Glider Gazette

DECEMBER 20 - DECEMBER 26

CHRISTMAS

Hey Lightgliders!

Read the passages below from the Bible as a family.

Read Luke 2:1-15

“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.’” - Luke 2:13-14 (NLT)

Think about and discuss these questions:

• Why is Jesus’ birth important?

• How did the shepherds respond after they saw the angels praising God?

Read Luke 2:16-21

“After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel has said to them about this child.” - Luke 2:17 (NLT)

Just like the shepherds, we are to share the good news of Christmas with others. Jesus is the reason for the season! 

Merry Christmas!

Marlon

Things to Think About This Week:

Here are some activities for you to do and questions to reflect upon this week in Lightgliders. Do these by yourself or with a family member!

• Read the full Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-21 in the Bible. How can we “celebrate” Christmas all year long?

• Why do you celebrate Christmas?

• What are you looking forward to this Christmas?

• Ask God for ideas for ways to celebrate Jesus.

• What is the meaning of Christmas?

Things to Do This Week:

• Play the BRAND NEW Game of the Week, Glide Hockey Worldwide! Everyone on the leaderboard this Saturday gets some new Christmas decorations for their treehouse!

• Check out the newest Bible WHAT with Marlon as he talks about the Christmas story in Luke 2!

• Watch the Spark and Prayer Videos

Christmas Spark

Christmas Prayer

• Use the Mystery Code - CHRISTMAS - to receive a surprise in your inventory!

Lightglider Academy Events This Week:

• Monday: Jokes with Norman in Mission Control at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST! Don’t miss this hilarious hang!

• Tuesday: Come to the Spotlight Celebration at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST in the Courtyard to congratulate this week’s Lightglider RES head recipients!

• Wednesday: Come to the Courtyard at 4pm EST / 3pm CST for a game of Hide & Seek!

• Thursday: Hang out with Pen in the Courtyard today at 12pm EST / 11am EST for Midday Madness with Penelope! Meet in the Courtyard at 6pm EST / 5pm CST for the LIGHTGLIDERS CHRISTMAS PARTY!

• Friday: No event today. Do you know what Adam said to his wife on this day? Merry Christmas, Eve!

• Saturday: Connect with others in the Courtyard today and wish them a Merry Christmas!

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It's time to spotlight some Lightgliders who have been shining brightly in the Academy.  Congratulations, Amber Awesome Artist and Lilac Amazing Marvel: You are in the Spotlight and will receive a Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to use this week!

SHINE SO BRIGHT!

Amber has really stepped up to her role as an Ambassador. She is great at welcoming new Lightgliders, leading games around the Academy, and helping our the Moderators during events. She is a great friend to have in Lightglider Academy. Way to go, Amber!

Lilac Amazing Marvel was nominated for the spotlight by Lightglider Moderator, Flounder! Keep shining bright, Lilac!!

And you too can be in the Spotlight and receive the Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to wear. Keep shining in all you do in Lightglider Academy -- join the community events, show respect to other Lightgliders, create amazing postcards, rescue Gliddles, restore blight, lead other Lightgliders in a game you made up, or just be a positive influence to others. There are lots of ways to shine!

Glide Hockey Worldwide

We introduce to you the FIRST EVER multiplayer game in Lightgliders, Glide Hockey Worldwide!!! Challenge a friend in the Academy, join the same game room in Glide Hockey Worldwide, and compete! We can’t wait to see what you think about the new multiplayer game!

Glide on!

DECEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 19

MOTIVATED BY LOVE

Hey Lightgliders!

Have you ever wondered why you do the things that you do? I was recently challenged to stop and consider the motivations behind each of my words and actions. Wow, was this challenging! It’s amazing how many of my daily decisions are motivated by selfishness. Often I choose to do what I want to do. I spend my time how I want to spend it. Sometimes I even do or say nice things just so I can look good to those around me. Sometimes I get annoyed with people and say things out of anger. Every so often I do something out of genuine love and concern for others. And I want that to happen more often!

I am learning that the more I think about God’s love for me, the more I am motivated to love others. I really want to do things each day out of a heart that is filled with love. I’m not there yet! Pray and ask God to make love the motivation of your heart. And pray this for me too!

Glide On!

Santiago

Things to Think About This Week:

Here are some activities for you to do and questions to reflect upon this week in Lightgliders. Do these by yourself or with a family member!

