Cornerstone Children's Ministry

Gingerbread House Contest Winner

2012-01-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

During the month of December our Zone staff had a Gingerbread House building contest! We asked all our friends in ministry on Facebook and our Blog to vote for the house they thought should get 1st place! It took us a while to get around to getting this post online, but we wanted to let you all know who won!

With 55 Votes - Lorna and Julia took 1st Place!

With 47 Votes - Jacqui and Ryan took 2nd place

With 37 Votes - Naomie, Nicole, and Christiaan took 3rd place!

Thanks for voting! Don't forget to check out our BRAND NEW Zone web page!

www.zonekidsonline.com

Christmas Eve 2011 at Cornerstone Fellowship

2011-12-14T16:24:00.001-08:00

Generosity!!

2011-12-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

It’s official—the holidays are around the corner. How do I know? Relatives are asking for Christmas lists so they can get their shopping done and the commercials on TV are rolling out their latest toy temptations to get my children drooling.

It’s so easy to lose perspective in all the hustle and bustle. That’s why I’m excited to focus on Generosity this December—so kids (and adults like me) can be reminded about what we should get all wrapped up in this year! (This is the same fitting theme from several years ago, but the content itself—scripts and activities—are all fresh and new.)

In fact, James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” So, we know that God is the giver of all good things. But we also know that God’s generosity has a purpose.

In Week 1, we listened as Jesus tells the parable of a rich man in Luke 12:13-21. He gets wrapped up in storing more and more stuff and ends up losing everything that really matters. Bottom Line: People are always more important than stuff.

The brother did what we all have a tendency to do—to focus on what God can do for us, instead of thinking about ways we’ve already been blessed or how we can bless others. That’s why our monthly memory verse says, “Be rich in good deeds . . . be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18, NIV).

When we realize that it’s really a lie that stuff makes our lives better, then it’s easier for us to be generous. We define generosity as making someone’s day by giving something away. We can’t really live generously unless we believe this Basic Truth: I should treat others the way I want to be treated.

In Week 2, we learned that you can’t take it with you! A rich young ruler has a big question in our Luke 18:18-25. It’s interesting because Jesus really wasn't after the guy’s stuff; He was after his heart. Jesus knew that this guy was trapped and He wanted to set the guy free. Bottom Line: Don’t let stuff get in the way of loving Jesus. Living generously shows the people around us what we love and trust in most.

In Week 3, we read two different accounts in John 3:16-17 and Luke 2:1-18 about the Greatest Gift Exchange ever—when Jesus is born. God is the ultimate example of generosity. We give because God’s given to us. God’s original gift is our motivation for giving freely to others. Bottom Line: God gave the greatest gift when He gave us Jesus.

In one of the busiest times of year it’s important to take time to remember who gave first. We can stop and remember how amazing it is that God sent His Son to show us a new way to live and later make it possible for us to live with Him forever if we just believe.

God gives generously to us so that we may be generous toward others. The Bible says, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11, NIV)

In other words, God gives generously to us so we will have time, emotional energy, patience, and a wealth of resources to give to others. Then, when we are generous with all we have been given, others will see us and be thankful to God.

So many times we think that our ability to be generous is connected to our riches. We are afraid to give because we don’t know if we have enough, and we think generosity is for those who have more than we do to give. But the cool thing about generosity is that we’re not generous because we are rich, we are rich because we are generous. When we choose to give generously to others, we are blessed with everything that really matters in life!

By: Cara Martens. ©2011 Orange. All rights reserved. www.WhatIsOrange.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission.

2011-12-10T19:06:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve Services
Children's Ministry and Student Ministry have joined forces to offer a fun family service in the Event Center at the same time as the "regular" services in the Auditorium. The services will include some fun pre-service activities, worship led by our Student Ministry team, the live Christmas eve sermon from Pastor Steve and, of course, we'll end the service in candle light. (This is one of my favorite parts!)

If you have children of any age, plan to pick up a free ticket for each one of your family members (so we know when you're coming) and join us for the start of this exciting new tradition! (children under Kindergarten age can still join their friends for a Christmas party in The Zone at each service). Again you will need a FREE ticket for each person. Seating is limited!
More info: www.cornerstoneweb.org/christmas

Christmas Eve Services at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm on December 24. Each service includes

Regular Service in the Auditorium
Family Service in the Event Center with live worship and live video feed from the Auditorium (tickets needed)
Children's Classes for kids ages newborn-5 years old.
Additional Seating in the Chapel (children allowed)

New Years Eve
Cornerstone will have regular services on December 31st (at 6pm) and January 1 (9am and 11am).

2011-08-31T16:07:00.000-07:00

New Elementary Program (Livermore Campus)

We are so excited about the way God is moving in the lives of Elementary Kids and their families! Check out a great post that will help you get the most out of our new Zone Elementary Backlot program, kicking off the weekend of September 3 and 4!

