Mar 5, 2023 | All News, Children's, Family Ministries
Sunday, April 2 is Palm Sunday. Children of all ages are invited to participate in worship by waving palm branches at the beginning of the 9:30 and 11 a.m. services.
To participate in the 9:30 a.m. Harnish Center Service: All preschool and elementary families need to check children in on the iPads in the Wesley Center lobby first, then meet in the courtyard by 9:20 a.m.
Preschool Families:
- Check in & Drop off on the Playground.
- After the processional, Preschoolers will go to the Chapel for a special Palm Sunday lesson.
- Children under 2 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver, and then may be checked in to the nursery after the processional.
Elementary Families:
- Check in & Drop off in the courtyard.
- After the processional, children will go to the chapel for a special Palm Sunday lesson.
To participate in the 11 a.m. Sanctuary Service:
- Meet in the Courtyard by 10:55 a.m. (No check-in required for Grades 1 – 5)
- Children can meet Ms. Kim and Ms. Amanda in the Courtyard to process through the Sanctuary and will be dismissed to sit with their families from the side aisle after the processional.
- Children under 2 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
Nursery children are welcome to participate with their families at both services. After the processional, parents or caretakers will then need to check in and drop off their nursery child in the Nursery.
Bring a palm branch and join the celebration! (Please bring a child-sized palm branch that is easy for your kiddo to wave on their own.)
Questions? Contact the Children’s Team!
The Faith Step Sacraments Experience for Grades 1-5 on Wednesday, March 29, Learn more and RSVP now.
Mar 9, 2021 | All News, Children's, Youth, Family Ministries
We’re so glad you could be here today!
Jesus loves us and he showed his love for us by the way he lived, and died, and then rose again.
We invite you to “Walk With Jesus” from stations 1 through 7.
At each station, you will find a three-step invitation to immerse your family in a Holy Experience.
Step 1: A reading about what Jesus went through during Holy Week.
Step 2: A sensory experience to take part in to bring your family closer to Jesus.
Step 3: A response, or a way that we too can follow Jesus every day.
We encourage you to use this time to connect further to God and your family.
Stations
Station 1: Palm Sunday – Touch
Reading: When Jesus came to Jerusalem, people were so happy to see him. They were excited; a parade was coming! But this wasn’t just any parade – the celebration was for Jesus! As Jesus passed by riding a donkey, the people shouted, “Hosanna!” and they waved palm branches.
Experience: Make a celebration cross out of a palm leaf, just like the crowds used with Jesus.
Watch this video to learn how to make your Palm Cross.
You may also choose to grab a scarf and wave it around while dancing and shouting “Hosanna.”
Response: Just like the crowd of people praised Jesus, we can still praise Him today. We can follow Jesus by praising Him!
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Station 2: Serving – Touch
Reading: Later that week, Jesus and his friends had a party with a big meal. When his friends sat to eat, Jesus did a surprising thing. He got up and washed his friends’ feet. The roads they walked on were dusty, their feet were dirty, and Jesus wanted to something helpful for his friends. When Jesus finished, he told his friends that they too could show love by helping others.
Experience: Make a Get-Well Card to help bring joy to people in the hospital. Talk to your family about other ways you can help serve people in your community.
These cards will be given to the Pastor of Congregational Care to deliver during hospital visits.
Response: Jesus asks us to serve others. We can do this by helping our family, our friends and other kids like you. We can follow Jesus by helping others!
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Station 3: The Last Supper – Taste
Pastor Sally will lead you through this station.
Reading: At his last supper with his friends Jesus took some bread and broke it and said, “This is my body given for you. Do this to remember me.”
Then he took the cup of wine and said, “This is my blood that was shed for you. Do this to remember me.”
Experience: Eat and drink your Communion elements to remember Jesus at the Last Supper. Take a moment here to reflect; enjoy the music, say a family prayer at the kneeler or light a candle.
Response: God loved us so much he gave his only son. Our world needs that kind of love. We can follow Jesus by loving all the people in the world.