• Read Galatians 5:6 in the Bible. According to this verse, what is important?

• What are you motivated by?

• What is love?

• What is faith?

• How can your faith in God’s love motivate you to love?

• How has God loved you?

Things to Do This Week:

• Play the Game of the Week, Obsta-Cool Course! Everyone on the leaderboard this Saturday gets a surprise in their inventory!

• Watch the Spark and Prayer Videos

Motivated by Love

The Free Gift

• Use the Mystery Code - LOVE - to receive a surprise in your inventory!

Lightglider Academy Events This Week:

• Monday: Meet one of the creators of Lightgliders, Norman Snowman Cook, in Mission Control at 6pm EST / 5pm CST to hang out for Jokes with Norman! 

• Tuesday: Come to the Spotlight Celebration at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST in the Courtyard to congratulate this week’s Lightglider RES head recipients.  

• Wednesday: Come to the Courtyard  at 5pm EST / 4pm CST. Viola will be leading a moderated game of Boost Tag! 

• Thursday: Hang out with Pen in the Courtyard today at 11pm EST / 10am EST for Midday Madness with Penelope! Join Gertrude in the Library at 6pm EST / 5pm CST for a Bible Chat to discuss this week’s theme and verse! 

• Friday: Meet game designer, Corrigan Hickory Sage, in the Innovation Lab at 5pm EST / 4pm CST to share game ideas. 

• Saturday: Connect with the Ambassadors in the Courtyard at 3pm EST / 2pm CST for some fun and games. 

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It's time to spotlight some Lightgliders who have been shining brightly in the Academy.  Congratulations, Storm Skillful Strider and Sparkle Valiant Superstar: You are in the Spotlight and will receive a Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to use this week!

SHINE SO BRIGHT!

Storm Skillful Strider is a joy to have around the Academy! He is very observant and welcoming. He participates in games and is always good about taking turns with friends. Way to go, Storm!

Sparkle Valiant Superstar is very respectful to others in the Academy. Even if she has different opinions to other players, she is kind and mature when she talks about where she disagrees. Great job Sparkle!

And you too can be in the Spotlight and receive the Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to wear. Keep shining in all you do in Lightglider Academy -- join the community events, show respect to other Lightgliders, create amazing postcards, rescue Gliddles, restore blight, lead other Lightgliders in a game you made up, or just be a positive influence to others. There are lots of ways to shine!

Emerald Fields

Hello, I’m Nisha! I serve in a lot of places at Lightglider Academy, but I mostly try to help the other leaders handle the blight problem in the Yonders. And this mission is all about restoring the land! The Emerald Fields in the Yonders are usually so beautiful, but they’ve been taken over by blight. My tip for you is to open up enough room in the blight so that you can dodge Machine attacks. The Emerald Fields are home to many green Gliddles, and to use their power correctly, you’ll have to get up close to Machines! Patience is the key to defeating Machines and clearing blight. Remember, if you run out of RES, come back to Lightglider Academy and give out Boosts to recharge! 

I’ve heard that there’s a Machine that’s very hard to get to… Maybe the fences in this area don’t extend the whole way around the Fields?

Glide on!

DECEMBER 6 - DECEMBER 12

REFLECTION

Hey Lightgliders!

Our lives operate at a fast pace. We wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, do homework, eat dinner, go to bed, and often repeat it all the next day. If we’re not careful, our schedules and routines can quickly control our entire lives. 

In this week’s theme verse, Psalm 46:10, God is telling us to be still before Him. Why? Because slowing down and being still allows a couple of things to happen. First, we have the opportunity to remember all that God has done for us. Second, we are reminded that He is in control and not us! Being still before God and taking time to reflect on His goodness is good for our soul. God knows this! Sometimes He will even speak to your heart when you are still before Him. My prayer is that you hear how much He loves you because He really does! 

And what better time to slow down and reflect than during the Christmas season! The Lightglider leaders and Gliddles have decorated the Courtyard, so be sure to visit to see the Lightglider Christmas tree, listen to some holiday music, decorate your Treehouse with Christmas items, and spread some Christmas cheer! 

Glide On!

Nisha

Things to Think About This Week:

Here are some activities for you to do and questions to reflect upon this week in Lightgliders. Do these by yourself or with a family member!

