Work and school and church...Oh my! Most of us families in Monroe County are overwhelmed. We're all doing our best to keep up with our ever-changing world and make plans that will meet the needs of our kids and our families as a whole. God is good, though, and He is in control! As you make plans for the fall, please remember to leave some space in your schedule to help your child grow in his/her relationship with Jesus. If you would like some help in this area, check out some of the following opportunities Sherwood Kids! has to offer:

Special Events in August

• Sherwood Kids! In-Person Sunday Morning Gatherings begin on August 9. Feel free to 1) let your kiddos join their age-appropriate program in person during the 9:30 or 11:00 service,  2) attend one of the in-person worship gatherings together as a family, or 3) continue to participate in one of the online worship gatherings as a family. For more information about our COVID-19 mitigation plan for in-person gatherings, go to socc.org/kids. If you have any questions, contact Stephen Figert at
• Prayer Week begins on Sunday, August 9. Prayer is one of the most important things we can do as followers of Jesus. We want to talk with Jesus first in every situation, good or bad. So, during the 9:30 and 11:00 services in every SK! area on August 9, the kids and volunteers will spend the entire service hour learning about and practicing the spiritual discipline of prayer. Then, throughout the week, we will provide activities to encourage and equip families to pray together at home. You will be able to access these activities via our webpage (socc.org/kids), Instagram (sherwoodkids_east), and Facebook (Sherwood Kids!). If you have any questions, please email us at .
• Sherwood Kids! Family Week begins on Sunday, August 16. We believe that the family unit is the primary influence in a child's life and that God uses the partnership between the church and the family to raise the church of the next generation. So, Family Week is a time when we will provide an array of simple, fun activities that will help your family grow and share together. You will be able to access these activities via our webpage (socc.org/kids), Instagram (sherwoodkids_east), and Facebook (Sherwood Kids!). If you have any questions, please email us at .
• Sherwood Kids! Bible Reading Week begins on Sunday, August 30. Reading the Bible is an important part of growing in our relationship with God. During the 9:30 and 11:00 services in every SK! area on August 30, the kids and volunteers will spend the entire service hour learning about and practicing the spiritual discipline of reading God's Word. Then, throughout the week, we will provide activities to encourage and equip families to read the Bible together at home. You will be able to access these activities via our webpage (socc.org/kids), Instagram (sherwoodkids_east), and Facebook (Sherwood Kids!). If you have any questions, please email us at .

Classes and Groups

• Parenting Workshop on August 26 from 8:00pm-9:30pm on Zoom. The job of a parent is all-encompassing: our kids need us to be their activity coordinators, chefs, educators, spiritual leaders, coaches, nurses, therapists, etc., etc., etc. Most of us, however, cannot fulfill all these responsibilities alone. So, if you have some creative parenting ideas or are looking for some, join us for this workshop where we will identify and address some of the challenges that parents are facing this semester. To register, visit socc.org/kids.
• Join Cub Scout Pack 164 on Tuesday August 18^th at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall at Bloomington East to learn about the fun of Scouting! Open to boys and girls in Kindergarten through 5^th grade, Cub Scouts learn about the great outdoors, faith and citizenship through activities like camping, hiking, crafts and sports! For more information e-mail
• Registration for SK! Core Groups opens on August 1. These groups are designed to provide a safe space for kids to connect with other kids. Just let us know your child's availability, their interests (games, homework help, Bible study, etc.), their friend requests, their meeting preference (online or in person), and more and we'll place your child in a group that best suits him/her. These groups are not limited to kids who attend Sherwood Oaks, so feel free to invite friends from school, your neighborhood, etc. to participate. To register, visit socc.org/kids.
• The AWANA program for the fall has been cancelled due to the gathering limitations and uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The AWANA handbooks, however, are still available and are a great resource for families who would like to have age-appropriate Bible studies with their kids at home. To request a handbook, contact Stephen Figert at
• The Kids Choir is still exploring options for meeting and performing this fall. We will keep you updated.
• The Joining God's Family class will begin on Sunday, September 6, during the 11:00 service. This four-week class will take place in room 204 and via Zoom. To register, visit www.socc.org/kids.