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Station 4: The Garden of Gethsemane – Sight and Touch
Reading: The Bible tells us that Jesus knew something bad was going to happen to him. So, Jesus went to a garden with some of his friends to pray. Jesus was sad that day when he prayed. He knew what was coming and he was telling God that he loved Him and would do what he wanted even though he didn’t want to.
Experience: Jesus prayed for help to sort through all the emotions he was experiencing. We all have times when we feel overwhelmed, sad, or frustrated. Discuss what brings you joy, comfort, peace, patience, etc. As a family choose one word from that discussion. Using the tiles, write out the word, and add it to our prayer puzzle. Then pray for each other.
Response: We can talk to God anytime, anywhere. When we pray, God hears everything we say to him. We can follow Jesus by praying!
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Station 5: Jesus is put on the cross – Sound and Touch
Reading: When Jesus came to Jerusalem, people were so happy to see him! But soon, those people were angry and wanted to hurt Jesus.
Two of his own followers made bad choices that would end up hurting Jesus instead.
The first one, Judas, betrayed Jesus and made a deal with a mean man. Judas was given money to point Jesus out to the angry people so he could be arrested.
The second one, Peter, hid while Jesus was arrested. When people saw him and asked him three separate times if he was friends with Jesus, he said no each time.
Soon after, the angry people took Jesus to a hill, where he was nailed to a cross. The sound of the hammer hitting the nail echoed through the hilltop. Eventually Jesus died on the cross.
Even though Jesus never did anything wrong, he gave up his life so that his followers, you, and every other person, would be forgiven for any bad choices they might make.
Experience: Take a hammer to pound on a nail in the board. Think about or pray for people that need love and forgiveness.
Response: We have all made mistakes or had our feelings hurt. Jesus knew what was going to happen and forgave his friends. We can follow Jesus by showing forgiveness to everyone!
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Station 6: The tomb – Smell
Reading: After Jesus died, his body was brought to a tomb, which was kind of like a cave. His body was wrapped in linen strips with herbs and spices as was the Jewish custom. Then a huge, heavy stone was rolled in front of the entrance.
Experience: Take an organza bag and collect the objects laid out at this station. Pluck the herbs from the plant. Snap the strongly scented cinnamon stick. Rip a piece of cloth and paint it with scented oil. Lastly, put in a stone to help remind you of how the tomb was sealed.
Response: This was a custom done to respect and honor a person when they passed away. We can follow Jesus by showing respect to all people!
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Station 7: Easter morning – Sight and Touch
Reading: Very early on Sunday morning, three days after Jesus died, some of the women went to the tomb. They found the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty.
Jesus was not there! They were so upset. Who would take Jesus’ body?
Then an angel appeared and told the women, “Do not be afraid. He is not here; he has risen from death!”
They left the tomb and went to tell Jesus’ followers the Good News!
What was meant for death has brought new life.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!
Experience: Create a family tile together. As you make your design you can say (or even sing) praises to God; for Jesus, for His unending grace, and his unconditional love of everyone. These tiles will be connected together to create a cross that will be on display in the Wesley Center.
Response: Jesus died on the cross because he loves us so much and then he came back to life to live in our hearts forever. We can follow Jesus by telling others how much Jesus loves them!
Thank you for joining us to “Walk With Jesus”!
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Nov 23, 2020 | Archive, Family Ministries
Whether you’re familiar with the Advent Wreath or it’s a new concept for you, Hyde Park is taking a new approach to an favorite tradition this year. It’s likely that the use of Advent Wreath in the Christian tradition began in the home as a focal point of devotion. It was then adopted in regular worship services during the season of Advent, the four Sundays prior to Christmas. Because we will be celebrating Christmas in online worship services, we are providing ways for you to create an Advent Wreath for your own home.
Different Types of Wreaths
A coloring version is available at illustratedministry.com. Our Children’s and Youth Ministry will be distributing these materials during our Advent Kit Pick-Up Event on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. Find more information here.
