Prince of Peace Children's Ministry

POP Kids | Use your words wisely. | April 21 & 24, 2024

BIBLE STORY | Use Words Wisely | Ephesians 4:29

WEEKLY OVERVIEW | We finish the month with something Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:29: “Don’t let any evil talk come out of your mouths. Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs.” Our words have the power to help or hurt others. We should use our words responsibly, because what we say and how we speak to others matters.

KEY QUESTION | Why do your words matter?

We need to be aware of the impact our actions have on our relationships—and the words we choose are a big part of that. We hope that we will start to think about the importance of our words and how we can use them responsibly to help others.

BOTTOM LINE | Use your words wisely.

Words are important, but we tend to use them without thinking. We hope that as we discover what Paul wrote in Ephesians, we’ll understand that the way we use our words can show others how much God loves them.

POP Kids | Share what you have. | April 14 & 17, 2024

BIBLE STORY | Bigger Barns | Luke 12:13-21

WEEKLY OVERVIEW | In week 2, we head to Luke 12:13-21, where we find a parable Jesus told about a rich man who was focused on the wrong thing. This man was a successful farmer whose land produced an abundance of crops. He decided to build bigger and bigger barns to collect it all. The man might have had a lot for himself, but he failed to think about how he could have helped the people around him.

KEY QUESTION | What do you have that you can share?

From an early age, most kids are taught to share. As we get older, though, the stakes get higher, and it can take more effort to let others use or borrow our things. As we ask this question, we pray that we will see that we can share more than our stuff. We can share our time, our friendship, and our talents.

BOTTOM LINE | Share what you have.

Sometimes we’re on the receiving end of someone’s generosity, but other times we get to show responsibility by sharing and being generous to others. When we realize that God has given us everything we have, we’re more likely to share with other people. We pray that as we learn more about the parable of the rich man, we’ll discover ways we can be responsible by sharing what we have.

POP Kids | | Love God and love others. | April 7 & 10, 2024

BIBLE STORY | Greatest Commandment | Matthew 22:36-40

SPARK STORY BIBLE | The Greatest Commandment | p.308-311

WEEKLY OVERVIEW | We kick off this series in Matthew 22:36-40. The religious leaders were always trying to trap Jesus with His own words. This moment was no different. A law expert asked Jesus, out of hundreds of laws they were to follow, which one was the most important. Jesus simplified everything and defined love as the top priority. Our most important responsibility is to love God and love others as we love ourselves.

KEY QUESTION | What are things you’re expected to do?

People of all ages have responsibilities. As we start to name them, we hope that we’ll start to realize that those expectations don’t exist just to frustrate us. Each of us has things we need to accomplish—including our responsibility to love one another. We pray that we will take Jesus’ words to heart as we discover how to show God’s love to others.

BOTTOM LINE | Love God and love others.

These are two simple ideas, but they’re not always simple to put into practice. As we discover more about responsibility, we’ll start to understand the ways we can love God and love the people God has put in our lives.

ICYMI: Here's this year's Easter Children's Message featuring the now famous Frankie the Rabbit!

POP Kids | Jesus came to be our Savior. | March 17 & 20, 2024

BIBLE STORIES | Palm Sunday | Matthew 21:1-11 & Easter | Luke 24:1-12, 36-49

SPARK STORY BIBLE | The Easter Story (Palm Sunday-The Empty Tomb) | p. 454-487

WEEKLY OVERVIEW | We conclude this series with the stories of Palm Sunday and Easter. By this time, God’s people had been waiting hundreds of years for God’s promised Savior. As Jesus’ ministry grew, the people were starting to believe that Jesus WAS that Savior. They were sure that God’s promises were finally coming true! So when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, just like a prophesy foretold, the people celebrated and worshipped Him. And while they might not have fully understood how Jesus was about to make peace, they could celebrate because God was faithful to send a Savior.

KEY QUESTION | Why are promises important?

We start with a high-level question about promises to get kids thinking about the ways that making and keeping promises can allow us remain at peace with each other. Keeping promises shows that we’re willing to go the extra mile to show others how much they mean to us. Most of all, we highlight some of God’s huge promises that came true through Jesus.

BOTTOM LINE | Jesus came to be our Savior.

Jesus was more than a good teacher and miracle worker. Jesus is God’s very own Son. God promised that Jesus would come and save us from the consequences of our sin. When Jesus came, He fulfilled all of the promises that God made. In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection we clearly see how God initiated peace with all creation.

Here's a wonderful video about our All Abilities Advocates: Sensory Room!

ICYMI: Children's Message - March 3, 2024

POP Kids | Make peace whenever you can. | March 3 & 6, 2024

BIBLE STORY | Live in Peace with Everyone | Romans 12:18 & Romans 14:19

SPARK STORY BIBLE | Fruit of the Spirit | p. 550-553

WEEKLY OVERVIEW | In week one, we look at some things Paul wrote to the churches in Rome. First, he said: “If possible, live in peace with everyone. Do that as much as you can.” Later, he continued: “So let us do all we can to live in peace. Let us work hard to build each other up.” These are big challenges! Work hard to live in peace ... with everyone! Paul was stressing how important it is for us to do everything in our power to fix what is broken and make connections with the people around us. After all, this is what God did for us through Jesus.

KEY QUESTION | Why is it important to make peace?

Getting along with others can be complicated. We may wonder if the work it takes to make peace with our family, friends, classmates, or teammates is worth it. Talking through the importance of peace can be a great start in helping us see how we can choose peace in our relationships with others.

BOTTOM LINE | Make peace whenever you can.

When God made peace with us through Jesus, God showed us that peace with others is possible. This doesn’t mean that it will be easy, but living in peace with others is worth our best effort. We can show God’s love by the way we make peace with the people in our lives.

ICYMI: Children's Message | February 25, 2024 | What do we do when things happen that don't make sense?