A Great Event for The Whole Family

Upcoming Events- September 4th, 6pm : Backlot Preview Night:
Join us as we give you and your family a sneak peak into our brand new program. During our program we will be highlighting some of the tools that will be available to you as you reinforce the weekend lesson at home.

New Chapter for Jodi

2011-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to let all the teachers and coaches know how blessed I have been knowing and leading such an amazing group of people for the last 6 years. I truly believe that you have one of the most important roles in the world. I have decided to step down from my position in Children's Ministry, and start a new chapter as a mommy and wife.

I'm happy to say,that after Rocky (the hubby) was diagnosed with cancer and was "saved" about 6 years ago, God gave him the will to go back to school and receive his degree in surgical technology. His new job has given us the opportunity for me to stay at home. I am truly thrilled and filled with so much excitement and joy as I get ready for this new chapter in my life!

So, what's next for me? I'm glad you asked! I now get to volunteer in middle daughter Kenna's 3rd grade class, lead a High School LifeGroup with my oldest daughter, Cydni and a few of her high school friends, and teach in my little EvieRae's 3 year old class here for Bible study and M.O.P.S. Rocky and are also co-leading a Cornerstone LifeGroup, focusing on the family. Maybe I will even have a clean house??? Well see!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve you and letting me in your lives and blessing my family with yours! See you around!

Please continue to contact Nicole Perryman with scheduling and contact Ryan Bicker for anything else. (I'm sure they are trying to fill the spot I am leaving :-)

Message from Pastor Christiaan

2011-06-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

Children need to own parts of their own Spiritual Growth

2011-05-05T18:31:00.000-07:00

Each week I am overwhelmed, excited and touched at the very deepest part of my being with the responsibility and possibility that we, as Children's Minsters, have to connect with almost 1,000 children each weekend. We want the children of Cornerstone to grow closer to God, we want them to be more like Jesus, and we actually have a platform to help make that happen!

There are so many things we as volunteers and "professionals" can do to foster spiritual growth in the children who come to our classrooms or Children's Ministry environments. But there are also enormous gaps in areas where we cannot do anything to help "our" kids.

We can't read the Bible for our kids
We can't say evening prayers for our kids
We can't practice solitude for our kids (ok, only those approx. 2nd grade and older)
We can't offer secrets acts of service as if we were our kids

Let's take any opportunity in the weeks to come to challenge the children who we have influence over. Challenge them to take ownership in their own spiritual growth! Imagine the results...

However, if you are one of the people who are in leadership over children at Cornerstone, take a look at those four disciplines of a growing Christian. Are you leading children and other volunteers in these areas, or are those gaps in your week? Take a quick inventory of your own spiritual rhythms and decide where you can be the example! Image the results...

Easter Weekend Lesson Downloads

2011-04-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Zone Volunteers! Please click on the appropriate link below and download your lesson for Easter Weekend!

Livermore Campus Links
2's Lesson
3's Lesson
4's Lesson
Island Skit
Kindergarten Lesson
1st - 3rd Grade cBc
4th-5th Grade CBC
Wave Lesson
Wave Skit
Ignite Lesson
Ignite Skit

Brentwood Campus Links
2's/3's Lesson
4's/K's Lesson
Skit
4th - 5th Grade cBc Lesson
Wave Lesson
Wave Skit

Thank you so much for being on our Easter Weekend team! We are so excited about what God is going to do as we celebrate the resurrection!

Age Level Insights for Volunteers (and Parents!)

2011-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

I found this nifty website where volunteers can refresh what they know about the kids in their Zone class/environment. Check out www.kidsgrowth.com for a ton of useful and easy-to-find information.

Or check out www.childrensministry.com for more help with how to reach children of a particular age with biblical Truth.

Skype call with pete and bree!!!

2011-01-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

Skype call with the Shields and The Zone Kids! Brentwood to the Philippines!

2011-01-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

We have the best kids in The Zone!

2011-01-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

We have volunteer opportunities in many different areas in The Zone! Want to help our families check in?

2011-01-22T17:52:00.001-08:00

Volunteer Appreciation Event!

2011-01-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

Zone Comedy Night

Zone Volunteers!

We want to celebrate you! Come join us for a Comedy Night featuring ComedySportz!

Friday, January 28th
6:30 - 9:00pm

Dessert and Mocktails will be served.
Childcare provided by arrangment.

Click here to RSVP!

Questions? Contact
jacquib@cornerstoneweb.org or lornaa@cornerstoneweb.org

Christmas in January

2011-01-07T16:05:00.000-08:00

Check out this email I received from one of our Zone Volunteers today. She loves to reach out to children in her neighborhood who are less advantaged (names are changed to protect the parties involved):

Yesterday, when I picked up 9 year old "Zoe" from her foster home, we went to Super Franks. While we were there, she noticed the Christmas decorations (the ones that are wrapped gifts). She said, "Wow. they must have been good this year because they got lots of presents.

