Looking Ahead…Mark your calendars!
 
April 23rd: Preteen Camp Benefit Breakfast
April 27th: VBS Planning Meeting
May 17: Final Kids’ Choir
May 21st: Final TeamKID
May 26th: End of School Bash for all OCBC Kids, 6pm
June 4th-8th: VBS…Rome, Paul and the Undergound Church
June 14th: Summer Kids’ program begins
June 25th-28th: PowerPlus Preteen Camp @ Pineywoods
 
DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR PRETEEN CAMP!
 
PowerPlus Preteen Camp 2017 @Pineywoods
“CONSUMED”                                                                                                                                
Psalm 119:17-24
 
Camp Cost:
$205 if registered on or before May 16th
$220 if registered after May 16th
 
$75 deposit due NOW  
Remainder of cost due June 1st.

TeamKID, Sundays @ 6pm
*We did not have TeamKID this past Sunday due to Easter presentation.  This is the information from 2 weeks ago.
 
 
Does God Love People Even Though They Sin?
 
Memory Verse: 1 John 1:9
Bible Passage: Joseph Forgives His Brothers – Genesis 45:1-15; 50:15-21
Missions Emphasis: Norway
 
What We Learned: In this week’s lesson, your child learned the joy of being
forgiven from the story of Joseph. Even though Joseph was betrayed and mistreated, he
didn’t become bitter or grumble about the path his life had taken. He knew God had a
purpose. Joseph used his strengths and circumstances to rescue people. Because Joseph
trusted God, he could give the gift of forgiveness to his brothers. He freed them from the
punishment they deserved. Ultimately, that’s what forgiveness is for us: mercy—where
God withholds the punishment we deserve and gives grace instead. God also freed us
from the punishment we all deserve by sending Jesus to pay for our sin on the cross.
Jesus triumphed over death, and now He offers forgiveness to people who believe His
position, His words, and His authority to erase sin. The greatest news of all is that God
loves people despite the reality that we all sin. God desires to restore His relationship
with each person, and through His Son, Jesus, He made the provision to do just that. Not
everyone will choose to take Him up on His offer of love.
Because so much about life feels performance-based, it’s easy for kids to feel as if they
must earn God’s love. Knowing that we can’t earn God’s love might just inspire the
strong-willed child to try anyway. Ultimately, there is so much comfort knowing that
“while we are still sinners” (Romans 5:8), God loved us enough to send Christ to die
for us. This truth eliminates the need to try so hard and allows us to fully rest in God’s
promises.
 
At-Home: As a picture of forgiveness, fill a jar with water, and have your child squirt
and stir various food coloring into the water. Carefully pour bleach little by little into the
water, stir more, and wait for the water to become clear again (take safety precautions so
that no bleach splashes on skin or in eyes). Talk about how great it is when people and
God forgive those who have done wrong.
 
Bonus Verse: Luke 6:37            
Kids' Choir, Wednesdays @ 7pm
 We will be learning a new hymn to present at the end of the school year.
 
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR KIDS, Sundays @ 9:30am
 
Unit Description: God’s plan for redemption, which began before creation, culminates with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was welcomed as King but less than one week later was crucified by the people. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection made it possible for people to have a pure relationship with God.
 
 
Bible Story: Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection
Bible Passage: Matthew 26:36–28:10; John 18:1–20:18
Main Point: Jesus died on the cross to save people from sin, and He is alive.
 
God’s law for the people was plain. Read Deuteronomy 6:5. But God’s people, and all people, have broken the law. We have loved other things more than we love God. That is sin. Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth was to save us from our sin. (Matt. 1:21) Why did Jesus have to die? Why couldn’t He just say, “You are forgiven”? God is just and requires due payment for sin. To simply forgive sin without requiring a payment would be unjust. According to God’s Word, the payment of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23) But not only is God just, He is also loving. That is why Jesus was willing to die in our place. Jesus came to live and die to show God’s love to us (Rom. 5:7-8) so that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus came to die so that we would be forgiven. (Eph. 1:7) Jesus came to die to bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18) Jesus died on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God toward sin. Jesus’ resurrection proved that God was satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice, and forgiveness and life are found in Him. (See 1 Cor. 15:17.) If Jesus had died but not been raised up, He would have been like military leaders who died without a throne. (Acts 5:33-37) But Jesus conquered death, just as He said He would. (John 2:19-21)
 
Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope for our resurrection. (Rom. 6:5) And Romans 8:11 says that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise our bodies to life. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are not the end of the story, but the center of it. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the center of the gospel. We deserve to die because of our sin, but Jesus died in our place. He was the blood sacrifice made once and for all for the forgiveness of sin. God was pleased with Jesus’ sacrifice and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. We are forgiven only through Jesus. (Acts 4:12) Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
 
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus is alive.
○ Jesus is God’s Son.
○ Jesus died on the cross, but God made Jesus alive again.
○ God sent Jesus to earth because He loves us.
● Preschool
○ Who saves us from our sin? Jesus saves us from sin.
○ Jesus died on the cross and is alive.
● Kids
○ Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from our sin.
○ Jesus died on the cross to save people from sin, and He is alive.
 
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● Romans 10:9
 
NEXT WEEK
● “Jesus Was Tempted” (Matthew 4:1-11)
 
In Christ,
Stephenie
​

Looking Ahead…Mark your calendars!
 
April 16th: Easter Sunday, No Children’s activities during PM Service
April 23rd: Preteen Camp Benefit Breakfast
April 27th: VBS Planning Meeting
May 17: Final Kids’ Choir
May 21st: Final TeamKID
May 26th: End of School Bash for all OCBC Kids, 6pm
June 4th-8th: VBS…Rome, Paul and the Undergound Church
June 14th: Summer Kids’ program begins
June 25th-28th: PowerPlus Preteen Camp @ Pineywoods
 
DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR PRETEEN CAMP!
 
PowerPlus Preteen Camp 2017 @Pineywoods
“CONSUMED”                                                                                                                                
Psalm 119:17-24
 
Camp Cost:
$205 if registered on or before May 16th
$220 if registered after May 16th
 
$75 deposit due April 17th.  
Remainder of cost due June 1st.
​

TeamKID, Sundays @ 6pm
*We did not have TeamKID this past Sunday due to the Kids’ Choir Easter presentation.  This is the information from the previous week.
 
 
Does God Love People Even Though They Sin?
 
Memory Verse: 1 John 1:9
Bible Passage: Joseph Forgives His Brothers – Genesis 45:1-15; 50:15-21
Missions Emphasis: Norway
 
What We Learned: In this week’s lesson, your child learned the joy of being
forgiven from the story of Joseph. Even though Joseph was betrayed and mistreated, he
didn’t become bitter or grumble about the path his life had taken. He knew God had a
purpose. Joseph used his strengths and circumstances to rescue people. Because Joseph
trusted God, he could give the gift of forgiveness to his brothers. He freed them from the
punishment they deserved. Ultimately, that’s what forgiveness is for us: mercy—where
God withholds the punishment we deserve and gives grace instead. God also freed us
from the punishment we all deserve by sending Jesus to pay for our sin on the cross.
Jesus triumphed over death, and now He offers forgiveness to people who believe His
position, His words, and His authority to erase sin. The greatest news of all is that God
loves people despite the reality that we all sin. God desires to restore His relationship
with each person, and through His Son, Jesus, He made the provision to do just that. Not
everyone will choose to take Him up on His offer of love.
Because so much about life feels performance-based, it’s easy for kids to feel as if they
must earn God’s love. Knowing that we can’t earn God’s love might just inspire the
strong-willed child to try anyway. Ultimately, there is so much comfort knowing that
“while we are still sinners” (Romans 5:8), God loved us enough to send Christ to die
for us. This truth eliminates the need to try so hard and allows us to fully rest in God’s
promises.
 
At-Home: As a picture of forgiveness, fill a jar with water, and have your child squirt
and stir various food coloring into the water. Carefully pour bleach little by little into the
water, stir more, and wait for the water to become clear again (take safety precautions so
that no bleach splashes on skin or in eyes). Talk about how great it is when people and
God forgive those who have done wrong.
 
