Sunday School
From the Director: My name is Janet Stone and I am writing to invite your child to join us for in-person Church School each Sunday, September through May. Church School is where students will learn about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and how to live a Christian life. We learn Bible stories and we learn how to use those stories to help us be better people. All PreK-8th Grade students are welcome. Children start out in Church at 10:00 with their families and are sent to Church School following the Children’s Sermon. Please note that on the first Sunday of the month, children are directed to the Education Building first and then return to the church building in order to be with their family for communion. I am looking forward to a fun-filled Church School year! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. ,
September 22, 2024
Our lesson continued with Genesis 39:2, The Lord was with Joseph. When we left Joseph last week, he was still in prison. Joseph had correctly interpreted a dream for Pharaoh’s wine steward who had been in prison with him for a while. Although Joseph had asked the wine steward to remember him when he returned to his job, the wine steward did not, at least not right away.
Two years passed. Then there were more dreams. This time it was Pharaoh who was dreaming. Although Pharaoh summoned all of his advisors and all of Egypt’s religious leaders, none of them were able to interpret his dream. It was only at this point the wine steward remembered the young Hebrew man in prison who had correctly interpreted his dream. Joseph was summoned. Even before Joseph heard the dreams, he assured Pharaoh that God sent the dreams to Pharaoh and God would provide an interpretation of the dreams through Joseph. Joseph informed Pharaoh his dreams meant God was going to send seven years of abundance followed by seven years of severe famine. Throughout Joseph’s story, God’s work behind the scenes was evident. But Joseph was not a passive bystander relying on God to do all of the work. After interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph proceeded to offer unsolicited advice. He recommended a wise person be appointed to take charge of the grain harvest in the years of plenty in order to save grain for the years of famine. As Joseph obviously had hoped, Pharaoh took his advice and appointed Joseph to be his second-in-command. Joseph was thirty years old when these events occurred. It had been thirteen years since his brothers had thrown him into a pit and then sold him into slavery. During all of those years, God was with Joseph, at work in his life and in the lives of those around Joseph.
September 15, 2024
This week we continued our study of Genesis 39:2, The Lord was with Joseph. Joseph was seventeen years old when his brothers sold him into slavery. The Ishmaelites who bought Joseph sold him to an Egyptian official named Potiphar who worked for Pharaoh. Joseph made himself useful to Potiphar and quickly earned a position of responsibility in Potiphar’s household. Unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife found Joseph attractive and harassed him. When Joseph refused her advances, Potiphar’s wife lied and accused him of taking advantage of her. It is likely that Potiphar did not believe his wife’s story, or he would have had Joseph executed. However, he did have Joseph thrown into prison. In prison, Joseph again made himself useful, this time to the prison warden. While Joseph was in prison, Pharaoh’s chief baker and chief wine steward were thrown in prison on unnamed charges. Chief wine steward and chief baker were important positions as part of their jobs was to protect Pharaoh from being poisoned. While they were in prison, both the wine steward and the baker had unsettling dreams. Joseph interpreted their dreams although he attributed his interpretive ability to God. Joseph interpreted the wine steward’s dream favorably and asked him to please remember Joseph when he was released from prison and reinstated to his job. The interpretation of the chief baker’s dream was not favorable. When the two men were released from prison, Joseph’s interpretation of their dreams was shown to be correct. The wine steward, however, happily back to work, forgot about Joseph. Joseph’s up-and-down journey suggests that God does not always get God’s way in the world. However, God’s presence with Joseph was constant. When things were not going well, God was still at work behind the scenes, making opportunities for Joseph to be successful. Joseph’s journey continued, and through it all, God was present.
September 8, 2024
This week’s lesson, Joseph and His Brothers, was based on the Bible story found in Genesis 37:1–36. Joseph was part of a large family. His father, Jacob, had 12 sons. Joseph was his favorite because Joseph was born in Jacob‘s old age to Jacob‘s favorite wife. That Jacob loves Joseph more than his brother was not necessarily the problem. The difficulty arose in the way Jacob expressed that favoritism publicly. Jacob gave Joseph a special coat – a long coat made from many different colored cloths. Joseph’s brothers began to resent him and were jealous of the special attention Joseph received. Joseph’s attitude and actions did not help the situation with his brothers. He wore the coat Jacob had given him in front of his brothers and told his brothers about dreams he had that he would someday rule over them. When opportunity presented itself, Joseph’s brothers got rid of him. At first, the plan was to kill Joseph, but one of the brothers, Ruben, convinced the others to throw him in a deep pit. Another brother, Judah, suggested selling Joseph into slavery. It is in this way that Joseph ends up in Egypt. Joseph’s brothers, who had stolen Joseph’s coat before throwing him into the pit, smeared the blood of an animal on the coat and used it to deceive Jacob into believing Joseph was dead. It is important to recognize that God never left Joseph, even when things got bad. This story shows how God is present through the valleys and the victories of life. God is present during sibling rivalry, scheming, bullying, kidnapping, time in prison, rise to leadership, feast, famine, and reconciliation. Through it all, God is there. We know that God did not cause these bad things to happen to Joseph, but rather that throughout whatever happened, good or bad, God was there. Just as God was with Joseph throughout his entire life, God is with each of us as well.
