<![CDATA[Blainsport Mennonite Church - Reign Forest Update]]>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:22:49 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[God wants everyone to be part of His kingdom.]]>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/god-wants-everyone-to-be-part-of-his-kingdom​Hi Reign Forest Friends,

Today we learned about The Story of the Lost Son
Kids learned that both the older son and the younger son in this story turned away from their
Father’s love. And whether they have run from God in their actions or just in their hearts, kids
will discover that God will always welcome them home the moment they turn to Him.
Bottom Line: God wants everyone to be part of His kingdom.


Bible Memory Verse #30: The Lost Sheep  Luke 15:7 NLT 
 "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"  Luke 15:7 NLT 

This week the children reviewed our last 4 memory verses as it tells a story. Today, they received verse #30, wrapping up our 30 memory verses for 2025-2026!
In honor of Father's Day, everyone decorated a picture celebrating the father in their life.

Attached below is the take home paper for today.

Have a hope-filled week!
The Reign Forest Team
]]><![CDATA[God will make everything right in the end.]]>Sun, 31 May 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/god-will-make-everything-right-in-the-endHi Reign Forest Friends,

Week 5 - Heaven We’ve reached the end of the story!
In Revelation, Jesus’ close friend John shares a vision given to him by Jesus. Much of this letter
is a challenge for believers to stay faithful because God will make everything right in the end.
For those who follow Jesus, there will be no more sickness or sadness, ever. In fact, it’s not just
the end of this story, but the beginning of a brand-new story: life forever with God!
Bottom Line: God will make everything right in the end.

Memory Verse (see below):
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? Luke 15:4 NLT


For our memory verse challenge we are ending the year with memorizing Luke 15:4-7 (The Lost Sheep).
In class today, we had fun with a Left-Right passing game while reading The Lost Sheep story and played "Sheep Sheep Shepherd" (a variation of Duck, Duck Goose).
The Children ended their time doing a coloring page and hidden object search.
Attached below is the Take Home paper for this week. The new Bible memory verses should be in your church mailbox.

Have a wonderful week!
The Reign Forest Team
]]><![CDATA[God can help you see things in a new way.]]>Sun, 17 May 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/god-can-help-you-see-things-in-a-new-way​Dear Reign Forest Friends,
 
On Sunday in Reign Forest, we heard the story of Saul's transformation found in Acts 9.  The model religious leader Saul traveled to Damascus to arrest Jesus followers.  But on the road, he had a dramatic meeting with Jesus that left him blind.  When God sent Ananias to help restore Saul's sight, Saul began to see everything in a brand-new light.  Not only was his eye-sight changed, his "heart-sight" was changed as well.  Saul saw the world in a whole new way.  Instead of arresting Jesus followers, Saul began to preach and follow Jesus wholeheartedly.  


Bottom Line:  God can help you see things in a new way.  We made some fun glasses in RF to remind us that God can help us see other people and ourselves the way that He does.  God can change our "heart-sight" to make it align with His and help us see things His way.  


Memory Verse:  Letter Y (yay! you can do it! :))  - Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.  Psalm 119:105 NLT


Have a great week!  
The RF Team]]><![CDATA[Keep going because of what God has done.]]>Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/keep-going-because-of-what-god-has-done​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
This past Sunday, we started a new theme of “Trek: Don’t stop, don’t give up—God’s with you". Following Jesus and carrying out the good work He left for us to do. This month's theme reminds us that God will help us on this grand adventure, every step of the way.
We looked at the story of when Peter and John meet a man who can’t walk for years at the Temple. When Peter heals the man through the power of the Holy Spirit, the religious leaders have Peter and John arrested. But when they question the men, Peter and John show that even though they’re ordinary men, they have authority from Jesus. And when the leaders warn them to quit preaching, Peter and John refuse to stay silent.
Bottom Line: Keep going because of what God has done.
Memory Verse: Letter W  - We love each other because he loved us first. 1 John 4:19 NLT  
Attached is this week's devotional.


