LATEST NEWS FLASHES--No.214
11/94 --
DO
SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN'S ANNOUNCEMENT AND CELEBRATION OF GRANDPA'S HOMEGOING
Comments and Ideas about Our Meetings with the Children
By WS Staff

        
Since we've already had a Heavenly Homegoing meeting with our children, we thought it might be helpful for you to see what we did, in case you'd want to use any of these ideas in your Home. Please realise that we are just relating what we did with the hope of giving you some ideas. God bless you as you share this exciting, thrilling news with your children!

Younger Children's Meeting (Written by the Shepherdess of the toddlers and YCs)
         It just so happened that in the past two weeks, we had just been doing a study of Heaven with these little ones, which already provided a good foundation, and we had pictures of Heaven up all over the place.
         We had all the younger kids together. Even though we had from toddlers through YCs there, which means we had aim for the middle in our explanation, we felt it would be nicer for them and us if we could all be together.
         We read Mama's Letter, "Heavenly Hallelujah Homegoing" to them. We had prepared flannelgraph pieces, Life with Grandpa and TK pictures to go along with what Mama said. Of course we didn't have too much time to prepare, but we got together what we could. I think it would be nice for people to get all the flannelgraph pieces and pictures together that they want to show, or just pull out the Poster Books, or some Heaven Posters, so that they can illustrate it for the little ones as much as they can. There are so many pictures and flannelgraph pieces to illustrate what Mama said. (See list below.)
         We also read some of the prophecies to them and acted some of them out with flannelgraph pictures, such as the prophecy about Aaron calling out to Dad and them running to hug, etc., the vision of Dad's mantle falling onto Mama, etc. We chose the most fun ones that they could easily see and enjoy.
         At the end we said a little prayer thanking Jesus for Grandpa, blew kisses to Grandpa in Heaven & told him we love him & are happy for him, etc. The MCs and OCs had their meeting too, and then we had our Happy Homegoing Celebration all together.

Flannelgraphs and TK Pictures
         As mentioned above, we used flannelgraph pieces and TK pictures to illustrate what was being read, while reading the message to the children.

Flannelgraph pieces we used:
         --Heaven's Children pieces (not including ones showing people who are still alive now)
         --ML Characters (including Mama and Grandpa lying in bed)
         --Sophie the Washerwoman in Heaven and the Heaven pieces
         --Many Angels from a Bible FG set
         --Life with Grandpa pieces for those gathered around his bed with him
         --The Elixir of Love for the Holy Spirit

TK pictures used:
         --Meeting people: Heaven's Children, pg. 228
         --Getting a reward: Heaven's Children, pg. 231
         --Coming before the Lord: Heaven's Children, pg. 335
         --Whispering in Mama's ear: KTK 1, pg. 455
         --Seeing Grandpa again: LWG 2, pg. 155
         --Many Heaven posters from the Poster Book

Our Happy Homegoing Celebration
         We decided to have a Heaven party! We decorated our dining room with white sheets everywhere, on all four walls and even the ceiling, so that they were billowing on the ceiling. Each team was responsible to build a different corner of the Heavenly City--the streets of gold, the House of Lights, the picnic area, etc., with lots of hearts all around. We also had the room decorated with as many pictures of Heaven and of Grandpa and Jesus that we could find.
         We started with some wonderful Heavenly songs of Grandpa's, cheery ones. Then we danced to real fun songs like "Pets in Heaven", each choosing some of the kids' stuffed animals to dance with. There are lots of fun Heaven songs to dance to. We all picked up the little kids and "flew" them around the room to "Fly Away" (the song on the "Country and Bluegrass" Tape).
         We prepared picnic sandwiches and punch. Then we listened to a song together and sang, after which we talked about who Grandpa would meet in Heaven. It was exciting thinking of the many people he would have to greet and to talk to, because of all the people he's witnessed to and because of the souls we've won because of Grandpa. We then also talked about the things Grandpa can do now.
         After that we had a Heavenly Mansion cake while we watched parts of some videos on Heaven. We watched parts of "The Heavenly City" GAP Video, "Oh Them Golden Slippers" from the movie "Little Lord Fauntleroy", "This Must be Heaven" from the Video "20 Minutes to Go" and various other things. It was really inspiring.
         That night some of the kids slept in the "Heavenly City". We are planning to keep the Heavenly City display up for awhile and take turns sleeping there, playing there, etc. Thank You Lord!