May 19, 2024
Today’s Bible story is about a woman who was widowed named Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43). Her Greek name was Dorcas. Tabitha made beautiful clothing for the poorest women in her town, Joppa. In the Bible, women were completely dependent on men for their survival. If a woman’s husband died, the woman’s life took a drastic turn for the worst. Women were not allowed to own property, so if the husband died, they would be at the mercy of others to be able to live. Tabitha somehow had the resources to sew for others less fortunate. Unfortunately, Tabitha became very ill and died. When the other disciples heard about Tabitha’s death, they sent for Peter. Peter rushed right over and went upstairs where Tabitha’s body lay. Many community members were there, crying and showing one another tunics and other clothing Tabitha had made. The presence of the community showed how dedicated Tabitha was to loving and serving others. Peter asked the people to leave the room, and he knelt down and prayed. Peter then commanded Tabitha to get up, and she opened her eyes and sat up. Her friends were astounded and overjoyed at the same time. One of the acts of love in this story is praying for one another, as Peter did for Tabitha. Tabitha showed love through service not only with her sewing, but also by performing other “good works and compassionate acts on behalf of those in need” (verse 36). The community also showed love for Tabitha in their efforts to bring Peter to town to pray for her. Through this story, we can help children to know that the exchange of loving gestures is part of being in the community of believers.
Please note that May 19th was the last Church School class for this school year. We will resume again on the Sunday after Labor Day weekend. Enjoy the summer! Janet Stone
May 12, 2024
Today’s lesson was on Acts 6:1-7 Choosing the Seven. The story begins by describing a conflict between two groups in the early church. The issue involves the case of some widows not receiving enough food during the daily distribution of food. The Twelve call a meeting of all the disciples. The Twelve realize that they need to focus on prayer and proclaiming God’s word rather than on serving food, so they ask the community to select seven disciples from among themselves to serve. They specify that the “new disciples” must be wise and filled with the Holy Spirit. This proposal pleases the whole community. The community selects seven people and presents them to the Twelve, who pray for them and lay hands on them. God’s word continues to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increases.
Children may wonder why the disciples needed more help or why they couldn’t do it all on their own. We might have this problem too. Sometimes children say, “Don’t help me. I can do it by myself!” But sometimes we actually need help. It’s OK to ask for help and to work together to spread God’s love. In the story, the Twelve recognized that their gifts to share with the community were prayer and proclaiming God’s word. They needed help from these “new disciples,” the Seven, to share their gifts for the distribution of food. This story provides us with an example of how to share our unique gifts in the Body of Christ. It shows that the disciples were paying attention; they wanted to provide more help for the community and then moved forward to organize that work. We all are called to find ways to unite and act in love for one another, each sharing our individual gifts and talents to benefit the larger goals of the faith.
May 5, 2024
This week’s story is from the Book of Acts. It highlights the way the early Christians worked together for the good of everyone in their community. It says they “held everything in common”—rather than saying, “this is mine”—meaning that they shared and looked out for one another. By doing this, they created a community where no one was needy. They even sold their properties and houses to add to the shared wealth of their community. Their shared resources were managed by the apostles, who distributed them to those in need. This was not mandatory, but people who were able did this to share, and to honor God by sharing the resources God had provided. Sharing was a way of showing love and friendship. As Christians today, we are called to share what we have with those in need. Sharing is hard for kids sometimes. It also can be hard for adults, as we might feel ill-equipped or unable to help those who need the most. We often want to hold close the things we have worked hard for. For many, today’s story seems impossible. How could we live in a world where everyone shares all that they have? This might never be possible today, but we can find small and imaginative ways to share. It is important that we acknowledge and help children see that many people are in need, but that there are ways we can share. This story also lends itself to conversation about the basic needs of all humans and how we assure all of God’s people are cared for.
