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Children's Ministries “Train the child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6) One of the greatest and most significant events in the Children’s Ministries this year was the children’s camp “The Market of Jerusalem” held on 21-23 of June, where 135 children camped. There were 97 children, 19 shepherds and 19 leaders-volunteers among them from different United Methodist churches in Lithuania. It was pleasant that the lines of experienced leaders, who have already helped voluntarily during the previous years, were joined by three young people, who have recently been the members of the camp themselves. This just proves how important it is to have trust in the young generation and entrust them with important tasks. The objective of the camp is to evangelize and to teach the little ones the basics of Christian life through engaging them in different activities, to nurture the leaders, by choosing and inviting the volunteers, who have got the skills of Christian leadership, to share the experience and teaching ideas and to encourage them to share that experience in the congregations by using it in Christian education, to encourage them to organize and to help lead smaller Bible studies for children in local communities. This work has got a continuation and is not over after the camp. A lot of ideas can be used in children’s activities in local churches. Because in the camp there is a possibility to help the children to know more about Jesus, to share love and joy, it is the place, where we, adults, are able to learn patience ourselves, where we share Faith, experience, ideas, learn to work in a team, as the members of one body, learn a lot of new things and grow spiritually, when we provide them with security, while teaching them. The camp unites, nurtures, educates both children and the adults. Therefore it is extremely pleasant, that most of the churches do not only continue children’s activities in the summer time, but arrange Bible studies for children themselves. Because summer is the time when children are the least occupied and most often, especially children from families with difficulties, just walk the streets, doing nothing. Well-arranged children’s activities in churches not only have got the basis for evangelization, but can secure children from the negative influence of the “Street”. Therefore it is pleasant, that local churches are trying to bring together children in summer time. Panevėžys, Pilviškiai, Kaunas, Tauragė United Methodist churches, Biržai “Pagalbos centras” have been organizing Children’s Bible camps and family camps for several years. Also, in many churches there are Sunday Schools for children, Children’s Day centers or after-school groups, different events are organized for children (Kybartai, Kaunas, Vilnius, Biržai, Tauragė and Pilviškiai). In Tauragė, Panevėžys, Pilviškiai, Biržai, Kaunas there were Christmas programs arranged for children. But there is always room for perfection, a lot is to be learnt, we need to to be more persistent, not to give in to difficulties and to be more flexible-that means to be able to keep up with the pace of life, with the needs of the children. Not every church can rejoice in having enough children and adults-volunteers, able, willing and capable of teaching children in churches. There are still no activities for children in Kazlų Rūda, Eiguliai. The reasons are various-there are no children ( Eiguliai ), there are no people in the congregation able to bring together children, to get them interested in creative learning and to lead the first lessons (Panevėžys, Šiauliai, Kazlų Rūda and Eiguliai) or there is a lack in the premises suitable for children’s activities ( Kazlų Rūda, Tauragė ). Still a lot of depends on ourselves. The example could be Šiauliai and Tauragė churches. They almost don’t have any children and it seems impossible to organize some children’s activities there. Still those congregations managed to solve this problem, by communicating with Children’s Care homes (Tauragė) and Children‘s Logopediatric school (Šiauliai) by inviting the children from these specialised schools to the summer camp, by organising Christmas events for the children, by visiting them and sharing God‘s love. We must always remember, that our mission is „to make Christ‘s desciples all people“, despite their age, by reaching the remotest ones and, despite the hardships, by answering to God‘s calling and by nurturing children for Christian life. We should be flexible in ajusting to the needs of children, to their social status and to arrange the children‘s activities in the church according their, children‘s, needs, without diverting from the Christian education and the main objective-to guide the little ones to God. Since children‘s activities are not a Humanitarian help, they are not a help for the families, but are responsible for teaching of God‘s word, the prayer, the spirituality, by applying all possible methods of teaching-games, stories, tasks, experiences, by sharing God’s love and thus striving to reach the hearts of the children. The camp, the Sunday school or the Children’s Day Center-it is a place, where we, the leaders, have got an opportunity to show the children the way, which they are given the possibility to go. Other activities: Ø The 8th book of Sunday School teaching material has been finished to translate; Ø The illustrations for Sunday School teaching material are being prepared; Ø The material on Children’s camps has been archived; Ø The camp hymnal for children has been prepared, where children’s songs have been included; Ø The Advent and Christmas period tasks, scenarios of festive performances for children have been prepared and given out to churches; Ø I took part in the consultation on national “Children’s Christmas” action, arranged in Kaunas; Ø A meeting with the coordinator of Youth activities L.Budzinauskaitė on the discussion of work; Ø The information on Children’s activities of the UMCL is constantly updated on the website www.jmb.lt and www.lithuanaumc.org and published in the District newsletter “Grandis”. Vision: Ø Try to find the possibility to arrange a seminar for the leaders, who work in Sunday Schools and Children’s Day Centers in the UMC, where camp leaders could be invited; Ø Keep working with camp leaders, by encouraging them to voluntarily add to the children’s activities in local churches; Ø Keep working and prepare the 8th book of Sunday school teaching material (to prepare stories, activities, illustrations for coloring). In conclusion, I want to thank sincerely all those, who, with all their energy and love give the children that, what God has given to them. For it is written: “There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit…” (I Corinthians 12:5-9). Therefore “be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:10-11)
LUMC Children’s Coordinator Andželika Micutienė |
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