This past weekend during the Quest Day of Service, To the Streets did it's regular thing in preparing for the distribution with one slight difference-- we were able to partner with the children's ministries' VBS in putting resource bags and lunches together for our friends. It was such a fun time of giving the children a platform to serve those who live on the streets in Ballard. The parents and kids were great and jumped right in with preparing over 50 resource bags and 30 lunches! The kids also made a welcome sign saying, "Welcome. We're glad you're here". Just a simple message being sent to others of their value, their significance in the world. It was a great start to a busy and fruitful day.
After we were all ready to go we met up with 40 of our friends on 15th & Market. For some reason this was a particularly special time, because what I noticed was that people were really able to engage each other in friendship and support and it was such a great reminder in seeing how as a ministry we're being deepened. What we do in passing out socks, blankets or other needed items is really so simple and in all honesty a drop in the bucket in comparison to the need. Yet, what we're finding is that the venue in handing out a few things allows for space in which we get to know people, hear their stories and to share in celebrations and sorrows. It's truly a beautiful thing.
This weekend there were many stories being exchanged. I sat down to chat with some friends I've known for a while to check in and found myself right in the middle of their stories of struggle and survival. It humbled me that they trusted to share so deeply the different challenges they face. One of the ways in which they engage their story and share it with those around is through the dream catchers they make. It occurred to me that we all hope to have our dreams caught and realized-- that no matter the situation or circumstance we all have dreams. It seems that when the dreams die-- we die. The dreams are what keep us pressing forward. How is it that we can dream alongside one another and work towards the end of making our heartfelt desires something of reality?
Thank you to all the volunteers this weekend! If you'd like to get involved or hear more about To the Streets feel free to contact me at deanza@seattlequest.org. Enjoy the picture story!
THIS
SUNDAY | Father's Day Picnic for all
Families
and Children's
Ministry Leaders. Say
hello to summer at Ella
Bailey Park in Magnolia, 12:45pm. We'll provide the
hot dogs, you provide the potluck sides. Rainy day plan- reschedule for
another day!
June 26- Sacred Intimacy, 4-8pm. A fun
afternoon/evening is planned for kids, and I want to encourage all the
married couples of our children's ministry to consider participating in
this great class. Nothing can speak louder to the children of our
church, than vibrant & healthy marriage relationships! Register online today.
July
13-17 Renew VBS!!!! We will be sending out a simple email and
flyer that you can forward on to friends and neighbors. What a
fantastic week it's
going to be. Even if you can't be there for the week of camp, join us
on Saturday for the family service day. Register your kids here. We are still looking for small
group leaders! Volunteer here
August
24- AquaSox game |7pm @ Everett Memorial Stadium. Group
tickets available soon, $9/person. Contact Pam to reserve
tickets.
global
village news
Summer Reading
Program- we want to encourage the kids to be reading over the
summer, but not just anything- THEIR BIBLES TOO! We'll be sending home
information about our summer reading program next week. Kids will have
the chance to keep track of family and personal devotional times,
Christian books read, and scripture verses remembered. This is not a
reward-based program, but we will celebrate the journey with
milestone momentos for everyone who participates!
Summer Sundays are here!
Preschool through Kindergartners will have classes together
beginning June 27 at both services. Check out the summer series for
everyone- KIDMO!
Kids will be bringing home M.A.P. Books to engage the lessons
throughout the week. Take some time to talk to kids about what they are
learning.
No more snack food during fellowship.
Fellowship time will continue after the 9:15 & 11am service, but
there will be no snacks provided after the 11. As a reminder to
parents, all kids through Kindergarten receive a snack during Sunday
School. Since service goes into the lunch hour, we will have an
optional snack for 1st-5th grade during service as well. This is a
great time to update your child's teacher about any known food allergies
(lists are posted in all classrooms).
Volunteer Leader positions
available: 9:15/11am
Nursery Leads (2x a month), 2- 1st-5th Large Group Teacher (2x month),
3- 1st-5th Small group leaders (every week), Substitute teachers (any
age group, 1x month)
Fall
Grade Changes- Kindergarten & 5th Grade kids
will move up the first week of September- we can't wait to celebrate
these milestones with kids!
