We are running seminars on modules 1 and 4 for SRE accreditation.  We are also running seminars for Sunday school teachers.  The goal of the day is to equip both School Scripture teachers (SRE) and Sunday school teachers as they bring God’s word to the children of our region.

We have invited some highly experienced children’s workers to present on the day and we want to make this training opportunity available to churches across the Central Coast.  If you are interested in becoming an SRE teacher or Sunday school teacher please speak to your church representative or just come along and register on the day.

Hope to see you there!  You can view or print off a registraion form here.

Monday 10th – Friday 14th January 2011, Berkeley Vale High School.

Good News Week (GNW) is our opportunity to engage our community with the message of Jesus. There is something for everyone including a 5 day kids holiday program (creche – teens, Mon-Fri) and a cafe for adults.

Now is the time to put the dates in your diaries and make sure you’re around to be part of it (Sunday 9th Jan – Sunday 16th). How might God use you to reach someone for Christ this January? Below are some opportunities to serve on this year’s GNW Team, as well as more information on the program.

Opportunities to serve…

• Be a part of the Living on Site Team (LOST). A group of people from The Lakes led by Chris & Telena Hogbin are joined by others from Sydney, staying at the High School during the week and committing themselves to a 8 day mission by running the kids program.
• Get involved in cooking for the LOST Team.
• Be a part of the Adults Tent team (meeting new people, menu & theme planning, food preparation, food serving).
• Logistics & setup/packdown of resources.
• Registrations – meeting and greeting parents, registering children.
• Creche & preschool tent – being part of a roster to care for  young children while parents are in the Adults tent.
• Family Fun Day – helping run family games, bbq.

More about the program…

Kids are welcome to come for one day or the whole week. The program runs from 9-11:30 each day and the cost is $4/child/day (or max $10/family/day). All the kid’s programs are coordinated by qualified children’s workers with a support team of trained volunteers. There is a mix of games, craft, puppets, teaching from the Bible and morning tea.

During the week we also have an Adults Tent  for parents, grandparents and friends to be spoilt while their children are participating in their program (creche and preschool tent also available for parents remaining on site). Tea and coffee and plenty of yummies will be served for a small donation. We will also hear from a number of different speakers on issues that relate to us, our family and community.

Good News Week concludes with church on Sunday 16th at Berkeley Vale High School and a Family Fun Day afterwards. It should be a lot of fun and we hope you can join us!

We are having a “give-away” stall at Kids’ Day Out at Ourimbah Uni. Hundred’s of kids and their parents will be there. We plan to give away Colin Buchanan DVD’s, Essential Jesus books (Gospel of Luke), and extend invitations to our Christmas meetings, Carols, and of course Good News Week.

If you are willing to help man the stall in an allocated timeslot, please let Michael Plaege know of your willingness and the period you may be available that Sunday. All you need is enthusiasm, a willingness to talk to inquirers, and a smile.

“what are children to us?”

Children bring out the best in us and the worst in us.  The following are some of the things we thought of.  Children are…

We then explored in more detail the idea that they are a gift from God given to us. God has chosen to give us the privilege of caring for them.  We talked about…

“What is God’s purpose in giving us Children?”

• To be taught and guided to glorify God
• For God’s glory not our own
• So you as a parent will grow and serve Christ – your God given calling – our children will be our only creations that will last
• To reach out to the world
• To live in this world
• To be prayed for – agonised over
• To be protected (even if you have to be a “mean Mum”)
• To be loved
• Not to be idolised (to learn to submit to authority and to have love and order in the family Ephesians 5:21-6:4)
• Not a right but a gift from God
• Proverbs 22:6 “train a child in the way he should go”

More from our discussions to follow in coming weeks!

Good News Week (GNW) is a 5 day kids holiday program Monday 4th -Friday 8th January, run by the Lakes church. GNW caters for kids of all ages.

MINIMITES  (Yr K-2) : ‘Where are we?’ – Come and join us in the library as books come to life! We will be meeting lots of exciting characters who will tell us all about Jesus and the things he did as we find our way through the book of luke.

