That moment you realize...YOU are needed!

It was a moment that I try to look back on often, so that I won't forget. That one moment in time when I knew, I was needed and the longing to fulfill that need, filled my soul. 

I had heard  the kids out in the living room playing and calling for me to see if I was going to make breakfast, but I desired to stay snuggled up under my warm blankets with my eyes shut for just a few more minutes. My world became quiet and still for a few brief moments and then, all of the sudden, there were my two youngest kids, standing by my bedside, staring at me. I'm not sure when they walked in to the room, or how long they had been standing there so close to my face, but it certainly scared me enough to make my heart race a little too fast that early in the morning, 

My gut reaction was to get annoyed and tell them to go ahead and make their own breakfast. Let me sleep.  But, then my youngest daughter spoke. "Mom, I asked Jesus in to my heart!"

"You did?" I exclaimed.

"Brother and I prayed together.'

My quickly racing heart, turned to flutters of joy at this declaration and a sense of pride that my kids had made that choice, on their own, yet together, filled my soul! Then I realized, I am needed! 

I am needed to guide these kids on this path. I am needed to teach them the truth of the Word of God in a new way that relates to them in a whole new way.  I am needed to celebrate this moment with them! 

Friends, I want you to know that you are needed as well, right here at Five Oaks in The Tree House, to make a difference. You are needed for more than just an adult supervisor, staying comfortable in the place you are in. You are needed to help guide the kids of our church on the right path. You are needed to teach them the truth of the Word of God in new and exciting ways that relate to where they are at. YOU ARE NEEDED to celebrate the moments with them! 

Would you please pray about what area you could help in the Children's Ministry this summer. We need you and the blessing of time that you have to offer these kids! 

I am pretty sure we made pancakes for breakfast, they seem to be our traditional celebratory food choice. And we set out on a journey to do this together as a family. What a blessing that Five Oaks has been to come alongside us on this journey as well. Will you come alongside the kids of The Tree House as well?

Capture the moment

Downpours of the heart

My instinct was to say; "No! Play in the rain? Are you kidding me? You are going to get wet and cold... and I know you'll just pile the wet clothes on the bathroom floor. I don't even know that I have clean towels for you to dry off!" All the thoughts of how this activity could go ran through my head, but my mouth spoke the word, "Sure!" 

Watching out the window I realized that my busy thoughts almost missed this moment! That moment that I looked out and saw the child like smiles on the faces of her and her best friend. All the heaviness of the world they carry on their shoulders melted away and they, for a few brief moments in time, became carefree kids again; And I almost missed it.

How often, as parents, do we clutter our minds with how a scenario could go and then let the word "no", slip from our mouths, instead of taking a chance on the moment? 

Sunday, May 22nd, we held a parent workshop. During this time, our new Family and Discipleship Pastor John and I, shared ideas on how to embrace the moments that impact the hearts of our children. Many times we feel like the gestures for our kids hearts need to be grand to be an impact, but it's the small moments that earn their trust and the ability to speak in to their hearts for a lifetime. 

On your way down to the children's wing, there is a table in the hallway that is filled with some of the tangible, hands on ideas that were shared. There are also some printed ideas for you to take home with you. Please stop by and gather some ideas on some quick ways to capture the hearts of your kids in the simple moments. 

The girls came in, soaking wet and a little chilly. I managed to find two clean, dry towels for them and the clothes magically did not end up on the floor in a wet heap. The moment was well worth the smiles that it created for them and for their hearts, as well as mine! And, thankfully, the moment was not lost to me. 

We interrupt this regularly scheduled programming!

Every once in a while at Five Oaks, we have what we call, "Family Worship Weekends". During these weekends, we close our regularly scheduled programming for the 1st-5th graders and ask them to join their families in the Worship Center.  This weekend,  we will be holding these services.

Now, I know the habit that says, "my kids have to come to church with me? I won't get anything out of service. Let's just stay home!" I know, because I've been there. I have chosen to miss out on the experience and opportunity to share the service I attend, with my kids.  I want to take a minute to encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and to also give you a few ideas on how to maximize this time with your kids. 

First, talk about it before hand with them. Let them know they will be joining you and what the expectations of that time will be. Be sure to set expectations that are realistic to your child's specific age and needs. Give them an order of service so they know what to expect and when. We have this available to them on the back of the sermon notes provided. It will allow them to check off where we are at in the service time. 