Online Resources

• Conversations along the Road Videos are posted at socc.org/kids and on Instagram (sherwoodkids_east) and Facebook (Sherwood Kids!) every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. Join Adrienne Garrison--a parent in our church family--on her journey to learn more about having challenging conversations with kids. The next video will be posted this Friday, August 7, and the topic is "Love, Not Hate: Teaching Children Love in Action." 
• SK! Show-N-Tell videos will be posted bi-weekly at socc.org/kids and on Instagram (sherwoodkids_east) and Facebook (Sherwood Kids!). Kids have so much to teach each other (how to make a craft, how to mix colors to make a new color, how to play an instrument, how to catch a bug, how to make food,..., the possibilities are endless!). The SK! Show-N-Tell videos provide an opportunity for your kids to do just that--teach their peers. So, if your child would like to record and share a 5 minute instructional video, let us know by signing him/her up at socc.org/kids.
• SK! Ask & Seek videos will be posted bi-weekly at socc.org/kids and on Instagram (sherwoodkids_east) and Facebook (Sherwood Kids!). Kids have so many questions about God, the Bible, the church: who wrote the Bible, why do we sing at church, is God a person, what are angel wings made out of, did Jesus eat pork, etc. etc., etc. In the spirit of what Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, the Ask & Seek videos create a space for your kids to ask questions and find answers. So, ask your child if he/she has any questions, then use the form at socc.org/kids to submit the questions to us. We'll make and post a SK! Ask & Seek video that answers your child's question.
• Check out other SK! Online Resources at socc.org/kids! The Hangout, Teachable Moments, Faith Tools, and Story Time are all resources designed to help families to grow in their relationship with Jesus and stay connected with our faith community.

Other

• SK! Porch Visits. The SK! staff and volunteers have missed seeing your kiddos and would love to schedule a time to stop by your home to say Hi and deliver a little goodie bag. (We would stay outside and follow the health department's guidelines for masks and social distancing.) If you would like to schedule a porch visit, please fill out the form at socc.org/kids.
• Join a Life Group. This is a great way for your family to continue to participate in our faith community through small-group gatherings. For more information, email Allen Burris ( ) or Nancy Barrow ( ).
• WANTED! Every SK! area is in great need of more volunteers who will spend one hour every week or every other week for the fall semester (August-December) building relationships with a small group of kids and helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus. Please contact Stephen Figert ( ) to learn more about joining the SK! volunteer team.

If you would like more information about the goings-on in Sherwood Kids!, feel free to visit our webpage (socc.org/kids), follow us on Instagram (sherwoodkids_east), and join our Facebook page (Sherwood Kids!). You can also let your child see SK! posts by giving him/her access to our webpage and/or showing him/her the posts through your social media accounts. As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Hope you all are having a good summer and are looking forward to this 4th of July weekend! Check out the following information to see what's going on in Sherwood Kids:

• Sunday-morning in-person worship gatherings resume on July 12! Feel free to join us in person during the 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 service or continue to join us online during the 8:00 or 9:30 service. In-person children's programming will not be available, so children will need to remain with their families. For more information, visit socc.org/regather.
• Save the Date: SK! Sunday-morning in-person gatherings are currently scheduled to resume on August 9. Our current plan is to responsibly follow guidelines provided by the CDC and local health department. We recognize, however, that there will still be a risk of COVID-19 transmission in our programs and that some of you may not feel comfortable allowing your kiddos to participate in person. So, we are also exploring a hybrid approach to small groups that would give your kids the option of participating in person or online. We will have more information in the next few weeks.
• Volunteers needed for the fall Semester (August-December)! We are searching for volunteers who will love kids and help them grow in their relationship with Jesus, especially during this uniquely challenging season for kids and their families. If you are interested in joining the SK! volunteer team or would like to learn more about our volunteer roles, please email us at or use any of the email addresses listed below.
• Check out the SK! Online Resources at socc.org/kids! The Hangout, Teachable Moments, Faith Tools, and Story Time are all resources designed to help families to grow in their relationship with Jesus and stay connected with our faith community.
• Join a Life Group. This is a great way for your family to continue to participate in our faith community through small-group gatherings. For more information, email Allen Burris ( ) or Nancy Barrow ( ).

If you would like more information about the goings-on in Sherwood Kids!, please feel free to visit our webpage (socc.org/kids), follow us on Instagram (@sherwoodkids_east), and join our Facebook page (Sherwood Kids!). As always, please don't hesitate to contact us at  if you have any questions or concerns.

As we all learn more about and adapt to the "new normal," the Sherwood Kids! team realizes that children's ministry could look very different this next ministry year. Please know, though, that we are committed to finding ways to equip you--the parents and guardians--to help your kiddos continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus. So, check out the information below to stay updated and learn about what resources are available to you: 