April 28, 2024
Today’s lesson was based on Acts 3:1–10, Peter and John. Today’s story illustrates the wonders of Jesus and his amazing power to heal. During biblical times, poor people who needed assistance would sit by the gates of the temple and ask for help from people who passed by. People sometimes would give them money, food, or clothes. Jesus instructed people to give to everyone who asked. In the story, when a man who is crippled sees Peter and John, he immediately asks them for money. However, Peter tells the man that they have no money for him, and instead offers him something better. Peter commands the man to rise up in the name of Jesus and then pulls him up by the hand. The man is healed by the power of Jesus and begins to walk, leap, and praise God. He even joins Peter and John in the temple. People are amazed to see this man who was unable to move on his own for so long, up and moving about freely. Children also encounter people who need help. They might not always know what to do. We can’t always heal everyone, but we can help with a small task or assist one person at a time. This story includes amazement and surprise, common responses to these kinds of healings. Like many of the stories we have read, there is great mystery in what happened; they give children the space to wonder about Jesus and his teachings, healings, and ministries. As disciples, we can choose to be a witness to the love of Christ to people who are sick and shut in. While we may not be able to heal everyone, we can share the love of Christ with others during times of sickness or trouble. We can share the love that has been shared with us.
April 14, 2024
In today’s Bible story, Jesus gathers his eleven disciples around him on a mountaintop in Galilee. Jesus commissions his disciples with the task of forming a community of believers. This community is to embody Jesus’ presence in the world to strengthen and guide God’s children. However, some of the disciples express doubt. They are still having trouble grasping the mystery of the Resurrection. While some worship Jesus immediately, others have questions. There are many times in the Gospels when the disciples express doubt or disbelief even though they are devoted to Jesus. So it is natural that we, Jesus’ modern disciples, also experience some doubt. Just like the disciples before us, we have to accept a little mystery with our faith. Like them, we must accept that there are some answers we don’t have and some things that can’t be explained. Jesus knows this is a lot for the disciples to take in, and he promises to be with them always as they spread the gospel. We call Jesus’ instructions to form a community of believers the Great Commission. A commission is a call to something God wants you to do. God commissions all of us to share Jesus with the whole world. We do this in many ways, such as ministry and showing kindness, love, and respect. We are called to go and baptize, teach, and serve others. These were central actions in Jesus’ ministry, just as they are central to our calling as followers of Christ. Jesus promises to go with us always, even when we doubt, as we carry out the Great Commission.
April 7, 2024
Today’s lesson is based on Matthew 28:1-10, Resurrection. In this story, women are the first to find the empty tomb. They do not come to anoint Jesus‘s body, like in Mark, they come to see the tomb. Some argue. This is because they remember Jesus’ teachings about his resurrection, and wanted to see if God‘s promise had been fulfilled. As the women approach the tomb, there is a great earthquake, and they see an angel roll the stone away, and sit on top of it. The angel tells the women not to be afraid. The angel says that Jesus is not in the tomb. Jesus is alive! “Go tell the other disciples that Jesus is alive and will meet them in Galilee,” the angel says. In awe and amazement, and maybe fear, the women run to tell the other disciples what the angel had said. But wait! As the women run down the path, Jesus himself appears to them. They fall to their knees when they see Jesus, and he reiterates what the angel had said: “Go, tell the disciples I will see them in Galilee.” A direct command from Jesus to the women – to remember his resurrection, share the good news with others. We have many ways of remembering Jesus’s resurrection. On Easter, we use symbols like Easter lilies to represent the new life offered through resurrection. Resurrection can remind us that with each new day, there is opportunity to see God‘s goodness, and to share that goodness with others. God continues to give us new life, exemplified in the story of Jesus’s resurrection. We may also shout in worship, “Christ is risen!” to remind ourselves and one another of the many ways God offers us new life through the life of Jesus.
March 24, 2024
Today we experienced the excitement of Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem, even as we know that this week in Jerusalem will result in his death. In Luke 18:31-33, Jesus told his friends, the disciples, that he would be killed in Jerusalem. Jesus and his friends knew as they entered Jerusalem that Jesus’ life on earth was short. Jesus knew he was in danger as he entered Jerusalem, but he did not try to hide. He arrived, almost in defiance of those planning to kill him. As Jesus approached Jerusalem, crowds gathered on the road to greet him as people greeted kings in those days, by spreading their clothes on the road for him to walk on along with palm branches cut from nearby trees. As Jesus passed, the crowds shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” By riding a donkey instead of a horse, Jesus was saying he came in peace. A king would ride a horse if he was coming in war and a donkey if coming in peace. Jesus asserted he was a king of peace for all. There are many symbols in this story. Today we focused on the symbol of the palm branch and the ritual of waving palms on Palm Sunday. We know this is one way we can remember and praise God.
Next week is a Family Worship Sunday as it is Easter. Church School will resume the following Sunday, April 7.
March 17, 2024
Our lesson this week is from Luke 22:39–46, Praying in the Garden. The Bible story begins after Jesus and the disciples have shared the last supper and gone to the Garden of Gethsemane. While his disciples sleep – despite Jesus‘ instructions to pray – Jesus goes to pray. Jesus knew his death was coming soon. He didn’t want to die, and he was probably sad and anxious. He prayed that God would present him with a solution so he wouldn’t have to die, but he also knew it was up to God. After praying, Jesus was visited by an angel. The angel set his mind at peace, and Jesus knew what he had to do. In the story, Jesus provides us with a model for prayer, taking his sadness and his fear and turning it over to God – as we are taught to do. Jesus asks for what he wants, but ultimately prays for God‘s will to be done – as we also are expected to do. The children learned that no matter what is happening, they can pray to God and God will hear them. They can go to God with what is hard, just like Jesus did. It might not change the outcome or take away something painful that has already happened; however, it can bring comfort to know that God goes with us and is present in the middle of our fear and sadness.
