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Sunday School was held for LITTLES only this week. Theme - Who is My Neighbor? - The Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37 A man asks Jesus what he must do “to inherit eternal life.” When Jesus mentions the commandment to “love...your neighbor as yourself,” the man asks, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, making clear that “neighbor” is connected not to proximity in living habitations, but rather to giving and receiving unconditional mercy and compassion. Since the beginning of his ministry, Jesus has taught that God’s salvation is open to all, and that God’s world is a world of which we all are part—even Samaritans, even people we hate, even people who hate us. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the man from Samaria puts into practice what Zacchaeus later will promise—he offers compassionate love to a dying stranger who hates him, ministering to a newly poor and marginalized person even as he himself is marginalized by the Jews. In this act of compassion, the Samaritan embraces God’s command to us to offer hospitality and welcome, including all people in our offering of mercy even as God does. In the new age that began at Jesus’ birth, God welcomes, invites and opens up a total experience of union with God, to which we respond in repentance, conversion and then in love for the poor and for all persons. This is the heart of Luke’s spirituality. Littles Craft/Activity - Our Littles had a couple of Good Samaritan themed mazes and another worksheet. We also played a bible themed concentration/memory game. 
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Sunday School was held for ALL STUDENTS this week. This Week in Sunday School - Theme for Littles - Jesus Calls His Disciples Theme for Middles and Youth - The Elements of Our Worship Service Littles - We read the story in our Spark Bible summarized from the gospel of Luke 5:1-11 and other gospels telling of when Jesus calls his first disciples to follow him: Peter and his brother Andrew, and then James and his brother John. He calls for these fishermen to become “fishers of men.” Later, he asks Matthew, a tax collector, to become a disciple. Altogether Jesus names 12 disciples, then sends them out on their mission with instructions on how to proceed. Littles Craft/Activity - Our Littles made a rainbow fish and also had a maze and a story comprehension worksheet to complete. Middles and Youth - We talked about the main elements that make up our worship service - gathering, singing, lessons from scripture, affirmation of faith, praying for others, repenting and asking for forgiveness, sharing the peace, offering gifts, asking God’s blessing, sharing communion, offering thanks, being sent out into the world. Middles and Youth Craft/Activity - We looked through a typical worship service leaflet to find and label these elements. Upcoming Schedule
 Sunday School was held for "Littles" only this week. This Week in Sunday School - Theme - Jesus Loves Us and Forgives Us Littles - Today we read the story of Simon’s dinner with Jesus (Luke 7:36-50). Jesus is invited to dinner at the home of Simon, a Pharisee. In the middle of dinner, a woman comes in and begins to weep over Jesus, bathing his feet with her tears. She then dries the tears with her hair. Simon protests that this woman is “a sinner.” But Jesus responds to Simon that Simon provided no open and affectionate hospitality to Jesus, whereas the woman did all that a host should do, and more, because she gave her love to him. Simon was not being rude to Jesus at this gathering. He did the proper things for a guest. He just did not show any expansive hospitality, and surely did not show the extravagant love in hospitality that the woman did. Jesus tells Simon, “Therefore, ...her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.” Sin alienates us from community. What restores us is not perfection but forgiveness, as Jesus showed. Thus in our liturgy, we have confession and absolution, followed by the exchange of peace among one another. Then, with forgiveness in our hearts and actions, we come to the Lord’s Table for communion as one Body in Christ. Craft/Activity - We made mobiles illustrating the phrase, “God Loves Us and Forgives Us.” We talked about how God forgives both little mistakes as well as big ones when we come to him in love. Upcoming Schedule
Sunday School was held for ALL students this week. This Week in Sunday School - Theme for Littles - Jesus Grows Up Theme for Middles and Youth - The Seasons of the Church Year Littles - We read the story in our Beginner’s Bible of the boy, Jesus, in the Temple (Luke 2:21-52). Luke then tells the only story that we have of Jesus as a young boy. He and his family make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem at Passover time, and are returning home when Mary and Joseph discover that Jesus is not with them. They search frantically for him for three days. Finally, they go to the Temple in Jerusalem, where they find him talking with the teachers. Jesus is amazed that his parents did not know that he would be “in my Father’s house.” Littles Craft/Activity - Our Littles made a temple with young Jesus hiding behind one of the doors. They also have a maze and a drawing activity to do if we have time. Middles and Youth - We talked about the church year calendar and the seasons of the church year. The church year really consists of 2 great feasts: Easter Day, a “moveable” feast whose date changes from year to year, and Christmas Day, which is always celebrated on Dec. 25th. Easter Day is always the first Sunday after the full moon that falls on or after March 21. Based on these 2 feasts, the church year is divided into seasonsL Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. We discussed the meaning of each season. Middles and Youth Craft/Activity - We colored a wheel illustrating the church year calendar including the seasons and the colors for each season. Upcoming Schedule
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OUR PROGRAMWe hold Sunday School every Sunday, Sept. through May, during the 10:00 Worship Service. Our program includes students of all ages, from Preschool through High School Archives
March 2023
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