As anyone who has owned or operated a third grader knows very well, that moment when their very own bible — with their name in it, signed by our Senior Pastor — can be one of those standout days in their young minds from now on.
To prepare these children and their families for this big and early milestone in the faith journey of our youngsters, our Children’s Ministry, led by “Mister Mark” Burrows, offers all of each Fall’s new third-graders the experience of an overnight Third Grade Bible retreat at Lyle Lodge where children learn the importance of using the Bible as a tool in their everyday lives.
“This special overnight Bible Retreat at Lyle Lodge puts Bible study into kid-friendly context,” explains Mister Mark, Director of Children’s Ministries and noted speaker, clinician, educator and composer. “The curriculum is geared to pique curiosity, invite real-life connections with scripture, and offer age-appropriate guidance for understanding and incorporating Biblical lessons into the lives of our children.”
This Sunday, following this overnight learning retreat to be held Friday and Saturday, September 13 – 14, these third graders and their families will be honored in the Sanctuary during the 11:00 am service with special recognition of this significant milestone and the presentation of their own, personal, inscribed Bible that they will likely own and treasure for the rest of their lives.
While attendance at the presentation is not required for a third grader to receive their personal Bible, those who attend the retreat and participate in this presentation will have a deeper understanding and working knowledge of the Bible, how to use it, and of the importance of scripture to their journey of faith.
To cement this understanding, the children will affirm together the special Bible Black Belt pledge written by Mister Mark to help reinforce the use and understanding of the Bible and its purpose:
Bible Black Belt Pledge
This is the Bible — the book of God’s love.
It is full of amazing stories of faith,
amazing people of faith,
and amazing deeds of faith.
The Bible may have been written long ago,
but it has great meaning in my life today!
Its words can inspire me, comfort me, teach me,
and challenge me to be my best self —
a true servant of God.
The Bible is not a weapon.
I will not throw it at anyone.
I will not use its words to hurt others
just so I can feel better about myself.
This is the Bible — the book of God’s love.
What is our role as a congregation in this Sunday’s presentation?
Be there! Witness and affirm these kids to help make this a moment in their lives that stands out and helps them always remember the love and support of their home church congregation. If you’re not or don’t have a third-grader receiving a Bible this Sunday, this will just be another beautiful worship experience in our church. If, however, this is your child or grandchild’s special Sunday, the love and presence of every member of our 11:00 am congregation will be a memory treasured for years to come.
The Third Grade Bibles are given in memory of Melissa Dearden.