March 10, 2024
This week’s lesson came from Luke 22:14–20 The Last Supper. The Passover meal was celebrated each year to mark the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. Jesus and his disciples would have observed Passover many times throughout their lives. This year, the Passover meal with Jesus would be different from others, but they did not know that. During this meal, Jesus gave thanks for the bread and broke it, and then took a cup and blessed it. Jesus used the bread and the cup, everyday items, to remind the disciples of his body (the bread) and his blood (the cup), given for them, and for us. They have become symbols of God‘s love in Christian churches today. During communion, we recite the familiar words, “Do this in remembrance of me,” and share the bread and cup to remember the life and death of Jesus. We all might practice and participate in communion differently. However, we can remember Jesus and his example by simply sharing a meal. Whether we share a meal with friends and family, or come forward to receive the elements in worship, we have the opportunity to remember. We discussed the importance of remembering Jesus and our faith in many ways, not just on Communion Sunday. We know that it is important to have faith rituals and that we can use our creativity to remember and keep our faith active anywhere we go.
March 3, 2024
This week’s lesson focused on John 13: 1-17, Jesus Washes Feet. Today we explored the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet. As Jesus and his disciples were having a meal, Jesus knelt down and began to wash the feet of his friends. This act typically was something done by a servant, so the disciples were surprised. Peter said to Jesus, “No! You will never wash my feet!” This was a strong response. But Jesus, who soon would be led to his death, had a purpose behind his actions. By washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus wanted to make it clear to the disciples that in God‘s world, all are created equal. The servant and the master are loved equally by God and treated the same. Jesus wanted his friends to remember him by his example of serving others, especially those society said should serve him instead. We, too, can serve like Jesus. This story reminds us of Jesus’s life, and of who we are called to be as his disciples. Some of the children in class thought this was a yucky thing for Jesus to do and not something we do today. We compared this idea of washing other people’s feet with other kinds of service, such as helping a neighbor take out the trash, caring for someone who was sick, or helping a friend clean up a spill. Through this story, we can understand that we are serving like Jesus when we do unexpected acts of love.
February 25, 2024
“Let the children come.” We recalled times that made a difference. For example, David was a young teenager when he defeated Goliath. We turned to another story as found in John 6:1-14. It is the only account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 that includes the boy who generously shared his food. When he made that decision, the young boy at that moment became a partner with Jesus in a miracle. Makes you wonder if anyone else in the crowd had food that they chose not to share. An opportunity missed. Jesus knew exactly what he would do then. Just as he knows how to solve our problems. He looks for participation on our part as a demonstration of faith. Lenore Kurz
February 11, 2024
This week’s Church School class lesson was based on Mark 4:35–41, Jesus Calms the Storm. In this Bible story, Jesus has been teaching large crowds, and decides to take some time away with the disciples. Jesus and the disciples take a boat on the sea of Galilee. Jesus, tired from teaching and ministering, falls asleep. Soon, a storm hits, the boat shakes, and the disciples are afraid. They go to Jesus for help and are surprised to find him sleeping. How can anyone sleep when there is a chance the boat might be overtaken by water and they all might drown? But Jesus remains calm. He gets up and calms the storm. He then asks the disciples why they are scared, as if their feelings of fear are unnecessary. After Jesus woke and handled the storm, the disciples were amazed. What amazing power Jesus has! There is so much mystery in the story. What a gift it is to know that there is someone like Jesus who can be present with us in the midst of our life storms! It reminds us that there is always something bigger to rely on when we are overwhelmed. The children in our class are learning that the teachings in the Bible and prayer can help us in so many ways. We have to be ready to listen and be aware of God‘s guidance. There will be no Sunday School on February 18 due to Presidents’ Day weekend.
February 4, 2024
Today’s lesson focused on Matthew 6:5-15, The Lord’s Prayer. We read through the prayer several times exploring the text, defining the words and figuring out what it all meant. We decided that the Lord’s Prayer was a great prayer to pray when you don’t know what else to pray for and that Jesus wanted us to pray all the time. We prayed this simple version: God in heaven, your name is holy. Let what happens in your kingdom happen on earth. Give us everything we need. Forgive us; help us to forgive others. Help us make good choices, instead of bad ones. We are thankful that Jesus taught us how to pray this way.
