If you are the parent of a baby or toddler you know how important it is to have play dates — for you and for your little one! Because there are so many families connecting to our church we want to provide a space for those play dates.

Beginning February 7 at 10:00 am, the church will host a monthly Play Date on the first Tuesday of the month. This is a chance for parents to connect while their little ones play. We hope to see your family on Tuesday, February 7 at 10:00 am!

Registration is not required. Contact Melody Merida if you need more information.

Let’s shake off our winter doldrums together at Snapperz Family Fun Center! Snapperz in Carmel features 33,000 square feet of fun for the whole family. It’s the perfect place for kids to play while the adults get some good grown up socializing.

They have soft structure play units, laser tag, climbing walls, bumper cars, bowling, bungee trampoline, games, food, and a toddler area for the little ones. Families of all ages are invited to join in the fun Saturday, February 11, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The cost is $10 for children ages 4-17, $3 for children ages 2 and 3, and free for adults and children under 2. Admission gets you four hours of fun on the main attractions (the inflatables and the soft structure play units). Other attractions and food are extra.

Please complete the form in Sunday’s Weekly News or email Melody Merida if your family will be attending the winter escape.

Beginning November 6 during the 11:00 am service the 9th through 12th graders will have their own place to talk, hang out, and share together. This group starts in the sanctuary for music and worship, and will be dismissed to their own room at the start of the sermon. They will then return for communion.

The leaders of this new group are Tiffany Soaper and Sha-Hanna Lewis. Tiffany graduated from Old Dominion University with a degree in Psychology and Human Services Counseling. She has an extensive background in working with youth of all ages.

Sha-Hanna has been a mentor and service advocate for many years. At Indiana University and the University of Chicago Charter School she especially enjoyed helping youth overcome challenges in and out of the classroom. Her most recent projects were through AmeriCorps at the Indianapolis Metropolitan High School.

The Children’s Ministry has some exciting news to share about the upcoming fall season. Because the rotation model of learning has proven so effective in our VBS program, we are planning to adapt that same model to our weekly children’s ministry. Each week the children will rotate to a different “workshop” where they will learn by engaging in things like storytelling, cooking, computers, puppets, crafts, drama, exercise, geography, etc. It’s Sunday school that speaks to the learning styles of all children! An added bonus of the workshop format is that it allows volunteers to serve in their area of giftedness.

When the rotation model begins on August 14, each child (Preschool to 5th grade) will be checked in to their classroom before the start of worship and checked out of their classrooms at the close of worship by the adult who brought them. With our increasing numbers it is important that we make these changes to ensure all children are exactly where they should be.

Because there is so much information to share about this exciting transition, we will hold an information session for all parents, families, and volunteers on Sunday July 24, right after the 11:00 am service. If you want to know more about the model and how it will impact your children, please plan to attend the session! Questions? Contact Melody Merida at (317) 722-0000 × 102 or send her an email.

Registration for both Camp Forust Summer Camp and Pandamania Vacation Bible School are underway!

Pandamania VBS is free and open to children 3 to 13. It will take place June 20 to 24 from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the church.

Camp Forust is $225 per child and is open to children aged 8 and older. Camp will be July 11 to 15 at a campground near Spring Mill State Park.

Registration forms will be available at church this Sunday. Questions? Please contact Melody Merida, Minister of Congregational Life.

The Jesus MCC Children’s Choir is buzzing with excitement! The choir, which meets every other Wednesday from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, is now led by director Nathan Tuttle.

Nathan is a graduate of the IU School of Music, with a bachelors in Music Education, and has completed several hours at Butler University in Choral Conducting. He has taught elementary music education for eleven years, and has conducted and volunteered in various capacities with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir for over nine years.

Nathan shares, “I am so excited to be a part of this church and now a part of the Children’s Choir ministry! I hope to serve the church with beautiful music sung by our children.”

Check the calendar for the next meeting day, and join us at 6:30 pm in Room 8. We can’t wait to see you there! Questions? Please see Melody Merida or email her.

Beginning Sunday September 12, the Bridge Middle School/Junior High group will return to the 11:00 am service as the newly revised Bridge 2.0.

The Bridge 2.0 will be led by Deacon Randy King, who brings his years of youth ministry expertise to the program. Randy has been actively working in church and youth ministry since 1972, including the establishment of three different youth programs. Randy’s experience has been primarily with junior high kids and he is excited to get back to the ministry he loves!

The group will meet every Sunday during the 11:00 am service following the praise and worship time. Parents, mark your calendars for September 12 when The Bridge 2.0 makes its debut! If you have questions, please email Melody Merida.

Galactic Blast VBS!
Every summer Jesus MCC hosts an exciting week of Vacation Bible School. This year our theme is Galactic Blast! We will explore the magnificence of the universe God has created! VBS will meet from June 28 to July 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm each evening at the church.

Your space cadets will take part in games, crafts, snacks, songs, and space experiments. You can register your children at church on Sunday, or email Melody Merida for more information.

Camp Forust!
Jesus MCC is going to camp! Summer camp has long been a church tradition and this year we are getting in on the act. Camp Forust will be held July 20-23 at a campground in Lafayette, IN, which features traditional camping activities like hiking, archery, swimming, campfires, zip lines, and a ropes course.

Camp is for kids ages 8 to 16. (See Melody Merida if your camper is younger than 8.) The cost for the camp is $170 per camper and this includes all meals and snacks and transportation to and from the campground and the church.

There is still time to register for this exciting opportunity. You can register your children at church on Sunday, or email Melody Merida for more information. See you at camp!

You won’t want to miss Vacation Bible School!