Moms
Group- is still meeting through the summer. Kids are watched by
qualified childcare providers in Toddler classroom. Moms meet for
coffee and fellowship at Q Cafe- Thursdays from 10am-12.
Let the
peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in
one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within
you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts
to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
~Colossians
3:15-17
To all the Quest
moms and dads: I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday, than to
wake up early in the morning, buckle the family up in the car, and
spend the day at church hanging out- kids with kids, and parents with
parents- learning from one another and being encouraged that we are
not alone, in this thing called parenting!!!! Quest Children's
Ministry is not just about sharing God with kids on Sunday. We
recognize our role is to mainly support parents in the 24/7 spiritual
mentoring that takes place in the home. But if you are anything like
me, you could use all the SUPPORT you can get! That's why equip2010 is
so important to me, and I hope that you take the time to come be with us
next Saturday. Whether you are certain you've got this parenting thing
down :), or your head is spinning just weeks into the adventure, there
will be something for EVERY PARENT. www.seattlequest.org/equip2010
globalvillagecalendar
May
22- equip2010 9am-12pm + lunch for the family. Free parent help.
Free childcare. Free lunch. It's not too late to invite a friend or
register: www.seattlequest.org/equip2010
June 20 [father's
day] GlobalVillage Picnic for all Families
and Children's
Ministry Leaders. Say
hello to summer at Ella Bailey Park in Magnolia. We'll provide the
hot dogs, you provide the potluck sides. Rainy day plan (@ GlobalVillage).
July
13-17 Renew VBS 9am-12pm preschool thru 6th
grade. It's going to be Tuesday through Friday a traditional VBS
schedule and Saturday
is our first
Family
Service Day & end of camp BBQ at Q! What a fantastic week it's
going to be. Register your kids, link the website to your FB, or
sign-up to Volunteer all at www.seattlequest.org/renewvbs!
July
18- the fun doesn't end after camp. Please join us for the
all-church Picnic at Manolia Park West down in the valley. Fun games
for kids and the beloved water balloons just may make another
appearance.
August
24- Family Ministry Event. Let's go to an AquaSox game together!
7pm @ Everett Memorial Stadium. We will have a limited amount of group
tickets available soon, $9/person. Mark your calendar now.
globalvillagenews
Welcome
into the world: Trooper Buckingham, Isaiah Rust, Augustine Hurtado,
& Bjorn Beckstrom!
Teacher
positions available: 9:15/11am
Nursery Leads (2x a month), 2- 1st-5th Large Group Teacher (2x month),
3- 1st-5th Small group leaders (every week), Substitute teachers (any
age group)
Summer Sundays are just around the
corner. Preschool through Kindergartners will have classes together
beginning June 27 at both services. Kindergarten & 5th Grade kids
will move up the first week of September- we can't wait to celebrate
these milestones with kids!
May you be reminded that you reflect the
light of Christ as you soak in the sun this week!
Have you ever seen one of those nifty can openers that takes the lid off a can without those nasty sharp edges? What a great invention!!! Actually, if you happen to have one, and you have some open cans & their lids, would you bring the lids in? Crazy I know, but we are going to turn them into a cool craft project. Are you intrigued?
Quest VBS, formally known as 'kids camp' is going green this year, with a great theme to renew the earth with Godly stewardship and plant seeds of faith in the hearts and minds of children. But this VBS cannot happen without the efforts of the WHOLE community this year!!! Would you take a minute to check out our donations/borrowers page and see if you have something you may be able to loan or recycle to us? Everything from milk jugs, to paper towel rolls, to old flower seeds that you never planted.
Thanks for contributing and making this the best quest vbs yet!
Every year we give our c-groups 200 bucks and ask them to get creative in simply blessing their neighbors and the city. The impetus for the "Good Neighbor Fund" came from Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan where his followers are told to follow the example of the Samaritan in extending mercy, funds, and effort to anyone they come across who is in need. From the Tukwila c-group comes a project to spend some time in an urban garden, as documented by LaVerne:
On a beautiful sunny Saturday, our Cgroup grabbed shovels and working gloves, and headed over to the Danny Woo Garden, a 1.5 acre, terraced, urban park in the International District of Seattle. Over 100 community plots are tended by both elderly Asian immigrants, as well as younger generations of gardeners who live within the Chinatown community. Karen’s friend Jon, the lead managing director of the garden, gave us a brief history of the garden, and then quickly put us to work on a variety of tasks. He also told us that our Good Neighbor Fund would be used to buy some new rasberry bushes, supplement materials for the chicken coop, and make some additions to the new Children’s Garden within the park.