January 28, 2024
Lepers, Samaritans and Other Outcasts – Luke 17:11-19
The story of ten lepers being healed by Jesus and only one leper said “thank you” has been taught to generations of children. The lesson: say “Thank You”. But wait, there’s more. We got to work exploring this whole event and came up with questions. What is leprosy? Why were the nine in a hurry to show themselves to the priests? How did Jewish rules on health and hygiene affect them? What about the one who remained behind and thanked Jesus – and he was a Samaritan? Who were the Samaritans and why was that significant? Why were they scorned? Finally, what is our take- away here? How does Jesus treat the disabled and minorities? How should we treat the “uncool” classmate who gets picked on by the mean kids? You know him. You might find him standing by the fence, left behind after the captains chose their teams. –Lenore Kurz
January 21, 2024
Today’s scripture was Matthew 4:18–22, Calling the Disciples. Jesus was walking along the sea of Galilee one day when he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew, fishing. “Come follow me, “Jesus said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people”. The brothers immediately left their nets and followed Jesus. Farther down the beach, he came across two other brothers, James and John, who were repairing nets with their father, Zebedee. Jesus repeated what he had just said to Simon and Andrew. Then James and John left their father to follow Jesus too. Simon, Andrew, James, and John were the first disciples of Jesus. Today in class we talked about what we thought Jesus meant when he said, “I’ll show you how to fish for people”. We realized that fishing for people could be as simple as being kind to them. Being friends with people that maybe no one else is friends with. We can share our gifts and talents with others. That way, others can see what a disciple of Jesus is like. We are thankful that God is calling us to follow him.
January 7, 2024
This week in Church School, we talked about Jesus‘s baptism as found in Matthew 3:13–17. When Jesus grew up, he was ready to begin his ministry He went to the Jordan River to see John the Baptizer. John was baptizing people in the river. Jesus asked John to baptize him, but John tried to stop him. “I need to be baptized by you!” said John. Jesus said to John, “Please baptize me. It is important for my ministry.” So, John agreed to baptize Jesus. When Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened to him, and he saw the spirit of God come down like a dove and rest on him. A voice from heaven said, This is my son. I love him. He makes me happy.” The class talked about baptism, and what it means to be washed by water and the Spirit. We decided that every time we turned on our faucet, and let the water run through our hands, we would say “God loves me. God is pleased with me. God is happy with me.” It’s an easy way to remind ourselves of God’s love.
December 31, 2023
Today’s lesson focused on Matthew 2:1–12, the story of The Magi. In a far away place they were Wise Men, Magi, who spent their time watching the stars. One night the Wise Men noticed a very special star in the sky. It was extra bright, and seemed to be moving ahead of them. The Magi thought this special star would lead them to the new king. The Magi wanted to bring special gifts to the new king. The Wise Men packed three gifts fit for a king – frankincense, gold, and myrrh. The Magi then set out to follow the star. They arrived in Bethlehem, following the special store until it stopped over a stable. When the Magi entered the stable, they met the new king, Jesus, and His mother, Mary. The Wise Men knelt down and offered their gifts to Jesus. Our class discussed the fact that gold, frankincense, and myrrh were gifts that would be given to a worldly king. Not necessarily a gift for a baby. We also talked about what our gifts were. Not the presents under the tree, but gifts that God has given us. Were we patient, kind, creative or artistic? Would these be gifts that would be good enough for our king? As we thought about the new year beginning, we decided to give some of our gifts back to Jesus by sharing them with others. We prayed, thanking God for the gift of Jesus. We also prayed that we will be able to share the gift of the Good News with others in 2024. Happy New Year to all!
December 17, 2023
Thank you to Liam LaVoie, Janah Whittaker-Roth, Lauradjeen Jacques and Chloe Jacques, for sharing the story of Christmas during our church service this week. They did a wonderful job, and we are very proud of them!
This week in Church School, we looked at the word according to John, Chapter 1 verses 1-14. Our specific focus was on verse 9: “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” As we continue on our Advent journey, we focus on the light that is coming. We talked about what the word light means. One child said it is something that you use to see in the darkness and another student said that it means something that is not heavy. And of course, both of these are true and both of these are ways we can describe Jesus. He is the light that drives away darkness and by following him we can turn our burdens over to him, and he releases the weight and makes our way light. Naturally, the Grinch did not know about this. At this point in our reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we were with the Grinch on his homemade sled, in his fake Santa suit, as he careens down the hill towards the town of Whoville, set on stealing all the things that he believes makes Christmas important for the Whos. But of course, the point that he is missing, the true importance of Christmas, is the Light that is coming with Baby Jesus. So, after some discussion, we decided that if we keep the Light in front of us, we will be safe in the darkness and our travels will be easy.
