I hope you had a wonderful summer vacation as a family and made many memories!

This summer we had a successful VBS of over 400 participants, 50 Calvary kids attend church camp, several families attend the Spotlight Christian Theater Camp and had a beautiful fun-filled day at our Family Fun Day in August. Wow!  

Check out our pictures from VBS and Family Fun Day!

Cadets

We are excited to kick off the new season on Wednesday, September 4. We would like to welcome our new Cadet Coordinators, Mark Sullivan, drpaulmarksullivan@gmail.com, and Mike Sluis, sluismichael@sbcglobal.net. Online pre-registration is an option this year. Beat the long lines at the registration tables on kick-off night! Go to www.calvaryop.org/cadets. Don't forget, dads/grandpas are welcomed to join the Cadet team as well! Please contact Mark if you are willing to serve.

GEMS

We are excited to begin our season on Wednesday, September 11.

THE HANGOUT

As you plan for the Fall season, don't forget that on Wednesday nights we offer The Hangout from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Your child can be engaged in an activity at Calvary every week, not just twice a month!

September's Calendar

Wed, 4th - Girls Night

Wed, 11th - Boys Night

Wed, 18th - Girls Night

Wed, 25th - Boys Night

Momtourage
IS RETURNING THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6!

Momtourage is the new name of Calvary's ministry to moms! We meet two Friday mornings a month for discussion, speakers, crafts, and activities as we explore some of the most important issues affecting our lives and our kids. While the group is geared towards moms of young children, all moms are welcome! New this year is Momtourage "After Hours"-evening and weekend activities designed with the working mom in mind. Our official kick-off date will be Friday, September 6 from 9-11:30 a.m. You can also download the Momtourage flyer right here! 

It IS that time for PNO to start back up! Go online to www.calvaryop.org/pno to register your child(ren) or sign up on the forms in the lobby by Monday, September 16. Remember that space is limited so sign up soon!

Simply print and fill out this Volunteer Interest Form and we will get you plugged in! One simple way to volunteer is to be a greeter once a month outside the LOFT! Contact Tiffany for more information at children@calvaryop.org. 

Does your child show interest in drama, dance, or singing? Spotlight Theater is a great place to get them plugged in to learn more skills in this area. Calvary hosts 10-week class sessions throughout the school year. Children ages 6 to 14 are eligible! Go to their website at www.spotlight.org and click on Orland Park to register your child and find out more information! We will start our new section on November 5! Look for more information on that later. 

Tiny Town News

September 8th is Kick-Off Sunday for our Fall teaching curriculum in the 2's, 3's & 4's rooms! Read a little about what your child will learn this month:

We're going on a Road Trip this month! And, we're going with Joseph. Joseph is one of my favorite Bible friends. His story is amazing! (And, it makes a great musical.) Crazy thing after crazy thing happened to Joseph, but he still loved God and trusted Him. He did his best in every situation because he knew that's what God wanted from him.

While preschoolers learn Joseph's story, they will also learn that they were made by God-that they are special. They are unique beings made by the Creator of the universe to go on their very own Road Trip. You see, God made Joseph the way He did because He had a plan for Joseph. And, God has a plan for you and me and each one of our preschoolers.

God doesn't promise that the journey will be easy. Joseph's story is proof of that. God does promise to be with us on the journey. God does promise that He has a plan. God does promise to love us and care for us in every circumstance. And, if we trust like Joseph did, God can use us to do amazing things. He used Joseph to basically save an entire region of the world. What can you do if you trust God's plan for you?

This month's memory verse is: "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord." -Jeremiah 29:11. GOD MADE ME. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME.

Check out this month's Bible teachings and "Parent/Child Small Talk" outside the 3's and 4's room or right here!

Questions about our Sunday mornings? Contact Luz Lopez, Weekend Coordinator, luzl@calvaryop.org. 

Fall ministries are here! We are busily preparing our rooms and teachers for our wonderful weekday programs for infants through age 5!

Wednesdays, 9:30-11:00 a.m.

Question: So, what goes on down there in Tiny Town on Wednesday mornings while the moms, grandmas, and "girlfriends" are having Coffee Break Bible Study and on Fridays while the Momtourage ladies are meeting?

Answer: Well, first of all, our Tiny Town little ones are being lovingly cared for by an awesome group of faithful Calvary volunteers.  

The babies in the Garden Nursery are played with, rocked, patted, fed, and loved on each week.

The children from ages two and up get to play in their classrooms, engage in Bible study by hearing the stories that teach them about God's Love throughout history, work on crafts that will remind them of the day's story, have a snack, and then the most fun of all - visit Calvary's Playland!

For more information, please contact Corinne Ufferman, Weekday Coordinator, at corinneu@calvaryop.org.

September in The Loft 

We are getting ready for...

In the beginning of their relationship with Jesus, the disciples might not have been the most courageous bunch you've ever seen. Remember when the storm blew up and even the most seasoned fishermen woke Jesus in a panic (Mark 4)? But Jesus wasn't scared. He knew the power and reliability of God. Time and again, Jesus showed His disciples that God would provide whenever they needed Him. As they learned to trust God, the disciples' courage grew-to the point that Peter and John boldly testified before the Jewish government (Acts 4) about Jesus' life and resurrection.

