Bethlehem Connect January/February 2019 | Página 7

children, Youth & Family Sunday School (MPLS) We are exploring the Bible with all our senses! There is a great, positive energy humming in the rooms during Sunday School. Thank you to your children and to you for being part of all the Sunday School vitality! All the children in Sunday School from 2-years old through 6th grade are involved in monthly service projects. Thrivent members, 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. ECHO (MTKA) ECHO is here! Should we worship as a family or should we send the kids to Sunday school? The Minnetonka Campus says "yes" to both of these experiences on Sunday mornings. Children spend most of the worship service with their families. After the children's time, they will gather in the Narthex for the Bible story and a tactile project before returning to worship in time to share God's peace. We're calling it Echo because we'll be close enough to hear each other growing in faith as one community. Each week, the Parish News insert will include ideas to spark conversations and connections with children based on what they did during Echo. We hope you'll explore this unique option for families at the Minnetonka Campus. PrayerGround Sitting still during worship can be hard sometimes, especially for kids who would rather crawl, wiggle, color, read and move. That is why we have created a space in the back of the sanctuary (MTKA) and a corner of the Commons (MPLS) to better welcome families on Sunday mornings. Come with your child to the PrayerGround! 7th & 8th Gr. Breakfast Club Schedule (MPLS) Jan. 6: Epiphany Party in Iverson Hall Jan. 13: Worship Together. You will be asked to help with leadership in the worship services. Such as Aspersion, the act of sprinkling with water on the whole congregation. Jan. 20: Let’s worship with our neighbors together! Join Pastor Mary as we go visit Spirit Garage for a morning of worship followed by lunch. Jan. 27: Be the Church Sunday Look for all our summer trips and events to be unveiled at the end of January! Here are some sneak peeks! VBS (MPLS): June 24-28 Atlanta Youth mission trip: June 16-21 VBS (MTKA): Summer Sundays with Suess: supper, songs, silliness & S’MORE! June 2 & 9, and August 22 & 29. Come to one or all! Communion Bread Baking (MTKA) Jan. 27 & Feb. 24, 9:30-10:30 am Meet in the kitchen to bake delicious Communion bread for the month. Bring a friend and let’s bake! From the Youth Team Affirmation of Baptism In February, the 10th graders will be affirming their baptism. It is such a holy day, a moment to pause and touch their shoulders and remind them that we have been loving them for years and will continue to for years to come. Indeed some of you were there for their baptisms, often when they were babies. It is not a faith graduation, but a place on the journey to plant a stake in the ground and look around at how much they have grown and how much their community supports them. It is a moment to shift toward mentoring the younger youth in the program and continue formation as maturing teenagers. We adore this group of 10th graders. They are curious, brilliant, and insightful. They make our community better. Please join us in praying for these wonderful people. Important dates to remember: • January 2: No Confirmation • January 5-6: Youth Lock-In • January 18-20: Young Adult Ski Trip • February 10: Affirmation of Baptism • February 16-18: Youth Ski Trip 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! Noisy Offering Our “Noisy Offering” for January and February will go towards buying supplies to make sandwiches with the Sandwich Man on March 24. Service Projects January : Collecting plastic bags and newborn T shirts. Tying scarves and blankets, knitting cowls and crocheting plastic yarn to keep our neighbors warm. February: Baking communion bread and decorating containers for delivering the Communion bread with our Eucharistic ministers. 7