Happy New Year from Children’s Ministries! If you stop by campus, we have a new surprise for you, thanks to Eagle Scout Alexander Edwards: our “Little Library!” Alex built this as his Eagle Scout Project and installed it at MPC. There are still a few finishing touches to complete, and then it will be loaded with books for children and families. There are Little Libraries popping up all over and they are a lovely way to borrow and share books with our community. We hope you can visit in the next few weeks and have a look at the fine craftsmanship and the offerings in our Little Library. Thank you, Alex! We will all be enjoying this gift for years to come.
That’s the Surprise; here’s the Hot Tip: Children’s Ministries Director Gwen Smith will soon be starting a new Children’s Series. The topic? Growing in God’s Love. So stay tuned! You can check out previous Children’s Series on our Children’s Ministries YouTube page.
And here’s the Heads Up: Mark your calendars! TNT (Tuesday Nights Together) for kids in grades K-5 is coming up Feb. 16-March 23, 4:30-5:30pm (in person will be contingent on county guidance)! We’ll have more details soon about signing up. Want to volunteer? Contact Gwen Smith.
And for all things Children’s Ministries, take a look at our website page.
A dietician will tell you that having a regular diet filled with whole grains, proteins and lots of fruits and vegetables is a good thing. An exercise coach will tell you that regular exercise – a daily practice of engaging in some kind of physical activity – is important for your physical health as well.
But what about your spiritual health? There are lots of things that contribute to a healthy spiritual diet – prayer, singing worship music, involvement in a small group. But one of the more foundational components to a healthy spirit is simply reading and absorbing the Scriptures every day.
How can this be done? One way is to commit to a year long program that leads you through the entire bible – so you can see the expanse and depth of God’s Word. You can see a few of those kinds of plans below. As well, you can look the Bible App on your phone to provide a plan with reminders and other resources to illuminate the word in new ways.
However you decide to move forward, I pray that you would make the choice to engage God’s Word on a regular basis. And if you don’t know where to start, some of these resources might be helpful. If you need more guidance or help, reach out and ask for some help. We all need each other to be encouraged and motivated to engage in this important work.
Alex Nester is a singer, songwriter born and raised right here in Ventura County. She has been singing professionally since she was 9 years-old and has shared the stage with artists such as Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, and Earth Wind & Fire. She is currently finishing up her third full- length studio album due out early next year.
Alex was diagnosed with cancer when she was just 16 years-old and is extremely proud to be a survivor for over 19 years. She is the president of the Marcelle Erian Cancer Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to helping cancer patients and their families in the surrounding areas. Alex believes that God put her on this earth to make music, and then He kept her on this earth to continue that journey. She has tremendous love for the Lord and Savior who gave her a voice, music, and brought her through the cancer battle safely.
Alex is thrilled to be a part of the Moorpark Presbyterian family as Worship Leader and is exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to praise our Creator with you every week!
Just a few days remain until “Who Is My Neighbor?”, this year’s Santa Barbara Mission Conference, Jan. 29-30. Online registration for this virtual conference continues now through mid-day, Sat., Jan. 30. Mail-in registrations postmarked Jan. 26 or earlier will be accepted.
The conference is Friday evening, 7 – 9 PM, and Saturday, 9 AM – 4 PM. Speeches by Shane Claiborne and Reggie Williams and six outstanding breakout sessions will inform and inspire you. The conference will be livestreamed. Also, you can take a break and return anytime; all content will remain online for weeks.
In the midst of everything that is happening in our world today, our youth are in great need of a place where they can find community, guidance and hope. RENEW, the student ministry of MPC, endeavors to be that place.
RENEW is for all students grades 6-12 and currently meets on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8PM. Led by a team of caring adult leaders, each Tuesday night gathering includes times of prayer, discussing God’s Word in small groups and lots of fun. At RENEW, we work hard to cultivate an environment where students feel the safety and the freedom to ask any question they have without fear of ridicule or rejection. As our youth are figuring out their identity and what it means to be a follower of Jesus, we want to make sure that they have a place that encourages and supports them. That place is RENEW.
For the month of January, RENEW will be meeting virtually via ZOOM, and meeting information will be emailed out weekly. Though our preference is to have in-person RENEW on campus, the recent rise in COVID cases in our area and community have led us to make this decision out of an abundance of caution. We will continue to evaluate this in the coming weeks, and hope to have everyone back on campus as soon as it is safe to do so. For more information about RENEW and our return to on-campus gatherings, please join our parent email list by sending your email address to SeanM@MPCLife.org.
