Want a serving opportunity with your family but can't join the summer mission trips? We have a local mission project for Calvary to take part in!

There are a variety of projects that need to be done that day; painting, weeding/raking, cleaning windows, creating/designing decorations for the summer programs, building projects and more!

Can't make it for the whole time? Come when you can! Lunch will be served at 12 and we will wrap up the day by 2:30 p.m.

Support Camp Manitoqua as well as instill the importance of serving others into your child's heart! Find out more here. 

Email Tiffany your family's interest by TOMORROW, April 8 so we can RSVP to the camp! Email her at children@calvaryop.org. 

Bring the family to Calvary for a morning of celebrating Easter with a special craft, goodies, and an egg hunt inside! Don't forget your baskets! This is open to the community so tell your friends and neighbors! Go here to get the flyer to share with family and friends!  

Praise God for the ministry they provide. Go to www.manitoqua.org to view the church camp overnight sessions they provide. There may still be some openings for your preferred week! Or give them a call at (815) 469-2319.

To support the high value we place on church camp in a child's life, Calvary Church will offer financial assistance for overnight camps based on the child's association with Calvary Church.

For 2014, the church financial assistance per child will be $140 for full week Rez, $112 for the 2-night program, or $60 for the one-night program. The $140 can be applied to the other overnight camps that Manitoqua offers: Horse Camp, King's Camp, S.A.M.S.; or other Christian affiliated overnight camps.   

Email Tiffany at children@calvaryop.org to request the financial discount code for the camps.

Rooms are filling up fast!!! Go to www.calvaryop.org/pno to sign up your child. We do have a limited number of spaces per age group.

Cost is $5 per child for the night. Dinner (served at 6 p.m.) and snack (served at 8:30 p.m.) included. 

Calvary families will meet for a fun-filled afternoon of fellowship in June!

More details to come! But for now, please save this date on your calendar! 

The remainder of the Cadet season will include continued badge work, field trips, Adventure Zone at Camp Manitoqua on April 19 and the Spring campout, right here on Calvary grounds.

Questions? Direct them to our Cadet Coordinators Mark Sullivan, drpaulmarksullivan@gmail.com, and Mike Sluis, sluismichael@sbcglobal.net.

THE HANGOUT

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!

April's Calendar

April 2nd - Girls Night 

April 9th - Boys Night

April 16th - Girls Night

April 23rd - Boys Night  

Momtourage

Momtourage is the new name of Calvary's ministry to moms! We meet two Friday mornings a month from 9-11:30 a.m. 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! Join anytime! To learn more or to answer your questions, email us at momtourage@calvaryop.org.  

2014 Spring Dates

April

11        Overcoming Hardship (Speaker)

25        Self-Defense

May

9          Does God Have a Plan for Me? (Speaker)

23        Year End Party

April Sunday Mornings in Tiny Town

Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Isn't that AMAZING? He wants to be MY friend. He wants to be YOUR friend. Jesus wants to be my friend, forever. What a life-changing truth. What a foundational truth. What an awesome thing to put in the hearts of our preschoolers.

Preschoolers will start this month learning about Jesus' good friends, Mary and Martha. They will then hear the exciting story of the Entry Celebration! Be sure to order your palm fronds as soon as possible if you're doing a palm parade. Then, preschoolers will hear the Easter story-the amazing, fabulous, wonderful, awesome Easter story.

We will finish the month with the promise that Jesus is building a place for us where we can be with Him forever. What an amazing friend He is! I'm so thankful He wants to be my friend forever.

MEMORY VERSE

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17, NIrV

BOTTOM LINE:

Jesus is my good friend.

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. 

Serving Hearts

It takes at least 22 volunteers weekly to run a full Tiny Town program.

The expectation is that all families who regularly use the Tiny Town facilities volunteer occasionally to ensure that there are always adequate caregivers for each service.

If you have not already done so, please find Luz or Corinne to fill out a form indicating which dates and times you will be available to help out, and return the form to the Tiny Town office.

All 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.

April in The Loft (5s through 5th Grade) 

BE OUR GUEST, LET US PUT YOU FIRST

Did you know that church attendance peaks during the Easter season? Throughout the Easter season, our church needs to be prepared to welcome guests. The thing about hosting guests is that sometimes we have to give up some of our own comfort to accommodate their needs. We might need to park further away, sit in a seat that isn't our norm, volunteer, or patiently answer questions. An accumulation of small considerations can make a big difference to a guest. And Easter is a wonderful time to find a new way to put guests first in our churches. Hence, the LOFT is open on Easter Sunday this year. We want to offer rockin' children's programs for our visitors.

Humility is putting others first by giving up what you think you deserve. Putting others first is not our natural inclination. We live in a world that's all about putting ourselves first. Jesus lived in a world like that too. He could have looked out for Himself, but He didn't. Out of His love for us, He chose to put us first.

Putting others first will cost you something: your time or money. Maybe it will cost you some pride. But when we choose to follow Jesus with our lives, believing that His death and resurrection made it possible for us to be right with God, the least we can do is put others first-even if it's a bit uncomfortable and costs us something.

The monthly memory verse is:

When we put others first, sometimes we'll have to make sacrifices. We might sacrifice our pride. We might sacrifice our wants. But nothing we sacrifice will compare with the great sacrifice Jesus made for us.

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 the Parent Add-Visor Card. You can also get a hard copy outside the LOFT doors.

Offering Update  

Abel

Aniya

Thank you for teaching your child the importance of tithing and giving to others in need. Through your child's support, we continue to sponsor two Compassion International children. Abel is now 7 and lives in Mexico and Aniya just turned 5 and lives in India.

Our monthly sponsorship commitment is $38.00 per child, a total of $76.00.

We continually teach the kids what compassion is all about. To help them carry out compassion towards others and to remind them, we have fun monthly voting ballots. When they bring in their change, they can put it the stoplight of their personal vote.  

APRIL'S OFFERING CHALLENGE: What do you like to do more: peeps or jelly beans? 

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.  

Celebrating the Easter Season 

Try these faith-filled activities that go beyond Sunday morning as you usher in this Easter season from author Lynne Thompson.

Ages 0-3

Help your little ones stuff hollow plastic eggs with one chocolate heart, because Jesus came to give us a new heart toward God. Then allow your little one to hand them out to friends, neighbors, or people you meet during the day. You might include a note inside with the passage from John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." - Jesus

Ages 4-7

Hold a neighborhood egg hunt, but award the large basket filled with candy for whoever finds the one empty egg, representing the empty tomb. When the child finds the empty egg he or she must call out, "He is not here he has risen, just as he said." Be sure to conclude the hunt with an Easter story on the lawn. I'd recommend The Parable of the Lily, by Liz Curtis Higgs.

Ages 8-12

Sometimes the greatest joy is in the giving. Visit a nearby hospital or retirement home and greet one of the residents with a fresh Easter lily. You may want to attach a card with some encouraging words about the hope we have in our risen Lord.

Age 13-18

Children this age might enjoy a surprise field trip for a sunrise service at the park or a nearby lake. Be sure to bring a Bible, hymnbook or maybe even a guitar for a worshipful early morning celebration.

All Ages

Since there are many new visitors attending church for the Easter service, make a point to greet and invite someone to lunch afterwards. Then remember to make plans to sit together next Sunday at church.

Also, try out these Resurrection Cookies! 

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!