News from Childrens' Christian Formation

by Sandy Weis

GODLY PLAY ADVENT –A MYSTERY

In Godly Play the Advent lessons help our children to anticipate the mystery of Christmas.  The church learned a long time ago that people needed a way to get ready to enter or even come close to a mystery like Christmas.  The church sets aside four weeks to get ready.  During this time we are all on our way to Bethlehem.  We move toward Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph.  We are guided by the prophets as they point the way to Bethlehem.  This is the lighting of the prophet candle.  We follow Mary and Joseph as she sometimes walks and sometimes rides a donkey, trying to find comfort as she’s about to have a baby.  We light the candle for Mother Mary and Father Joseph as part of the Holy Family as they make their way to Bethlehem.  Next we focus on the shepherds who were startled in the night with glorious singing and a bright shining star.  The shepherds move toward Bethlehem to find the newborn Jesus and the third candle is lighted.  The third candle is different.  It is the color of roses.  It reminds us of the great joy of which the angels sang, and it is also one of the colors for the Mother Mary.  The fourth candle is lighted as we remember the three kings who also followed the star.  The kings or Magi, as they were also called, knew about stars, but this wild star was not on their star maps.   Having come from so far away, they arrived well after the time of Jesus’s birth.  The king’s journey ends in a new kind of King.  They fell to their knees and gave gifts of bright gold, sweet smelling frankincense, and bitter myrrh.

So now we all come, following that star, to find God with us, our Immanuel.  We come, as people have come all through the ages, to bring our own gifts to this Child, God’s gift to us. 

Here is the Christ Child, the mystery of Christmas.

CHRISTMAS PRESENCE

Christmas Presence is the title of the children’s program on Christmas Eve at the 5:00 p.m. Family Worship Service.  Rehearsal times will be after the 10:30 worship service on December 4^th, 11^th, and 18^th.  This includes all of our Sunday school students age 3 through 5^th grade.  Please make every effort to be at rehearsals.  We would gladly accept helping hands during this preparation time.  If you need more information, call Karel Lowery or Sandy Weis. 

FOOD OF THE MONTH

Boxes of oatmeal

As you know by now, Grace Church supports the Salvation Army in many different ways.  One activity is bringing foods to help fill the pantry at the shelter.  It’s a simple and easy task in which we all can participate.

Starting in January 2012, Grace Church will be sharing our food items with the Samaritan Center as well.  We have two members on the board at Samaritan Center, and we’ve been asked to help with food supplies for the Center as well.  Starting January 2012 our designated food will go to Samaritan Center.  Salvation Army is not forgotten.  February foods will go to the Shelter’s pantry.  We will continue to supply foods to both establishments on an every other month basis.

Thank you for your continued generosity.