Faith Friends is
our midweek program using the Group Faith Weaver Friends materials. It is offered
on Wednesday nights from 6:00-7:30 p.m. It is open to children K through 6th
grade. The Faith Friends year usually starts the 2nd week of September
and ends the 1st week in May. It consists of an opening time as a
whole group with music, Bible Memory, and a skit of the Bible story theme for the night that the children act out and which
is then explained. Children are then rotated in smaller groups called circles
to 3 different stations, which include crafts, music, and snacks. Each station
builds on the main Bible theme as presented at the opening. Each circle consists
of children of varying ages and a circle leader. These groups remain together
for the entire year and this allows the older ones to “mentor” and help younger ones, and the leader has an opportunity
to really get to know his/her group very personally. The evening ends with a
time of Journaling, which is a time to share within their circle what has been going on in their week, to answer questions
that are designed to help make the lesson “real” in their lives and what they need God’s help with in the
coming week.
Bible Memory is
an important part of Faith Friends, and each year a theme is used and verses selected to go with the theme. Our goal is to have the kids truly plant these verses in their hearts and minds and to remember them and
be able to use them. We try to encourage them to learn one verse a month plus
a challenge verse.
We
have special activities during the year, such as going to a local nursing home to carol at Christmas, making unleavened bread
for the Maundy Thursday service, special parties for some holidays, etc. Each
year ends with a closing/recognition celebration for the kids and their families.
Main contact: Joyce Deffenbaugh