Bonus Verse: Luke 6:37          
Kids' Choir, Wednesdays @ 7pm
 GREAT JOB KIDS’ CHOIR!!!!
 
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR KIDS, Sundays @ 9:30am
 
Unit Description: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He grew up and began to prepare for His ministry. Jesus demonstrated from a young age that He understood His role as God’s Son. When Jesus was baptized, God confirmed His sonship. Jesus was subsequently tempted by Satan, but He did not sin.
 
Bible Story: Jesus Was Tempted
Bible Passage: Matthew 4:1-11
Main Point: Jesus was tempted and never sinned.
After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness. Jesus fasted for 40 days, and He was hungry. There in the wilderness, the Devil, who is the agent of temptation and father of lies, appeared to Jesus. The Devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” If You are the Son of God? The Devil knew who Jesus is. He challenged Jesus to prove it. The Devil wanted to ruin God’s plan of redemption which was set in motion in Genesis 3. In the garden of Eden, Satan used a seemingly innocent question to arouse doubt in Eve: “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1). Adam and Eve ate the fruit God had forbidden them to eat, and sin entered the world. Jesus came to reverse the curse, to succeed where Adam failed. The Devil’s aim was to use a similar trick as in Eden to get Jesus to sin, to disqualify Him from the role of sinless Savior. The Devil targeted Jesus in His weakness. He tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread, to put Himself in danger, and to worship him as a way to fulfill Jesus’ mission without going to the cross. “Go away, Satan!” Jesus replied. Jesus was tempted, but He trusted God and never sinned. Jesus is perfect and righteous. A perfect sacrifice was required to take away sin. Jesus was that perfect sacrifice. He died on the cross to free us from sin and to give us the power to say no to temptation.
 
The writer of Hebrews said that Jesus, our High Priest, can sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tested in every way we are, yet He never sinned. Jesus’ actions are an example for believers, but what happens when we do give in to temptation? Emphasize to your kids that we can boldly approach God’s throne to receive grace to help us through temptation, and mercy and forgiveness when we sin (See Heb. 4:14-16.) We have hope because Christ died for sinners.
 
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
 
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
 ● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus is God’s Son.
○ Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.
○ Jesus always obeyed God’s words.
○ God sent Jesus because He loves us.
● Preschool
○ What makes Jesus different? Jesus is God’s One and Only Son.
○ Jesus was tempted.
● Kids
○ What makes Jesus different? Jesus is fully God and fully man.
○ Jesus was tempted and never sinned.
 
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● 1 Timothy 1:15
 
NEXT WEEK
● “Jesus Met Nicodemus” (John 3:1-21)
 
In Christ,
Stephenie
​

Looking Ahead…Mark your calendars!
 
April 8th: Kids’ Choir dress rehearsal, 3:00pm
April 9th: Palm Sunday (All kids will lay Palm Branches), Kids’ Choir Sings in PM service
April 16th: Easter Sunday, No Children’s activities during PM Service
May 17: Final Kids’ Choir
May 21st: Final TeamKID
May 26th: End of School Bash for all OCBC Kids, 6pm
June 4th-8th: VBS…Rome, Paul and the Undergound Church
June 14th: Summer Kids’ program begins
June 25th-28th: PowerPlus Preteen Camp @ Pineywoods
 
DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR PRETEEN CAMP!
 
PowerPlus Preteen Camp 2017 @Pineywoods
“CONSUMED”                                                                                                                                
Psalm 119:17-24
 
Camp Cost:
$205 if registered on or before May 16th
$220 if registered after May 16th
 
$75 deposit due April 17th.  Remainder of cost due June 1st.
​

TeamKID, Sundays @ 6pm
Does God Love People Even Though They Sin?
 