Then she said, "I thought I was good too, but Santa forgot me".

The conversation just got more depressing after that. The summary is...she got one pair of used (she doesn't know they were used) boots for Christmas from her foster mom, and nothing from her visit with her bio-mom.

For those of you who don't know, last Christmas was her very first Christmas with a tree and gifts. She grew up in a severely abusive situation and now attends a school for mentally disturbed children.

Next Thursday, when I pick her up, I'm going to have a little Christmas for her. She loves to read about Jesus, so we'll read the Christmas story. I have a little tree, and my daughter has lights we can use. We'll decorate the living room and bake Christmas cookies. (She loves to cook with me :)

I'm sending this email to see if any of you would like to get her a present. (No pressure at all...just inviting you to be a part if you wish).

She's not your typical ten year old, but she enjoys reading, and loves stuffed animals and dolls. When she grows up, she wants to be a writer and a designer, so she loves notebooks, pencils and pens, diaries, and art supplies. (not beads and other frilly things), but things she can write and draw with.

p.s. She's African American, and has said many times that if she had white skin, she could be pretty or be a princess. So if you do decide to get a doll, a beautiful black doll would be a blessing to her self worth.

I love these types of efforts by our Zone family to make sure that the needs of children around us are being met. If you'd like to help this Zone Volunteer in making this the best "Christmas" ever for little "Zoe," please bring by some gifts or other resources to our Zone Desk this weekend.

Thanks for a great Christmas!

2010-12-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve and the weekend following was so much fun! Thank you for all of you who made the weekend possible. Here's a quick video message from Pastor Christiaan:

Temporary Staff Change in The Zone

2010-12-22T16:43:00.001-08:00

You may have been missing someone behind the desk on Saturday nights and Sunday morning at our Livermore campus. Jodi Lewis has taken an unexpected leave of absence to take care of her ailing mother. Jodi’s mom is bouncing from hospitals to rehabilitation facilities to other care accommodations. As you can imagine, this requires almost around-the-clock supervision by Jodi and her siblings. Pray for her and her family as they try to navigate this stressful season.

In the meantime, you’ll see a lot more of our CornerZone overseers extraordinaire, Nicole Perryman. Nicole joined our staff many years ago and is well-known to anyone whose child attends our CornerZone mid-week childcare program. Nicole will be the one answering your phone calls and emails, and be your go-to person on Saturday and Sunday. Her email address is nicolep@cornerstoneweb.org and she can be reached at (925) 447-3465 ext. 5466.

If everything goes as planned, Jodi will be back on February 9th, 2011.

Ring in the New Year with The Zone!

2010-12-13T16:59:00.001-08:00

Join the Zone and Cornerstone Fellowship families as we ring in the New Year on December 31st at Super Franks in Pleasanton. We planned this event in conjunction with the Super Franks team and they agreed to host this amazing event for the Cornerstone families and said they would make it even more fun than last year!

This celebration will be fun for the entire family and (thanks to a satellite feed) we will get to celebrate the New Year at 9:00pm our time and then get the kids to bed (this is our favorite part)!!! The event includes:

An all-access wristband
Organized staff-led activities
A delicious buffet dinner with pizza, pasta, salad, fountain drinks, Cold Stone desserts (!) and sparkling cider
Princess Entertainment
15 arcade tokens per person
A full Taught Town session for the 5 and under kids
Open gym sessions for the 5 and over kids.
A huuuge New Year's Eve celebration with a balloon and confetti drop as we watch the ball fall in NY's Times Square at 9:00pm our time!!

All this for only $19.99 per person. Tickets are extremely limited and we do expect this event to completely sell out so We encourage everyone to purchase your tickets early to ensure a spot. Visit this link to order your tickets now.

Let us know if you have any questions about this event.

When: Dec 31, 2009 6:00 PM — 9:30 PM

Where: Super Franks, 5341 Owens Ct., Pleasanton, CA 94588

Phone: 925-271-5880

Christmas in The Zone

2010-11-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas in The Zone is going to be quite amazing this year. Stay tuned for all the details!

2010-11-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

One of our Upper Elementary cBc classes (children's Bible class) took on the challenge of putting together Christmas shoebox presents for a program called "Operation Christmas Child"! The final count when they were done was 90 boxes!!! Each shoebox contains special gifts and treats for kids who are in need!

Way to go guys!

Thank you to our volunteers!

2010-11-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the volunteers that made our last weekend (the Believe prayer walk weekend) run so well!

