​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
 
We finish the month with a critical moment recorded in John 20:19-29. Although Thomas was one of Jesus’ disciples, He hadn’t yet seen Jesus face-to-face after the resurrection. When the rest of the disciples tried to tell him that Jesus was alive, Thomas couldn’t believe it. When Jesus showed up again, He went right over to Thomas and gave him a chance to touch the scars. Thomas knew once and for all that Jesus was alive!
 
Bottom Line: Whatever happens, remember God is bigger than your questions. Questions are a normal part of growing up and following Jesus. We won’t always understand what we read in the Bible or why our life looks like it does. God wants us to be honest about our questions and doubts. You can create a safe environment where kids can process the questions they face. We pray that kids will understand that they can have hope knowing God will be with them through their questions.
 
Bible Verse #24: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT).
 
Blessings!
The RF Team

​Hello Reign Forest Friends,
During the month of April, we are focusing on HOPE: Believing that something good can come out of something bad.
 
Today was an extra special Sunday in Reign Forest. We looked at Easter through John’s perspective in John 18-20. As the disciples experienced the events of the crucifixion, from Jesus’ arrest in the garden to His death, they must have wondered if everything they shared with Jesus was all for nothing. But that all changed when they discovered that Jesus was alive! Everything Jesus said about Himself was true. The disciples’ hope was building on the foundation of a risen Savior.
 
Bottom Line: Whatever happens, remember Jesus is alive. No matter what we face in life, we can hope because Jesus is stronger than sin and death. His resurrection is proof that God loves us and wants a forever relationship with us. We pray that kids celebrate Jesus and discover the hope we can have because Jesus is alive.
 
Bible Verse #23: “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying” (Matthew 28:6, NLT).
 
Review of class:
1) After the video story, we read through our new memory verse. Then we did an Easter Object lesson. Visually, it demonstrated how Jesus’ death on the cross paid for/took away our sin. 
 
2) We introduced Resurrection eggs. Resurrection eggs are 12 eggs with a symbol that represents a part of the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection inside each egg. It’s a fun way for children to learn and retell the events of Holy Week, Jesus’ death, and resurrection. The children did a relay race with the Resurrection plastic eggs, then had to arrange the symbols in the eggs in the correct order. There were three relay teams.
 
3) Then, the children used their artistic talent to decorate popsicle stick crosses. We attached magnets so they can be displayed in your home if you desire.
 
4) We sent each child home with an Easter story snack mix and their take-home paper.
 
Have a wonderful week!
Reign Forest Team

​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
 
During the month of April, we are focusing on HOPE: Believing that something good can come out of something bad.
 
Life can sometimes feel like a giant puzzle. All we can see is the piece we’re experiencing right now, and we’re not sure where it fits into the greater picture that is forming us. We can’t always understand why some things happen to us or those we love. Yet, despite our confusion, we can have hope. God has kept promises throughout history. We can believe that God will continue to be with us through what we face now. Even in the toughest times, we can have hope because we know God is always working and can make something good out of something bad. 
 
This past Sunday, we started the month with friends of Jesus who had lost all hope. John records an incredible moment that we find in John 11:1-45. When Lazarus died, Jesus used the opportunity to point people to God. Jesus was stronger than even death itself and raised Lazarus back to life four days after death.
 
Bottom Line: Whatever happens, remember how powerful God is. God can do amazing things in your life. We pray that kids will understand that when they face something difficult or hard to understand, they’ll find hope that God’s power can help us through whatever we face.
 
Bible Verse #21 - “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom”                 (1 Chronicles 29:11a, NLT).
 
Blessings!
The RF Team

​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
 
For the month of March, we are learning all about COOPERATION: Working together to do more than you can do alone.
 
In week three, we head to a story found in Luke 5:17- 26. We discover a paralyzed man, someone who cannot walk, who just happened to have some excellent friends. When they heard that Jesus was in town, they tried everything to get their friend to Jesus. When they arrived, the place was packed. Instead of giving up, the friends went to the roof and tore a hole big enough to drop their friend down right in front of Jesus. Jesus did something unbelievable because of their faith and cooperation.
 
We did two cooperative games, including an Iceberg game and a Hula hoop challenge. See the links below for a description.
https://www.playworks.org/game-library/hula-hoop-challenge/#:~:text=How%20to%20Play,group%20cheer%20each%20other%20on.
https://thephysicaleducator.com/game/iceberg/
 
We ended our time with a few children using simple props to reenact the Bible story above.
 
Bottom Line: Work together to help someone in need. When we see others with needs that seem huge and overwhelming, we often think they’re too big for us to help and end up doing nothing. However, if we cooperate with others to meet those needs, we have a better chance of making a difference in their life and pointing them to God.
 
Bible Verse #19: “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” (Romans 12:16, NLT).
 
Have a great week!
The RF Team

​Hello Reign Forest Friends!
 
For week two, we look at Exodus 17:8-13, at a time where Joshua is leading the Israelites in a fierce battle against the Amalekites. When Moses held up his staff, the Israelites were winning the battle. When Moses got tired, Aaron and Hur came to the rescue and helped hold up his arms. The Israelites won the battle because of how they all cooperated.
 
Bottom Line: Work together to help someone succeed. Like Hur and Aaron, our kids need to realize that working together isn’t just about doing something for themselves. You can work with people to help others accomplish something as well.
 
Bible Verse #18: “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9, NLT).
 
Blessings,
The Reign Forest Team

​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
 
In the month of March, we are learning all about COOPERATION: Working together to do more than you can do alone.
 
