To access the EPIC Journey resource cards click each one below:

Encounter: Engaging in Scripture

Prayer: Embracing the Mystery of God

Image: Expanding Our Vocabulary

Community: Entering into Relationship

In our sermon series, Our Pastor has been extending the invitation that Jesus gives at the end of the book of John.
You can listen to that series on this website.

Children’s ministry is also extending an invitation…

Your child is invited to join us THIS SUNDAY for our year end Christian Formation celebration!  Join us for food, fun and party games starting at 9:15am.

Also your child is invited to join us this Summer for our Summer Series!  If your child brings a friend they will receive a FREE GIFT!  More info on our summer series can be found here:  Summer Series

DeerGrove Children’s Ministry is proud to announce our plan for the summer…
Introducing
The DeerGrove Summer Series!

For three Wednesdays this summer plan on
coming to DeerGrove to engage you and your child in
Amazing God centered fun!

*Soccer Snack and Song!
On June 13th – we are hosting a FREE Soccer Clinic! From 6:30 to 8pm for ages 3-11
Bring your shin guards and a water bottle!

*Draw Near To God
On July 11th - we are having an arts and craft night filled with tye die and more for
ages 3-11 from 6:30 to 8pm

*Movie, Music and sMores!
On August 15th we are hosting an Intergenerational Movie Night showing Soul Surfer starting
at 6:30. We will also be having a bonfire for smores and star gazing!

Please call our church office to register – all events are FREE!
847-202-0930

Its going to be EPIC!

Every year DeerGrove presents the gift of a Bible to our 3rd graders!  We love this opportunity to walk along our young students as they begin to explore the Bible!   This year we ordered these Hands On Bibles – they are amazing because they are filled with hands on ideas that make the Bible really come alive!  This fall when we ordered the Bibles they were on backorder, ugh!  Then they finally came and I put them on my shelf by my window.  Then winter came and one day when it was super warm the ice in the gutters melted and water ran down the window on top of the Bibles! The top Bible got a little wet!  But… I dried it out and pressed it between heavier books and now its good as new!  We chose not to use that Bible as one of the gifts to our 3rd graders because I’m giving it away right here.  All you have to do is email me at lyna@deergrove.org and tell me what your favorite Bible verse is and why.  At the end of the school year I’ll put all entries into a basket and have a student select a winner and I’ll mail you the Bible.  To find out more about this Bible click Here.

Read Your Bible Every Day – read it by yourself, to your child, and together!
~Lyna

Join us for the rest of April as we explore what it means to “practice resurrection.”

  April 15th – John 20:1-18

     April 22nd – John 20:19-25

       April 29th – John 20: 26-29

My son and I spent Holy week coloring eggs, making Resurrection Eggs and baking cookies and rice crispy nests for Peeps.  We enjoyed that time spent together and now that its over I find myself wishing for more opportunities to spend with him.  I ran across this poem years ago and was glad that it could be found via the Internet.  The poem lends itself to many activities, crafts and recipes that I thought I’d share what I found with you.

Here is a portion of the April showers bring May flowers poem by Thomas Tusser…

I found some activities to go along with this poem.  Here is an adorable mobile that says it all with the
sun peeking out of the clouds and raindrops falling down to feed the flowers. You’ll find the directions here.
Would you like some old fashioned strawberry cobbler?  We made this at our house and added ice cream. YUM!
You’ll find the recipe here.

You can also spend time talking about how rain washes dirt away just like Jesus takes our sin away.  You can also talk about this verse from Lamentations 3:22-23  (NLT)
     ²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!^[a]
       His mercies never cease.
     ²³ Great is his faithfulness;
       his mercies begin new each morning.

Just like the Rain.

Enjoy your time with your children during the April Showers.  Remember to make it fun,
make it simple and make it together.

~Lyna

Happy Holy Week!  There are several ways to connect with God and your children that are memorable  this special week and I want to share my favorites with you.  First of all,  Resurrection Eggs (click here) are a fun way to talk about Easter with the feel of advent at Christmas.  Each egg represents a part of the story.  You can make these eggs at home or purchase them. The kit pictured here is from Family Life.

Resurrection Cookies (click here) are another fun way to experience the power of the greatest story ever told! Beginning on Saturday night, retell the story through the recipe and end with the excitement of opening the oven and sharing the cookies together on Easter morning!

My all time favorite way to celebrate Easter is at the worship services at DeerGrove Covenant Church.  Beginning on Friday night, our service of EPIC Sacrifice at 6:30pm which will begin with a meal and end in silence as we pause and reflect on God’s sacrifice for us.  *Childcare will be provided.  Then on Easter morning at 10:30 we will have our celebration of EPIC Joy as we worship our Risen Lord together.  *We will not be having the CF hour so that families can linger in their morning routines and begin their worship at home savoring this glorious holiday.

Enjoy these moments with your child as you See the wonder of Easter in their eyes!
Remember to make it special and make it simple, and make it together.

~Lyna

One day, Jesus and his disciples walked towards Jerusalem. As they made the journey, Jesus instructed two of them to walk ahead and find a baby donkey for him to ride. It was in God’s plan that the donkey would be there waiting for him.

Join us for the EPIC narrative of Holy Week as we examine Jesus’ fulfillment of the prophecy.

Palm Sunday – April 1 – 10:30am
Good Friday – April 6 – 6:30pm (dinner will be provided)
Easter Sunday – April 8 – 10:30am

Here we are at Abby’s house!

DeerGrove Children’s Ministry hosted another fun Road Rally on March 11th.  Our first stop was at McDonalds for french fries, apple slices and fun at the playland.   Our second stop was for pancakes!  While we waited for the pancakes to arrive, we had fun coloring on the children’s placemats and playing tic tac toe!  The pancakes came with whip cream! Yum!  We ended our rally at Abby’s house where her mom and dad graciously served us ice cream floats and cookies!  The weather was so warm we were able to play outside for a while.  It was a wonderful afternoon! A Big thank you to the children’s minsitry team for all of their help!  We can’t wait for next year!

We have exciting events planned for children coming up this summer in our new summer series.  We will be hosting a soccer clinic, art night and a outdoor movie night!

We’re planning activities that are fun, that you can invite a friend to, and that we’ll do all together!

~Lyna