Happy Birthday to you!
December Birthdays:
Zachary Roach 12/04
Jarryn Salvador 12/07
Amy Kim 12/10
Caius Ahn 12/16
Crystal Lau 12/15
Annabelle Chen 12/17
Melah Motani 2/21
Sierra kIm 12/27
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Teachable Moments
“Store your treasures in heaven…. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Matthew 6:20-21
Only God, not possessions, can satisfy our longings for love and belonging. Help your family treasure the baby Jesus this Christmas and focus on giving, not receiving.
1. Adopt a Family-Purchase gifts and a holiday meal for a family in need. Then deliver everything on Christmas Eve. You can do this anonymously.
2. Seasonal Celebrations- For younger children, make a birthday cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. For older children, throw a baby shower for Jesus by donating items to a local crisis-pregnancy center.
Make Allowances-Try this idea with money your kids receive for Christmas, and continue it year-round: Have children use 10% of their money to help someone else, whether it’s donated or used to buy a small gift. Together, keep a journal detailing how children use that 10%.
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Parenting Insights
In The Five Love Languages of Children, Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell explain that some children get their emotional tanks filled by receiving gifts. Yet parents must exercise caution:
1. Remember children’s deep need for love. When kids don’t feel truly loved, they can misinterpret a gift, thinking it has conditions attached.
2. Don’t offer gifts as substitutes. Time and emotional security are what children desire the most.
3. Giving has little to do with an item’s size and cost. Children will be delighted by necessities that are lovingly offered, such as school clothes in fun wrapping paper.
Not all gifts come from a store. For example, kids will cherish a wildflower or unusual stone you present creatively.
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WARMING COMMUNITIES . . . ONE COAT AT A TIME
Winter is approaching, and no one should have to go without such a basic necessity as a coat! The children’s ministry of NewSong LA is collecting clean, reusable coats and jackets to assist the One Warm Coat community service effort. Coats of all shapes sizes are welcome and children’s sizes are most needed. One Warm Coat is dedicated to distributing reusable coats, free of charge, directly to local children and adults. The program is a wonderful way for you and your family to pass along coats and jackets that you no longer need.
It’s so simple; just bring your clean, reusable coats and jackets to Crenshaw High School, located at 5010 11th Ave Los Angeles, CA 90043 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 14, 2008. All donated coats will be given to The Los Angeles Mission for distribution to the community in need.
For more information about the One Warm Coat Drive, Contact; Sherea VéJauan Riley at sherea.riley@newsong.net or visit www.newsongLA.net
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Family Experience: Merry “Christ”mas!
Traditions are a wonderful way to build lasting memories as a family. Consider adding these Jesus-focused traditions to your Christmas celebrations this year:
· Hearts for Jesus-Make a big stocking with the name “Jesus” in glittery gold and silver. Let kids make felt or paper hearts with their names on them and give their “hearts” to Jesus. After all, that’s what he wants the most at Christmas!
· Stable Sleepover-Curl up in sleeping bags beneath your tree on Christmas Eve. Just before you go to sleep, talk about what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph to sleep in a barn with baby Jesus. When you awake in the morning, you’ll know how uncomfortable that first Christmas night must have been. And the excitement and anticipation of opening presents will remind your family of Jesus, the first and best Christmas gift.
· Anonymous Angels-On Christmas morning, have family members draw names. During each of the 12 days after Christmas, angels should anonymously do something special for their person (do a chore, leave a love note, make a goodie, etc.). Have family members each make a calling card, such as angel wings, to leave with treats. On January 6 (Epiphany), have an angel party and reveal your identities. Serve angel food cake.
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Loosen the Grip of Materialism
During the Christmas season, our efforts to honor the holiday’s true meaning do battle with the consumer culture. But the temptation to overindulge our kids isn’t limited to December. All year long, children are bombarded by ads for “must-have” items that promise fun, excitement, and popularity. And parents often give in, either because they can or because they don’t want their kids to be deprived.
Research shows that overindulged children are less able to cope with stress, often lack self-control, and are at risk for being self-centered and depressed. From a spiritual standpoint, materialism shifts our priorities from heavenly things to earthly things.
Consider these ways to tame the monsters of materialism and overindulgence:
Emphasize the importance of nonmaterial values. Place a priority on spending time as a family, doing things other than shopping. Also watch what kind of example you set.
Help children explore their values. Instead of just saying “no” to every request, use the moment to discover what’s important to kids.