Next, make a game plan. If you have little ones who may need a snack, or something to color, be ready with needed supplies. One idea I have found successful with my 7 year old, is that the night before service, I have her pack a bag that contains her Bible, a pencil, paper and a small snack. She is within the age that service might become a little long for her and having just these few items will help keep her occupied and engaged a bit longer. Also, if you have a 1st-4th grader, during the worship time, have them listen for the song that they have been learning in their classroom and have them sing it out loudly! 

Lastly, we have provided for your kids special sermon notes just for them! Have them bring their favorite set of colored pencils and grab a sermon notes sheet from the worship center. Take a moment before service starts to read over the questions with them so they know what they need to be listening for. Also, help them find the book of 1st Corinthians and mark it so they can easily find it when the time to listen has begun. After service, they can bring their filled out sermon notes to the Welcome Desk in The Tree House Children's Wing, show us their notes, and receive a small prize. They will get to take their notes home with them, and be sure to go over the notes with them. There are specific questions to discuss at home together as a family. 

We look forward to having the families in service together and we pray that you will find this time  fruitful for your family. This is such a great time to model the response stations to your children, to take communion together and light a candle to pray for the light of Christ to shine in someone else's life. 

Next week we will resume our normal scheduled programming!

See you in service!  *Rhiannon*

The hope that blooms...

Per our normal tradition, my family took me to the greenhouse to pick out a new hanging plant for Mother's Day. This event tends to kick off my spring flower collection.  A collection of which, by mid-summer, shows the true nature of the fact that I don't really have a "green thumb," even though I tend to convince myself that, "this year is different!"

As I walked around the greenhouse, unable to find the perfect plant, I finally choose a beautiful purplish-red  flowering plant, (that I will research what to actually call and how to care for it), and I found myself hopeful for this season of growing and the blooms that would spring forth from this plant!

I have had the honor of working in the children's ministry here at Five Oaks for almost 2 years now, and I love having the privilege to watch the kids grow and watch their hopes bloom. I love watching them in the classroom sing the songs and read the scripture. I love hearing them answer the questions that their leader has asked and I love watching their excitement grow. 

This weekend and next, we will have sign-up sheets available for summer help in the children's ministry.  I hope that you will take time to pray about how you can be part of the hope that blooms in the hearts of the kids  in the Tree House Children's Ministry.  

Just as I find myself hopeful for this growing season for my plants, I am also hopeful for this season of growing this ministry! 

~Rhiannon

Make Summer Count: Parent Workshop!

Hands on ideas to make the most of your summer!

Parents! You are invited to join us for our spring parent workshop: "Making Summer Count", on May 22nd during either the 9:15 or the 11:00 service in the gym! Rhiannon Rutledge will be sharing fresh and fun idea's on how to make the most of your summer with hands on ideas and activities. Everything from rainy days to fun in the sun... from family activities to date night... even road trips to stay-cations! 

We will also be joined by Five Oaks new Family & Discipleship Pastor, John Eiselt, for a time of teaching and sharing his heart for families! 

We hope you will join us for this exciting workshop and time of learning with John & Rhiannon. 

*No need to RSVP* Just show up! 

The Little Hand

It was Easter weekend and this little guy was having a rough time after his parents left for the worship center to hear the weekend's message. I left my post at my hostess stand and walked to the nursery to see if I could help in any way. Seems my new little friend just needed a walk, so, we walked. We looked at the bulletin board, decorated with Easter items, and the table that had different art forms depicting the story of what Jesus did for us all so many Easters ago.  As we walked through the halls, I couldn't help but feel the tight grasp he had on my finger. He didn't care that my hands were cold and stained with paint; he just knew that he didn't want to let go!

As we sat and talked...actually, I talked as he awkwardly stared at me.... and he held my finger, I thought about how quickly in life we can loosen our hold to Jesus and we can become comfortable with letting go. My new little friend's grip reminded me of the importance of holding on to Jesus and His promises when it becomes easy to want to let go of Him. 

Our hearts, in the Tree House Children's Ministry, are to help kids tighten their grasp with Him, so that they will never want to let go and to help equip parents to maneuver through that journey with them, according to God's word. 

I challenge you to pray for our kids as they learn what the word of God has to say about Jesus and that their hearts would always be willing to grasp tightly to Him.

