Sunday School was held for ALL STUDENTS this week - Littles, Middles, and Youth
Theme for All Students - Lent, a Journey of Noticing God Littles - We read a booklet (which they are also bringing home) that summarizes the life of Jesus. We talked about Lent being a time to prepare for Easter by finding “good deeds” to do to bring us closer to God. Littles Craft/Activity - Our Littles played a bible-themed Concentration/Memory Game Littles Lenten Homework - Each child is bringing home a Lenten activity to do, performing good deeds, and recording them on a map. Middles and Youth - We also talked about Lent - its meaning and traditions. Middles and Youth Craft/Activity - They completed a short “quiz” about Lent. They also began thinking about what they will do for their Lenten Homework. Middles and Youth Lenten Homework - I’m asking each student to find something to give up or to take on during Lent to help them focus on ways to strengthen their faith and journey closer to God.
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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. 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
Last Sunday church services and Sunday School were canceled due to extreme winter weather in our area. This Week in Sunday School - Sunday School was held for "Littles" only this week. Theme - The Baptism of Jesus and Our Own Baptism Littles - Today we read about John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-18) in our Beginners Bible. John the Baptist appears in Judea to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of heaven. He warns the people to repent of their sins in order to prepare for the Lord’s coming. He also talks of the one who will baptize the people “with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Jesus then appears and insists that John baptize him. Then we talked about how we are baptized as well and what happens during a baptism service in church and what it means. Craft/Activity - We made Baptism Remembrance Boxes to remind us that Jesus was baptized and that we were baptized too. The top of the box illustrates Jesus’ baptism. Inside the box are pebbles to remind us of the River Jordan and that first baptism. Also inside are reminders of our own modern day baptism service, a white candle like to pascal candle that is lit, a shell to remind us of the river and the water poured over our heads, and a passage that is said in the prayers, “We are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.” Upcoming Schedule
Sunday School was held for "Littles" only this week.
Theme - Understanding the Role of a Bishop Littles - Today we talked about what a bishop is, what he/she wears, and what they do. We looked at some pictures of Bishop Singh and talked about the symbolism of his special vestments. We also talked a little bit about what we do during a worship service. Craft/Activity - Our Littles completed several worksheets about worship and the special people involved in a worship service, and about what the bishop wears. Then they made a bishop’s mitre to wear. Upcoming Schedule
This Week in Sunday School -
Theme for All Students - Epiphany Littles - We read the story in our Spark Story Bible of the 3 Wise Men coming from the east to worship the baby Jesus and give him gifts fit for a king. The jealous King Herod had met with these men and asked them to tell him where to find this baby, pretending he wanted to worship him as well. But an angel appeared to the wise men warning them that Herod was dangerous and so they returned to their homes by a different route. Littles Craft/Activity - Our Littles made a “stained glass” window decoration of the 3 Wise Men. They are also bringing home a booklet of this story. Middles and Youth - We also read from the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:1-12) from our Message Bibles. We also studied the familiar hymn, “We 3 Kings of Orient Are,” to try to get a deeper understanding of the meaning of who these “wise men” were, what they represented, and the meaning and symbolism of the gifts they brought. These men probably represented 3 different cultures, coming from the east. They were non-Jews coming to worship the newly born king of the Jews, thus showing that this amazing baby, God incarnate, had come for ALL people. And they brought gifts of great value, gifts fit for a king, and gifts that not only represented good (gold and frankincense) but also represented the sacrifice Jesus would make in giving his life for us (myrrh, the oil for burial). Middles and Youth Craft/Activity - We played a game identifying objects of value to us that we might give if Jesus were to come to us today. At our Christmas Eve worship service, our youth shared a poem and a prayer to express the meaning of Christmas. They also sang 2 verses of "The First Noel." The text, pictures and video of their presentation can be found below. They did a wonderful job! The Meaning of Christmas Author Unknown Far away in Bethlehem, a baby boy was born, Born with neither riches, nor with fame, Yet wise men came from all around to bring him their gifts And peace was felt by all who heard his name. Angels watched him as he slept, and gently rocked his bed, Their voices singing softly in his ear, His mother and his father both gave thanks to God above For the greatest gift of all, their Son, so dear. They knew his life upon this earth would not be filled with wealth, They also knew he would encounter strife. But most of all, they knew that he would be a loving child, And teach the love of God throughout his life. At Christmas we celebrate this birth of Jesus Christ, Let’s keep in mind the truth of Christmas Day. For it’s not the Christmas wrappings, nor the gifts that lie within But our gift of love to others in every way. A Christmas Prayer By Robert Louis Stevenson Loving Father, help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. AMEN
THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT - JOY
Sunday School was held for Littles only this week. Before going downstairs for Sunday School, our students presided at the readings, prayers and lighting of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th candles in the Advent Wreath. This Week in Sunday School - Theme - The 4th Week in Advent - Joy Littles - We read the book, “A Night of Great Joy” by Mary Englebreit. It illustrates a children’s Christmas pageant while telling the story of the birth of Jesus and the great joy it brought to all humankind. If we have extra time, we also plan to read the story of “Alfie the Christmas Tree,” by John Denver. Although he loves the beauty of Christmas and its significance regarding peace on earth and the Son of God, Alfie the Christmas tree also rejoices in the beauty of the natural world and urges us to say a prayer for it and for those who live in it too. Craft/Activity - Our Littles made “Joy to the World” picture frames with their pictures in it. Upcoming Schedule
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OUR PROGRAMWe hold Sunday School every other Sunday, Sept. through May, during the 10:00 Worship Service. Our program includes students of all ages, from Preschool through Grade 6 Archives
November 2023
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