December 10, 2023
This week in Church School, we continued our journey toward joy with verses from Matthew 2:1–15. Specifically we looked at Matthew 2:10, “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy”. The Bible story tells us about the magi following the star to find the baby Jesus. The journey was long, and it was likely difficult. However, when the magi found the child, they were filled with joy. In the lesson, we also read more about the Grinch. In the next section of the story, we saw the Who-village excitedly preparing for Christmas. They were buying toys, making noise, hanging stockings, and spreading joy. This bothered the Grinch. He did not want to share in the Christmas joy. So, the Grinch made a plan to ruin Christmas. The magi, the Whos, and the Grinch are all leading us on a journey toward Christmas. All the characters in our stories are preparing for Christmas in different ways. When reading these stories, we can see that our individual journeys towards celebrating the birth of Jesus can look different for everyone. Sometimes it takes time to find joy at Christmas. Each of us experiences the season differently, but all of us will end the season discovering the joy that Christmas brings.
December 3, 2023
Today we began our study of Matt Rawle’s book The Heart That Grew Three Sizes: Finding Faith in the Story of the Grinch. This book explores the familiar Christmas story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and ways the Grinch’s transformation and redemption point us to aspects of the Christian faith, especially the hope we find in Jesus’s birth. Today’s lesson focuses on Luke 1:26-56, and the specific verse “Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.” ~Luke 1:45. We also read the very beginning of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, in which it is quickly revealed to us that the Grinch hated Christmas. The Bible story is about Mary and the birth of Jesus. Although the angel’s announcement brought Mary much confusion and fear, Mary finds joy. Joy is what the Christmas season is all about. But the Grinch does not understand this quite yet. First the Grinch must go on a journey in which he discovers Christmas means more than what he thought. It’s a journey toward joy. Our journey toward the joy of Christmas takes place through the season of Advent. It is our movement toward the joy of Christmas. With Mary as our guide, together we (and the Grinch) can welcome the joyous news of the coming of Christ Jesus.
November 19, 2023
In Church School this week we focused on Genesis 28:10–22. Jacob finally got the birthright in the blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau. However, because of Esau’s anger, Jacob had to flee his home and family. As Jacob was leaving his home, he grew tired. He found a stone, placed it near his head, lay down to sleep, and had a very vivid dream. He dreamed that there was a large staircase that started on the ground and reached into the sky. God appeared in Jacob’s dream, and promises to be with Jacob and bless him and all of his descendants – promises that God had made to both Abraham and Isaac. When Jacob awoke, he knew God was present with him in that place. Jacob had not been expecting a visit from God, but he knew when he woke that God had been there with him. God came to Jacob when he was tired and scared. God sometimes shows up in our lives, and in very unexpected ways. We might not have vivid dreams of angels and staircases. However, there might be times when we least expect it, that God leads us and shows us a new way. This can happen through prayer. There are no limits to where God might show up. If we will just pay attention, we can find God everywhere.
November 5, 2023
Today’s lesson found us studying Genesis 25:29-34. Esau and Jacob continued to grow up. Esau still enjoyed hunting, and spending time outdoors, while Jacob enjoyed cooking and working in the tent. One day, Esau returned home from hunting. Jacob was making lentil stew, and Esau was very hungry. “Can I have some lentil stew and some bread, Jacob?“ Esau asked. “Sure, if you trade me your birthright for some stew,“ Jacob said. Esau thought about this. His birthright would make him the leader of their family when they became adults. That was still several years away. He was hungry now. Did he really need to be the leader and get all the family’s riches? Or did he need to eat? “You can have my birthright,“ said Esau. “One bowl of stew, coming right up!“ said Jacob. After reading the story, we wondered what would we have done if we were Esau? And what would we have done if we were Jacob? We are thankful that God is always with us when we have to make difficult decisions. How helpful would it have been if Esau had prayed to God before he gave away his birthright? We know that God is always there to help us and to listen to us when we pray. We are very thankful for this blessing!
October 29, 2023
Today’s lesson was the story of Jacob and Esau, taken from the book of Genesis 25:19–28. Isaac grew up and married a woman named Rebecca. They prayed to God for a child. When it was time for Rebecca to have a child, she discovered that she was going to have twins! Isaac and Rebecca had two boys and, although they were twins, the boys were very different from each other. One twin was born with red hair and was very hairy. They named him Esau. Esau was born first. He loved to hunt and be outside. Isaac loved Esau very much. The other twin was named Jacob. Jacob liked to stay at home and helped Rebecca cook and care for the house. Rebecca loved Jacob very much. Jacob and Esau were blessings to Isaac and Rebecca and we are blessings to one another. We are blessings in our family, in our church, with our friends and with our community. As we move through each day, we are to remember that we are special and we are all blessings from God.