Songs We Sang at Our Celebration
         Here is a list of some of the songs we sang, both those we sang with the guitar, and songs we played from the tape and danced to.

Songs on the Guitar:
         --My Home Is in Heaven
         --When We All Get to Heaven (Walk, Talk, Sing Tape)
         --Heaven Bound (Walk, Talk, Sing tape)
         --Meeting in the Air (Love Songs song book)
         --It Will Be Worth It All (When You Need Him Most Tape)
         --Shall We Gather at the River? (Love Songs song book)
         --Songs from Dad's Songs of Heaven tapes

Songs on Tapes:
         --This Must be Heaven (This Must Be Heaven)
         --Marriage Supper of the Lamb (The Lion, the Dragon and the Beast)
         --Pets in Heaven (Magic of Love)
         --Heaven (Magic of Love)
         --Going to Heaven (Little Things)
         --Learning to Fly (Keep on Believing)
         --I'll Meet You Over There (On Love We'll Sail)
         --I'll Fly Away (Country and Bluegrass)

READING LIST FOR CHILDREN
        
Suggested TKs and Flannelgraphs for children's Word time in the weeks following Grandpa's Homegoing Celebration.

Grandpa leaving:
         --I Gotta Split, TK Vol. 1, pg. 409
         --Heidi, TK Vol. 3, pg. 151
         --City of Buried Treasure Flannelgraph, F&F 1, TK Vol. 5,
         pg. 299

Mama Maria's role:
         --When I'm Gone, KTK 4, pg. 137
         --The Shepherdess, KTK 4, pg. 207
         --Maria the Faithful, KTK 4, pg. 353
         --Prophecies of the Handmaiden of the Lord, TK Vol. 1, pg. 337
         --Heavenly Conversation, TK Vol. 2, pg. 227
         --Kingdom Prophecies, The, TK Vol. 2, pg. 231
         --Kidz Mop 1 on Maria, pg. 406

Heaven:
         --Space City, TK Vol. 2, pg. 69; 85
         --The Ultimate Trip, TK Vol. 2,
         pg. 141
         --Mansions in Heaven, KTK 4,
         pg. 435
         --Holy Ghosts, TK 9; KTK 1, pg. 297
         --Kids Mop 1 on Heaven, pg. 313
         --Run the Race, KTK 4, pg. 405
         --Heaven Is a Happy Place Game, Act.Bk. 4, pg. T26
         --Look through Poster Book at pictures of Heaven and Grandpa's mansion, etc.
         --New Worlds to Conquer, Story of Love TK, pg. 497
         --The World to Come, Story of Love TK, pg. 493
         --A Heavenly Visitor, TK Vol. 2,
         pg. 17
         --More Holy Ghosts TK Vol. 9,
         pg. 237
         --Learning in Heaven, KTK 4, pg. 471
         --Rev. 21 and 22 in Bible
         --Look at pictures about Heaven from the Book of the Future, and Picture Book of the Future.
         -- Rhyme Book, "Wonder of Wonders" pg. 261

Life/Death:
         --When Morning Dawns, Story of Love TK, pg. 449
         --Our Birdie Funeral, KTK 4,
         pg. 275, LWG 2 pg. 73
         --Kidz Mop 1 on Life/Death, pg. 353

Other:
         --The Future Is as Bright as the Promises of God, KTK 4, pg. 308
         --The Story of the Rich Woman and the Poor Washerwoman, KTK 3, pg. 95
         --New Models, LWG 2, pg. 144
         --Kidz Mop 2 on Rewards, pg. 542
         --Kidz Mop 2 on Spirit World, pg. 606

Tapes & Videos:
         --Tribute to Dad and Maria
         --Songs of Heaven 1-3
         --Here's Heaven (GAP061)
         --20 Minutes to Go Video, "This Must Be Heaven"
         --Parts of Family Fun Videos (the Poster parts & anything else that pertains to Heaven)
         --Listen to Grandpa's Garden of Eden Tapes on Rev. 21 and 22

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family