by Sallie Yang

As the end of the calendar year approaches, we are able to reflect on how God has been faithful to LBC and in particular to the Fireflies’ ministry. In Fireflies, we have seen a good number of babies born and enter into our care on Sundays. We have welcomed new families in with their little ones. We have seen helpless babies grow and develop to become curious toddlers. And, we have joyfully seen a good number of our little Fireflies become Sparklers. In addition to the children of Fireflies, God has been faithful to provide so many committed nursery workers from different affinity groups, all who love the Lord and the kids. Even as some of them have had to move on to other places or ministries, God has continued to be faithful to provide 33 nursery workers, including 7 teachers to our growing Fireflies’ ministry of 16 babies in N1 and 20 toddlers in N2.

While we have the privilege of ministering to the families and children of Fireflies, we have sought to expose the kids to simple truths about God and Jesus through Bible lessons, memory verses, and songs. We focus on one truth and memory verse for an entire month, ending that lesson with a craft at the end of the month. The truths we cover include: God is everywhere; God always wins; God knows everything; Only one God; God is good; Jesus is here; Jesus is a friend; Jesus is the boss; Jesus is alive; Jesus loves me; God made everything; and only God is big. As a teacher, I have loved watching the young toddlers start off N2 with blank faces, a little unsteady on their chairs, and not totally aware of what is going on during lesson/memory verse time to later seeing them as older toddlers, participating in lessons and enthusiastically singing the memory verse songs with hand motions. Although those moments will not be there every time I teach on Sundays, it is sweet to see them when I do. It is our hope that we would be able to share God’s love and the joy of the Lord with them.

As a parent of two children who have gone through Fireflies and moved on to Sparklers and Sonlight, I have appreciated the foundations of truth laid by the Fireflies’ ministry. Even now when I prepare for nursery teaching time, my kids love to listen to the Bible lessons and sing the memory verse songs with the hand motions. As fun as it is for them, I especially love that they love to learn about God and are hiding God’s Word in their hearts so young. We pray that what was true for Timothy would be true for the children of our church.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14-15

It is our prayer that the Fireflies would love God more and more as they learn about Him in His Word to the end that they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We thank the parents of our Fireflies for the opportunity to serve them and partner with them in this way. To God we give the glory, thanks, and praise.