My little friend's parents came back after service, and his little hand was back in mom and dad's (as well as was the blood flow to my finger tip) and all was well with his world again! But, I hold that precious time with him and the faith he had that my hand was there, as a reminder to hold tightly to our Heavenly Father's grasp of us!

 "he didn't care that my hand was cold or stained with paint..."

Thank You from Woodbury Elementary

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who brought in school supplies during our Fill the MINI Event in support of Woodbury Elementary. I also would like to share what I experienced when I made the delivery. First some background: On the weekend of February 27 & 28 the KHUSA Team held the Fill the MINI Event. Nichole Zacharias decorated my MINI and we asked our congregation to bring in school supplies and drop them off in the MINI. 

The office staff maintains a supply closet for underprivileged kids who show up to school without the necessary items they need to be successful. There is no budget for these supplies. They depend on donations to keep their closet stocked.  

Mary at W.E. asked me what time on Monday I would be dropping off the donated supplies. I simply thought she had a busy day planned and needed to carve out a specific time to help me unload the car. When I pulled up, I was completely surprised by 24 kids running out of the school with carts to help me unload. Mary had also arranged for Madeleine Rush, Communications Specialists with South Washington County Schools, to photograph and write about our event and donation. She supplied the photos in this blog.

Everyone at the school was so grateful it completely warmed my heart and I only wished we could have done more. Below is a note given to our KHUSA Director, Judy Visness, from Principal Connha Classon: 

Dear Kids Hope and members of Five Oaks Church--

We at Woodbury Elementary want to thank you for "maxing the mini" and donating school supplies to our students in need. We truly value our partnership with you and thank you for your contributions!

Connha Classon, Principal, WES

VBS Reunion

This last weekend our Tree House kids were able to "relive" some of games, songs and stories from last years Everest themed VBS. They also were given a glimpse of this years Cave Quest theme. What a fun time of celebration the kids had!  Last year we had 125 volunteers helping and leading the 203 kids that attended VBS, with 36 of those kids crossing the line of faith and accepting Jesus in their hearts!  

Registration has begun for this years VBS which will be June 13th- June 17th, 2016.  If you would like to register or help with VBS this year, follow this link to do so... http://www.fiveoaks.church/vbs-2016 

As we were  reminded of the wonderful  time we had last year, we look forward to what this year holds for us and the kids as well. 

The Journey to Easter

The colors, the flowers, the yummy cream filled chocolate eggs..the glimpse of spring just around the corner... These are reasons I adore the Easter season, but the remembrance of the hope of eternal life, that God gave all generations through His son Jesus Christ, is what makes me LOVE the reason for Easter! 

On Easter weekend, we, in The Tree House Children's Ministry, will be offering the kids a unique experience in hearing the message of the cross and we will be giving them the opportunity to cross the line of faith. 

As we journey towards Easter with the kids , we ask that you pray for their tender hearts to understand the Story of God through His one and only son. 

One of the ways that you can help prepare your children's hearts fro Easter is through the Journey to Easter Countdown chain. If you have not recieved your count down chain, please contact me at Rutledge@fiveoakschurch.org and I would love to get one to you.

We pray that you adore and love this season with your children! 

New Life Family Services - Diaper Drive

It's Sanctity of Human Life Month, and we are celebrating by supporting New Life Family Services with our annual Diaper Drive! During the weekends of Jan. 16/17 and 23/24, bring in diapers of any size to the NLFS table located by the Impact wall. Also, enter to win a pair of tickets to NLFS's upcoming event: Laugh for Life, Sat. Jan. 30, 7:00 PM at Grace Church Eden Prairie. Drawing will be held after services on Jan. 24, and winners will be notified by email.

About New Life Family Services:

New Life Family Services compassionately opens their doors and hearts to women and men who believe abortion is the “only” solution to an unplanned pregnancy. Through practical and spiritual counsel, they provide education and support with the hope each client will make a life-affirming decision for their unborn child.

NLFS offers three distinct services that affirm life:

Pregnancy Counseling:

New Life operates four pregnancy center locations, known as First Care Pregnancy Center, throughout the Twin Cities and Rochester communities. Each center is equipped with social workers, nurses, and trained staff who provide free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, pregnancy-related counseling, referrals, resources and more. Three of their pregnancy centers also offer Parenting Plus, a parenting education program which allows families to earn practical items such as clothing, car seats, diapers, and more.

