6.12.26

Summer Sundays Start Next Week!

With the change in temperature comes a change of schedule! At Sparta Church, lot of our regular programs take a break, but there are lots of special gatherings and opportunities.
Summer is from June 21st- September 6th.

Summer Updates:
  • Our final kids 9 am  CORE classes are on June 14th; there are no CORE classes for the summer! 
  • Are you nervous about your kids sitting in the Worship Center? We have a new resource for you: a kids sermon note sheet. This worksheet is a tool to help our kids learn to listen to a sermon. Worksheets will be available to take as you walk in toe the Worship Service. This will begin Sunday, June 21st.  At the end of each service during the summer, kids can show their worksheet to the Children's Ministry team at the front Welcome desk and pick a small reward (ex. small candy, toy, sticker). We love having all ages in  worship together and hopefully this encourages our kids to participate in the Worship Service alongside the adults! Check out the worksheets here
  • We will have "All Together Sunday" Multigenerational Worship services on July 5th and September 6th. These are Sunday services that are intentionally geared towards having our kids in the Worship Center service with us. There will be sermon-based activity sheets available, and some special moments geared towards our younger church family members. On these Sundays, only the Nursery and Family Room will be available.  We encourage families with kids ages 2 and up to have them join us in the Worship Center!
  • 4REAL Worship continues during the summer at 10:30  (except 7/6 and 9/6).
  • Nursery and 2-4 year old rooms are available at both services (except 7/6 and 9/6).
  • The Family Room is available both services every Sunday

That's a Wrap of HKRS 2026!

Thank you to all who served and participated in our first season hosting the Healthy Kids Running Series! We had 120 kids participate and it was a blast! We are so grateful that the Lord continues to give Sparta Church the opportunity to serve and connect with families in Sussex County. We look forward to hosting the fall season this September!  

This Sunday at CORE 

Make sure to thank our 25/26 CORE teachers this Sunday! We are so grateful for their faithful service to our kids and families!
CORE classes will resume in the Fall on September 13th. 

Story and Scripture:
The Story of the Lost Coin

Luke 15:1-3, 8-10

Story and Scripture:

Corruption: Sin Enters the World

Genesis 3:1-6, 3:21, Hebrews 9:22,  1 Peter 3:18

Story and Scripture:

Corruption: Sin Enters the World

Genesis 3:1-6, 3:21, Hebrews 9:22,  1 Peter 3:18

Story and Scripture:

Corruption: Sin Enters the World

Genesis 3:1-6, 3:21, Hebrews 9:22,  1 Peter 3:18

This Sunday at 4REAL Worship

Welcome to summer! We’re so excited to dive into Kingdom Quest, a two-month series on the parables of Jesus. Our brains are hard-wired to understand the world in terms of story, so when Jesus told stories, He gave His followers a chance to wrestle with deep truths. He challenged them to discover how those truths could apply to their daily lives. Through many of these parables, Jesus painted a picture of what God’s kingdom is like and how each one of us can pursue and be a part of it. We start off exploring how the kingdom grows through The Stories of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast. Then we dive into The Story of the Lost Sheep and connect the dots on how Jesus came to find us and make a way for us to be part of God’s kingdom. We follow up with The Story of the Lost Son and how God wants everyone to be part of His kingdom. And we finish June with The Stories of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl, so kids can discover that seeking to know God and His kingdom is more important than anything else in their lives.
All year, we walked through God’s Story—ending with the vital role that each one of us has to play. During the summer, we’re digging even deeper into our mission to live like Jesus and share His love with others. That’s why this month’s theme is “Kingdom Quest—Seeking the Greatest Treasure.”

WEEK 2 -  The Story of the Lost Sheep:
Here, we unpack The Story of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15:1-17, and how God’s heart is to find and rescue those who are sad, lonely, or outcast. In sending Jesus, God provided a way for each of us to be with Him and be a part of His Kingdom forever.
This week's Bottom Line is, "Jesus made a way for you to be part of God’s kingdom."

Upcoming Events

Get ready for All Together Sunday! Six times a year we will intentionally have Sunday morning "family services"   at both 9am and 10:30. This is similar to our  Christmas Weekend and Resurrection Sunday services in the past. On these Sundays, there will not be separate programming for kids (No 2–4-year-olds, CORE or 4REAL Worship) so that all ages can worship together in the Worship Center.  

Are you concerned about your child sitting in through the service ?  An activity page will be available, the Nursery will be open for ages 0-24 months and the Family Room will be available.
NEW DATE AND TIME!
 
On Sunday, July 12th from 12:00-1:30, we're having a Family Rock Painting Party and Picnic. We'll be painting rocks to create a rock garden around our Children's Ministry Wing. All supplies are provided!
Pack a picnic lunch, bring your creativity, and enjoy a an afternoon with your kids and other families at church.
Registration is not required but is appreciated!

Thoughts on Making Summer "Core Memories"

If you are feeling the pressure to make summer special for your kids, consider reading the following article from Amy Payne at the Gospel Coalition. Her article encourages parents that perhaps our job isn't to be the "chief memory maker." She points us to scripture and reminds us that God calls us to remember His faithfulness. 
 
"When I look to Scripture, I find that a particular type of memory is highly valued. Again and again, God’s people are called to remember his works.
This is at odds with my natural memory-making efforts, which can turn into stressful attempts to provide “core memory” opportunities. The value I place on these opportunities starts to feel silly as I dig into what the Word says about remembering. When God’s people remember his works, the Lord uses this recollection to quell our fears, deepen our trust, and align our focus on him..."

Read the Full Article

Resources for Families- Sing the Scriptures

This summer, when you're doing chores around the house or riding in the car, lift the mood and redeem the time by memorizing scripture with your kids! Studies show that it's easier to memorize words when they're set to a melody. Below are just a few samples of music that have paired scripture with song. Everybody's musical tastes are different, so check them out and see which suits your family best!

Worship in the Word

Shane & Shane
Long time worship artists Shane & Shane have created a series of albums to help teach kids scripture. If you enjoy their music, you will find this to be a great resource for your family!
Sing the Bible with Slugs & Bugs

Randall Goodgame

Do you kids love all things fun and silly? Slugs & Bugs comes from the imagination of Randall Goodgame. Some albums are all scripture songs and others are a mixture of scripture and good old silly songs. Perfect for the family who loves to laugh while they learn!


Seeds Family Worship: Trust 



Seeds family worship has created over 200 scripture songs for kids and families! They have even created songs in partnership with Answers in Genesis, the curriculum we use in CORE classes.  
Hide 'Em In Your Heart

Steve Green

This one's a throwback for all you 90s kids!  Thanks to streaming, you can relive your childhood scripture songs with your kids even if you wore out your cassette tape!