBLE BEARERS)
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN JUNE: Children Church Teachers and Bible Bearers
We know schedules change in the summer months, but we still need Bible Bearers and Children's Church leaders all summer long. We have lots of gaps in June and I'd love your help, so if you could check your family's calendars and if you're available (or your elementary aged child is and would like to be Bible Bearer), please look at our available dates and help us fill these spots so that we can continue to provide these ministries during the summer months.
Children's Church Volunteers Needed:
June 8 at 11
June 15 at 11
June 22 at 11
June 29 at 11
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094CA5AD2FA13-childrens1#/
Bible Bearer Needed:
June 29 at 11
Campaign 81: Information for Parents & Children
A NOTE FROM MISSY
The children's Sunday School teachers have been using a "Tithing Jar" in the Sunday School classrooms since October, sharing with the children what it means to give to God. Just as we are considering our individual tithes during Campaign 81, we are asking that adults at John Wesley UMC use this time to talk about and model giving with your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends in the months ahead. The following is an excerpt from an article by Dan Pezet, a United Methodist pastor. It first appeared as a blog in 2012 and has been adapted from the Lewis Center's Leading Ideas for this newsletter.
Teaching children to tithe is an important part of their faith education that we often overlook. Giving to God is a care value of our faith that should be taught early and reinforced often.
The most common way that I see tithing taught to children is simply by grownups giving children a quarter to put in the offering plate. This is all right for very young children because it gives them the opportunity to participate in giving. But this may not send the right message to elementary school children. First, the money wasn't theirs to begin with, so they do not feel the satisfaction of it being a personal gift to God. Second, it does not teach proportionality in giving or the idea of putting God first in our finances.
We want to teach children to be intentional about their giving. But our adult understanding of tithing can be too complex for children. For example, children are not generally taught to figure percentages until their middle-elementary school years. so teaching younger children to calculate a percentage tithe is not age appropriate.
When our son was five, we started to teach him about giving using "money jars." We have three jars sitting on his dresser that are labeled "Money for God," "Money to Save," and "Money to Spend." He gets $2 per week allowance. We give it to him as a dollar bill and 4 quarters; that way one quarter can be given to the God jar, one to the savings jar, and the rest in the spend jar. On Sunday, he takes the quarter from God's jar, and takes it to church as an offering.
As we implemented the jar system we discussed with our children: 1) God made everything, so everything is God's. 2) We want to think about God first. 3) We give to God because we love God.
We STILL need a Children's Church teacher at 11:00 on June 29th!
Please sign up here for vacant dates the rest of the summer!
Our Sign Up Genius Links are now EXTENDED through our summer months! Claim your dates now!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094CA5AD2FA13-childrens1#/(Children's Church).
We welcome any adults who would like to serve to join our rotation of Children's Church leaders at 8:30 and 11:00.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094CA5AD2FA13-bible#/ (BIBLE BEARERS)
Children in grades 1 - 5 are welcome to serve as Bible Bearers!
*If you're looking for a way to connect or serve, please contact me and I am happy to give you more information, support, and help you and your families get more involved in our ministries here at John Wesley!
We Need Some "SUPERHELPERS"!
We Need YOU To Be A Fellowship Friend!
Ever wonder who sets up for a covered dish dinner, making tea and putting out paper products so that the congregation can enjoy a meal together? Or do you consider who might wash and fold cloth table coverings when there is a church event? There are so many little tasks that make our church programs come together, the simple behind the scenes jobs that provide the framework and support for ministry and fellowship. John Wesley UMC needs volunteers who are willing to be SUPERHELPERS behind the scenes!
The Fellowship Friends is a group of individuals who agree to serve for various "behind the scenes" needs at John Wesley. Once committed, Fellowship Friends will receive texts when a need arises and may accept or decline a request to serve according to their own personal schedule and availability.
Join the Fellowship Friends to offer help with...
setting up for church meals (make tea and coffee, organize paper products, cover tables, etc.)
clean up the kitchen after an event (wipe down counters, light sweeping, put away used dishes, etc.)
decorate for special events (Advent, Easter, MDPD, Members in Ministry Breakfast, etc.)
organizing storage and spaces around the church campus
washing and folding tablecloths
and other helpful tasks that make our church programs a welcoming experience for everyone!
