Category Archives: A Moment
Life is a moment and spending time with children is so precious. I am like a child today~
“Best Photographer with Photo Title” event in April
Please join our April teacher’s fellowship!
Among people who join this fellowship, we will pick one “Best photographer with photo title”!!
“Lavender favor in sheer organza bag” from Brooklyn Botanical Garden Shop will be given as a gift. Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Garden Shop is located at 990 Washington Avenue, adjacent to the Visitor Center. Please register below and let’s meet there!!^^
Immanuel teachers March conference was held in NYC!!
“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. So the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” -Psalm 78:4, 6-7
Immanuel teachers welcomed all the volunteers and Sunday School teachers from each branch church to join the Teachers’ Group March fellowship, the first teachers’ conference in 2014. On March 8th, 12 teachers and volunteers gathered for a conference about expectations for the Kids Sunday School program. Children are precious and may be cute but that may not alleviate challenges faced during Sunday school.
The fellowship began with sharing of Bible verses about teaching, which allowed the teachers and volunteers to better understand the meaning of teaching and the qualifications of good teachers:
(1) Jesus emphasized teaching in His ministry.
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. [Matthew 7:28-29, ESV]
(2) The apostles’ ministry showed the importance of teaching.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.[Acts 2:42]
And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. [Acts 5:42]
But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.[Acts 15:35]
And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. [Acts 18:11]
Also gift of teaching is the qualification to be an overseer (leader and teacher).
Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, [1Timothy 3:2]
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. [Titus 1:9]
(3) Who are the good teachers?
a) They need to live following the word of God constantly.
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. [1Timothy 4:12]
b) They need to be deeper in doctrine.
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.[1Timothy 4:6]
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. .[2Timothy 2:15]
c) They need to be humble. If they are arrogant, they deny the truth that they are teaching: gospel and humility.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, [2Timothy 2:24-25]
d) They are characterized by their pure hearts and holiness.
Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;
[1Timothy 4:7]
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. [1Timothy 6:11]
After the short message sharing, attendees thought about characteristics of teachers and they realized that above all prayer is the key to prepare their hearts and let the Holy Spirit guide them in everything.
Several teaching strategies and resources were shared throughout the conference but the most agreed that true wisdom comes from above. All of the attendees prayed together for the children and for support in proper teaching every Sunday.
The topics covered during this conference include:
1. When children arrive
2. The group time activities
3. Safety issues and toilet troubles
4. General principles of discipline and strategies
5. Resources for Sunday School teaching
One brother who joined this conference shared, “Beginning in children’s ministry, I had no idea what to do or how to do it. I often would struggle with should I be friends or should I be strict, but with the teacher’s fellowship today, we really covered the strong foundation of a good children’s ministry. All the areas that I had questions on were covered and even some that I never thought about before which I feel could prevent a huge disaster from happening. I was very thankful to have shred this experience and I took a lot from it!”
Also the minister from Immanuel Brooklyn church shared her reflection, “It was helpful to get practical and basic instruction for setting up kid’s Sunday school. I felt difference between secular school and Sunday kids school is that teachers are the mediators who guide those little ones to God. Always go with prayer. Motivation to teach gospel and having conviction of that is the basic attitude for teachers.”
Immanuel Teachers’ Fellowship hold a gathering once a month. You can find their updates on http://www.immanuelteachers.wordpress.com
March Teachers’ Fellowship RSVP needed!!
Welcome all the volunteers and teachers to join March Teachers’ Fellowship!!
March fellowship is first teacher’s conference in 2014.
Children are precious and cute but what we face in Sunday school is challenging sometimes.
Teaching strategies and resources will be shared during the conference.
Most of all, we believe that the true wisdom comes from above.
Let’s pray together for children and support them with proper teaching skill every Sunday.
We will discuss about what children expect from us at Sunday School as well as how teachers need to prepare their hearts.
Here are the contents in the conference.
1. When children arrive
2. The group time
3. Safety issues and toilet troubles
4. General principles of discipline and strategies
5. Resources for Sunday School teaching
Anyone who wants to know about children and how to guide them properly, please feel free to join us.
RSVP is needed below. Thank you.
WGA 2013 Childern’s Ministry Retreat Rememberance
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To be a small part in their lives…
I have been teaching the Jubilee kids for about a year. It has been a great experience. I thank God to allow me to serve the little ones. Difficult at times but joyful for the most part, it has been truly a blessed time that I have spent with the kids.
It was also a time of self-reflection. Children are very pure, enthusiastic, and passionate in everything they do and they love to learn new things. By being with them and spending time with them, I learned so much – I was reflecting on God’s love, and could feel God’s love more profoundly than ever before.
Sometimes in life, it is very difficult to believe that God loves you. At least me, I struggled with it sometimes. I could understand how God loves others. But can God love me? Me, who is such a sinner? It was very difficult to accept.
But actually being among children helped me a lot to meditate on God’s love for us.
What I could see, is that each of the kid has a very own personality already at such a young age. All of them are unique and you cannot find two kids that are the same.
Sometimes they can behave cranky, sometimes they do not listen to teachers but still, as a teacher you care for all of them. You love all of them and are happy about each single progress.
This made me to reflect about how God loves this world. That he truly looks at each person with love, compassion and wants to help us to grow.
Also I came to think that opposite to the kids, adult people worry too much. Daily worries that often times hinder our relationship with God, our faith. Sometimes it can even kill our faith. Children are much simpler in this aspect. They trust.
And what amazed me probably the most is their creativity. The process of exploring the world, their surroundings and themselves – kids are so creative.