Blessings, 
The RF Team
]]><![CDATA[You can Share the Good News about Jesus]]>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/you-can-share-the-good-news-about-jesus​Hi Reign Forest Friends,

Week 3 -- Great Commission and Ascension
After appearing multiple times to His friends, Jesus meets them on a mountain to give them the
greatest assignment in history: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus promises to be with
them always, but then, soon after, ascends to Heaven. He leaves them with the remarkable
assurance that they will soon receive power from the Holy Spirit.
Bottom Line: You can share the good news about Jesus.
Memory Verse: Letter U - Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:22 NLT

After our Bible video, we watched a short video about unreached people groups. We did an object lesson that reinforced as followers of Jesus--We can share the good news about Jesus! The milk represents the world and the food dye drops represent the good news of Jesus. When a child touches the soap dipped q-tip into the dye and spreads the color around the milk, this shows how the good news of Jesus will spread around the world!
https://capturingparenthood.com/milk-dye-dish-soap-experiment/

We finished up our time together using playdough and kinetic sand to highlight spreading the good news of Jesus all over the world. Then the children completed a coloring page that also contains their Bible Memory verse for this week.
See the coloring page and take home paper below.

Have a joy-filled week!
]]><![CDATA[You Can Have Joy Because Jesus is Alive]]>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/you-can-have-joy-because-jesus-is-aliveHello RF FRiends,
This past Sunday, we explored the events leading up to Easter Sunday. A story that began with betrayal, arrest, and the desertion of Jesus’ closest friends set the stage for Jesus to lay aside every right and give up His life for all of us. But even though the sun went dark and all hope seemed lost, God was still at work. And when Mary Magdalene came to the tomb at dawn on the third day, she found it empty!
Bottom Line: You can have joy because Jesus is alive.
Memory Verse: Letter S- Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.  Proverbs 3:6 NLT.    
Attached is the weekly devotional. 
Blessings,
The RF Team
]]><![CDATA[Love like Jesus even when it's hard.]]>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/love-like-jesus-even-when-its-hard​Hi Reign Forest Friends,

Week 3
We follow up in Week 3 with Jesus’ teaching to “turn the other cheek” and “go the extra mile.”
Rather than paying back our enemies in kind, we show they can’t control us when we choose to
love like Jesus … and trust God to make things right.

In class today for Made to Play, the children had to pass a hula hoop around a circle while keeping their joined hands together in a large circle. They demonstrated excellent teamwork!
Attached below is the take home paper for this week.
Bottom Line: Love like Jesus even when it’s hard.
Bible Memory Verse – Letter Pp:
  I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NLT

Have a wonderful week!
The Reign Forest Team
]]><![CDATA[Jesus must Increase.  I must Decrease]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/jesus-must-increase-i-must-decrease​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
Throughout this month, we are going to take a look at humility in the life of Jesus, and in the lives of people He encountered. In Week 1, followers of John the Baptist are up in arms about all the people going to follow Jesus. He’s the competition, right? But John the Baptist is secure in his calling—that his whole purpose is to point people to Jesus, rather than to himself.
Bottom Line: Jesus must increase. I must decrease. 
Memory Verse: Letter N --  Not everyone who calls out to me, “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. Matthew 7:21 NLT
Attached is this week's devotional.
Blessings,
The RF Team
]]><![CDATA[The Love of Jesus can Change Things for the Better]]>Sun, 15 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/the-love-of-jesus-can-change-things-for-the-better​Hi Reign Forest Friends,

Week 3 – Zacchaeus
In Week 3, Jesus singles out Zacchaeus, a tax collector who has scrambled up a tree for a better
view. Instead of scolding Zacchaeus for stealing from his neighbors, Jesus invites himself over to
the tax collector’s house for a party. Profoundly changed by Jesus’ love and acceptance,
Zacchaeus offers to pay back anyone he has cheated—four times as much!
Bottom Line: The love of Jesus can change things for the better.
Bible Memory Verse – Letter L:  
 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all
your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. No other
commandment is greater than these. Mark 12:30-31 NLT


Attached below is the Take home paper for this week and the written memory verse "Letter L" practice paper. Children were given a paper in class as well. There is one paper in cursive and the other children can trace over the letters.

Have a wonderful week!
The Reign Forest Team
]]><![CDATA[God Loves the Whole World]]>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.blainsport.org/reign-forest-update/god-loves-the-whole-world​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
This past Sunday, we learned about when Nicodemus visited Jesus at night. While Nicodemus struggles to understand how a grown-up could be born again, Jesus challenges him to see with new eyes. John, recording this scene, interprets for us: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.”
Bottom Line: God loves the whole world.
With missing 2 Sundays due to snow, we have decided to move back the Bible Memory verses by 1 week. So, this past Sunday, we gave out the letter J. See attached for an updated Bible Memory Verse schedule.
Bible Memory Verse: Letter J -  Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.   John 14:6 NLT
Also attached is the weekly devo.
Stay safe and warm!!!
The RF Team
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