October 22, 2023
This week we learned that God keeps His promises! In Genesis 21:1-7 we read that Sarah did have a child, just as God had promised. Abraham and Sarah had waited a long time for God’s promise to be fulfilled. There were probably times they wondered if this would ever happen. Still, they remained faithful to God. When Isaac was born, Sarah laughed. Her laughter was one of joy! The joy of having a son and the joy that God’s promise was kept. Abraham and Sarah had faith. They believed their God was always present, even in times of doubt. They had continued to hope even when it was hard to do so. When things seem dark and hopeless, we can remember the faith of Abraham and Sarah and look to God who always keeps His promises!
October 15, 2023
This week in Church School, we began our study of the story of Abraham and Sarah, focusing on Genesis 15, God’s Promise to Abraham. In this story, Abraham and Sarah had faith in God. They took a long journey to the land that God had promised to give to them. When they arrived, they built a new life but they were still waiting for a child. God spoke to Abraham and told Abraham to look at the stars in the nighttime sky. There were more stars than Abraham could count. God said, “I promise, you will have as many children as the night sky has stars.” Though he couldn’t imagine how God would give him so many children, Abraham had faith in God’s promise. When we have faith, we believe God is present with us and God’s presence gives us hope. When we look at the stars, we are to remember that God is with us. We will have faith and God will bring us hope.
October 1, 2023
Thank you to Mrs. Lenore Kurz for teaching our Church School class this week. The lesson included some Bible navigating skills and stories of Jesus from Mark 4:37 – 5:43. Finally, there was a review of the meaning of Communion before heading across the street to participate in Church.
September 25, 2023
Our Church School lesson this week comes from Genesis 2:10-23, God Creates Helpers. In Genesis we have learned that God created the earth and all the creatures, both plants and animals, of the earth. God then created humankind in His likeness. Adam was to live in and care for the earth and its creatures. Adam was also tasked with naming all the animals. But God saw that man was lonely. So God created a helpmate for Adam. Together, Adam and Eve cared for all that God had made. And God saw all that He had created – the earth, the animals and the people. God saw that it was all beautiful and very good. We know that we are created to be caring and creative people. Using our creativity and caring for our world around us is how we can honor God.
September 17, 2023
This week in Church School we continued our study in Genesis. In Genesis 1:26-2:4 we learn about the creation of humankind. God looked at the beautiful world that He had created and thought that the world needed people to enjoy and care for it. So God set His creativity in motion and created humankind. We learned that we are made in the image of God! God made us with His own hands and so we looked at our own hands and saw that although we are the same, each of us having hands, we are also uniquely different, with each of us having unique lines upon our palms and fingers. God shaped us this way so we can be unique individuals. As we are a part of God’s creation, we have been instructed by God to care for the earth and all the living creatures within. In just this small section of scripture, we have learned how we are created in God’s own image as unique individuals with the divine guidance and expectation to care for the beautiful earth we live on and the amazing creatures living here with us!
September 10, 2023
Welcome back to Church School! Today’s lesson was focused on Genesis 1:20-25. God created the earth and saw that it was good and beautiful. But there was something missing. So God decided the earth needed living things. God made trees, grasses, and flowers of all colors. Then God added fish for the waters, birds for the sky and animals for the land and God delighted in all of His creations. We are thankful to the Lord for all the wonderful and interesting living things He has created, including us!
May 21, 2023
This week in Church School we learned about the Ascension of Jesus from Acts 1:6-11. We learned that, although Jesus cannot stay here on the earth with us, we can have him in our hearts. We can speak with him through prayer, and we can do his work by helping others. Please note that this was the last Church School for the school year. We will start up again on September 10, 2023.
May 14, 2023
Today in Church School we learned about the Holy Spirit. We read John 14:15-21. We learned that Jesus sent the Spirit of Truth who abides in us. This is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our helper, teacher, comforter, and friend. He becomes a part of us when we become a Christian and understand that Jesus died and rose for us. When we’re ready to live our lives in honor of God, the Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us every day. We are grateful for the Holy Spirit!”
May 7, 2023
Today our Church School students went fishing with the disciples! We read the story from John 21:1-14 wherein the disciples spent an entire night fishing only to come up empty handed. Jesus comes along at daybreak and tells them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and suddenly 153 fish were caught in their nets. This miracle was the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples and from it the students learned that if we stay on the “right” side of life, living with Jesus in our hearts, we will always be equipped with what we need and will live a good life in God’s care.
April 30,2023
This week our focus was on shepherds and sheep. We read through John 10:1-10 and our focus was initially on sheep – what they eat, where they live, what they give us and who takes care of them. Then we discussed the responsibilities of a shepherd – they always provide what the sheep need and how they always protect the sheep. Then we made the leap in our thinking to the idea that we are just like sheep and that Jesus is just like a shepherd. We have needs like food, shelter and protection from our enemies and Jesus can help us with the needs that we have! Our scripture of focus was “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him and the sheep hear his voice”~John 10:3. If we reach out to Jesus with our needs, he will certainly hear us and help us.