Gryffin and Sophia start the first chapter of the FFTC- Future Farmers of the Tukwila Cgroup.
The Paes and the Rusts take on worm duty in the compost bin.
Then, Sophia heads up the wheelbarrow team, moving dirt from one end of the garden to another.
Jordan and Lee follow her lead.
Belinda and Brianna are on the “Search and Rescue” squad- they had to dig up struggling herbs and veggie plants from the tangles of weeds and bramble, and transplant them to cleared plots of fertile land.
Nicole takes a break and enjoys the sunshine with Nance and Gryffin.
Nicole and I show off the trellis that we made for future pea vines. Took us way longer than it should have, but we were pretty proud of ourselves!
Karen explains the project that she’s working on with Arree and Kelly in this video…
Belinda and Brianna clear out the morning glory and dandelion invasions from some neglected plots, and get their rescued veggies ready for transplant.
Shane, Jack and Jon had the super macho task of chopping up plant matter for compost with 2 foot long machetes.
It was wonderful to be working alongside some of the elderly gardeners, a few of whom were watering their vegetables, walking the stone pathways, or sitting on a bench and soaking in the view. Several neighborhood families also strolled through, admiring the lush landscaping, and offering friendly greetings to the volunteers.
At the end of our day, we left with a renewed sense of the importance of a place like the Danny Woo Garden in fostering community, particularly in elderly, Asian immigrants, many of whom are accustomed to farming for their food in their native countries. It offers a safe place for them to continue doing an activity that they’ve done their entire lives, while giving them the space to partner with their neighbors in a productive and enjoyable way.
But more than anything, projects like this reinforce the bonds within our own community group, building relationships through a day of working towards a common goal, intertwining our lives for this brief moment, and creating shared experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime.
The Tukwila Cgroup at the Danny Woo Garden, May 8, 2010.
at least once a year the youth and children's ministry staff want to stop and say to parents, "hey! you are not alone. how can we encourage you? support you? equip you to be the best parents you can be?!
It is so important for parents to know that they have a community to surround them in their journey as spiritual mentors to their children. The moment a parent holds a child in their arms for the first time is a moment marked by a sense of deep responsibility and often times burden to be the best parent one can be. It is an overwhelming, daunting, but exciting task. The role of the church is to come alongside a parent and encourage, support and uplift them. A baby dedication or baptism is a time of celebration for parents to offer their child to the Lord, but it is also a significant moment for the church to be reminded of the responsibility we have to parents and the child. The village or community is invited to come alive in a child's life and help raise them up to know, love and serve our Abba Father.
Baptism is for all, children and
adults alike. If you have baptismal plans for yourself or your children this Spring, please contact the church office immediately, office@seattlequest.org.
Interested in learning more about Quest or becoming a member? Sign up for the Spring iQ Membership Class.
WHAT & WHY
iQ stands for 'Information Quest.' It is a class taught by Pastor Eugene Cho, the founding pastor of Quest. The class serves two purposes: 1) to aid those who desire to learn about the history, mission, ministry philosophy, and leadership structure of Quest, and 2) to move forward as members at Quest.
WHERE
Class takes place at the Q Cafe unless otherwise noted.
WHEN
This class will take place Wednesday, April 14th from 6-8pm. Coming straight from work? No worries. We will feed you a tasty dinner.
Are
you ready for Easter? To be honest, I'm not. I grew up in a home
where Easter tended to sneak up on us. The Easter Sunday outfits and
egg baskets appeared right before it was time to go to church and
celebrate that "Jesus is Alive!" Now that I have children and hope that
they would be able to learn how to prepare for and anticipate the death
and resurrection of Christ, I have to figure out what that looks like
in my family's context. Some people have their Lenten traditions down-
that's great! Others of us are still learning- that's a good place to
be too! Can we walk together? Over the past week I've had several
people share some exciting Lent traditions
