Happy (church) New Year and welcome to Advent! There is SO much going on at St. Paul’s in the month of December-please be sure to check out the St. Paul’s website and your St. Paul’s newsletter which should be in your mailbox by the end of the week.
We are very lucky that the St. Paul’s Youth are giving us all a gift this Advent Season by presenting the play “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” this Sunday night, Dec. 4, at 7pm in the Chapel. This is a free, fun event and everyone is welcome! I hope you can bring your children and enjoy a fun family evening together.
And, if you want some time AWAY from your children, the St. Paul’s Youth are also hosting a babysitting night this Friday night, Dec. 2, from 6pm-9pm! Please send your child with dinner (bagged fast food is fine…this is a judgement free zone!). Donations are accepted for babysitting and the funds go to assist with the cost of youth activities. Here is the form to sign up your children: https://docs.google.com/a/stpaulscary.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeW8FmeN6wPJ3igBaWL_W0bkPxyHnxxF4dYPxBLKG4h-9361w/viewform?c=0&w=1 Please contact Leah Dail, leah.dail@stpaulscary.org with any additional questions.
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 $724.32 toward our $3000.00 goal.
- Christmas Pageant Participation Forms are available in the Narthex and at the Children’s Ministries Bulletin Board in the Ed. Bldg. All non-speaking participant forms are due this Sunday. We are still welcoming angels, shepherds and animals! Don’t be shy, join us!!! No prior acting experience is necessary.
- Pre-EYC meets this Sunday from 11:15am to 1pm for our annual Christmas Party-we will gather in the Youth Wing. We will be helping with the St. Nicholas Ministry collections, sharing a meal (pizza!) and doing a small gift exchange. Hope our 4th and 5th graders will join us!
- After this Sunday, Children’s Chapel and Sunday School will be on vacation until January 8, 2017. Thank you for your understanding as we give our volunteers a much needed break for the holiday season.
- Coming up in 2017: Mark your calendars for our Teddy Bear Tea (Feb. 4) and Communion Classes (March)
Sunday School Lessons this Week
The Lesson is “Jesus Is Born For Us!”
Summary: Luke places the birth of Jesus in its historical context, during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Jesus’ humble birth, with a manger for a bed, is accompanied by the glory of the heavenly hosts appearing to the lowly shepherds as the angels announce the birth of “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Jesus is thus announced at his birth, and at the beginning of this gospel, as one who will bring salvation to us.
Episcopal Thread: Anglican spirituality is deeply incarnational—that is, embodied, having an earthly form. From the Celtic Christians, Anglicans inherit the appreciation for the presence of God in our creation. So the theology of the Word made flesh, of God become man, of glory enfleshed in human form, of heaven come to earth—these notions are embraced easily in Anglican thought. Our response to the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ is one of thanksgiving and praise to God. Our Book of Common Prayer is filled with this thanksgiving for Jesus who came “to share our human nature” (Eucharistic Prayer A, p. 362), who is “the Word made flesh” (Eucharistic Prayer B, p. 368).
In the Anglican churches, which includes the American Episcopal Church, we share a Benedictine sense of balance in our theology and our ethos. In terms of the way in which we look at the life and death of Jesus, we decline to put greater emphasis on Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection over his birth and incarnation. We see both his incarnation (celebrated at Christmas) and his resurrection (celebrated at Easter) as equally important for us and for our salvation.
Things to wonder with your children:
■■ What story did we hear today?
■■ How do we celebrate this story today?
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
2016-2017 Children’s Calendar
Dec. 4 St. Nicholas Sunday/Last Day of SS/Pre-EYC Christmas Party
Dec. 9 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal 6-8pm
Dec. 10 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal 9am-12pm
Dec. 11 Christmas Pageant 9am Service/No Children’s Chapel or Sunday School
Dec. 18 No Children’s Chapel or Sunday School/No Pre-EYC
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Service for Young Families- 4pm
Dec. 25 No Children’s Chapel or Sunday School/No Pre-EYC
Jan. 1 No Children’s Chapel/No Sunday School
Jan. 8 Children’s Chapel, Sunday School and Pre-EYC Resume
Feb. 4 Teddy Bear Tea 10:30am-12noon
Feb. 5 Note in the Pocket Socks and Undies Sundays begin (4 week drive)