CornerZone

2010-11-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

In CornerZone Childcare the staff takes the opportunity to teach, not just Babysit! This is the result of Mariana's artwork. It's a working pillow cover. She's already asleep! :-)

Praying before baptisms

2010-11-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

Here’s what you missed

2010-10-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

Out of the Box Volunteer Event

We had such an awesome time with our volunteers and staff. We had a blast playing Minute to Win It games, the breakfast bar was incredible and we all felt it was worth our time. We prayed, we learned, we fellowships. Cant’ wait for our next event in January.

Here are some of the things we learned:

Christiaan shared that The Zone has reached a critical milestone, becoming a solid, safe, secure and well-oiled ministry for children where kids love to come and where parents feel comfortable leaving their children. Our last Out of the Box Event helped cover a lot of that: Emergency Procedures and Policies. But, reaching this milestone only means that we celebrate our achievement and move on. We now have a renewed goal to be the most effective program to reach children with the Gospel, and the most effective at making true disciples for Christ. We will do that first by setting our focus. We will set our focus on God, we will focus on Children and we will focus on the Parents.

Adrian Tsingaris spoke about how we can renew our focus on God and his Word. His words were so encouraging as he gave several examples of how The Zone has impacted the spiritual lives of children at Cornerstone. He then explained how we can use the Prayer of Examen as a guide to develop habits to grow in our relationship with God. It’s only with this foundation that we can pour into the lives of children.

Ryan Bicker helped us to learn what it means to immerse ourselves in Kid Culture as we spent several minutes experiencing the world of children through video, audio, scents (no, not the Infant-room type!!), and touch. We also took time to brainstorm and white-board ways that we can touch children’s lives in the area of habits, language, clothes and ... We learned that in order to be effective communicators of the Gospel, we have to stay current with children’s culture.

Andrea Schullerts taught us the importance of including the parents in this process. When we add parents as the people who will repeat, enforce and review the lesson with their children throughout the week, this will cause synergy that we could not accomplish on our own as a Christian educational organization. This great video helped us to see the importance of leveraging parents.
Andrea gave us several ways to do this: through email communication, through intentional conversation here at church and through involvement of parents in the ministry.

Katja is one of our awesome 4th and 5th grade ignite leaders!

2010-10-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Could you make it across? The kids in the wave tried!

2010-10-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Halloween at Super Franks

2010-10-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

Join Cornerstone Fellowship families for our second Halloween event at Super Franks in Pleasanton on Friday night, October 29.

The festivities start at 5pm and we’ll keep your family entertained until 8pm, And, of course, everyone’s encouraged to come dressed up!

The Zone and Super Franks have team up to put together for your enjoyment:

All-you-can eat dinner
Lots of Candy
A ton of carnival games for all ages
Tokens for the arcade
Party in the Super Franks Gym (Dodge Ball, Dancing, and more)
Crafts
Photographer on site (download free pictures online after the event!)
Face Painting
Unlimited access to your age-group area
and much more!

We want this to be a night you will not soon forget, an evening you want to bring your friends to, an event that is fun, hassle free for parents and all about families!

We worked out a great deal with the people at Super Franks: For $15 per person (or only $50 for a family of 4 plus $5 per additional person in your family) you will enjoy this great alternative to Trick or Treating.

For more information, or to buy advance tickets, head to www.superfranks.com.
(no reservations are needed, but buying advance tickets for this event is a good idea. Tickets will be sold at the door)

The 4th and 5th graders really enjoy interacting with biblical Truth.

2010-10-17T12:10:00.001-07:00

I overheard these girls sharing some really personal prayer requests. I love that they feel safe with Kelly!

2010-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Proof positive that we can use a few more leaders at 11 am: this is supposed to be a "small" group! 16 + boys!!

2010-10-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Our leaders like to look good!

2010-10-17T11:10:00.001-07:00

David our MC in the wave has a captivated audience

2010-10-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

It is SO important that our teachers love what they do!

2010-10-17T09:46:00.001-07:00

One of our great Jr. Volunteers Layla is so important to our program! Keep up the great work!

2010-10-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Our out of the box event is just for our Zone volunteers! If thats you, don't miss it!

2010-10-13T14:56:00.001-07:00

Trevor saved the day in The Wave and ran the sound board for us!! #ourjuniorvolunteersareamazing

2010-10-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Zone store is setup! Just waiting for the kids now!!

2010-10-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

We have robots in The Wave!!!

2010-10-10T11:11:00.001-07:00

SMART Goals! Everyone should have them! Our 4th and 5th graders do!

2010-10-10T10:05:00.001-07:00

Lori is one of our great zone volunteers! She does a TON to make sure we have a great program for kids!

2010-10-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Our 4th and 5th graders are coming up with S.M.A.R.T. Goals for themselves .

2010-10-10T10:02:00.001-07:00

Mouth full of cookies! cBc classes rock!

2010-10-10T10:01:00.001-07:00

Outside playing at Cornerstone! It's a beautiful day to be outside!

2010-10-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

Children are like sponges!

