Newsletter #1 - September 19, 2021

God Created the World (Genesis 1)

Dear NYCBC Family and Children Ministry families,

We are starting off our Sept - Dec online Sunday school at the beginning! Next week, your child will learn about God creating the world from Genesis 1:1-25. The true story of the Bible begins where we would expect it to begin—at the beginning of all creation. Everything in the universe has a starting point except God. He alone is eternal—He has no beginning and no end. He has always existed.

So the beginning in this week’s Bible story is the beginning from our perspective.

It is humanity’s beginning.

During this week, be sure to emphasize three things:

First, that God created everything from nothing. God did not create like we do—by taking some raw materials like clay and making a beautiful sculpture. Instead, God made everything that exists—everything we see and even that we don’t see—simply by speaking it into existence from nothing. That’s important because it teaches us that everything belongs to God because He made it all and also how powerful He is to be able to create the universe by speaking it into being.

Second, that God created everything with order. Not only do we see that God created the different kinds of plants and trees as well as animals according to their different kinds, but we also see an orderly pattern in the days of creation. God created by separating things on days 1-3 (light from darkness; sky from water; and then land from oceans) and then He filled what He had created on days 4-6 (the stars, sun, and moon in the heavens; birds and fish in the sky and waters; animals on the land).

Third, that God created everything for a reason—to bring Himself glory. We will talk a lot more about this during the next few weeks, and all of our study through Scripture. But for now help your child see that everything exists to show how good God is—to show His glory for all to see.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

Jesus is Lord over all of creation. The Son has always existed. The Bible says everything was created by Him and for Him, and He holds everything together. All of creation exists to bring God glory.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. Why did God create everything? God created everything for His glory and our good.

KEY PASSAGE This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. — Psalm 19:1

Please take some time to reflect on these points with your families and join us next Sunday for our first online Sunday school of the semester (Sunday Sept 26 2021, from 2pm - 3:15pm). The class zoom links will be sent out to your sign-in emails on either Friday Sept 24 or Saturday Sept 25 2021. See you soon!

Lovingly In Christ,

NYCBC FCM Committee