Spirit of Grace Garden

2010-11-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to All! Hope you have wonderful holiday.

Gobble Gobble,

Linda

Power - I Kings 18

2010-11-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

Our story this week centered on Elijah on Mount Carmel when he puts the false god of Baal to the test. We started out our class discussing things that are powerful to us. There were a few examples that came with our lesson. Can you think of things that are powerful in nature? One child drew a lightening bolt. Some of the examples were a volcano, a lion, the ocean and a hurricane.

Since I just finished reading a book on Elijah this story is stirring in my soul. Elijah had been running for his life for three years from King Ahab. God puts the false god of Baal to the test. Both the prophets of Baal and Elijah build alters, both sacrifice an animal but Elijah has the them pour water over his sacrifice. The children were shocked to hear that their were 450 prophets of Baal and only one Elijah.

I love Elijah's prayer!

“LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. ³⁷ Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

³⁹ When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!”

Praise the Lord! This is such a great example of the humility and praise that God desires from us.

2 Corinthians says in Chapter 5: 16 - 21 (NIV)

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Praise the Lord! Jesus gave Himself for us so that we could be reconciled to God.

Have a blessed day!

Linda

Obedience

2010-11-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful lesson on Sunday. I love the story of Naaman being cleansed after washing in the Jordan River 7 times. The kids had so much fun acting out the story. The main characters were: Naaman, Elisha, Elisha's messenger and Naaman's servant. I explained the state concerning Israel and Judah. I explain the country of Aram and how they invaded Israel and took away some captives. One of Naaman's servants was from Israel who mentioned to him about the prophet in Israel. Isn't it amazing that one person can give someone so much hope that he went to the King and asked for papers to travel to Israel? I thought it was interesting that when Naaman went to the King of Israel, Elisha found out (probably by the Word of the Lord). God knows our needs. He knows what we need from Him. All we need to do is ask and take a step toward Him. He might ask us to do something odd to receive our blessing but if we obey we will be healed just like Naaman.

Where is your faith today? Is there someone in your life encouraging you to take a step toward the Lord? Don't be afraid? He is waiting for you and will be there to help you through life.

Have a blessed day.

Linda

Back in the Classroom

2010-09-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

I am back in the classroom and so excited to bring the Word of God to the kids in my class.

This Sunday, we discussed the Anointing of David. I love the story about David especially when he was anointed King because no one expected him to chosen as king. I love what the Lord reveals to Samuel in I Samuel 16: 7

⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

I love that the Lord looks at the heart. This should encourage to all of us. God sees our potential not just in our abilities but what's in our heart.

Be blessed today from the Sprout Room,

Linda

Be Strong and Courageous!

2010-07-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Our lessons continue about God appoints Joshua as Moses successor. The Children of Isreal are ready to move into the promise land. Moses encourages Joshua to be strong and courageous! Moses is now a 120 years old and is unable to enter the promise land due to his disobedience by striking the Rock. God selects Joshua to lead the people In Joshua 1, God lets Joshua know that he is with him and that he has no need to fear.

Joshua 1: 6-8
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

I hope you find the courage you need today just like Joshua. When we have God leading us we have nothing to fear.

Blessings from the Sprout Room,
Linda

The Desert or Promise Land...Hmmmm?

2010-06-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

Numbers 13 and 14: 1-9

We finished our journey with Paul's Missionary Journeys.

Now, we are discussing Moses and the Children of Israel who roamed in the desert.

Moses sends out the 12 spies. 10 spies come back with a frightening report about the land being filled with giants BUT thankfully Joshua and Caleb had a different report. You see, they had their minds focused on the capabilities of the Lord vs. the strength of the inhabitants of the Land.

I love this verse:

They said, "We passed through the land and checked it out. It's very good.

⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he'll lead us into that land. It's a land that has plenty of milk and honey. He'll give it to us.

It is my prayer that the children will always know that the Lord is with them. All we have to do is call on His Name.

Blessings,

Linda

SuperFUNtastic Sunday

2010-06-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Everyone had a great time at SuperFUNtastic Sunday! Cheryl led the kids so graciously on the importance of building a firm foundation. When hard times come that it's only our foundation in God that counts. It's only Jesus as our Rock of Salvation that will sustain us spiritually, emotionally and physically. Hope you can join us for our next SuperFUNtastic Sunday.

Paul's Captive Journey To Rome (The Shipwreck)

2010-06-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Our lesson this week featured Paul's journey aboard the ship heading for Rome. We started at Caesarea and concluded our lesson at Malta. Paul warned the centurion to consider a different route. He was familiar with traveling by sea and the unrelenting storms that have come up. However, the centurion did not listen to Paul. They continued and the storm became even worse. One night, an angel appears to Paul and encourages him. Paul then encourages the crew that they will be safe. At one point, Paul prays and breaks the break so that all the men would be strengthened. Can you imagine? No matter what we are going through God is with us. I have always been encouraged by Paul and his choices. The children really liked this journey through Paul's conversion, experiences at Antioch and his missionary journeys.