• The SK! Hangout is every Sunday after the 9:30 service! This virtual meeting is a place where kids can connect with each other and their leaders after the worship service. Visit socc.org/kids to learn more and to register.
• The next SK! Parent Chat is Wednesday, June 3! This monthly virtual meeting is a place where parents can work together to overcome the challenges our families are facing in this "new normal." To learn more and to register, visit socc.org/kids. 
• "Teachable Moments" devotionals are posted on social media and at socc.org/kids every Monday.
• "Faith Tools" are posted on social media and at socc.org/kids every Wednesday. These are activities that help kids process the content in the sermon for the upcoming Sunday. We also provide supplies for these activities outside Door 4 at the Bloomington East Campus every Thursday and Friday. For more information, visit socc.org/kids.
• SK! Story Time Videos are posted on social media and at socc.org/kids every Thursday. Check out the object lessons for elementary kids, book readings for early childhood kids, and more!
• "Tuesday Takeovers" on social media. Follow SK! on social media to see what staff members and volunteers do when they take over the SK! social media accounts.
• The kids have officially graduated to the next age group. When we gather at the church facility again, please check your child's name tag to make sure he/she is in the correct age group. 
• The Upward Soccer 2020 season has been cancelled. We're definitely going to miss you all this year and hope to still have the Upward Basketball and Cheerleading 2021 season. We'll keep you updated.
• Sunday Morning Worship Service each week at 8:00am and 9:30 at socc.tv. Please take this opportunity each week for your family to grow and share together through the online service.
• Join a Life Group. This is a great way for your family to continue to participate in the church community through small-group gatherings. For more information, email Allen Burris ( ) or Nancy Barrow ( ).
• Safe Families is an organization in town that is matching donations up to $1000! That's doubling your gift! For more information, click here.

If you would like more information about the goings-on in Sherwood Kids!, please feel free to visit our webpage (socc.org/kids), follow us on Instagram (@sherwoodkids_east), and join our Facebook page (Sherwood Kids!). As always, please don't hesitate to contact us at  , if you have any questions or concerns.

Wow! What a couple of months!

As we all prepare for the next few months and what the "new normal" will be, the Sherwood Kids! team has created some resources that we hope will help your kiddos continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus. So, check out the information below:

• The SK! Hangout begins after the 9:30 service this Sunday, May 10! This virtual meeting is a place where kids can connect with each other and their leaders after the worship service. Visit socc.org/kids to learn more and to register.
• The SK! Parent Chat begins this Wednesday, May 6! This virtual meeting is a place where parents can go to support each other with ideas and prayer as we all navigate the "new normal" together. To learn more and to register, visit socc.org/kids. 
• "Teachable Moments" devotionals are posted on social media and at socc.org/kids every Monday.
• "Faith Tools" are posted at socc.org/kids every Wednesday. These are activities that help kids process the content in the sermon for the upcoming Sunday. Supplies for the activities are available outside Door 4 at the Bloomington East Campus every Thursday and Friday. For more information, visit socc.org/kids.
• SK! Story Time Videos are posted at socc.org/kids every Thursday. Check out the object lessons for elementary kids, book readings for early childhood kids, and more!
• "Tuesday Takeovers" on social media. Follow SK! on social media to see what staff members and volunteers do when they take over the SK! social media accounts.
• Save the date for the information session for new 6th graders and their parents on Sunday, May 17, at 6:00pm. Stephen Figert (Director of SK!) and Tyler Cadwell (Jr. High Minister) will host a virtual meeting with 6th graders and their parents to share information about the transition from children's ministry to student ministry.
• Save the date for the Kids Summer Kick-Off Parade on Monday, June 1, from 10:00am-11:00am, at the Bloomington East Campus. This will be an opportunity to celebrate the kids as they officially graduate to the next age group. More information coming soon at socc.org/kids.
• Sunday Morning Worship Service each week at 8:00am and 9:30 at socc.tv. Please take this opportunity each week for your family to grow and share together through the online service.
• Join a Life Group. This is a great way for your family to continue to experience church community especially in a time of physical distancing. For more information, email Allen Burris ( ) or Nancy Barrow ( ).
• Christian Camp is a wonderful opportunity for kids to build relationships with each other and grow in their relationship with Jesus. Click here to learn more about some near-by Christian camps that we recommend.
• Registration for Upward Soccer is on hold. We will post updates at socc.org/upward.

If you would like more information about the goings-on in Sherwood Kids!, please feel free to visit our webpage (socc.org/kids), follow us on Instagram (@sherwoodkids_east), and join our Facebook page (Sherwood Kids!). As always, please don't hesitate to contact us at , if you have any questions or concerns

Here are the activities for May 3-9 that you can do with your kids to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus! Feel free to include any or all of them into your schedule next week as you see fit.

• Study: Read Philippians 2:3. Choose two words that stand out to you. Talk about what the words mean and why they are important to you.
• Worship: Check out this video to have a worship experience at home.
• Serve: Help make dinner or set the table one night this week.
• Pray: Use the ACTS prayer guide.
  • A - Adoration: Tell God how much you love Him.
  • C - Confession: Tell God you're sorry for doing something wrong.
  • T - Thanksgiving: Thank God for something.
  • S - Supplication: Pray for God to help you or someone else.