If I were to poll people about which holiday is their favorite, I suspect that most would answer Thanksgiving or Christmas. Both of these holidays have a season that leads up to them. Thanksgiving’s season is full of trips to the pumpkin patch, apple picking, cider, maybe even a little bit, or a lot of pumpkin spice everything. Thanksgiving lends itself to time with extended family, traveling near or far away, and lots of cooking. While extended periods with family can be stressful, they are also nostalgic because we do it yearly.

I want to offer you a fresh start this year, a way to bring Thanksgiving back to what the day should be. A way to be intentional with your children so that they don’t miss it! Don’t miss the opportunity to take the time to be thankful. Your children can even be a part of leading this conversation with family members. Our Mount Carmel Kids team has created an at-home experience to be completed on Thanksgiving Day.

It’s called Gratitude at Home.

The kit contains a response activity to be placed on your refrigerator door, placemats for the kids, trivia questions, and a devotional that can be read before your meal. It’s a way to hit the pause button, be intentional, and model what we want our kids to remember about Thanksgiving Day. We’ll have the kits ready for pick-up on November 14 and 21, BUT you’ll need to reserve one, so go to the events tab on our website and get your family’s name on the list.

I also want to share with you our Christmas event for families. Merry Marketplace is on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at 10:00 AM. Again, we’re starting the month with being spiritually intentional about sharing Jesus! You’ll rotate through four stations with your kids. At each station, your child will create part of the nativity to give as a gift. The event is two-fold: It’s both Christ-centered, and it focuses on teaching our children the joy of giving. You’ll end the morning by gift-wrapping each piece and having breakfast together as a family.

The holidays are such a special time in the Children’s Ministry. Our team is honored to help you grow your children as followers of Jesus in the discipleship process. So take a deep breath, parents. We’re praying for you and cheering you on!