Children's Ministries

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

IN THE UMC IN LITHUANIA, 2008

"Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me… (Luke 9,48).

June 18–20. Thanks to the financial and spiritual support of many partner and local churches, the district children‘s summer camp on the theme “The Fruits of the Spirit“ (Gal 5, 22-23) was organized, where 74 children (6–13 years old) from 10 churches camped. 17 shepherds and 17 leaders agreed to help as volunteers, who offered their time and talents frankly, for the children in the camp would be safe and busy. We honestly thank all, who helped in this camp.

On July 1–2 the UMC in Taurage organized the children‘s Bible camp “Joined in Christ“, where children were invited not only these, who attend Church and Sunday school, but also children from the Foster Home “Springlet“ in Taurage. There camped 34 children (5–13 years old) overall. The camp was organized thanks to the financial support of the partner church in Geneva and thanks to members’ of the community, youth‘s and priest‘s and the visiting group‘s help.

On August 4–8 the Help Center in Birzai organized the children‘s and youth‘s summer camp “The Friendship joins us“ for socially maintained children from the town and the region of Birzai, where 50 children and youngsters camped.

On August 12–14 the UMC in Panevezys organized the summer Mother‘s and Child‘s camp for children of the local church on the theme “We – God‘s Children“, where 32 children camped.

Other activity:

In 2008 the newspaper “Chainlet” for children was begun to publish. Now the issue for the Advent–Christmas time is being prepared. There will be an electronic variant of the issue, too.
The preparation of the 7th book of the teaching material of the Sunday school is being finished, and it is planned to be finished till Christmas.
The Sunday School Committee “The Light for Children“ gather once or twice a year.
ü During this year I visited lessons of the children’s ministry and Sunday school in the UMC in Vilnius, Birzai, Ukmerge, Kaunas, Panevezys, Kybartai and Taurage. I help the UMC in Taurage constantly and from October I visit the UMC in Kybartai once a month, where I help during the lessons for children and lead the children‘s hour during the worship. The UMC in Ukmerge continue lessons for children again. The group gathers on every Tuesday.
The news on children‘s camps, contests and the activity of the committee “The Light for Children“, photo albums and the information are constantly renewed in the website www.jmb.lt and in the newspaper “Grandis“ of LUMC.
Protocols from meetings, the material from past seminars and district camps are archived and kept in the Office of the Christian Education.

The vision for 2009:

To organize a seminar for Sunday school teachers; to present the 7th book of teaching material for Sunday schools.
To publish the 7th book of illustrations for Sunday school; to publish the newspaper “The Chainlet“ further.
To visit the Sunday school of LUMC further according to the possibility, to help them, provide teaching ideas and material and coordinate their activity;
To help the local UMC organizing children’s Bible camps.

Andzelika Micutiene, the coordinator of children‘s ministry