KEENITES (Yr 3-6): ‘Get ready for a blast…’ – Join Dr. ka Boom and the Professor in the laboratory as we bring the perfect person to life…Jesus! Watch out for the explosions!

TEENS (Yr 7-12): ‘And so where’s Jesus?’ – What’s your real identity and how do you find it? Join us this week for the search.

Kids are welcome to come for one day or the whole week. The program runs from 9-11:30 each day and the cost is $4/child/day (or max $10/family/day). All the kid’s programs are coordinated by qualified children’s workers with a support team of trained volunteers. There is a mix of games, craft, puppets, teaching from the Bible and morning tea.

You can pre-register your child by downloading the form, completing it and handing in the collection bags on Sunday. Otherwise, you can register on the day.

During the week we also have an Adults Tent ‘The Watering Hole’, for parents, grandparents and friends to be spoilt while their children are participating in their program (creche and preschool tent also available for parents remaining on site). Tea and coffee and plenty of yummies will be served for a small donation. We will also hear from a number of different speakers on issues that relate to us, our family and community.

Here’s the program:

MONDAY: ‘Wrestling with Crocodiles’ – When raising kids feels like a fight to the death!
TUESDAY: ‘Crossing the Nullarbor’ – Surviving rocky relationships
WEDNESDAY: ‘Under the Southern Cross’ – Bush Tucker and the Great outdoors
THURSDAY: ‘I love To Have A Beer With Duncan’ – Reflections on mateship and the Australian spirit
FRIDAY: ‘The Great Aussie BBQ’ – Celebrate our great nation and enjoy a BBQ feast.

Good News Week concludes with church on Sunday 10th at Berkeley Vale High School and a Family Fun Day afterwards. It should be a lot of fun and we hope you can join us!

GNW2010 promo – short from The Lakes on Vimeo.

GNW2010 promo – main from The Lakes on Vimeo.

LOST Team Interviews from The Lakes on Vimeo.

Our aim on a Friday night is to meet up , to have a lot of fun and most importantly tell kids about our Saviour Jesus and to build up our Christian youth knowing him.

Fruits of the spirit is our teaching program this term from Galatians 5:22-23.

5/6 Week 6 -Pure patience

12/6 Week 7 -Kingly kindness and godly goodness

19/6 Week 8 -Faithful faithfulness

26/6 Week 9 -Gentleness and self-control

3/7 Week 10 -Lazer tag in Gosford (326 Mann st), cost $15, has been subsidised. Travel down in cars. Leave 7:00pm. Get back 9:00pm

10/7 week 11 -End of term of party. Themed games, party food and a stack of fun to send us in to the holidays.

Next term we are going to be looking at “being on Gods Team” sports theme .

Contact Mark Havey for details.

What an awesome weekend for the men and kids from the Lakes who camped at Tahlee Camp Centre back in March. We felt so blessed by God throughout the whole weekend. Tents dotted the foreshore of this hidden away Centre on the edge of Port Stephens. Stirring Bible talks brought by Steve House and Don Lawson certainly challenged and provoked the hearts of the men and provided some great interactive questions and fellowship. During the talks the kids were kept busy with the older ones building rafts and floating them in the protective swimming area (supervised and inspired by Dave & Stewart) and the younger ones playing games with Telena and Jade. The highlight came for them on Saturday night when the camp ground via tractor winched five huge Mako sharks out of a boat, to be cleaned and filleted – what a photo opportunity. Mate – we can’t wait for next year!

Teachers are required to undergo child protection training and to sign a “Prohibited Employment Declaration” that declares that they are not prohibited from working with children.

At the start of our morning congregations the children join with the adults in the main auditorium.  After about 15 minutes they head out to participate in Kids’ Church.  The children are taught in classrooms where they are visible from outside the classroom.  You are welcome to observe a class at any time and ask questions of the teacher after the class.

Check out about the different groups and activities for children and youth.