Realize that overindulgence comes in many forms. Avoid indulging your children emotionally by expecting too much or too little of them. Children crave boundaries, so don’t feel guilty about setting limits. Also, resist the temptation to do chores and tasks for your kids that they should be doing themselves.
(for more information and additional tips, be sure to pick up our ParentLink newsletter at the check-in desk at Noah’s Crib)
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 December 13th:
It’s here again! Our Annual Potluck Brunch & Gift Exchange! This is a celebration for the community God has provided as parents at NSLA. This event is open to all families in our midst. To RSVP, contact Jenny Kim at (323) 333-7596
December 14th: Noah’s Crib presents “One Warm Coat Drive” winter is approaching, and no one should have to go without a basic necessity such as a coat! On Sunday, December 14th, Newsong LA’s Children’s Ministry will becollecting clean, reusable coats and jackets to assist the One Warm Coat community service effort. Coats of all shapes sizes are welcome and children’s sizes are most needed. One Warm Coat is dedicated to distributing reusable coats, free of charge, directly to local children and adults. The program is a wonderful way for you and your family to pass along coats and jackets that you no longer need. For more information contact Sherea at sherea.riley@newsong.net
December 14th : one family service at 9:30 a.m.
On Dec 14th, we will be having ONE family service at 9:30 followed immediately by a Town Hall meeting at 11:00. This meeting will be pivotal to the direction of our church as we talk over the direction God is leading us, review our budget in light of the current financial conditions and make some important decisions as a family. We will also introduce new team members and give an update on our building search. We will be ratifying the bylaws, so please check it out at www.newsong.net/la. This meeting is for all who call NewSong LA home. Please make every effort to be there as the decisions made will affect you and we want your voice to be heard! For more information or questions on the Town Hall, please contact Ingrid at
Ingrid.ling@newsong.net.
December 14, 2008: Teachers Meeting (cancelled) (one church service)
December 28th: Breakfast at Noah’s (cancelled) |
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 What’s Playing at the Movies
Movie: Delgo (Dec. 12)
Genre: Animated Adventure
Rating: PG (for sequences of fantasy action violence)
Cast: Val Kilmer, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anne Bancroft, Kelly Ripa
Synopsis: In this computer-animated fantasy film, Delgo is an adventurous teenager in an exotic but divided land. He must rally his unlikely group of troubled friends to protect their world from conflict. There’s an uneasy peace between the Lockni, who rule the land, and the winged Nohrin, who rule the skies. The plot involves Delgo trying to rescue a kidnapped princess and clear his name about a crime he didn’t commit.
Discussion Questions: When your friends start arguing, how do you decide whether or not to get involved? How does it feel to be a peacemaker? Read Hebrews 12:14. How do peace and holiness work together? Why are they both so important to living a Christlike life?
What Music Is Releasing
Album: David Archuleta
Artist Info: David Archuleta, a high school student in Utah, was the runner-up on American Idol season seven. He began singing at age 6 and was winning the favor of Star Search audiences by 12. Archuleta attributes his song selection to his Mormon faith. His fans are known as “Archies” or “Arch Angels.”
Summary: Archuleta’s debut release is an adult-contemporary album with soulful ballads that will appeal to his many young, female fans. Several songs are piano-based and mid- to low-tempo, allowing Archuleta to feature his rich vocals. “Crush” and other songs address the ups and downs of relationships.
Discussion Questions: How would you define a crush? Why do so many kids experience such powerful crushes? How does a crush compare to true love? How can you determine what you’re really feeling toward someone?
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 What do your children value the most, and how do they view Christmas gift-giving?
Start some important conversations this month with these questions:
What’s on your Christmas list this year? Why do you want each of these things?
How long will each of your Christmas presents make you happy? How will you feel if you don’t get something on your list?
How does it feel to give someone a special gift? How does it feel to receive a gift that you aren’t expecting?
Why do we exchange gifts at Christmas? Why is the baby Jesus the best gift we could ever receive?
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Love Babies!!!!!
A baby first learns about the love of God through the love of his or her caregivers. Newsong LA’s Children’s Ministry would like for you to consider joining our Noah’s Crib Nursery Team. We have lots of new babies to care for. No prep, no experience necessary, training will be provided. Estimated time commitment is 2 hrs/Sunday. for more information contact Sherea Riley at noahscrib@newsong.net
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Sherea V. Riley
Noah’s Crib Director
5800 Hannum Ave. Suite D
Culver City, CA 90230
tel : 310-337-7702 4#
fax : 310-337-7708
cell: (424) 903-9352
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