More Math Please
What 5th Grader asks for more math? We could hardly believe our ears when the kids we’ve been tutoring started asking for more.
“Can I come to the Monday group too?” asked a boy in our Saturday group.
“Since it’s Spring break next week, can we meet for longer?”
Really?!
Actually, its not that surprising. Children need attention from caring adults like they need food. Anyone can help a kid practice flashcards, but not everyone is willing to give the time. Everyday Church volunteers listened, encouraged, joked around, played, and actually taught some math too.
It doesn’t hurt if you try to make the math interesting and fun. Check out this silly short we made with some of the students to help teach some tips for, “Doing Our Best On the Test”:
http://www.vimeo.com/23546470We played that video at our final session before the NY State Math Exam, and then brought the kids with their parents into the cafeteria for cake to celebrate all their hard work. They walked into a room pulsing with African drum rhythms, performed by the Drum Cafe. There were dozens of djembes placed throughout the room– one for each person. Drum Cafe led us through a series of rhythms, culminating in jam session where a number of students got to show off their beats. Behind the music, there was a message to those kids, spoken by the presence of parents, teachers, and tutors, much louder than words: you matter, and there are a lot of adults who care about your success.
This won’t be the last time we do something like this. Stay tuned for ways that you can get involved in the future!
Let’s Do It Again
Last month, we had our first Teaching service. It was great, and the consensus was, “Let’s do that again!” We decided to have our next one this coming Sunday, May 15. Actually, we’ve tentatively planned the next few dates as well: 6/12, 7/10, and 8/7.
Some have asked about catching our teaching online… we’re not there yet. Friends, we’re not even using microphones yet. Or recording, for that matter. All in due time. In the meantime, you can get an idea of what our teaching is like by watching one of Chris’s sermons from one of our much-cooler, video-recording, partner churches here: Teaching.
At this stage in the life of our fledgling church, we’re going to gather for Teaching once a month (our Home Groups meet every week). We think there’s a good chance that we’ll start to do this more frequently at some point in the future, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves…
We’ll update as things develop, and please don’t hesitate to Contact Us any time for more information.
Home Groups: What’s the Point?
In a word: relationships.
Home Groups are all about relationships with each other and with God. We’ve got a pretty good vibe going at our meetings. The environment is friendly– you can relax, decompress, and refocus on the important things. We eat a big meal, catch up with one another, and laugh quite a bit. Since the grace Jesus offers is the center of our community, we observe communion together, spend time with the stories of the Bible, and pray for one another.
Home Group meetings are great, but they’re not the most important part of it. The real stuff is the relationships that are forming: true friends who will be there for you when you need them, but who will also challenge you to grow when you need it. Those ongoing relationships are what make this an every day church.
Church is the Gospel Community. If there’s no Gospel– no Truth about Jesus– then it isn’t really a church. If there’s no community– no relationships– then it isn’t really a church. Our Home Groups are where we see the Gospel community taking shape.
For more information about Home Groups, please Contact Us.
Overheard at an Everyday Homegroup:
Discussion circles wrestled with different passages of Scripture yesterday, and crafted some powerful statements about the church:
Church is…
- “Church is salt and light. It should be vulnerable and exposed, unashamedly reflecting Jesus.” (Matthew 5:13-16)
- “Church is a body of humble individuals, each with equally important roles and gifts for spreading the love of Jesus.” (Romans 12:3-8)
- “Church is… us! We are the church!” (1 Peter 2:9-12)
For more info about Home Groups: Contact us.