• Read Psalm 46:10 in the Bible. Reflect on your week. At the beginning of your week, the question is, “When will you take time to be still before God this week?” At the end of the week ask, “How did it go? What did you do? What will you do next week?”

• When will you take time to be still before God this week?

• What does it look like for you to rest? 

• What areas of your life need greater peace?

• What are your favorite ways to relax?

• How do you reflect upon God and His goodness in your life?

Things to Do This Week:

• Play the BRAND NEW Game of the Week, Mission:Swamp Skirmish! Everyone on the leaderboard this Saturday gets a prize!

Mission:Swamp Skirmish

• Watch the Spark and Prayer Videos

Time to Rest

Prayer for Peace

• Use the Mystery Code - REFLECT - to receive a surprise in your inventory!

Lightglider Academy Events This Week:

• Monday: Meet one of the creators of Lightgliders, Norman Snowman Cook, in Mission Control at 6pm EST / 5pm CST to hang out for Jokes with Norman! 

• Tuesday: Come to the Spotlight Celebration at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST in the Courtyard to congratulate this week’s Lightglider RES head recipients.  

• Wednesday: Come to the Courtyard  at 5pm EST / 4pm CST. Viola will be leading a moderated game of your choice in the Academy! 

• Thursday: Join Penelope at 11am EST / 10am CST for Midday Madness in the Courtyard. Join Gertrude in the Library at 6pm EST / 5pm CST for a Bible Chat to discuss this week’s theme and verse! 

• Friday: Meet game designer, Corrigan Hickory Sage, in the Innovation Lab at 5pm EST / 4pm CST to share game ideas. 

• Saturday: Connect with the Ambassadors in the Courtyard at 3pm EST / 2pm CST for some fun and games. 

It's time to spotlight some Lightgliders who have been shining brightly in the Academy.  Congratulations, Poppy Pip Explorer and Nellie Gumbo Patticake: You are in the Spotlight and will receive a Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to use this week!

Keep shining!!

Poppy is a great friend to have in Lightglider Academy! She loves attending events and playing with her friends. Great job, Poppy!

Nellie has done an amazing job encouraging Lightgliders in their friendships with each other, and is always such a great friend to have at daily events! Way to go, Nellie!!

And you too can be in the Spotlight and receive the Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to wear. Keep shining in all you do in Lightglider Academy -- join the community events, show respect to other Lightgliders, create amazing postcards, rescue Gliddles, restore blight, lead other Lightgliders in a game you made up, or just be a positive influence to others. There are lots of ways to shine!

Swamp Skirmish

Hello! It’s Nisha. I wanted to talk to you about our next bonus mission. It’s the toughest one yet, so be very careful as you go into the fight! There is a Machine spawner in the swamps, and we need you to Battle your way through and rescue the Gliddles there!

Taking care of the Gliddles here is your highest priority! Letting them help you in the right order for the right Machines is crucial to your success. If the Machine attacks are too much, leave the area and try another angle!

This mission is very difficult. If you can’t defeat some of the Machines, try to work with a friend and give each other a powerful Strength Boost back in the Academy before heading back out to the Yonders! 

Glide on!

NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 5

COMPASSION

Hey Lightgliders!

Faith leads us into a relationship with Jesus and helps us to understand His love for us! Because of His love for us, we can love others. As we choose to love others through our words and actions, it will affect our hearts. And as we genuinely feel concern for others in our hearts, we will grow in compassion. Having compassion means that we are tenderhearted toward other people. We try to place ourselves in their shoes and treat them with love, dignity, and respect. We treat them how we would want to be treated. As we understand God’s compassion towards us, we will want to be compassionate with others. Who do you have genuine concern for? Who do you show compassion to? How do you show it?

Showing compassion may look a little different for everyone. We can write notes of encouragement, listen to others’ problems, invite a new friend to sit with during school lunch, or tell our parents how much we love them. Small acts of compassion make a big difference.  

Can you imagine if everyone showed a little bit of compassion every day? It would change the world!  

Glide On!

Kwan

Things to Think About This Week:

Here are some activities for you to do and questions to reflect upon this week in Lightgliders. Do these by yourself or with a family member!

• Read Luke 6:35-36 in the Bible. Why should we be compassionate?

• What are ways to show compassion to others?

• When has someone been compassionate toward you?

• What are ways that you could be a helpful neighbor?

