The first week of the Lord's Prayer Challenge has been a big hit! So far, Matilda has been the youngest child to earn a sticker (for English) and the older adults in the congregation are clamoring to be recorded in the languages they know. We are learning the French in the Family Service, and you have this adorable video of Sarah teaching it to Chloè to help you learn. How many stickers will you earn? Check out the competition on the bulletin board at church! Please post: what language will you try first? What is hard about the Challenge? How does it feel to work on learning the Lord's Prayer with your child?
Why? Because the Lord's Prayer is the most well-known, and loved, prayer in Christianity. It is prayed daily in churches, homes and Christian schools around the world - in every language. This summer we are challenging ourselves to learn it in as many languages as we can. Check it out here, choose a language and start practicing! NB: if the video isn't visible via email, click on the link above to see it. You don't want to miss the most adorable French lesson ever!! Click on the link anyway, to learn more about the Lord's Prayer Challenge and see other wonderful videos with our multi-linguistic parishioners.
Tomorrow is Earth Day. Many of us will be part of special activities at work or school to observe this day and to raise awareness of the need for environmental conservation. Earth Day is not specifically a Christian holiday - many people who celebrate it aren't Christian or follow any religion at all. But for Christians, it is an opportunity to thank God for the wonders of creation and remind ourselves that we are doing God's work when we take care of creation.
So, also on Sunday, we "took us some good care" of the garden and orchard: What will you do to celebrate Earth Day tomorrow? Some suggestions:
Post your plans here! Did you know ... The Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is a part, has Five Marks of Mission, or activities that describe the church's job. They are: The Mission of the Church Is the Mission of Christ
“Episcopalians understand the life of the mind is a gift of God and to deny the best of current knowledge is not using the gifts God has given you,” she said. “In that sense, yes, [denying climate change] could be understood as a moral issue.” As we prepare for another growing season in our vegetable garden and orchard, we may be confident that we are not only responding to human need by feeding the hungry, but also sustaining and renewing the earth that God has given us to care for. In short, we are doing what the church should be doing. Sunday FISHing is this Sunday, April 19. Come learn about why caring for creation is a matter of faith, and help us put in the garden. Bring a dish to share, and wear (or bring) gardening clothes. We'll get started in the Undercroft about 11:30 and be outside by 12:00. Please comment: what do you do at home to sustain and renew the life of the earth?
"In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!!!"
On Sunday you saw that we had five cocoons (chrysalis) that had formed from out caterpillars. Today, I was astounded to see that two of them have hatched into beautiful butterflies! Even though I knew the story, it was a really joyous surprise. I hope we will have five by Sunday. See you at church ... Many of us will be traveling next week for Spring Break, so now is the time to decide how you will mark the sacred time of Holy Week as a family. Check out the new "Holy Week" tab on the FISH site and pack your Children's Bibles or put the worship services on your calendar (Thursday and Friday at 6pm). Your family's Easter celebration will be all the more joyous if you have experienced the events of the coming week together!
Concerned about what's age-appropriate for your child(re)? Read these guidelines about Children and Holy Week and remember, your authentic sharing of your faith (and questions!) is the best gift you can give. Finally, remember that our story is Good News! Especially with younger children, always remind them that Easter is coming, the story has a happy ending, God never stops loving us!
OK, I admit it. I was really skeptical about our butterfly experiment. Not because I don't believe that we would get to see God's hidden promise in the cocoons. It was more like I thought Amazon had sold us a defective butterfly kit. But this morning I went into my office and Bazinga! Four cocoons on the roof of the container (there is one more on the floor, which the instructions say has a "strong likelihood" of continuing to develop).
Parents, is your faith ever challenged by what you know about science? Is it difficult to see God in processes and transformations that you know have rational and factual explanations? If so, you might enjoy this contemporary interpretation of the creation story. It was prepared by Robin Denney, a junior at VTS with a lot of experience in overseas mission and a huge imagination.
Please share your thoughts! ... butterflies will soon be free! As we endure what we hope is the final slap of winter, the hope of spring makes us feel a little warmer and younger. What if we had God's eyes, and could see not only the flower hidden in each bulb, but whole and loving person each of us was made to be? Lent is our chance to "try on" God's vision. Even as we get ready for Easter, wondering again how Jesus' resurrection is only possible through his death, can we imagine ourselves, and those whom we love, being formed in the cocoons of our lives and breaking free to be ourselves: fully loving and beloved?
Happy Lent! Let's find out together what really matters in raising faithful children. Check out the FISH site for ways to become better prayers, better Bible readers, and better helpers of others. And come to Sunday FISHing this Sunday to "practice" different activities you might want to try at home this Lent. We'll also make a banner for our Haiti Mission Team to take to St. Peter's School in Berault after Easter! Sunday FISHing is after 10:00 worship and children's choir practice; lunch is provided this time and contributions are welcome. Please plan to stay until 1pm.
Please post here: what time(s) of day is your family usually together? When do you have your most meaningful conversations? |
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June 2015
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