2010-10-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

Out of the Box

2010-10-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

If you are a ZONE VOLUNTEER you are not going to want to miss our next “OUT OF THE BOX” event on October 23^rd from 9am – 11am. If you attended our last Out Of The Box event, you know that it was a fantastic morning filled with great content!

Our zone team is at it again, and our next event is going to be even better! Our theme this time around is “Focal Points”. What is it that you focus on each time you serve? Join us on the 23^rd to find out more about the three things you should be focusing on… Your relationship with the kids, your relationship with the parents and your relationship with God!

As always, our Out of the Box event it going to be a fun filled time that will get you out of your seat, give you opportunities to win some prizes, and challenge you to be a better leader on our team! Will you join us?

You can sign up by clicking HERE! Give Jacqui a call if you have any questions, her number is (925)579-5645!

Look for the "Look Aways"

2010-09-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

Please click here to read an excellent post about the importance of teaching in a way that eliminates "Look Aways."

Read the full post here.
Do you know why Blues Clues, in it's prime, was the most highly acclaimed children's program? Because they worked so hard at eliminating the look aways. In fact, before any episode made it on TV, they would bring in a group of children for a presceening. They watched carefully and when the kids started looking away, they made adjustments and tweaked that part of the show to capture the kid's attention.

2010-09-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

Have a blast at Fun-for-the-Whole-Family-Hour!

Fun-For-The-Whole-Family-Hour is a great way for you and your family to spend time together! You will love singing, learning about each other and God, and watching never-before-seen movie clips of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It all adds up to one amazing hour! This event is targeted for children ages 5-8, but bring your whole family since there will be something for everyone.

Join us October 8 at 7pm at the Livermore campus. Cost is $10 per family which includes a take home CD. Register Here.

Join us October 15 at 7pm at the Brentwood campus. Cost is $10 per family which includes a take home CD. Register Here.

Giulianna is one of our young up and coming leaders! She gets things done!

2010-09-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

One of the best volunteer teams at Cornerstone! They rock it every week with our 1st-3rd graders!

2010-09-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Learning about being unequally yoked....it's tough when you are not working together!

2010-09-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Computers are setup ready for kids to check in!

2010-09-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten A coloring time!!

2010-09-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for skits in cBc!

2010-09-05T09:34:00.001-07:00

Craft time!

2010-09-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

Get better in your volunteer job, one letter at a time!

2010-09-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Children usually learn to read by recognizing combinations of letters. Learning to teach is similar. Qualities and skills combine to make the teaching process understandable and enjoyable.

The ABCs that are foundational to teaching:

Availability: Don't turn off when the first parent arrives. Kids still need hugs and attention as they leave, even if they see you in the hallway or heading to the car.

And be available for training. It's the best way to become a better volunteer leader. Make it a goal to incorporate one new idea from each training session you attend. (The next Out of the Box meeting is on October 23rd... Don't miss it!)

Boasting: Be (the right kind of) proud of your children. They need someone who thinks they're special and who says so. Let your group of kids hear your praises of them.

Coping: Many children have difficult lives. You need to be able to cope with what's happening to them. Don't avoid children with problems, but get to know them, embrace them and counsel them when necessary. When a child makes a need known to you, pray for that need and seek to minister to that child.

Discovery: Explore biblical truth with your kids in every lesson. You're an expedition guide into the most exciting territory ever for kids: the Bible. And be ready to discover things that are meant for you.

Encouragement: Your positive support will encourage learners to risk new things. Pepper your speech with comments such as, "I appreciate the way you tackled that project" or "You worked hard during that game."

Flexibility: Children develop at different rates -- even children of the same age. Be patient with them while they develop. Don't ask them to do things beyond their physical or intellectual capacity. Praise them for trying rather than only for achieving.

Guidance: Proverbs 22:6 says if we guide children biblically, they'll not depart from the training when they get old. That's a promise for every volunteer, teacher and parent!

Hesitation: When you ask a question, wait for children's responses. After ample thinking time and if someone doesn't attempt a response, rephrase the question. Most of the kids' leaders only give about 2 seconds "hesitation time" before giving the answer. Let the pause be longer!!

Interaction: Don't lecture! Use every part of the curriculum tools you were given to make the lesson pop for all kinds of learners. Example: One of the most effective teaching methods Jesus used was dialogue. Take turns in talking and listening. Maintain eye contact to underscore your interest in what the child says.

Joviality: A good sense of humor that leads to hearty laughter is good medicine for everyone. Remember to laugh with children and not at them. Don't take yourself too seriously!

Knowledge: Learn about developmental characteristics and effective teaching methods. Put your knowledge into practice to develop age-appropriate lessons for kids. Visit childrensministry.com for all sorts of cool age-level insights!

Love: Your children must feel you love them by how you act, what you say and the tone of your voice. Love costs us nothing, but it can make all the difference to a child.