All in all what I realized is that adults, we have plenty to learn from kids. Things like trust, faith, creativity, enthusiasm, and passion – things we once knew but somehow forget at times.
At the same time, we have to be a good role model for them. They are looking at us and learn from us. So it is a great responsibility, to teach them. During the last year, I was praying a lot for wisdom on how to teach them.
And though many times insufficient, but still I hope that I left a little good mark in their lives.
During the past year they have become for me personally an important source of inspiration, growth and joy. And I am deeply thankful to be able to be a small part in their lives.
EK’s Testimony with Jubilee Kids
It has been almost a year since I began working with our precious children. Throughout the last year, I have learned and gained a lot of insight. Prior to coming into this community, I had no experience at all in working with children. Therefore, it was a time of a big change for me. I wasn’t even 100% sure whether I wanted a position of working with kids. However, when I look back, I can see it was God’s grace and guidance that he led me to this ministry of serving kids.
Teaching and taking care of children is truly a position of serving and sacrifice. At first, I had a hard time with the kids, as I didn’t know how to treat or discipline them. Many times when I couldn’t get them listen to me, I became frustrated and found myself very impatient and angry. I quickly came to learn that serving kids is physically exhausting and difficult and at the time, my health was not very good. My health conditions lead me to cling to God more than ever before. I cried many days and sometimes complained to God. It was a very difficult time and I had to seek God asking for his help and wisdom each day.
As time passed by, I realized that what I went through was a time of wilderness. I was experiencing a time just as Moses did in the Book of Exodus, so that God could use him as a meek person. I was being trained to become a Godly person getting rid of all my selfishness and anger. Ultimately, I had to surrender myself to God by empting myself. God was so patient that he was waiting for me to fully surrender to him so that he could use me as a precious tool for serving kids.
Another thing that I learned was a heart of Jesus. I was able to understand what it means by Jesus coming to serve us. Although I may not fully understand the extent of His serving, I was still able to feel His heart and how difficult it must have been and how humble and loving a heart He must have had. I could also feel a glimpse of God’s sadness. For example, there are cases when kids go against my order even though it is only for their safety and goodness. In those times, I realize that it must be same with God and I when I foolishly disobey Him.
A year may sound long or short depending how you look at it but during this time, I learned a lot. We can say that we love with the heart of God. However, without emptying ourselves, lowering ourselves to the position of serving with sacrifice, we can’t really say that we love. It’s a constant battle of the mind against the flesh. I still pray that I can serve the kids with the love of God as I know that I’m weak in flesh and my selfishness and anger can come out at any moment. God uses those precious kids to change me and I’m sure that He will use them as they grow up to glorify His name.
Kids are so pure and have so much potential and I’m thankful for this position of taking care of them. Lastly, I would like to thank our kids and their families for their prayers and support. I thank the Lord for all He has done in my life and this ministry.
Imagine a school…
Where kids have freedom to be themselves.
Where success is not defined by academic achievement but by the child’s own definition of success.
Where the whole school deals democratically with issues, with each individual having an equal right to be heard.
Where you can play all day if you want to.
And there is time and space to sit and dream.
…could there be such a school?
A.S. Neill’s Summerhill
Happy New Year 2013
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Jubilee Kids School raises Heavenly Children
Jubilee Kids School raises Heavenly Children – 12. 7.2012 written by Oisuk Park (Previous Jubilee Kids School Teacher)
After I came to NYC, I was able to serve Jubilee Kids Program as a teacher for almost a year. At that time, I was busy preparing for everyday classes, following the schedule and being surrounded by children. I could not think of the importance of future Jubilee Kids’ School. At that time, I was focused on praying for children’s safety and for me to take care of our children with love. I prayed for one day grace and also prayed that God may raise our children with His will. I felt that I could not go this path by my own effort at all. Even though I was in the position of teaching, I could not help but asking God to help me every time I teach.
Last September 19th, I delivered my daughter Sonia and I am taking care of her at home. Now I realized how important our future Jubilee Kids School is more than ever before. As I went through the pregnancy, delivering and nurturing my baby, I realized that how much sacrifice and love is needed for the birth of one child. Still even though this child was born through love, there is limitation in the child’s parents. Parents cannot be with the child at all-time even forever! Only God can be the child’s own eternal friend. God can help this child to stand firm in any situation and be happy. So the most important thing in the early life of a child is “faith”. I wanted to help my child to walk with God from her early days. I wish that my child knows God who is with her in any case and any time so that she can gain strength. Knowing the God’s deep love and also that all the good things are from God, parents can help the child to walk with God that is the true help.
I thought that Jubilee Kids School and Family needs to be united well. They have a common view point and also Jubilee Kids School wants to raise each individual as people of God. Those children will be raised as people of God and they will expand the Kingdom of Heaven.
Several years ago, one of my team teachers told me, “I have one child now but I do not wish to have any more children.” I wondered why. She told me that once she dies, the child needs to live alone. She felt sorry for her child who will have lived this difficult world all alone. These days, I contemplated what she said. I also sometimes think of my child going through sufferings and pains. In this matter, how important it is to build the Kingdom of heaven! God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son Jesus Christ. This Son loves us also and he wants us to make the Kingdom of Heaven together with us.
Jubilee Kids School shares the same vision and the dream with the families. School and Family needs to be united well so that each one of our community children can be raised as a person of God and through these children, Kingdom Of God can be expanded to families, societies, nations to nation and to the ends of the Earth.
Immanuel Teachers 