Save Your Service For Easter March 18, 2011
Posted by rshort in : 5-Holidays, 7-Volunteer , comments closed
Easter is approaching and MBC has many Easter-related activities coming up. Please welcome guest blogger Alessandra Prosper, our Volunteer Services Manager, sharing how you can be involved:
What would Jesus Do? : Live a life of service
Think about it: “What Would Jesus Do?” is a common question many of us learned growing up. You may remember how easy it was to wear the WWJD bracelets, or doodle WWJD as you sat through that one class where you knew the professor was related to the Visine commercial guy – but when really faced with the question, it was (and can often still be) hard to act on.
This is particularly true when we start to talk about service. God tells us: “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:2. So, if we were to ask ourselves “what would Jesus do,” we all could agree that part of our answer would be: “he would serve.” But even with that truth, the idea of serving can be a daunting one, especially given the fast-pace culture in which we live, where everything we do becomes another item on our check-list.
God, however, had a different intention when he set the example of being a servant. He did not want service to be something we add to our ever increasing To-Do list, but rather he intended it to be a way of life – an act of worship in light of Christ’s gift of salvation. Consider what Paul tells us through his letter to the Church in Rome: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1. God wants us to joyously give him our all, because he gave us his all, and because he knows that in serving him we will find great satisfaction.
Take Action: In light of our calling to service, let’s come and pursue that lifestyle together. At Kid’s Quest we would like to offer you a place to start. This Easter thousands of people, many of them first-time visitors, will be joining us. So come and serve families with us as we celebrate our Savior! We have 4 exciting opportunities that you can be a part of:
- The Rock That Rolled Family Easter Party (Friday, April 8) – Assist with set up or run an activity station for this Easter-themed carnival outreach. Can sign up in shifts so you can still enjoy the event with your family!
- Palm Processional (Saturday, April 16 & Sunday, April 17) – Greet families or escort children on stage to sing for the congregation in main services.
- Maundy Thursday Communion Service (Thursday, April 21) – Care for children newborn-preschool while parents attend the communion service.
- Easter Weekend (Saturday, April 23 & Sunday, April 24) – Greet families or help in children’s classrooms.
Contact me at alessandra.prosper@mcleanbible.org or 703-770-2902 to discuss your interests and sign up to serve.
Pray: God wants us to pursue lifestyles of service, but he doesn’t expect us to do it on our own. It’s important to pray for his help and guidance, and ask him to help us see the opportunities he is giving us to serve him. My prayer for you is that God would reveal the incredible joy and fulfillment you could have in serving him.
Helping Kids in the DR March 15, 2011
Posted by rshort in : 3-Missions Projects , comments closed
Do you ever catch yourself being so caught up in the hustle and bustle of your daily routine that you lose sight of what’s happening in the rest of the world? Seriously, how often do you catch the nightly world news? Kudos to you if you’re able to keep up with world affairs, but for my family, it takes a major earthquake to get our attention.
And yet the world is so much bigger than our own community. And many of the people in it live vastly different lives than ours. Take, for example, the people of the Dominican Republic. Do you even know where that is? Ok, I admit it; I had to look it up. The Dominican Republic is a nation island south of Florida with a population of almost 10 million people. Nearly half of the population lives below the national poverty level. Of that half, a little over 12% live on less than $2 a day. Many families lack the means to support their basic needs like food, clean water, shelter, and clothing. “Home” may be nothing more than pieces of tin and wood tacked together over a dirt floor where a family of 8 shares 1 mattress on the floor and eats only 1 meager meal a day. What a sobering reality check.
For the next two months, March and April, Kid’s Quest is partnering with The Rock Student Ministries and Score International to bring hope and care to kids in the Dominican Republic. The Rock is currently seeking sponsors for specific children in the province of Quisequeya. For $30 a month, they will receive basic necessities like food and clean water, education assistance, special needs care if needed, and an opportunity to learn about hope in Jesus. We’re aiming to sponsor 3 children for the next year. We’ll be sharing stories of children in the DR in Large Group. Your kids can participate by bringing their offering to Kid’s Quest classes on the weekend. Here’s a brief video we’ll be showing to give kids a glimpse of the DR and some of the kids who live there. We encourage you to talk at home with your kids about how God can use the offering gifts we give Him to do great and mighty things, including changing the lives of others in another part of the world.