• What is one thing you can do today to show kindness to someone?

• How does being compassionate show the love of Jesus?

Things to Do This Week:

• Play the Game of the Week, Tinker Tech! Everyone on the leaderboard this Saturday morning gets some new gear in their inventory!

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• Watch the Spark and Prayer videos

Compassionate

Prayer for My Neighborhood

• There’s a new Gliddle Game Gab this week! Check it out on the front page!

• Use the Mystery Code - COMPASSION - to receive a surprise in your inventory!

Lightglider Academy Events This Week:

• Monday: Jokes with Norman in Mission Control at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST! Don’t miss this hilarious hang!

• Tuesday: Come to the Spotlight Celebration at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST in the Courtyard to congratulate this week’s Lightglider RES head recipients!

• Wednesday: Come to the Courtyard at 4pm EST / 3pm CST for a game of Sardines Hide & Seek!

• Thursday: Hang out with Pen in the Courtyard today at 12pm EST / 11am EST for Midday Madness with Penelope! Also, join us in the Library at 6pm EST / 5pm CST for a Bible Chat to discuss this week’s theme and verse! 

• Friday: Meet game designer, Corrigan Hickory Sage, in the Innovation Lab at 5pm EST / 4pm CST to share game ideas!

• Saturday: Connect with the Ambassadors in the Courtyard at 3pm EST / 2pm CST for some fun and games.

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It's time to spotlight some Lightgliders who have been shining brightly in the Academy.  Congratulations, Faith Tenacious Squeaker: You are in the Spotlight and will receive a Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to use this week!

SO BRIGHT!!

Faith is always happy to participate in moderated events and is very kind to all her friends. Way to go, Faith!

And you too can be in the Spotlight and receive the Shining Spotlight Glider and RES Head to wear. Keep shining in all you do in Lightglider Academy -- join the community events, show respect to other Lightgliders, create amazing postcards, rescue Gliddles, restore blight, lead other Lightgliders in a game you made up, or just be a positive influence to others. There are lots of ways to shine!

Blighted Grassland

It’s Tambika, calling on you again to take on a new mission! We’re sending you into the Grasslands, a sprawling area that’s filled with blight and Machines. Keep your wits about you and be on the lookout for secret areas! And check out that cool speedboat in the water; who do you think brought that to the Grassland?

We’ve picked up several hidden areas with our sensors. Look for these around fences, grates, and doors and you might find a ton of treasures!

Glide on!

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

Hiya, Lightglider! Santiago here to talk to share the rules of chat, so that we have an encouraging, respectful community here in Lightglider Academy.  Did you know that your actions and words can have a strong impact on others? Our goal is to respect our fellow Lightgliders. As the Bible tells us, we want to encourage each other and build each other up, not tear each other down! We can do this with chat by following some simple rules.

Rule #1: Be Respectful! 

Use your chat privilege to respect and encourage other Lightgliders! Make friends, send creative postcards, and have fun. Help make Lightglider Academy a welcoming place for new Lightgliders and a wonderful place for everyone.

Rule #2: Do Not Put Others Down or Make Them Feel Uncomfortable!

Do not use your chat privilege to discourage fellow Lightgliders. Do not insult or threaten other Lightgliders to their faces or behind their backs. Do not exclude other Lightgliders or tell them to leave. If someone is bothering you, just move away from them. 

Rule #3: Do Not Use Romantic Language!

Do not use your chat privilege to discuss crushes, "likes," or "loves." Do not try to find a "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" or use lovey-dovey language towards other Lightgliders. Respecting others means not toying with other Lightgliders' emotions. And respecting yourself means guarding your heart’s emotions as well.  

Rule #4: Do Not Ask About or Share Personal Information!

Do not tell other Lightgliders your real name, age, grade, or specific location (such as a city or county). Do not ask others for these things either. Be smart about what you tell others online! Respecting others means respecting their privacy. 

Experienced Lightgliders know that these rules have been around for a long time. Repeatedly breaking these rules can result in your chat being taken away for a little while. If your chat has been taken away, take time to think about what you've said to others. Was it encouraging? Or did you put someone down or try to figure out their personal information? Talk with your parents or loved ones about what's happened.

Right now, we’d like to introduce you to two new chat rules that will help make our community more welcoming and encouraging!

New Chat Rule #5: Do Not Retaliate!