Blessings to All,

Linda

Paul tells the Jews about his conversion experience in Jerusalem

2010-05-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had the opportunity to tell your conversion experience to a crowd?

It required a lot of boldness didn't it?

Our lesson this week is about Paul telling the Jews in Jerusalem about his conversion experience. Despite the opposition, Paul told the people about Jesus and how he was changed forever. They didn't want to listen. In our reading at one point they threw down their coats. Can you imagine? The mob began beating Paul and a Roman commander took Paul away from the crowd.

There are so many integrating aspects to this story but the most important this I wanted to impress on the children is that speaking the truth is the most important. It may be hard sometimes especially if there is any wrongdoing on their part but coming forth with the truth is essential. Jesus came to bring truth the world.

Paul and Silas singing and praying in Prison (Acts 16)

2010-05-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

Our discussion continues about Paul, Silas and Timothy's missionary journey. Our story continues in Acts 16 beginning at verse 16. Our lesson discusses the slave girl who was possessed by a spirit that allowed her to predict the future. After following Paul and Silas for a few days, Paul rebukes the spirit and it leaves her. Her slave owners drag Paul and Silas to the magistrates. Paul and Silas are beaten and place in stocks in prison. Paul and Silas began singing and praying. I love their attitude. In prison, sing your heart out. This is a wonderful thing we can teach our children. When your doing the Lord's work things may not go the way you planned but this allowed an entire family to be converted to the Lord. Praise the Lord. Don't be afraid to step out of yourself and reach out to someone today. God sees you and knows your heart. He will take care of you.

Blessings from the Sprout Room,

Linda

Paul's 2nd Missionary Journey

2010-05-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Our class began discussing Paul's 2nd Missionary Journey last Sunday (May9th). We began back in Jerusalem where Paul and Barnabas part ways due to a disagreement concerning Mark. Paul takes up a new partner to make the journey and his name was Silas. We tracked their progress on a map. In Lystra, a new member joins the Team. Timothy joins Paul and Silas on their journey to five more towns before reaching Philipi. Our story was about Paul meeting the group of woman along the water who were praying. Paul tells them about Jesus and how he was the fulfillment of the scriptures. Lydia invites the men to stay at her home. This was a wonderful moment in his journey because we see Paul breaking down the barriers in times past between men and women. The book of Philippians is one of my favorite books of the Bible. Paul developed close relationships with the people at Philipi.

Paul and Barnabas

2010-05-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, we continued our discussion about Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey together. Our topic was the town of Lystra where Paul and Barnabas begin preaching about Jesus. Paul spots a man with withered feet. Paul looked directly at the man and told him to stand up. The man jumped up. However, the people did not know and most of understand about Jesus and God. They were more familiar with their own gods such as Zeus and Hermes. Paul began speaking to correct the people. I love this story because it shows us that we must be taught about God to understand God.

More to follow as we continue to track Paul and Barnabas on their journey.

Blessings,

Linda

Jesus heals!

2010-03-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

We just concluded three weeks of discussing Jesus and God's power over nature and healings.

Lesson One ~ Jesus calms the storms

Lesson Two ~ Jesus heals the deaf man who was unable to speak.

Lesson Three ~ Jesus heals the man born blind.

I love all three of these stories about Jesus. Jesus had such a unique way of dealing with people especially one-on-one. The deaf man, Jesus took him away from the crowds. I love how Jesus didn't need a crowd around to do something wonderful for someone. I wanted to encourage the children in my class to do something good for someone even if no one's around. God sees all things and will see their good deeds.

I am looking forward to discussing Easter and the sacrifice that Jesus paid for our sins.

The children have been reciting this verse for two weeks now:

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Matthew 28: 5 & 6

Linda

The Samaritan Woman meets the Master!

2010-02-09T05:53:00.000-08:00

Last year, our ladies were discussing the Bad Girls of the Bible. The "woman at the well" was one of the topics. I really had the desire to know more about this story. There is something about our Lord and how he connected with people in a very personal way. The woman at the well was no different. Jesus knew her story. The Samaritan woman had some issues. She had 5 husbands BUT when Jesus stepped into her life his love affected her in such a way that she affected her community in a new way and many believed in Jesus. Every week, I try to convey to the children that Jesus is with them and hears their prayers. I hope you are encouraged each day to draw closer to Him and grow in grace.

Blessings from the Sprout Room!

Linda

Jesus Brings Lazarus Back to Life & He Heals 10 Men from Leprosy

2010-01-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Sprout Room ~

We covered two lessons this week and they are two moving portrayals of Jesus.

