building a safe house

 If you're like me, when you were rolled out of the hospital with your brand new baby, one of the first things that entered your mind was "Lord, let us get home safely! There is precious cargo in this vehicle!" We were leaving the safe bubble of the hospital and entering the real world, and it felt very real.  Kevin adjusted and readjusted the carseat. I gingerly placed the baby in, clicked the seatbelt, and prayed all the way home. By God's grace, we made it. We passed the first safety test as parents. 
We invest a lot time, money, and energy into keeping our kids physically safe, but have you ever considered the emotional and spiritual safety of your kids?  Yes, our children's bodies are important, but we are not just raising bodies; we are raising souls, who are looking to us and asking the question, "Is ALL of me safe with you?" A child's answer to this question has profound implications on who they will become. In his book, "Safe House," Dr. Josh Straub argues that cultivating emotional safety in our homes leads to positive outcomes in the following areas:
~  academic scores   
~  behaviors
~  brain development
~ a sense of morality
~  social skills
~  problem-solving skills
~  adult-relationship satisfaction
~  self-esteem
~  athletic and extracurricular success 
~  established values
~  a faith that sticks.
Wow! This seems pretty important. If only we could hop on Amazon and buy an "emotional safety" product to yield these results, right? I get it; as broken people ourselves, raising great kids is a tall order. But I assure you, with God's help, you DO have what it takes to raise emotionally strong children of character. 
On March 26,  my husband Kevin and I will begin leading an 8-week smalI group video study based on Dr. Straub's book.  Together, we can work on drawing up a blueprint of an emotionally safe home that will allow our children to learn, love, and lead well.  I hope you will sign up and join us!  
Joyfully,

Pastor Erin
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this month in pre-k

Play and Worship

Story:  Jesus Walks on Water (Matt. 14:22-26)
Bible Point:  We believe in Jesus!


This month in elementary

March 2

Story:  God Takes Elijah to Heaven (2 Kings 2:1-18)
Bible Point:  God is our mysterious, so we have faith.

March 9

Story: God Delights in His People (Zeph. 3:16-17; Luke 15:8-10)
Bible Point:  God is joyful, so we are joyful.

March 16

Story: God Hears Zechariah's Prayer (Luke 1:5-25, 57-66)
Bible Point: God hears our prayers, so we trust His timing.

March 23

Story: Jesus Heals an Official's Son (John 4:43-54)
Bible Point: Jesus is amazing, so we believe in Him.

March 30

Story: Jesus Teaches Us to Live Differently (Matt. 5-7)
Bible Point: Jesus is different, so we live differently.

Shartel Kidz Memory verses

Recite Ps. 100:2 for a small prize, and/or Psalm 100 for a $5 Braum's gift card!
K-4 may recite in Shartel Kidz Club on March 23.
5th and 6th graders may recite to Pastor Erin, or to their Sunday School teachers by March 30.
K-6th graders will be singing Psalm 100 in 1st and 2nd service on April 13th (Palm Sunday)!

Easter Family Fun Day

Our Easter event is just a month away! Join us for bounce houses, a petting zoo, cotton candy, hot dogs, face painting, a resurrection egg hunt, and more! Prayerfully consider who the Lord might have you invite to this community outreach event!

Want to volunteer at this event? Click below to see the needed positions and to sign up.
Volunteer Needs

Baptism/
ordinance class

Our next baptism service will take place on April 16th. Pastor Erin will be teaching a class on baptism, footwashing, and communion for 3 weeks starting on March 30.  If your child is interested in learning more about baptism, please sign up below!
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Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Jennifer Yokley
Where do you serve?  I teach 2s-5s every Sunday morning, 2s-3s on Wednesday nights, and I help Pastor Erin and Melody behind the scenes weekly!
How long have you served in Children's Ministry at Shartel? Since 2018.
What is your favorite thing about teaching our Shartel kids? I love serving in Children's Ministry because our kids are the future, and thier child-like faith inspires me weekly!
How has God blessed your life by serving in Children's Ministry? I'm blessed for the opportunity to introduce young children to Christian values and teachings, fostering a love for God at a formative age, witnessing their excitement and curiosity about faith, and building meaningful connections with families within the church community by supporting their children's early spiritual development.

Thank you, Jennifer, for all you do for our kids and for Children's Ministry! We love you!

Resource corner

"Found" is a child-friendly version of Psalm 23, written by one of my favorite Christian children's authors, Sally Lloyd-Jones. Most famous for The Jesus Storybook Bible (a classic!), she has also written a series of board books for young children based on different scriptures. The prose and beautiful illustrations in "Found" will remind both you and your child of God's love and protection. A great bedtime read!
"Thoughts to  Make Your Heart Sing" is a wonderful first devotional book for elementary aged children. Each short devotional thought is simple, but profound, and contains a question to ponder and a scripture for the day. Each one also has a dedicated illustration. This is a great book to read with your child, or to encourage the beginnings of a personal devotional life of their own.

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