To make a traditional wreath, use a circular oasis and either artificial greenery or real greenery. The advantage of the artificial version is that you can use it again in future years. One made with real greenery requires periodic watering to keep the greenery fresh. Regardless of how you make it, the fundamental aspect of the wreath is a circle with four candles, representing that Jesus is the light of the world.
Resources
Experience Christmas at Hyde Park United Methodist with all our events and worship services.
Oct 20, 2020 | All News, Family Ministries
We have some Manna Bags that are for sale if any family would like to pick some up. Please contact Emily, email, if you’d like to purchase and pick them up for $5 each.
If you would like to make your own Manna Bags at home, these are the items that we use to make them:
- Fruit Gummy Pack (small): Kellogg’s Fruity Snacks Variety Pack (2.5 oz., 36 ct.)
- Beef Jerky/Slim Jims: Slim Jim Original (120 ct.)
- GO GO Apple Sauce: GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce, Apple Apple (3.2 oz., 28 ct.)
- Salted peanuts or mixed nuts (2 oz pkg): Planters Snack Nuts Variety Pack (1.75 oz. Pouches, 24 ct.)
- Small waters: Member’s Mark Purified Bottled Water (8oz / 80pk
- Cheese and peanut butter crackers: Lance Sandwich Crackers, Variety Pack (1.41 oz., 40 ct.)
- Vienna Sausage: Armour Vienna Sausage (4.6 oz. can, 18 ct.)
- Breakfast bar: Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Crunchy Granola Bars (49 pk.)
- Plastic fork and spoon w/napkin: Member’s Mark White Plastic Cutlery Packets (200 ct.)
- Gallon Freeze Ziplocs: Ziploc Storage Slider Gallon Bags (120 ct.)
- Hillsborough Homeless Coalition Street Survival Guide (.pdf)
- Jesus Loves Me card
- Sanitary Wipes
- Socks
Jul 8, 2020 | All News, Family Ministries
How is everyone doing in your house? No, really! How is the worry and anxiety level in your home this week?
Do you know what the most common mental concern is in the United States is? It is Anxiety Disorder. It effects 40 million adults. It also is the most common mental struggle for children and teens. Nearly 32% of adolescents have suffered from serious anxiety at some point.
According to statistics and studies, if you have a child or teen in your home, there is a 1 in 3 chance they are struggling with some form of anxiety. Thanks to phones and social media, teen anxiety disorder is on the rise. It is not surprising, but that does not mean we as Christians need to brush it off as lack of faith or spiritual weakness either.
We want to offer you some helpful, loving advice and guidance. We do not want to ignore this growing problem that may be also impacting your family. We want to encourage you to take the time with our child to talk about how they are feeling. Find out what is stressing them or what might be bringing on worry before it turns into something more.
Not every feeling of anxiety and worry is sin or evil. We know that there are many things that can affect your children and their feelings of anxiety. We do have a powerful God with powerful promises. As you pray over your child this week, whether they are struggling with anxiety or not, consider a few of these verses.
- Luke 12:22-26: May my child not be worried or anxious about the superficial things of this world.
- Psalm 27:1: God, allow my child to realize that they can run to you in moments of anxiety and you will protect them.
- Psalm 118:6-7: Guide my child as they go through their day today. Allow them to not worry about what other people say, think, or do.
- Philippians 4:6-7: Lord, give my child peace in their heart and their mind.
Watch this great video resource as soon as you can. We hope this helps you and gives you a bit of time to reflect on your child/children’s mental, emotional and spiritual health. Take the time today or this week to sit down face-to-face as a family and check in on each other’s worries and anxiety levels.
We are available to talk, pray, or just listen to you and/or your child. Helping a child or teen with anxiety is a challenge Click here for age-appropriate resource for your child or teen for tips and practical ways you can help. If you are seeking professional advice or help, please also let us know. We would love to suggest some local adolescent professionals in our area. We are praying for you! Let us know how we can pray specifically for you and your family.