We started out our lessons discussing, What are some kinds of power that make things work? Some of the examples are: electricity, battery, wind, solar power and gasoline. The kids love drawing their items on a white board and the other kids try to guess the drawing.

The bible story of Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Jesus is a moving one. All three siblings were close friends with Jesus so when Lazarus passes away, Jesus was moved by their empathy and grief. Jesus loved them. How much more does he sense our struggles and trials. Never doubt that God is with you.

Our second Bible story was about the 10 lepers and how one of the men returned to thank Jesus and his faith was restored. I hope these bible stories make an impact on the children in my class. I enjoy teaching so much. It has been a growth experience for me.

Well, that's it from the Sprout Room. Hope you have a wonderful day and that you know how much God cares about you and is looking out for you.

Blessings overflowing,

Linda

Jesus and the Children

2010-01-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

This week, our lesson was about Jesus and the children. Parents wanted Jesus to bless their children but His followers said No. Our lesson started with things that make us stop and go. Can you think of anything that makes you stop? I had the children draw a picture from either category on the white board. The children had to guess what they were drawing. The kids love doing this sort of thing. At the end of my lesson, I had several items in both categories

In my class, I have been trying to show the importance of prayer and how much God cares about the children. We have a prayer board with a asked area and an answered area so this was a wonderful moment for me to drive home the point about how much the Lord wants to know them and how much he cares about them (even at their age). Wouldn't it be wonderful if children grasped the concept that God cares for them and hears them? What a powerful thing to know especially when they become teenagers and adults.

I enjoy teaching very much and look forward to posting more from the Sprout Room.

Blessings overflowing,

Linda

Do you remember when you were 12 years old?

2010-01-04T06:28:00.001-08:00

I was having a difficult time remembering when I was 12. Our lesson this Sunday was about Jesus as a young boy.

I started out with an exercise. The children drew tasks that either an adult or child would do. Some examples were mowing the lawn, getting married, playing at the playground or playing video games. We organized these tasks into two categories: Adult and Child. The children were able to see that there are some things that adults can do that children are not permitted to do. The goal was to have them determine what is appropriate and what is not.

Mary, Joseph and Jesus were traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Passover. After the feast, Mary and Joseph started traveling back to Nazareth. After one day of traveling, Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus was not with them. I can only imagine the steams of emotions that must have flooded their hearts. After searching and searching for Jesus, they finally found him in the temple listening to the teachers of the Law. The teachers were fascinated by his ability to grasp concepts concerning the Law and God.

Even though Jesus was about his Father’s business, he still needed to be obedient to his parents. Jesus returned to Nazareth with his family and lived an obedient life to them and God.

Hope this new year brings you many blessings from the Lord!

Linda

Christmas Program Pictures

2009-12-23T22:36:00.000-08:00

Preparing For Christmas

2009-12-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

At Spirit of Grace Church, we are preparing for our Annual Christmas Program and Banquet. Nearly everything comes to a halt as this takes precedence. Songs are being practiced. Lines are being learned. Children are learning the true meaning of Christmas.

As a parent, I am struggling with my 5 yr old Kindergartener. In our family, Santa is pretend, just another character like Mickey Mouse or Max & Ruby or Thomas the Tanker. It's a decision we made nearly 20 years ago. The difficulty I am having is that Mya's kindergarten classmates have nearly convinced her that Santa is real. How crazy is that??!! With all the TV specials revolving around the Santa mystery, it has become a challenge to make sure that she is aware of the mystery of God manifest in Flesh, Jesus. We have nativity sets around the house and even use a manger and star in place of a fancy decorated tree but none of this can replace a good lesson from me, her parent. Each year, I realize more and more that it is not the "job" of the Sunday School teachers to be the sole source of Christian teaching but to be a support mechanism of lessons learned at home. Christmas is one of the times when that fact becomes very apparent.

We hope that you and your family are having a wonderful holiday. Let me take this post time to invite you to attend our annual program and banquet on December 20 at 10 am. I hope that you will join us for a time of carols, skits and a wonderful food. We look forward to meeting new people and returning guests.

Blessings,
Verna

Christmas Program Practices

2009-11-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS NEARLY HERE.

THE CHILDREN WILL BE PRACTICING FOR THE ANNUAL PROGRAM SOON. HERE IS THAT SCHEDULE:

Sunday, Nov 22: 3 graders through High School plus adults in skits after church noon -2:30 lunch provided

Sunday, Dec 6th: Same group noon to 2:30 lunch provided

Sunday, Dec 13: Same group noon to 2:30 lunch provided

SATURDAY, Dec 19: ALL KIDS plus singers - Nursery -2nd graders 9:30 -10:30 all other plus singers 10:30 to 12:30

We have made the LEAP into Exodus

2009-11-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

This Sunday, our discussion was about Moses. After he was born, his mother hid him because the King of Egypt was killing all the Hebrew baby boys. When it became difficult for her to hide him any longer she constructed a basket. Imagine sending your baby in a basket on the Nile and most of all wondering what would happen to him? Thankfully, she had Miram to help her. Miriam watched the basket travel through the water to the King's daughter area on the Nile. God cared for Moses. God cares for us too.