Memory Verse: 1 John 1:9
Bible Passage: Joseph Forgives His Brothers – Genesis 45:1-15; 50:15-21
Missions Emphasis: Norway
 
What We Learned: In this week’s lesson, your child learned the joy of being
forgiven from the story of Joseph. Even though Joseph was betrayed and mistreated, he
didn’t become bitter or grumble about the path his life had taken. He knew God had a
purpose. Joseph used his strengths and circumstances to rescue people. Because Joseph
trusted God, he could give the gift of forgiveness to his brothers. He freed them from the
punishment they deserved. Ultimately, that’s what forgiveness is for us: mercy—where
God withholds the punishment we deserve and gives grace instead. God also freed us
from the punishment we all deserve by sending Jesus to pay for our sin on the cross.
Jesus triumphed over death, and now He offers forgiveness to people who believe His
position, His words, and His authority to erase sin. The greatest news of all is that God
loves people despite the reality that we all sin. God desires to restore His relationship
with each person, and through His Son, Jesus, He made the provision to do just that. Not
everyone will choose to take Him up on His offer of love.
Because so much about life feels performance-based, it’s easy for kids to feel as if they
must earn God’s love. Knowing that we can’t earn God’s love might just inspire the
strong-willed child to try anyway. Ultimately, there is so much comfort knowing that
“while we are still sinners” (Romans 5:8), God loved us enough to send Christ to die
for us. This truth eliminates the need to try so hard and allows us to fully rest in God’s
promises.
 
At-Home: As a picture of forgiveness, fill a jar with water, and have your child squirt
and stir various food coloring into the water. Carefully pour bleach little by little into the
water, stir more, and wait for the water to become clear again (take safety precautions so
that no bleach splashes on skin or in eyes). Talk about how great it is when people and
God forgive those who have done wrong.
 
Bonus Verse: Luke 6:37          
Kids' Choir, Wednesdays @ 7pm
 Hymn of the month: 
At the Cross
Getting ready for Easter! Everyone needs to be at all rehearsals…don’t forget to bring your books!
 
THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR KIDS, Sundays @ 9:30am
 
Unit Description: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He grew up and began to prepare for His ministry. Jesus demonstrated from a young age that He understood His role as God’s Son. When Jesus was baptized, God confirmed His sonship. Jesus was subsequently tempted by Satan, but He did not sin.
 
Bible Story: Jesus Was Baptized
Bible Passage: Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:19-34
Main Point: Jesus obeyed God by being baptized.
 
Zechariah’s son, John, grew up in the wilderness. John’s ministry began when God’s word came to him, and he began preaching near the Jordan River. John worked to get the people ready for the coming of Jesus, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy, “A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness” (Isa. 40:3). John called the people to repent of their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River. John also instructed the people on right living. (See Luke 3:10-14.) Some of the people suspected that John might be the Messiah, but John insisted, “One is coming who is more powerful than I” (Luke 3:16). Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John at the Jordan River. Wait a second. John was calling people to a baptism of repentance. We know Jesus never sinned (see Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21), so why did Jesus come to be baptized? John was right when he said, “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?” (Matt. 3:14).
 
Commentators’ ideas vary about why Jesus was baptized. Perhaps He was affirming John’s work. Maybe He was identifying with sinners or showing them how they would be saved—through His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus answered John, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Jesus never sinned, but He obeyed God and was baptized like sinners are baptized. Baptism reminds us of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It reminds us that when we trust in Jesus, we turn from sin and start a new life—a life lived for Jesus. Help your kids understand that baptism is not what saves us; baptism is a way we show that we have been saved. Baptism reminds us that when we trust in Jesus, we die to sin and come into a new way of life—a life lived for Jesus. (See Rom. 6:3-4.) Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
 
 FAMILY STARTING POINTS
● Babies and Toddlers
○ Jesus is God’s Son.
○ Jesus always obeyed God perfectly.
○ John baptized Jesus to do God’s plan.
○ Everything Jesus does makes God happy.
● Preschool
○ What makes Jesus different? Jesus is God’s One and Only Son.
○ John baptized Jesus.
● Kids ○ What makes Jesus different? Jesus is fully God and fully man.
○ Jesus obeyed God by being baptized.
 
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
● 1 Timothy 1:15
 
NEXT WEEK
● “Jesus’ Triumphal Entry” ​(Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19)
 
In Christ,
Stephenie
​