Modeling: You are Jesus to your children. Jesus welcomed the children with open arms. He had standards and expectations for them, but he'd forgive them without fail. Model Christlikeness.

Naturalness: Don't read the lesson as written by an editor 2,000 miles away; teach the lesson in your words. Familiarize yourself with the content, write specific questions and don't read the curriculum word for word. In fact, if you can get by without a book to tell the lesson, do it!

Order: Children constantly ask non-verbally, "Who's in charge here?" Discipline is maintained through a loving relationship with each child, not by authoritarian power. If a child is misbehaving, pull the child aside, and kindly remind him or her of the classroom rules. And know your lesson: the various options in the curriculum will keep the lesson moving so quickly that there'll be no time to misbehave.

Preparation: The "Saturday night scramble" can be avoided if you start lesson planning early in the week. Begin on Monday. read the teacher devotional guide, review your lesson and start gathering supplies. Through the week the Holy Spirit will provide real situations to illustrate the lesson objectives and provide quality learning for you and your children.

Question asking: Ask questions beyond who, what, when and where. Help your children understand the causes behind the story and make present-day applications. Encourage kids to put themselves in a character's shoes. Ask how they would feel had they been that person.

Respect: Children are God's gifts to us and are entrusted to our care for only a short while. Give them choices and respect their opinions. The curriculum is actually written to give kids choices in how much and how they will participate on the group's journey to learn more about God.

Spirituality: Make sure your own "well" doesn't run dry. Daily Bible reading and prayer will keep your pump primed to give to the kids in your class. Check out www.youversion.com and sign up for a dealing reading plan!

Tolerance: Children will misbehave. Expect it, deal with it appropriately and forgive it. Whatever you do, don't leave kids with the impression that church is a place for punishment, just a place for healthy consequences.

Understanding: Children are unique genetically, socially, intellectually, physically and spiritually. Appreciate and respect their differences in how they learn, and use the curriculum to the fullest to provide ways for each child to contribute to the class.

Vitality: Teachers who bore children with the Bible should sing in the choir instead! Enthusiasm for God's Word is contagious. Teachers don't have to be cheerleaders but neither should they be as dead as King Henry!

Warmth: Sunday school should be a good place to be -- like going to grandma's. The classroom should be "child friendly" with materials and resources easily accessible. The surroundings should be pleasing to the eye, ear and touch.

XP: These Greek letters represent "Christ" -- and well, so do you. You are Christ's ambassador. Disciple, train and teach children as Jesus would.

Yoking Up: Don't go it alone. Be like an ox, and yoke up! You need a partner who'll pray for you. Teaching children is a tremendous task, and the extra support you get from having a prayer partner will be invaluable.

Zeal: [-zeal- definition: readiness: prompt willingness; readiness: prompt willingness] Teachers shape the attitudes and values of future generations. And Christian teachers have a direct impact on children and eternity. Get a vision for the difference you're making in each child's life.

This post is based on this article my Mary Ellen Drushal, originally published at childrensministry.com.

Job or Ministry

2010-08-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Some people have a (volunteer) job in the church.
Others involve themselves in ministry.

What’s the difference?

If you do it just because no one else will . . . it’s a job!
If you do it to serve God . . . it’s a ministry!

If you quit because someone criticized you . . . it’s a job!
If you kept on serving in spite of criticism . . . it’s a ministry!

If you’ll do it only so long as it doesn’t interfere with other things . . . it’s a job!
If you’re committed to staying with it, even when it means letting other things go . . . it’s a ministry!

If you quit because no one ever praised or thanked you . . . it’s a job!
If you stay even though no one notices your efforts . . . it’s a ministry!

If you do it because someone else said it needs to be done . . . it’s a job!
If you do it because you sensed God saying it needs to be done . . . it’s a ministry!

It’s hard to get excited about a job.
It’s almost impossible not to get excited about a ministry!

An average church is filled with people doing jobs!
A great and growing church is filled with people involved in ministry!

Faith is not a subject

2010-08-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes our Children's Ministry volunteers and parents ask why we use the Hands On Bible curriculum in the cBc classes and the Early Childhood Classes, or why our KidsChurch programs are structured the way they are. This blog post by Thom Schultz, one of expert in Faith-based education, wrote an excellent blog post, quicky explaining why Faith is not a subject!

People describe the Christian faith as a “personal relationship with Jesus.” But in the church, how have we gone about encouraging and developing that relationship with Christ? Sadly, our church services, classes and programs rarely pursue that relationship like, well, like a real relationship.

Read the rest of the excellent article here.

2010-08-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

This is the reason why we do what we do. Several of the kids we've been reaching out to and who Lori Campbell and Mark Fisher and others drive to church each Saturday wanted to be baptized after giving their lives to Christ!

Iceberg Reminder!

2010-08-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently gave me a great reminder that my character matters far more than my talent.