Need More Information Before Signing Up? Email Missy, missycario451@gmail.com
VBS Registration Update!
We have reopened the online VBS registration for the time being. As we continue to monitor our incoming forms and the numbers per each class we may have to close some classes or age groups permanently. There also may be periods where the online form is closed again for us to figure class configurations to determine if we can accept more registrations. Please be patient with our process as we strive always to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all our children and volunteers.
AND SPEAKING OF VOLUNTEERS........
*If you've been waiting to sign up to help, please go ahead and do so. Our numbers of volunteers (especially adults) informs the number of children we are able to accept and helps with our registration process. (You'll find the volunteer sign up below too!)
Registration for Our Summer Programs Is LIVE! Links below!
Hit the Road with Us July 21 - 25, 2025!
We are so excited to announce our VBS theme and dates for summer 2025! Click on the link below to see a promotion video about this year's theme. We will begin with our volunteer recruitment next week; we will be looking for adults and youth who can commit to serving with us that week. Our registration for campers for our summer program will not open until March 15th. (We need to have as many volunteers in place by then as possible to help us know how many campers we can safely accommodate this summer.)
So, volunteers, please go ahead and sign up below and spread the word in your classes, groups, Bible studies and circles and lets get our team together!
Sign Up Now to Volunteer at VBS 2025! July 21 - 25, 9 a.m. - noon!
VBS 2025 at John Wesley will be the week of July 21 - 25, 2025 from 9 a.m. to noon each day. We will have a set up day and volunteer meeting on Sunday afternoon July 20, and on Friday July 25 there will be a closing program and lunch beginning at 11:15.
We need volunteers for each of our main areas as well as several with each group of children.
We'd love to have you all week, but we understand that that is a difficult commitment for all, so if you are only available certain days we will be SO grateful to have you whenever you can be here (we will need to know the specific days you can help so we can plan around and make sure we are covered the days you can not serve).
We also have a nursery for children under 4 years old of the volunteers who are serving with us.
In the attached Sign Up Genius link you will find 3 sign ups: One for adult volunteers, One for youth helpers (they must have completed 6th grade) and One sign up for nursery care if you have a child under 4 that will be with you on the days you volunteer.
Summer Sports Camp 2025
Summer Sports Camp: Sign Ups for Campers, Volunteers & Sponsors
We are thrilled to offer our Summer Sports Camp again this summer at Lenevar Park from July 14 - 17, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. We will offer soccer, basketball, flag football, and tennis as well as agility training for children age 4 - current 8th graders. Registration for this camp also begins March 15 and the cost for camp is $80 per camper.
Because of the generosity of our sponsors and coaches, ALL proceeds from Summer Sports Camp go to support mission projects for and by children. We will be reaching out to our wonderful sponsors from previous years soon to inquire about sponsorship this year; we also welcome any new sponsorships at $250, so if you have a business that may be willing to help, please reach out to me or use the link for Sports Camp Sponsorship below (there is even an option to pay and submit your logo for promotional materials within the link). We are so grateful for the sponsors who
Our camp director is Laban Chappell (laban@highseasproperties.com) and he will be lining up coaches for this year's camp. Adults and youth who are in high school (completing 9th grade this year) are welcome to help us coach at camp this year; if you'd like to help with Summer Sports Camp please sign up using the link below.
Montreat 2025---Meeting Date: June 6 at 6 p.m.
Join us at 6 pm in the sanctuary as we go over important dates, details and paperwork for our quickly approaching week at Montreat.
We have Sunday School Classes for all ages, beginning at 9:45 each Sunday!
If you're new to JW and haven't found a class, it's a great time to start; if you've been away from Sunday School for a while and have been meaning to find your way back to a class, NOW is the time come back! We hope you and your whole family will join us in Sunday School this year. For years, I've said this to families about children and Sunday School and I believe and have seen with my own eyes and in my own family that it is true: JWUMC Sunday School is where our children meet their friends and their BEST friend. Sunday School begins at 9:45 and we have a class for EVERYONE! Please reach out to me or to our wonderful Director of Christian Education, Missy Cario (missycario451@gmail.com) if you have questions about Sunday School for any age!
