News

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Teddy Bear Tea on Saturday.  We have many fun things planned and will have yummy treats, too!  Today is the last day to RSVP:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094da4a623a4f58-teddy

Children’s Ministries News

• The Children’s Little Brown Stewardship Basket is working toward our 2018 Note in the Pocket Sort Day, scheduled for June 3, 2018.  So far we have collected $1351.98 toward our goal of $3000.00.
• Children’s Ministries will be at the Mini-Ministry Fair in the Parish Hall during Coffee Hour on Sunday.  Please drop by and see us!  We will have VBS Registration Forms and Communion Class Registration Forms-and we would love to visit with you!  Many other ministries will also be participating, so please take a few minutes to stroll through the Parish Hall during Coffee Hour.
• For Sunday-Sunday School will start at 10:10am in the Education Building and Children’s Chapel, for children ages 3-2^nd grade, will be held at the 9am service.
• Calling all Vacation Bible School (VBS) volunteers!  It is time to start planning our 2018 VBS, Journey to Bethlehem.  2018 VBS will be June 18-25 (note the date change).  Please email Christine Ingram if you are interested in volunteering or heading up the Story, Science or Craft centers.  Meetings will be minimal and will start in late February.
• Lent Activities for Children-Pancake Supper 2/13, Ash Wednesday Service 5:45pm on 2/14 and Mite Boxes and Easter Countdowns will be distributed soon.
• Pre-EYC meets next Sunday, Feb. 11, from 2-4pm at Urban Ministries for a tour and volunteering.  We hope many of our 4^th and 5^th graders and their families will attend.

Sunday School this Week:  Who Does Jesus Say He Is?

Summary: In these passages from John’s Gospel, Jesus talks about himself and who he is, using images from daily life. The people, mostly the Jewish authorities (“the Jews”), are angered by his talk and by his claim to come from God as the Christ, and they seek to have him arrested. In the later verses ( John 7:33-52), the people disagree among themselves about how to see him, and about whether to arrest him.

Episcopal Thread: Episcopalians are sacramental people. We understand sacraments as “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace.” (BCP, p. 857) So it is with these images of Jesus. They are sacramental images—visible signs of an inward essence. So in a way, the idea is familiar: the metaphors are spotlights that illuminate and lead us to what is beyond—Jesus himself. The sacramental images of Jesus appear in many hymns about the Eucharist, for example, #335 in the Hymnal 1982: “I am the bread of life,” or #343, “Shepherd of souls.” On the fourth Sunday of Easter each year, Episcopalians, along with much of the wider Church, celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, a recognition of Jesus as the Good Shepherd who gave his life for his flock.

Things to wonder with your children:

■■ Who did we talk about today?

■■ What are some things that Jesus said, that told about what he is like?

■■ What do we receive by believing in Jesus?

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments about Children’s Ministries.

See you on Sunday!

Christine

Christine Owens Ingram, SPHR
Parish Administrator and Director of Children’s Ministries

Children’s Calendar