We will explore the wonders of God’s incredible world through daily expeditions of Discovery Canyon. We’ll have some exciting adventures as we make our way through Red Rock Rhythm, Sagebrush Storytelling, and Gully Games, just to name a few of our destinations. The trek is scheduled for June 22-26, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

This year’s VBS will feature a special Navajo Nation Missions opportunity for the children as we seek to create a global community.

To register your child or to donate some items that will help us create a dynamic canyon experience, stop by the information table in the social hall on Sunday, or email Melody Merida.

Your children will make memories that can last for a lifetime! Grab your walking stick and join us on the journey through Discovery Canyon.

Jesus MCC’s traditional Thanksgiving Day Dinner will happen on November 27 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Please join us if your schedule allows! It’ll be a great time with good food and church friends. You’re welcome to bring board or card games.

The church will provide the turkey. Please bring a side dish or dessert to help complete the meal. If you plan to attend, please fill out the form in Sunday’s bulletin or email the church office so we can plan appropriately.

This year, for the first time, the church is also hosting the Community Thanksgiving Dinner that’s co-sponsored by Indy Pride and Indiana Black Pride on Saturday, November 22, at 6:00 pm.

It’s a pitch-in dinner with meat provided, and it’s open to everyone. In addition to the community meal, Indy Pride scholarship awards will be presented,  and there will be performances by the Pride of Indy Band and the Jesus MCC Gospel Choir.

And on Sunday, November 23, the Children’s Ministry will host our first ever Thanksgiving meal together at 11:00 am. This will be a smaller version of a traditional Thanksgiving meal that our children can share together as we give thanks for our blessings. The children’s ministry will provide the turkey, and we are asking parents to bring a small side dish to be shared. Sign-up sheets are available in your child’s classroom today and next Sunday. If you have questions, please email Melody Merida.

It’s something no parent even wants to think about — the disappearance of a child.  But if the unthinkable were to happen, would you be prepared with the information the authorities need to help find your child and bring them back safely?

On August 17, after the 11:00 am service, we’re offering the Managing Information on Lost Kids Program in cooperation with Farmers Insurance Group.  Photos and fingerprints of your child, along with other essential data, will be compiled into an easy-to-use electronic resource.  And while we all pray that these will never have to be used, you can rest assured that you’ll be prepared for a time when minutes can make a difference.

There is no cost or obligation for this resource kit, and it’s not a sales pitch in disguise.

If you have questions, please email Melody Merida or call her at (317) 722-0000.

Are you age 14 to 18?  Do you look around church and see no one who looks like they’ve heard of myspace, Guitar Hero, or Twilight?  Beginning next Sunday, July 27 at 6:00 pm, we’re embarking on a New Beginning and its just for you!

We’ll have a separate worship service for all of you who have been “in hiding.”  What does this mean for you? No more shaking hands with weird adults, no more boring announcements, and no more bad jokes in Jeff’s sermons!

We’ll meet in Room 1 to enjoy some food together, play games, listen to music, and just hang out. Church can be exciting — so join us next Sunday to help make it fun! It’s a new beginning because its new, its for you, and it’s the start of something great.

The picture below shows Phases One and Two of our soon-to-be-installed new playground. Phase One has been ordered and will be delivered some time in June. (Phase Two was included in our design for future planning purposes, and will be added when funding is available.)

This Children’s Ministry expansion was made possible by part of the proceeds of the recent Art Auction and several special donations.

Many, many thanks go out to everyone who made the auction such a success.

We’ll be installing this playground equipment ourselves — under the direction of a supervisor provided by the equipment supplier. Watch your Weekly News for details!

On Sunday, January 20, we’re kicking off an exciting program for sixth- to eighth-graders! The group will meet at 11:00 am on Sundays, plus there will be plenty of social, service, and retreat outings. Using outstanding resources and a variety of texts, this program will be honest, relevant, and fun.

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Being a parent can be the most thrilling, heart wrenching, and rewarding experience you’ll ever have. But the truth is, parenthood is the easy part — all you need to do is to have a child. Parenting calls for real soul searching and a willingness to ask difficult questions. Parenting demands a clear understanding of what we’re doing and why. It’s not for the faint of heart!

Beginning Wednesday, January 30 at 6:00 pm, and continuing on February 6 and 13, we will kick off our Family Oasis program with a three-week exploration of parenting to understand the ways your family history shaped you and how that history affects you as a parent. We will develop a perspective on parenting that allows us as parents to make intentional choices about the kind of family life we want to have. Those who hope to become parents are also welcome.

And there’s something for the kids too! We will offer nursery care for the younger children, and fun and exciting children’s group activities for children between kindergarten and 5th grade. We will have dinner together as a group and then disperse into our smaller groups. Dinner will be free.

Register today for your family’s spot in this exciting new program, and take a positive step toward building a strong family. To register, fill out the form in Sunday’s bulletin, or email Melody Merida or call her at (317) 722-0000.

On August 26, at the 9:30 am and 11:00 am services, we will be celebrating our amazing children and youth! The celebration will include:

• Offering a prayer of blessing for our children, for our Children’s Church team, and for all the people in our church who are a part of the public and private educational system,
• Children and youth will participate in the worship service, and
• Third-graders will receive Bibles.

If you have a third-grader, please fill out the form in Sunday’s bulletin or email us with your child’s name and your name. We want to identify all of our third-graders so we can be sure they all receive a Bible.

We’re getting ready for Avalanche Ranch, this summer’s amazing western-themed Vacation Bible School. It’ll happen on the evenings of June 25 to 29. (more…)

Exciting new program begins in January.

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