If you see someone breaking chat rules, it is not your place to punish them or make them feel bad. Using humility, explain to them what they are doing wrong and suggest a better way to act. Do not tell them they are bad or mean or tell them to leave. If someone has broken chat rules, let the moderators handle it and follow these tips:

• Explain what is wrong. Gently talk about what rules are being broken.
• Move away. If someone is bothering you, then move away from them. Calmly find another place to play.
• Find a moderator. Sometimes a moderator is in the game. If you see anyone with a purple nameplate, calmly tell them what happened. They'll know what to do!
• Report the wrong behavior. Tap on the Lightglider you think is breaking the rules, go to their Treehouse, and then click the red exclamation mark. Write a short message about what happened. The moderators will read it, even if you do not receive a response. Remember that the player you're reporting does not get the message you send!

Here are tips of what not to do:

• Don't put them down. Don't say that they are bad or mean people.
• Don't exclude them. Don't ostracize them from Lightglider Academy.
• Don't threaten them with consequences or pretend to hit them. 
• Don't talk about the wrongdoing constantly.
• Don't gang up on another Lightglider for breaking a chat rule.
• Don't gossip. Don’t talk badly about someone who isn't present.

Remember that respecting others means seeking justice, but loving mercy. 

New Chat Rule #6: Do Not Create Drama!

Everyone has different opinions: whether they like cats or dogs better, what game they should play next, or even what should be allowed in chat. If your opinion disagrees with someone else's opinion, that's okay! You can talk about your disagreement calmly. However, you should not get angry about that disagreement! Don't become dramatic, don't act as if everything is bad, and don't accuse the other person of being mean or bad. Don't storm off, spam emotes or chat, excessively talk about how sad you are, or threaten to end a friendship based on a disagreement. Explain your viewpoint but don't deny other Lightgliders that same liberty. Respecting others means having patience with each other! It also means thinking of others before yourself!

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Our goal is to make a safe, fun community for each other. Be humble, and think of others before yourself. If you see a chat rule being broken, gently remind others of the chat rules.  Encourage each other, and build each other up! Glide on!

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NOVEMBER 22 - NOVEMBER 28

FAITH

Hey Lightgliders!

Faith is a word you may hear quite a bit among people who go to church. To have faith means to trust and believe. We all practice faith on a daily basis. If you sit down in a chair, you trust and believe in that chair, that it will hold you up when you sit down! Faith in Jesus is similar. It means that our trust and belief is in Him and what He did for us on the cross. We can live with confidence and joy because our faith is in the only One who can rescue us from sin, evil, and death. And, according to our theme verse this week, the reward for our faith in Jesus is salvation. Jesus saves us from the punishment of our sin and gives us eternal life. This is good news!

Glide On!

Tova

Things to Think About This Week:

Here are some activities for you to do and questions to reflect upon this week in Lightgliders. Do these by yourself or with a family member!

• Read 1 Peter 1:8-9 in the Bible. What is your reward for trusting Jesus?

• How can you exercise your faith?

• What do you have faith in?

• Take time to pray and ask God to help you trust Him with everything in your life..

• How can faith in Jesus give you confidence?

Things to Do This Week:

• Play the Game of the Week, Gliddle Crafts!

• Watch the Spark and Prayer Videos

What Is Faith?

Encourage My Faith

• Check out this week’s Bible WHAT?! with Marlon as he discusses our theme verse!

• Use the Mystery Code - GIFT - to receive a surprise in your inventory!

Lightglider Academy Events This Week:

• Monday: Jokes with Norman in Mission Control at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST! Don’t miss this hilarious hang!

• Tuesday: Come to the Spotlight Celebration at 5:30pm EST / 4:30pm CST in the Courtyard to congratulate this week’s Lightglider RES head recipients!

• Wednesday: Come to the Courtyard at 5pm EST / 4pm CST. A moderator will be leading a game of 20 Questions!

• Thursday: No Bible Chat this week! If you’re in the United States, enjoy Thanksgiving with your family!

• Friday: GRAPE-FULLNESS PARTY DAY! Meet in the Courtyard for the monthly party at 5pm EST / 4pm CST! Every Lightglider in attendance will receive special prizes!

• Saturday: Connect with the Ambassadors in the Courtyard at 3pm EST / 2pm CST for some fun and games.