News and Views

RSS

Activities for Children at Pender UMC

Our goal is that all children will know and experience the love of God, and then extend that love to others.

Follow: We want those who are teaching and spending time with children at Pender to be followers of Jesus, who then teach children how to also be followers.

Reach: Our desire is for God to reach your child in a unique and meaningful way. This may come through some of our various Children’s Ministry events and activities, or through the loving community of Pender.

Transform: Ultimately, a relationship with Jesus changes lives. Living in the love that God has for us is a true gift and often times transforms the way in which we live.

We have activities for children during COVID!

Every Sunday

There are two Children’s Sunday School Classes meeting on Zoom at 10:00 am.

Contact the webmaster for the links.

Children’s Church– During the 9 :00 and 11:15 am services we have a children’s message within each service specifically for kids!

Every weekday

The Pender Hill School is open.

More information here: https://www.penderumc.org/pender-hill-school/

Every Friday

Fun with Music. Music and fellowship for children (ages 0-5) and their parents and/or guardians. Contact the webmaster for more information.

March 21, 2021

The final How to Draw Session.

David Raich has been offering How To Draw lessons for children from Pre-K through 6th Grade.

Join us for the final class at 1pm on Sunday, March 21! Sign up at How to Draw Class

April 3, Easter Egg-stravaganza

The youth are hosting the Easter Egg-stravaganza for the church this year! It’s going to be a day where the youth are serving our community by hosting a fun event for the kiddos!

Check in starts at 12:45pm and the event runs from 1pm-2:30pm.

Starting after Easter

Children’s in-person Chime Group led by Brian Stevenson.

April 19, 2021

Children’s Storytime with Miss Ann and Mr Jim from 1-2 pm. In the parking lot.

May 17, 2021

Children’s Storytime with Miss Ann and Mr Jim from 1-2 pm. In the parking lot.

June 21-25, 2021
VBS (Vacation Bible School) Mystery Island

More information coming soon!

In case you missed it:

Our second “Pender Talk” webinar was February 24, 2021. Dr. K. Drew Baker told us about the difficulties children are facing during this pandemic.

He shared how to help children now, as well as how to help them get ready to go back to school face to face.

When we are COVID-free, Pender offers numerous activities for children of all ages:

Sunday worship (All ages!) – At Pender children are encouraged and invited to participate in worship at church.

Sunday School (newborn- 6^thgrade) – on Sunday morning, at 10:15, we offer Sunday school for children 2 years old through 6^thgrade. They are in classes with friends that are around the same age as them so they can learn more about God’s love together. We are currently using Orange Curriculum which is amazing! Their goal is to connect the church and family together to deepen the faith of children!

Sunday Morning Nursery– Babies up to 2 years old are welcome in the nursery during the 9:00 and the 11:15 am service. The nursery provides a warm and loving environment for the children. We also have a pager system to ensure safety and communication with parents. We also have the nursery open during other worship services that Pender offers.

Children’s Church– During the 9 :00 service we have a children’s message within the service specifically for kids! After this time of learning, children 2 years old through second grade are welcome to go downstairs for Children’s church.

Jesus Loves You (JLU) (4th – 6th graders) – On the second Sunday of every month JLU meets and has a time of fellowship, learning, and fun together! They meet from 5-7pm and learn more about God together.

Other Children’s Ministry experiences at Pender:

Children’s Choirs and Bell groups

Scouting at Pender

Summer camps info

Pender offers various camps throughout the summer for children.of varying ages.

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

(2 years old -6^thgrade)

Pender Hill Preschool

(18 months – 5 years)

Family Events:

Pender is dedicated to having family events throughout the year where the whole family can come and experience God’s love and fellowship with others together.

Some of our annual events include:

Movie Nights – Throughout the Year

Cabin Fever Party – February

Easter Event – April

Pender Rocks the Block – September

A Night in Bethlehem – December

SAFETY

All teachers are required to submit to a thorough background check and complete Child Protection Training. In addition, all teacher helpers must attend training.

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on March 15, 2021 in Children's Council, Easter, Holidays, Ministries, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest, Sunday School, Videos, Webinar

Tags: American Heritage Girls, Boy Scout, children, Children's Ministry, chimes, COVID-19, cub scouts, Dr. K. Drew Baker, Easter Egg-stravaganza, Fun with Music, How to Draw, kids, Kids' Easter Event, music, Mystery Island, Pender Hill Preschool, Pender Hill School, Pender Kids, Pender Talk, Preschool education, scouting, Storytime, Storytime with Miss Ann and Mr Jim, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, VBS, video, Webinar, Zoom

This is the Sign

20 Feb

At Pender’s 9:00 am Traditional and 11:15 am Common Ground Contemporary Services, Pastor Will White, continues the Lenten series “Rend Your Hearts: Claiming the Promise”.

The Message will be “This is the Sign” based on Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22 and Mark 1:9-15.