April 23, 2023
This week Church School students learned about the road to Emmaus. We learned that sometimes we don’t recognize Jesus right away. We have to look a little deeper to find His goodness. Students practiced by thinking about disguises and masks and how if we look past those disguises and masks we can find the goodness and blessings that life has to offer.
April 16, 2023
This week in Church School we spent our time together retelling the story of the sadness of Good Friday through to the joy and wonder of Easter Sunday and the Risen Christ. The children learned to tell the story using a storyboard featuring the tomb and depictions of Jesus after his death, and of the angel who tells of the Good News. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Luke 24:5 Good News indeed!
April 2, 2023
Today in Church School we discussed Matthew 21:1-11, Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King. We learned that instead of a royal entrance into the city, complete with a majestic steed, flowing robes, glittering jewels, triumphant music and grand proclamations, Jesus approached the city with humility, connected to the common man and our Father in heaven simultaneously. Our craft time found us tracing each of our hands onto green paper, cutting them out and gathering them together. We mixed our “palms” together and glued them onto sticks, representing the palm branches waved by the witnesses to Jesus and the beginning of Holy Week. While joining hands together as Christians, we can sing out “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
March 26,2023
Today we learned the story of Lazarus, who was a friend of Jesus and brother to Mary and Martha. While Jesus is preaching, he gets word that Lazarus is ill and dying. Jesus goes to him, but it is too late. Jesus called upon his Father in heaven to save Lazarus, which God does. Lazarus is resurrected from the dead. Our students learned that we too can call upon our friend Jesus and be brought away from darkness and into the Christian life. If we follow the teachings of Christ and pray to our heavenly father, we too can have a new life.
March 19, 2023
Today in Church School we heard the story in John 9 about Jesus healing the blind man and by healing the blind man, Jesus knew that others would see His light and want to follow it. We talked about our eyes and our heart, how we know that our eyes help us to see and we know that our heart keeps our blood moving and our body alive. So we figured that by using our eyes to see Jesus it will help us to open our hearts as well to help others. Ephesians 1:18 says in part, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you”. When we prayed, we asked that Jesus help us to open our eyes so that we can love and serve those around us.
March 12, 2023
This week’s scripture teaches us about the woman at the well. We thought about how we cannot live without actual water as our bodies need it and we thought about how our bodies use water – to sustain us, to wash us clean and for enjoyment. Then we looked at what Jesus said -”Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ~John 4:13-14. We learned that Jesus is what we need to sustain us, wash us clean and give us joy in our lives!
March 5, 2023
February 26, 2023
February 12, 2023
Valentine’s Day will be upon us this week, so our thoughts have turned to love. As children, we are thankful for the love we receive from our parents, and we are thankful for the love we receive from God, our Father in Heaven. Just as earthly parents provide guidance and boundaries, God our Father has provided us with the 10 Commandments. He has given us these commandments because he loves us and it is through obeying these commandments that we can grow as his children. In Church School this week, we reviewed the 10 Commandments and thought about how these commandments help us be better people and how as better people, we are able to share the love of God with others. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
February 5, 2023
Today in Sunday school, the children learned about being salt and light. Our scripture was taken from Matthew 5:13-16. We learned that what Jesus is telling us to do is to share His light through our actions so that others can see what life is like when following Jesus. And we are to add our own flavor to the world showing others how we live our lives abundantly with joy. Our craft this week was to draw a picture of a candle, showing the light that Jesus represents. We then outlined our drawing with glue sprinkled with table salt representing the flavor we can bring to our lives. We pray with thanksgiving that God allows us to be His salt and light to the world.
January 29, 2023
This week in church school we focused on Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes. We learned that the word beatitude means blessing and this scripture teaches us that God’s gift of blessing is granted to those who choose to be disciples. We listened to the scripture and talked about how blessed we are already. But we also know that there are many times when we need God’s help. When we live our lives according to Jesus’ teachings and God’s word, The Beatitudes tells us that we will receive even greater blessings. We colored and created a Beatitudes spinner to help us remember them and we did a Beatitudes word search. As children, our students are pure in heart and as our scripture tells us “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”.
January 22, 2023
January 8, 2023
Mark 1:4-11 The Baptism of Jesus
We shared the story of John baptizing Jesus and we thought about the verse “And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness” ~Mark 1: 11 We learned that John encouraged people to be baptized to show that they had changed their hearts and lives. When Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descends on Jesus. A voice from heaven declares “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness” This heavenly declaration affirms God’s love for God’s Son. God also shows us love in this act as well, as God happily claims us as his beloved children. We drew pictures of Jesus being baptized by John and painted with watercolors to show the blue water of baptism (our sins being washed away) and yellow sunshine representing God’s light and love for us. Then we made beaded bracelets with blue and yellow beads to remind us that God’s forgiveness and love goes with us wherever we go!