Licensed Adoption Services:

New Life Family Services has been licensed to provide adoption services since 1980. New Life facilitates full adoption services and partial services to allow for complete customization based on each individuals needs.

Post-abortion Counseling and Recovery

Through Conquerors, New Life restores hope after abortion to men and women ready to seek healing from the damage a past abortion has caused in their lives. Conquerors offers both group sessions and individual mentoring.

This weekend in the Tree House! January 9th & 10th

The Christmas season has ended and the new year has begun. School is back in session and life is getting back to routine. The same is true of us here in the Tree House.

We are excited to introduce a new book to our 1st-4th graders. We began the year with a curriculum written by Kay Arthur and Jana Arndt called, "How to study your Bible, for kids!" Learning the method of inductive study and asking the 5 W's and an H questions to understand what the scripture says.  In keeping with the same study style, "Boy, have I got problems!" will help kids learn what the Word of God says to help them through problems such as; when bad things happen, when they are tempted to do wrong, when they are not nice and even when they don't know how to pray. 

Through this new book they will become advice columnists digging in to the Word of God, focusing on the book of James, for the answers. They begin this week with, 'Sometimes bad things happen to me!'  Please pray for our children as they maneuver through some of these tough questions and pray that God will open their hearts to see the truth in His Word!

And the winner is...

The 1st-4th graders have been working extra hard to learn the books of the New Testament, in order, to win Sam, the Detective Beagle! Once they learned the books, they would recite them to thier teacher and if they got them correct, thier name would be added in to a drawing for Sam. And now we have a winner!  *drumroll please* ....Abigail Rundquist... Congratulations and great job learning the books of the New Testament!  :) 

Don't worry though kids, there will be another chance to win your own Sam, the Detective Beagle, again soon. Be listening and watching in your classroom on the weekends for details.

Meet Shane and Dawn Beavers

Shane and Dawn and their daughter, Caroline, moved to Woodbury in August of 2009. Transplanted from Georgia originally, they landed in Minnesota via Ohio through Shane’s job. That December, Dawn’s neighbor and fast friend, Peg Benson, invited the Beavers family to try out Five Oaks. Peg lured Dawn with Five Oaks’ promise of taking free Christmas card photos that weekend. “That was great for a new family who didn’t have anyone to snap their photo for the annual Christmas card,” Dawn says. 

Dawn and Shane both loved Five Oaks immediately. “We felt very welcomed,” Dawn says. They both loved the upbeat music and, in their words, how down-to-earth Pastor Henry was.  “We never tried another church after that.”

In the six years since, they have gotten involved with a small group, and Dawn volunteers with VBS, the Acorn Cafe, and Dawn has also participated in women’s Bible Study. Both Shane and Dawn ran the Twin Cities Marathon in 2014 with the Five Oaks team.

Something as small as a casual invite to church can change the trajectory of someone else’s life. We sometimes shy away from inviting others, afraid of rejection or the possibility of changing the dynamic of that relationship. Shane and Dawn had both dropped out of church involvement in college despite both being raised in the church. “In Ohio,” Dawn says, “we were in a super small town, and five stanzas of hymns was not really our thing.” Without an invite from Dawn’s friend Peg, it may have taken their family months, if not years, to find a church on their own. Having a church home helped them feel at home in Minnesota that much faster.

Yes, it’s a risk to invite that friend, co-worker, neighbor to church with you. But Peg would agree it was a worthwhile risk, one she would gladly take again.

Coffee House Jr.

1st-5th graders, join us for a night of Christmas music, games, hot cocoa and more...just for you!

December 11th at 6:30-8:00, Tree House Children's Ministry invites all 1st-5th graders to join us at Five Oaks Church for a night of Christmas Celebration. There will be Live Christmas Music by Legend Rutledge & Alex Hovda, as well as games, crafts and coloring areas, a hot cocoa bar and  cookie decorating.

Parents, please bring your kids in so we can check them in securely and please pick them up  by 8:00 p.m. Have your security tags handy. 

1st-5th Grade Tree House volunteers, you are invited to come enjoy the evening with the kids, making connections with them outside of the normal teaching time. 

This is great opportunity for the kids to connect with those in their classrooms as well as with their teachers! Hope to see you there!