The illustration of the Iceberg reminds us that the most visible part (10%) above the surface of the water comprises our talents, our skills, our behaviors, priorities and actions. What lies beneath the surface (90%) comprises our character. And the 90% is what sinks the ship.

In other words, I can focus a great deal on my talent… the 10% that everyone sees. And I can make it look really good. Why? Because that tends to be where society's magnifying glass is focused.

Yet the 90%… my relationships with God, my wife, my kids, my co-workers… can go unattended for a while before it becomes obvious. And yet it’s the demise of these relationships that will sink my ship.

Stay Fresh In Ministry!

2010-08-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

One of the things we battle with our staff and volunteers in Children's Ministry is staying fresh, staying spiritually healthy and keeping yourself from getting overwhelmed, discouraged or demotivated. Working with kids can be tiring, frustrating and... let's face it... a little lonely. It's not always obvious that anyone notices your work!

I love to check out www.childrensministry.com and look at the articles, the podcasts and other features. Use them to encourage and inspire yourself.

But to start off, look at this blog entry for 68 reasons why working in Children's Ministry is worth it!

And, don't forget to attend church. Either stay for an extra service, come a little earlier to catch it, or visit www.cornerstoneweb.org to listen or watch online!

Playing in The Wave!!

2010-08-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Constant Attack on our Values

2010-08-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I read the following article by Christine Yount-Jones. I read it (I read a bunch of stuff that day) and put it aside, but it stuck with me. What about you, what is the way that the enemy would trick you into compromising your integrity?

What Price, Integrity?
Our family went to an amusement park this week with a water park. As we waited in line to get our tubes for the lazy river, a boy (around 11) asked me, "Can we cut?" I just looked at him. "My family is right down there and we need to stay with them," he said. I actually considered it. Then I looked down at the water to a family that wasn't even the same race as this child--and they weren't looking back in concern as though they were leaving their child behind.

Whoa! It's amazing how long lines can compromise someone's ethics.

But then it happened to me. My son and his friend had bought "rapid passes" that got them to the front of the line. They were tired of riding so he offered it to me. And I actually considered taking it for awhile. Then I thought about what I'd be modeling for him and declined. But I considered it.

It made me wonder: As a kid, long lines are enough to compromise a child's ethics. What inconvenience is it in our lives that would get us to compromise our ethics?

Just wondering...

You can read Christine's original post here.

Volunteering in the Zone

2010-08-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

The Zone children's ministry has lots of opportunities for you to get involved! We are counting on your involvement on the team as we strive to make an impact in the lives of kids. We have many different levels of involvement, as well as many different opportunities for people with different gifts! We are here to help you find your place!

Check out some of the area's that you can get involved!

KidsChurch MC - 2 Hrs / Week
Preschool Drama/Puppet Team - 6 Hrs / Month
Preschool Lead Teacher - 3 Hrs / Week
Zone Greeter - 45 min / Week
Zone Prep - Based on your schedule / Weekly or Monthly
Zone Overseer - 2 Hrs / Weekly
Elementary Small Group Leader - 2 Hrs / Weekly

We have these and many other opportunities for involvement! All we need from you to get the process started is to fill out the application below! Someone from our Zone Team will contact you once you complete the app!

Livermore Campus: Zone Volunteer Application

Brentwood Campus: Zone Volunteer Application

Thank you so much! If you have any questions please call Ryan Bicker at (925)579-5463.

Pictures: VBS 2010

2010-07-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for day 1 at high seas!!

2010-07-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Reading the Bible

2010-07-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

I love that technology has made reading and searching the Bible so much easier! What a blessing that you can search the Bible online, read it on your cell phone, study it on your laptop. It's almost the opposite of the era when having/owning/reading a Bible was a huge privilege, rare and as well as difficult. God is certainly good to allow us to live in an area and in a time when reading the Bible is so easy.

But are you reading your Bible enough? It's almost comical how often I have days when I don't have "a chance" interact with scripture. I am often so busy teaching the Bible or doing other ministry-related things that reading the Bible becomes something I just "don' t have time for."

I want to challenge you, as I challenge myself, to cross of 30 days to read the Bible at least 7 minutes. Let's make it a habit! The children we teach and who model their lives after us depend on it!

Getting ready for a VBS skit!!!

2010-06-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Snack looks really good today at VBS!

2010-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Games at VBS

2010-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

Today at VBS in Brentwood we are learning that "God is Surprising"

2010-06-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for day # 3 at VBS in Brentwood!!

2010-06-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

Craft time in The Zone

2010-06-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Playing basketball in the zone!

2010-06-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Volunteers at VBS

2010-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

I love the fact that we have about 18 hours to spend/invest in each child at VBS the week after next (in Brentwood) and in July (Livermore). It’s something we as children’s ministers long for. So many times (even while we’re sometimes glad the 90-minute service is done) we feel we’d love to have a bigger impact, more time to really get to know kids, more opportunities to build that close relationship with the children in our ministry. VBS affords that opportunity.