Lent began on Ash Wednesday; we admit that. But this first Sunday is when many people become aware of the season. If there are rituals to be adopted, they will often begin today. So, we are on the brink again, or still, or even for the first time, of the journey. That’s why we begin with promise; we begin with covenant.

Today we will also celebrate Scout Sunday and have a Blessing of the Bibles for First Grades

Watch the 9:00 Traditional Service

Attend the 11:15 Common Ground Contemporary Worship

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on February 20, 2021 in Holidays, Lent, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest

Tags: 1 Peter 3:18-22, Blessing of the Bibles, common ground, contemporary service, enesis 9:8-17, Mark 1:9-15, Rend Your Hearts: Claiming the Promise, Rev. Will White, This is the Sign, traditional service

When did United Methodists start the “imposition of ashes” on Ash Wednesday?

17 Feb

While many think of actions such as the imposition of ashes, signing with the cross, footwashing, and the use of incense as something that only Roman Catholics or high church Episcopalians do, there has been a move among Protestant churches, including United Methodists to recover these more multisensory ways of worship. This is in keeping with a growing recognition that people have multiple ways of learning and praying.

Worship that is oriented to the intellect or to the emotions, both interior, leaves out those who engage in prayer through vision, smell, touch, movement, and so forth. We are increasingly aware that people are formed in faith when practices become embedded in memory, nerves, muscles and bone through sensory engagement.

United Methodists have had resources for worship that include the imposition of ashes since 1979 when Ashes to Fire was published as Supplemental Worship Resource 8. This practice became part of our official worship resources in 1992 when General Conference adopted The United Methodist Book of Worship. See the service for Ash Wednesday, p. 321-324. It is, of course, optional and no congregation or individual is required to use it.

Other such practices were adopted in 1992. See The United Methodist Book of Worship for:

footwashing for Holy Thursday, p. 351-354
meditation at the cross for Good Friday, p. 363-364
incense for Evening Praise and Prayer, p. 574

This FAQ was prepared by Rev. Daniel Benedict, Center for Worship Resourcing, The General Board of Discipleship.

The original article is at http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/when-did-united-methodists-start-the-imposition-of-ashes-on-ash-wednesday

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on February 17, 2021 in Holidays, Lent, Posts of Interest

Tags: Ash Wednesday, ashes, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, United Methodist Church

Ash Wednesday – Yet Even Now

17 Feb

Ash Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 pm

Dear Pender Friends,

I want to encourage you to participate in our “Ash Wednesday” livestream this Wednesday, February 17, at 7pm.

As always, we will be on YouTube, Facebook, and the church’s website and we’ll be returning to a presentation style that is more familiar to you. You might be asking, “Why do we need Lent this year?” With the pandemic, we’ve been through the “Lentiest Lent that has ever Lented”. As for self-reflection, “Just what do you think we were doing during the months we were on lock-down?”

But, maybe this year, more than ever, we need to focus on Jesus. We need to focus on the cross and the hope it brings. In the Lenten box delivered to your home, get your charcoal out and be ready at 7pm on Wednesday! I’ll provide instructions as to how to apply “the sign of the cross” during the livestream.

Grace and Peace,
Will

p.s. Children love symbols, so please include them. There will be a special “Time with Children” for them.

“Yet Even Now”

Worship Service, Time with Children, Sermon, Use of Ashes

(In your Lenten bag, there is some charcoal, please have it on hand when the service begins. Please enjoy the soup supper before or after worship as a reminder to live simply during Lent.)

Adults, please listen for the answers to the following…

What is the significance of the ashes?

What kind of ashes do we use “normally”?

What does it mean to repent?

Why is that important?

Think about what YOU can do to participate in Lenten discipline this year.

Help children experience Ash Wednesday…

First, include them! Kid’s love symbols. They get it!
Tell the children that they know the “brands” of their sneakers, backpacks, coats, etc. Ask them to tell you about their favorite brands…
- Then say, “What does it mean to make the cross your ‘brand’ for life”?
Tell them, “From tonight until Easter Sunday (April 4th), we want to be the best followers of Jesus we can be.”
- Ask them, “What should we do?”
- Then ask, “What should we not do?”
Tell them that the sign of the ashes means, “You belong to Jesus.” Encourage them to wear the sign of the cross (charcoal) on their foreheads for the rest of the night.

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on February 17, 2021 in Holidays, Lent, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest, Sermon, Sermon, Videos

Tags: Ash Wednesday, Lent, livestream, stream, video, worship, Yet Even Now

Ash Wednesday

17 Feb

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. It derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God.

Our Ash Wednesday service will begin at 7:00 pm with Soup and a Discussion online.

And Chuck Knows Church says…

Ever seen a little smudge mark on someone’s forehead as they walk out of church? That’s a sign of the cross and it means it’s Ash Wednesday during Lent. Chuck tells you about this important worship service: