Our Note in the Pocket collection is continuing! Thank you to everyone who has been able to donate clothing and shoes. Our collection will continue through Feb. 26. Please place donated items in the bin in the Narthex.
Children’s Ministries Information
- The 2016-2017 Children’s Collection Basket is collecting funds to host a Note in the Pocket Sort Day on June 4, 2017. So far we have collected $1223.79 toward our $3000.00 goal.
- Children’s Chapel will be held at the 9am and 11:15am services on Sunday. Children ages 3 through 2nd grade are invited to follow the children’s cross processional to the Youth Wing. Children will return to the Sanctuary during the Peace.
- Sunday School will be held in the Education Building at 10:10am on Sunday.
- Communion Class Registration forms (for baptized children ages 1st grade and up) are available in the Narthex. Please be sure to return your registration form by March 5, 2017.
- Mark your calendars for July 10-14, 2017 from 9am to 12noon for our 2017 VBS, Abundance Orchard: Where Faith Grows! We are looking for center leaders for craft(2) and snack-or really any help is welcome. Please contact Stacy Lyerly at slyerly33@gmail.com to sign up to help! Participant and Volunteer Registration forms will be available the first week of March.
- Pre-EYC (4th and 5th graders) will meet next Saturday, Feb. 25 from 9:30am to 11:15am at St. Andrew the Apostle in Apex to participate in the Brown Bag Ministry! Please watch your email for an opportunity to sign up for this event.
- Our Annual Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Brunch will be held on March 5, 2017 at 11:15am. We need help with food-please sign up here if you can donate brunch items for this event: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094da4a623a4f58-food
Sunday School Lesson: Scenes from the Ministry of Jesus.
Summary of This week’s Lesson:
Several stories give us a glimpse of Jesus’ ministry among his people. In chapters 14–15 in Matthew, Jesus miraculously feeds great crowds of people with only a little bit of food. After the first feeding of 5,000 people, Jesus’ disciples are caught in a storm with their boat about to sink. Jesus appears to them, walking on the water, and calms both them and the storm. A woman from the neighboring region of Canaan comes to Jesus to plead for healing of her daughter. Her humble plea touches him and he heals her, though the woman and daughter are not Jews. Jesus responds to the woman’s faith. He then tells two parables. The first, the parable of the lost sheep, illustrates God’s compassion toward even the least of us. The second, the parable of the unforgiving servant, teaches us about forgiveness. In chapter 19, Jesus blesses the children around him. In the midst of God’s power working in Jesus, Jesus talks about his own death to his disciples.
The Episcopal Thread:
In the Anglican churches, certain people are honored and celebrated as saints or holy people of the church. Not official saints as in the Roman Catholic Church, these people are recognized as models for holy living. Their names can be found on the calendar of the Church Year (BCP p. 19-30). The book Lesser Feasts and Fasts (New York: Church Publishing, 2006) gives a more detailed biography of these people as well as the prayers and readings appointed to commemorate their lives. At each General Convention, more names are submitted for recognition and more names are added to the Church’s list of saints. Many are Anglican or Episcopalian, but many are not. Some of these people are called divines. The church recognizes that holy people are not only theologians; they may be people who have lived a godly life of service and who therefore exemplify the Christian life. One of the divines, Jeremy Taylor, wrote a book called Holy Living and Dying (New York: Cosimo Classic, 2007), a book grounded in the Anglican ethos. In his book, Taylor says that faith is the practice of piety in everyday duties in which no part of life is outside the framework of Christian values. So Jesus’ everyday ministry is our everyday ministry. This is basic Episcopal thinking: a practical life of faith that sees God in everyday life and us in everyday ministry.
Things to ask your children
■■ Can you name a story about Jesus that we talked about today?
■■ What kinds of things did Jesus do?
■■ What kinds of stories did he tell us?
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments about Children’s Ministries.
See you on Sunday!
Christine
Christine Ingram
Parish Administrator & Director of Children’s Ministries