Each year we have volunteers who take time off in order to serve at VBS, really desiring to make the most of every opportunity with the children. One volunteer is actually taking into her home two children who will be staying with her for the duration of VBS!! She wants to have even more of an impact on their lives without the distraction of their (very dysfunctional, unhealthy) home life.

Are you volunteering at VBS this year? Check out what we have planned in Livermore or in Brentwood! Don't miss out!

One of our kindergarten cBc classes!!

2010-06-13T11:33:00.001-07:00

Working hard on the basket for baby Moses!

2010-06-13T09:57:00.001-07:00

Volunteers: Take Some Risks!

2010-06-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

This week, I want to encourage our Zone volunteers to break out of the mold. Although taking reasonable chances sometimes leads to disappointment, it more often heightens excitement and enthusiasm. A long time ago, we pretty much banished the words "But we've never done it that way!" In The Zone (and at Cornerstone) we believe that discipleship was never intended to be a predictable exercise.
I want to foster innovative thinking. I promise that our staff and key volunteers will refrain from shooting down any wild brainstorm you, our volunteers, come up with. Forget "staying within the lines." Start thinking of new ideas.
Perhaps you see areas where we're missing the mark, where we've out-lived a method, or where we use old-fashioned, ineffective methods. We don't want to have a brain-locked, gridlocked ministry. In the weeks and months to come, do your best to rethink and reinvent even our most successful ideas. Let's reach this next generation for Christ any way possible!

Volunteering in The Zone

2010-06-08T11:07:00.001-07:00

We are adding new volunteers to our list each week. Are you interested in learning more? We’ll give you a chance to look at all sorts of different “jobs” and responsibilities to see what fits you best. Don’t be side-lined as we work hard to develop your child spiritually!

Click here for Brentwood Opportunities

Click here for Livermore Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities Livermore

2010-06-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Click on each image for a closer look.

Volunteer Opportunities Brentwood

2010-06-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

click on the image for a closer look!

Vacation Bible School

2010-05-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, surf on over to our Special Events Blog for Children's Ministry to read more about VBS, to sign up as a volunteer or sign up all the kids in your house and on your street!

Taking care of our smallest zone members!

2010-05-16T10:17:00.001-07:00

Fun craft in the 2's today at Cornerstone!

2010-05-16T10:14:00.001-07:00

SUMMERZONE!

2010-04-29T09:26:00.001-07:00

The Zone Parent Link

2010-04-28T08:11:00.001-07:00

You may or may not have known, but each month we make available to you a publication full of ideas and tips for parents! Check out some of what is in this months Zone Parent Link!

Article on Forgiveness: How can they learn to forgive if they don't see you doing it?
Parenting Insights: Get quick tips based on the age of your child
Family Experience: Each month a step by step guide to bring home the point
Media Madness: Monthly guide on everything Media! Movie, Music, and Video game reviews
Culture Trends: Stay on top of what is happening in popular culture that may affect your family.

Click HERE to download this May's Parent Link Newsletter!

Portable KidsChurch!

2010-04-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday morning, we walk into a High School in Brentwood and construct Cornerstone Fellowship Brentwood! To create the Zone, the school halls and classrooms are transformed into the Zone classes such as The Wave, Ignite, and CBC. Ever wonder how portable KidsChurch works? Here is a glimpse of how one of our Zone classes comes together each and every week.

Brentwood Zone at Play!

2010-04-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

Some BW Zone kids playing Sharks and Minnows!

OUT OF THE BOX TRAINING

2010-04-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Do you know what to do if there is an emergency during class time? Join us for a fun-filled time of training, growth, and fellowship!

Click here to sign up and come!

Riding in style!!

2010-04-11T11:56:00.001-07:00

We have great Junior volunteers in The Zone!!!

2010-04-11T11:48:00.001-07:00

Good snack in the 2's!!

2010-04-11T11:43:00.001-07:00

Even our preschoolers learn that HE IS RISEN!!!

2010-04-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Fun for our Preschoolers in the Island here in THE ZONE!

2010-04-04T11:37:00.001-07:00

Sticky Easter Fun

2010-04-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

A Zone Volunteer Leader getting sticky in the Brentwood campus Wave!
How many can the boys team get to stick!!!

The 9am service is over! Time for the 11!

2010-04-04T10:35:00.001-07:00

Easter weekend in The Zone! So Cute!

2010-04-04T09:54:00.001-07:00

It's time to party in The Zone!

2010-04-04T09:41:00.001-07:00

It's a party for Easter weekend at Cornerstone fellowship!!!

2010-04-03T16:39:00.001-07:00

Easter weekend at Cornerstone Fellowship!

2010-04-03T16:36:00.001-07:00