The children in my class have completed their personal posters this Sunday and now our next project is getting ready for the Christmas program and completing our prayer board. My goal with the prayer board is to build faith. When the children realize that God cares for them and their needs. There is no silly prayers to God. You can never be too young to have faith in God.

I hope this post will encourage to you to Cast all your cares on Jesus for he cares for you. Remember there are no silly requests. No prayers is too large for our God.

Blessings overflowing to you and your family from the Seedling Room,

Linda

Abraham leaves His Home

2009-11-02T05:23:00.000-08:00

Are you Young? Are you not so young like me? Can you imagine being 75 years old and have the Lord appear to you? I don't know about you but that would be enough to make me shake in my boots but it didn't shake Abraham. God made a promise to Abraham that day.

God told Abram: "Leave your country, your family, and your father's hme for a land that I will show you.
"I'll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I'll make you famous;
you'll be a blessing.
I'll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I'll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you."

The Message

I started my lesson in Pastor Tim's office. Location Ur and Haran. I wanted the children to get the feeling of being in a cushy environment. I wanted them to feel what Abraham must have felt like when the Lord talked to him. Did Abraham obey God? Yes, He packed up his wife, his family and all his cattle. The journey was not very short. It was a 800 mile trek into foreign territory. Along the way, Abraham made sacrifices to the Lord and once they had reached their destination. They lived in tents.

I asked the children how many children Abraham and Sarah had when they left Ur? The answers were from 4-8. The children couldn't believe that Abraham and Sarah had no children.

Have you discovered God's promises in His Word?
Do you have a favorite promise in the Bible?
The Lord in His beautiful way is drawing us closer to Him.

My Hope is that all of us can plant seeds of love and hope in everyone we meet today.

Blessings overflowing from the Seedling Room,

Linda

God makes a Promise to Noah and to Us!

2009-10-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made a promise? Imagine, Noah, his family and a collection of God's creatures are all aboard the ark. Imagine the smell in there. After a year and 13 months, the Lord opened the door for Noah and the animals to exit the Ark. Imagine what it must have felt like to be on land. My husband and I on our honeymoon traveled to Europe. I remember being on a overnight train. Well after we made our destination I could still feel as though I was on the train. Have you ever experience this sort of sensation? I wonder if it took a long time for Noah and his family to adjust? One thing we do know is that they offered a sacrifice to God in thanksgiving for his faithfulness to them. God also gave them a very important gift. He made a promise to Noah (and to us) that he would never destroy the earth by water. Take a look outside? Is it raining? Be reassured that we have a God who always keeps his promises and loves us.

Blessings to all,
Linda

Then, the Lord shut them in.

2009-10-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in class today. Our Bible discussion featured Noah. All the people became very wicked and violent. God was displeased with the behavior of man BUT there was one man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord. His name was Noah. God instructed Noah to build an Ark. Well, you know the story. It is simply amazing the minds of children. We did a recap on the Days of Creation so it was fun when they realized that all these amazing creatures were aboard the Ark. Snakes, Iguanas, Lions and Turtles were all on the ark. Our story focused on Obeying the Lord even when it is hard. You might be facing things in your life that make it difficult to follow the Lord but be encouraged the Lord always is with you. Just like he was with Noah. Our next lesson continues with Noah.

Linda

The Days of Creation

2009-10-06T09:56:00.001-07:00

Hi, My name is Linda Raschke and I teach the K-2nd grade class. Our class has been discussing the Creation Days. It has been so funny hearing about their ideas and see the great things the kids bring up in class. Our next topic is Noah. If you are planning a visit to Spirit of Grace in the near future. Feel free to stop by my class and say hello.

God's Team -- SFS August 30

2009-09-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

When there is a fifth Sunday in a month, Spirit of Grace celebrates with Super Funtastik Sunday. That Sunday is dedicated to our children and has a sermon aimed at Children of all ages. Last month's theme was "God's Team". Cheryl talked about Zaccheaus and how he needed to come down out of the tree and join God's team.

Our kids got together for a Team Photo.

Every team needs Cheerleaders!

Trish sings the Zaccheaus song and Owen plays Zaccheaus. Hmmm . . . Noah got in the act too.

Puppets help us learn about being on God's team.

Pastor Tim prays with the kids at the end of service.