children, Youth & Family
Children
(MPLS) Sunday School starts September 8, 9:00 & 10:15 am
We begin our Sunday School classes in celebration and gratitude with a puppet
show, On The Day You Were Born, rejoicing that we are part of creation. Register for
Sunday school online.
(MTKA) ECHO starts September 8, 9:30 am
On September 8th, we come together in Celebration and Gratitude with Jump,
Slither and Slide! presented by Como Zoo after worship, at about 10:45 am in
the Fellowship Hall. We will learn about God’s abundant creation in praise and
rejoicing that we are all part of creation.
Sunday School Service Projects
Sunday-schoolers will be participating in monthly service projects to engage
within three different contexts: the Bethlehem community, our Twin Cities
community, and the broader world. These hands-on projects will allow children
of multiple ages and abilities to be an active part of God’s call to go out and share
God’s love with one another.
September 9/29 : Creating pet toys and treats. The children will be putting together
dog toys and baking treats for our local Humane Society, Ani-meals (through CES)
and Simpson house. As stewards of God’s creation, we invite children into the call
to love on animals providing items that the shelters can use to play and comfort
them.
From the Youth Team
The youth had an amazing summer! They used
their superpowers of mentorship and fun to lead a
highly successful KAPOW! VBS, served with hunger
organizations in Atlanta and learned so much at
the Civil Rights Museum, our high school graduates
relaxed and reflected together around the Apostle Islands before the next step of
their grand adventure, spent a week at the ever wonderful Green Lake Bible Camp,
and went rushing down the Flambeau River with Camp Amnicon taking in God’s
glory along the way.
We are thrilled to have Peter Carlson on staff as we transition to a fall full of fun, faith
formation, and friendship! Please help us welcome them and come volunteer!
Some important dates to keep in mind:
August 21: Atlanta Reunion
September 4: Confirmation Kick Off
Potluck & Adult/Peer Leader Training
September 8: Breakfast Clubs Starts
September 11: Confirmation Starts
September 14-15: Fall Retreat
September 22: Speaker Series: I Was In
Prison and You… presented by Amy Levad
Amy Levad is an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas where she
teaches theology and criminal justice, environmental theology, and theological
ethics. Her current work explores Christian responses to mass incarceration. Amy
will spend the hour at 9:00 and 10:15 am speaking to the current state of our
incarceration crisis and offer steps to respond justly in faith.
If you would like to get more involved in our youth program, please let us know at
[email protected]! We are always looking for volunteers, chaperones and
mentors! Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our youth ministry!
Prayer Partners: We are connecting
Sunday School children with adult
prayer partners from our congregation
to learn the importance of inter-
generational connection and
interceding in prayer for one another.
We will continue these prayerful
relationships throughout the year with
weekly prayer cards and/or letters.
If you would like to get more involved in
our children’s ministry programs, please
contact Kirsten Patterson at kpatterson@
bethlehem-church.org. We are always
looking for volunteers, storytellers,
leaders, singers, and more!
Family Sunday School
Students and their parent(s) and/or
special adult(s) gather together to learn
about important moments in faith
during their normal Sunday School
hour.
September 8: Little Lights (2-year-olds),
introduction to Sunday School program.
September 22 & 29: 3rd Graders, The
Bible. Students will receive their Bible
during worship on October 13.
Noisy Offering
Our Sunday School offering is called “Noisy
Offering”. We Smash! Bang! Clink! with
our pennies,
nickels, dimes
and quarters
to crash in the
offering pot in
each classroom.
We also enjoy
“quiet” offering
of bills and checks. Each month, in
response to what God has given us, we
return to some of what has been entrusted
to us. We give out of gratitude to God.
September: Ani-Meals (CES animal
food deliveries).
We can use Thrivent members help!
All the children in Sunday School
from 2 years old through 6th grade are
involved in monthly service projects.
Please consider designating your “Choice
Dollars” of $250 to a Sunday School service
project. You can do this on the Thrivent
website or by calling your Thrivent
representative.
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