God created us to work together in a community. Throughout the Bible, we see how God brought people together to accomplish something big for Him. When we work together, we reflect what Jesus envisioned for His followers. Our love for one another can point people to Him.
 
Today we learned how God’s people cooperated to build the sacred tent or tabernacle. We read throughout Exodus 28, 31, 35, and 39 how God chose people to work together. God could have had Moses build this on his own, but instead, God called expert artists and builders along with all kinds of people to work together to create this incredibly intentional place of worship. We also had fun playing several games where we had to work together to accomplish our goal.
 
Bottom Line: God wants us to work together. Sometimes we think it’d be better if we didn’t have to rely on anyone else to get a job done, but this isn’t how God created us. God created us for community, to work together and do more than we can do on our own. We hope that kids see the value in cooperation because cooperation starts with God.
 
Bible Verse #17 - “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”   (Hebrews 10:24, NLT).
 
Bible verses for March are in your mailboxes today. Please have your child add these to his/her ring of bible verses. Everyone is doing an awesome job, and we are so proud of each of them!
 
Attached is the devotional paper that we normally send home with your child(ren). Going forward, we plan to attach the take-home paper to the RF update email for you instead of printing it out. Let us know how this works for you or if you would prefer a printed copy. Attached is also a coloring page from our story today if your child enjoys coloring.
 
Have a great week!
The RF Team

​Dear Reign Forest friends,
 
In week four, we finish up in Mark 10:46-52 with an encounter between Jesus and Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus was blind. Because of this, he was often ignored by those who passed by him. When he learns that Jesus is passing by, he calls out for help. Rather than walking past and getting on with his day, Jesus takes time to stop and help Bartimaeus. Jesus knew that Bartimaeus had faith and healed him, changing his life forever.
 
Bottom Line: Make time to help others. We all know people who require some help and compassion. However, we don’t always prioritize those people in our lives. Jesus showed us that prioritizing others and making time for them is important for demonstrating His love. We pray that kids will have a chance to think about the ways they make time throughout their day to meet the needs of those around them.
 
Bible Verse #16: “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God”  ( Hebrews 13:16, NLT).
 
Have a Great week!
Sincerely,
The Reign Forest Team

​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
 
For the month of February, the BIG IDEA is COMPASSION: CARING ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE’S NEEDS.
 
God’s compassion for us led to the greatest act of love the world had ever seen. God sent Jesus to rescue us. We reflect God’s compassion when we care about others and work to make things right.
 
This familiar story is found in John 6:1-13. People had been clamoring to see Jesus heal and perform miracles. Even as Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee, they followed him. When Jesus saw them, He didn’t ignore them or send them away. Instead, Jesus knew they were tired and hungry. He had compassion for them and decided to feed them. With no food in sight, a young boy offers his meal of bread and fish. Jesus takes what the boy has and feeds the multitude with leftovers!
 
Bottom Line: Use what you have to help others. Kids might think they’re too young to make a difference in how they treat others. This story reminds us that what we already have can help others and make a massive difference to them. We just have to be aware of others’ needs and be willing to give up what we have to help them. We pray that kids start to discover the easy ways to use what they have to show compassion.
 
Our memory verse was printed on paper loaves and fish, and the children arranged them in the correct order. We also “used what we had” to complete the hula hoop challenge. If your children want to do that again, all you need is a few people and a hula hoop. Idea from this website: https://www.playworks.org/game-library/hula-hoop-challenge/#:~:text=How%20to%20Play,group%20cheer%20each%20other%20on. Then the children created their own interpretation of loaves and fish using play-doh. It was great to see them being creative.
 
Bible Verse #15: “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, NLT).
 
Blessings,
The Reign Forest Team

​Good morning, Reign Forest Friends!
 
In week two, we head to John 4:1-30, 39-42. Samaria was a region that the Jews in Jesus’ time tried to avoid. But rather than walking around this region, Jesus took His disciples straight through it and stopped at Jacob’s well. While He was there, a Samaritan woman came to the well. He spoke with her and completely changed how she understood the Messiah and what God was doing in the world. She left and spread the news about Jesus to the people she knew.
 
Bottom Line: Show others that they matter. When Jesus took the time to have a conversation with the Samaritan woman, He showed her that she mattered regardless of who she was or what she’d done. The truth is that we all matter and are valuable to God. When we care for others, include them, and spend time with them, we help them see how much they matter to God and us.
 
Bible Verse #14: “The LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NLT).
 
Blessings,
The Reign Forest Team 

​Hi Reign Forest Friends,
 
During the month of Feb, we are learning all about compassion: Caring enough to do something about someone else’s needs.
 
God’s compassion for us led to the greatest act of love the world had ever seen. God sent Jesus to rescue us. We reflect God’s compassion when we care about others and work to make things right.
 
This past week, we learned about a crucial moment in Jesus’ life, found in Luke 4:14-24, 28-30. After Jesus returned from being tempted in the wilderness, He started teaching in the Synagogue. Soon Jesus traveled to Nazareth, where He grew up. Jesus went to the Synagogue, stood in front of the crowd, and read an important passage from Isaiah about the promised Messiah. Jesus says that He is the One sent to fulfill those things written in Isaiah: bringing freedom, healing, and hope to ALL people. Jesus let everyone know His purpose in life.
 
Bottom Line: Following Jesus means caring about others. Jesus showed us genuine compassion. Jesus knew God’s purpose for His life, and every interaction He had with others demonstrated that. As kids learn what it means to believe in Jesus and follow Him with their life, we pray that they will catch His purpose and decide to make a difference in the world by sharing God’s compassionate love with others.
 
Bible Verse #13: “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you” (John 15:12, NLT).
 
Blessings,
The RF Team