Courage is being brave enough to do what you should do, even when you're afraid. Courage is not the absence of fear but how you respond in the face of fear. When we approach potentially scary situations, we can remember that God is big enough to handle anything, He'll always be with us, and He'll provide for our needs.

The monthly memory verse will be: "When I'm afraid, I will trust in You," Psalm 56:3, NIrV. Many of God's followers will tell you their greatest adventure started when they trusted God in a decision they were afraid of. But in the end, they never regretted living courageously and believing God's promises.

Get Your Weekly / Monthly Devotionals Here!  

We at The Loft strongly believe that parents are the strongest teachers of God. We're committed to give you parents tools to help you succeed in teaching your children about Christ!  Here are this month's GodTime Devotionals and this month's Add-Visor card. You can also get a hard copy of both outside the LOFT doors.

Offering Update - WE HAVE A NEW FRIEND!  

Abel

Taba

Dipali, our longtime friend who we have supported through prayer, finances and friendship has graduated from Compassion International's program.

We would like to welcome in to our new LOFT family, Taba Aniya. Taba just turned 5 and lives in India with her family.

Abel is now 7 and lives in Mexico.

We continually teach the kids what compassion is all about. To help them carry out compassion towards others, we challenge them to bring in their offering to go to our Compassion International children. To remind them, we have begun monthly voting ballots. When they bring in their change, they can put it the stoplight of their personal vote.  

SEPTEMBER'S OFFERING CHALLENGE:

(Drum roll please!)

To prepare for our "school year kick-off" and challenge our theme this month of COURAGE, what response do you choose? (Hint...both are good choices!)

- I know to do the right thing even when others are not.  

- I am willing to try new things, even if I fail.

Which will win the vote? Either choices are great ways to show COURAGE! Please encourage your children to tithe their allowance they may receive or assist them in bringing offering for our mission children God is calling us to serve.

KidsLife Ministries would like to help support our families. One way we have decided to do this is to use this Parent iResource section to list job opportunities in addition to providing resources that you as a parent can use. You can give a description of what you have to offer (i.e. childcare) or list what you are looking for. We hope to foster a community where we can help each other connect. Any questions or descriptions should go to Tiffany at children@calvaryop.org.  

COMING THIS FALL:

A DEVOTIONAL CHALLENGE! 

We're challenging parents to dig into devotionals with your family throughout the week!  

God's Word is with you! Many families have smart phones, tablets, or even just a computer. There are so many resources at your fingertips to grow in your faith WITH your child!

We've got an app for that! Find it at: 

https://www.bible.com/app   

Download the app to the device of your choice. Or check out the tabs on the left side of the webpage for your computer viewing options.

Search for the "Family" plan and find the best devotional fit for your family. All devotional apps vary from study length; one may be for 5 days while others may carry you through the year!    

Some suggestions are:  

- Courageous Kids

- Parenting by Design Daily Devotional

- The Creation of Nature

Another idea is to receive a daily scripture verse by email on your phone, tablet or computer. Share the verse with your child and discuss its meaning more in depth. They may have a better understanding of it then you! "Faith like a child!"  

There are many available resources for this, some include:

http://www.klove.com/ministry/encouraging-word/  

http://www.verseoftheday.com   

http://www.thedailybibleverse.org/   

A PARENT BLOG, Pray Big for Your Child!  

All parents want what's best for their children. What better place to begin than by praying for them? Prayer expert Will Davis Jr. shows parents how to develop a prayer strategy for their kids.

Talking to your kids is important. Talking to God about them is critical.

If you're a parent, nothing touches your heart more deeply than your child. Whether it's learning to talk, choosing a vocation, or accepting the gift of salvation, every step in your child's life matters to you--and to God. His Word is filled with promises just waiting to be fulfilled on behalf of your child.

Using Scripture as your guide, discover how to confidently and powerfully apply the most effective parenting tool available--prayer. Learn how to boldly pray big, audacious prayers for any stage or circumstance in your child's life.

Pray Big for Your Child is packed with relevant prayers to get you started, including specific prayers for both daughters and sons. It includes a powerful thirty-one-day prayer guide and twelve around-the-clock reminders to help you pray for your child throughout the day.

I am very excited to see where God takes this vision He has laid on my heart. All the details aren't clear yet but I know that I personally need to be challenged more with praying for my kids...in all aspects of their life, including my parenting skills. =)  

I hope you will join me in this book study and together we can learn how to pray some powerful audacious prayers for our children!  

Need a babysitter and not sure who to contact or trust? How about giving one of our very own Calvary teens a call?! We have a list of Calvary teens who are interested in watching your children! If you want to obtain a copy of this list, please see or contact Tiffany. Additionally, if you know of anyone else who would like to be placed on this list, please send information to children@calvaryop.org. 

Have you checked out our Facebook page?

Come and join the KidsLife Ministries community online right here!