P.S.
Did you know that in elementary classes this month, we’re currently learning about the virtue of COURAGE? Sharing the Gospel message of Jesus Christ with others takes guts (ask your kids about the “gut checks” they’re doing in Large Group each week). We’re so proud of the Kid’s Quest staff and volunteers who had the guts to travel with The Rock Student Ministries last summer to share the Gospel with others in the Dominican Republic. The Rock Student Ministries sends students and adults to the DR each year to serve in various capacities including building houses, setting up medical clinics, running Vacation Bible School, teaching Sports Clinics, etc. This year they’ll be going during our missions project, April 16-21, as well as over the summer, July 28-August 5. As a family, please pray for everyone going – for their travel, safety and well-being, and for the strength and courage to spread the Good News. If you have a 4th or 5th grader, you might encourage them to be praying about whether God will send them on a similar missions trip when they get into The Rock in a few years.
Children’s Musical Event March 12, 2011
Posted by rshort in : 4-Events , comments closed 
Creative Arts Club presents “Under God’s Sea in 3D” on Friday, March 25, at 7:30 pm in the Smith Center (1st floor auditorium). A reception will follow immediately after in the MBC Cafe.
Dive into this fun musical written by best-selling children’s music creator Celeste Clydesdale. Join Jonas Joppa and the rest of the God Squad from Alleluia Aquatic Academy as they venture out in a submarine to learn more about God through His underwater world. Under Professor Gill’s direction, the students learn to navigate the sometimes murky waters of life by seeking God’s Word daily. Once they ask God to open their eyes, ears and hearts, they begin to realize the depth of God’s love for them. This musicial is bound to make a splash with your whole family so come along and experience “Under God’s Sea in 3D!”
This is a free family event and no tickets or registration is required.
The Rock That Rolled Easter Party March 10, 2011
Posted by rshort in : 4-Events , comments closed
The Rock That Rolled Easter Party returns on Friday, April 8, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Bring your family and friends to this fun Easter-themed event with egg hunt, carnival games, relays, crafts & activities, moon bounce, cotton candy, popcorn, an appearance by puppets Green Bird & Yellow Bird, and an Easter Show. This event is geared for preschoolers through 3rd graders but all ages are welcome. Pick up fliers to invite your friends, neighbors, and classmates starting this weekend, March 12/13.
Tickets are $5 each. Adults must accompany children and need a ticket for themselves and children. Infants 24 months and younger are free. Purchase tickets in advance at mbctysons.org/kqevents or during weekend services at Ticket Central starting this weekend, March 12/13. We strongly encourage you to purchase tickets early – they sell out fast every year! Sorry, no walk-ins. We will also be selling fun items at the event such as Kid’s Quest, Green Bird, & Yellow Bird T-shirts, kid’s worship CD’s, and CUE Boxes.
CHANGE: We will not be selling dinner this year and the MBC Cafe is closed. Please have dinner prior to coming. We will have free cotton candy and popcorn.
PLEASE VOLUNTEER: We have an immediate need for 5 people who enjoy party planning and organizing volunteers to step up as leaders for this event. Could you be one of these leaders? We will also need lots of helpers the night of the event to run stations. This is done in shifts so you can still enjoy part of the event with your own family. If you can help in either of these roles, please contact Kristin Tomlinson at 703-770-2908 or kristin.tomlinson@mcleanbible.org.
A New Home For The Birds March 8, 2011
Posted by rshort in : 1-Hot News , comments closed
Exciting things are happening in the Preschool Tree House! This past weekend we unveiled a brand new stage for our Preschool Large Group programming. We are so thankful for the creative minds and skilled hands that labored to make such an amazing set to be used to teach and inspire your kids. We hope your preschoolers came home excited to share with you about Green Bird and Yellow Bird’s new home. But more to the point, we hope they came home even more excited to share with you all that they’re discovering about God. Use the Take Home Card we provide you at check-out to have continuing spiritual conversations at home about what your kids are learning about kowing, loving, and serving God.
P.S. Ask your kids about the mysterious dresser in the new Tree House!