children, Youth & Family
Sunday School- Begins Sept. 9
Each month there will be a service project that will allow children to connect
more deeply to the Bethlehem community, the Twin Cities, and the world. These
hands-on projects allow children to be an active part of Jesus’ call to go out and
share God’s love with one another.
SEPTEMBER 30: Children will put together dog toys and baking treats for our
local Humane Society. These shelters care deeply for animals that have been
forgotten and ignored, and this a great opportunity for children to serve and
support this organization that supports God’s creation of cats, dogs, rabbits and
more.
OCTOBER 28: Children will be connected with adult prayer partners from our
congregation to practice of intergenerational connection and intercessory prayer.
Prayer Partnerships will continue throughout the year.
If you would like to find out more or get involved with the Children or Youth
and programs, please let Kirsten know at [email protected].
Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our ministries!
From the Youth Team
THIS SUMMER:
• 72 Youth volunteered at VBS
• 23 Youth, Young Adults & Parents
traveled to Israel/Palestine with The
Global Immersion Project
• 6 Youth canoed with Camp Amnicon
•39 Youth took a service trip to Chicago
with Serve Boldly
• 4 Youth experienced homestays in the
Twin Cities with Hmong and Latino
families through City Stay.
• 18 Young People camped with Green
Lake Bible Camp.
The youth program is brimming with stories of
transformation, growing faith and deepening
relationships. We are deeply thankful for our
abundant God, the folks we met on our adventures,
our partner organizations, our supportive parents,
our brave youth, our generous chaperones and our
prayerful congregation.
Here are the important dates to keep in mind this fall:
»Confirmation Potluck & Peer Leader training (7th-12th): Sept. 5, 6:30 pm
»Celebration Sunday—Breakfast Club (7th-12th): Sept. 9, 9:15 and 10:30 am
»First day of Confirmation (7th-12th): Sept. 12, 6:30 pm
»Fall retreat (7-12th): Sept. 15-16
»Raising your child with an Anti-Bias? (all caregivers): Sept. 19 & Oct. 3
»College Panel and Summer Info Fair: Sept. 30
»Speaker Series: Oct. 7
»Senior High Overnight: Oct. 13-14
»MEA—no confirmation: Oct. 17
»Lefse: Oct. 24, 27, 28
ECHO is coming!
Beginning September 9.
Should we worship together 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 together
with their families and all generations.
After the children's time, they will join
together just outside the Sanctuary
for the Bible story and a tactile project
before returning to worship with
their noisy offering 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.
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: We will buy pigs through
ELCA Good gifts; $30 per piglet.
It doesn’t take long for a tiny piglet
to grow to 200 pounds or more. And
when this not-so-little piggy goes to
the market, it’s worth a pretty penny.
Should a family have a failed harvest,
medical expense or other unexpected
need, this gift can be cashed in to
make all the difference.
OCTOBER: This month we're
supporting the ministry of Bethlehem.
Did you know, it costs an average of
$2.49 per student per Sunday for 34
weeks of lessons, crafts, treats, Bibles,
service projects, Christmas, Easter,
Fat Sunday special programs, all of
our Family Sunday School classes
and supportive salaries? Sunday
School makes a big impact. Thanks for
supporting it!
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