Revisiting The Parenting Workshop

A Christ-centered Christmas tradition: take a card each day and do the activity to remember the gift of Jesus. And on Christmas Day,  the story of the nativity is revealed.

This past weekend we offered a parenting workshop, where we shared with you some practical and fun ideas on how to keep your Christmas centered on Christ. We shared lots of stories, activities and resources.  

If you missed the workshop,  take a few minutes to stop down in the children's wing hallway this weekend and we will have some of of the ideas set up for you to look at and resource lists for you to take home.  

Until then, we pray that you have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving. 

A Christ-Centered Legacy

November 22nd, 9:15 or 11:00 in the Five Oaks Gym

I was rattling off my to-do list for the next month and a half to a friend, and I realized that although I absolutely love Thanksgiving and Christmas,  they seem to be just busy enough, just stressful enough and just overwhelming enough,  that to introduce new traditions and create change in my house, seems like an impossible task that I just don't have time for. However, there are ways to use teachable moments in this season that will leave a legacy in the hearts of our kids.  A legacy focused on the humbleness found in the birth of a new born king.

This Sunday,  Tree House Children's Ministry will be offering a parent workshop to offer some practical and simple ideas on how to create Christ-centered traditions that will leave a legacy in your kids hearts.  

Join us in the gym during the 9:15 or the 11:00 service.

The Take-Over...Shhh!

I feel like I should follow up the title with a sinister little laugh! Mwahahaha!

This weekend, Children's Ministry has a  sneaky plan to take over the churches Instagram account, shhhh..... Be watchful for what's happening down in the Tree House Children's Ministry this weekend as we tell our story through sharing pictures with you. You may even see someone you know!

As you watch the pictures unfold our weekend story, whisper a prayer that the children of our church would fall in love with the Word of God and that our Heavenly Father would draw them closer to Him. 

Meet Sam...the best detective beagle around!

The 1st-4th graders have been digging in to 'How to Study the Bible' with their friend Sam, the detective beagle, as they learn to ask the 5 W's and an H using the scriptures of Titus 1-3.

We are creating a unique opportunity for them to win their very own Sam by learning the books of the New Testament! 

This weekend your 1st-4th graders will be given a bookmark with the books of the New Testament on them. When they have it memorized, they can recite the list to their leader and if they get them correct, their name will be entered to win their very own Sam to take home!

They can enter up to 2 different times if they recite them to their leader in 2 different weeks and they have until Dec. 19th to do so! 

So, make a cup of hot cocoa as you sit with your kids and learn the books of the New Testament in order ....and if you're anything like me, you'll be learning right along with them! 

Anticipation......

As I sit in the dulled light of a quiet house, after the kids have gone to bed, I take in a deep breathe of an excited anticipation of how God is going to use our beloved teachers and helpers this coming year!  

As your kids head down to the children's wing this weekend and you pass through the doors, say a prayer of blessing over our young ones as they learn to study and understand thier Bibles. Pray that they see Jesus in every story! Anticipate, along with us, as we watch God move through our children this 2015/2016 season! 

Blessings!

Rhiannon

This Summer in Children's Ministry

Summer began unlike past summers here in Children's Ministry.......

Tree House Children's Ministry Director, Jeni Carlson, resigned to move to the next adventure that God had in store for her, and Cindy Yarrington and myself (Rhiannon Rutledge)  stepped up to Co-Lead this ministry and we are loving where God is leading.  God has taken this opportunity to grow us in so many ways and is leading us on an exciting path in to this season.  

This summer was the second year that I  had the opportunity to be part of our incredible VBS experience, where we had the immense excitement of 212 kids joining the 125 volunteers that stepped up to make it an amazing week! The set was incredible, snacks were yummy, the games energizing, the music electrifying and the teaching of the Word of God was brought to life in such a tangible way, that we had the privilege to observe 36 kids cross the line of faith and make first time decisions to follow Christ. 

One of my personal favorite parts of the summer was to spend time with church staff and volunteers to cast vision for the fall. God has been doing exciting things in Cindy and I's hearts and we are so excited to share those with you in the coming weeks and months! 

Stay tuned as we share what God is dong in Tree House Children's Ministry to reach the hearts of our beautiful and blessed young ones here at Five Oaks.

~Rhiannon Rutledge