Children's Ministries Update

5th grader playing with a Kindergartner - one of the things I love about Wednesday nights!

Pajama Sunday was comfy and our "lovies" loved coming up to the altar.

Hello families,

Last Tuesday, March 12th, people seemed a bit "crunchy", out of sorts, or just out of it at our staff meeting. Was it the middle of Lent doldrums? Was our wilderness wandering getting to us?

As I tried to figure out why, I suddenly remembered that we were coming up on the 4th anniversary of the Pandemic Shutdown. March 11, the World Health declared Covid a pandemic, March 12 the NBA cancelled their season, and March 13 was our last Wednesday night supper - we closed down the next day, thinking that it would be for two weeks or so.

Add to that, the wars going on in our world, the conflicts and divides going on in politics in our country, each new senseless death in the news...Layers of grief and layers of fatigue. We have been carrying a lot and our bodies know it, even if we soldier on as if we are just fine. There is global pain and loss, the world is exhausted, and we all need rest and restoration, hope and good news, love and peace. What we need is Easter!

But you can't get to Easter without having Holy Week first. We will have to travel from joy and hope to fear and anger to grief and hopelessness. And then we come to Easter. And THE Good News is here that Jesus is Risen! Love has won! Jesus has beaten death, sin, and all things that keep us away from God! The light brightens, the fog of grief lifts and hope appears again and we remember that it has never gone away, that we are always held in God's love. (even when we are "crunchy" and out of sorts!)

Rested and renewed and made new, we get back to what we are called to do - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.and love your neighbor as yourself."

How are you doing? What are you grieving that you have not named? What gives you hope when times are hard?

Grasp the beauty of today.

Slow down and linger,

As long as possible in its presence.

It will quickly fade away,

This never to be repeated,

Special moment of intimacy,

With our Creator.

Sit in the sacred circle of life,

With all the creatures of this earth.

Godʼs is the day,

Godʼs also the night.

Pause and savor the wonder of this space,

Between the ending,

And a new beginning.

Beautiful Things by Gungor one of my favorites during Lent

Spiritual Toolkit

What if Jesus came to live, not to die? preparing for Easter and the questions our children may ask (and we might be asking!)

Peace,

Kathy

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Lent Resources

The children and youth team purchased two amazing devotionals for the parish for Lent, one about Climate Change and one using Mary Oliver's poetry. Parishioners can choose which one they would like to use as individuals or families. A few printed versions will be available around the church, but we have a link to the digital versions available online at Meditations for Lent
The Stations of the Cross are hung up in the church for you to walk through. The 14 stations tell the story of Jesus' walk towards Golgotha and his crucifixion and resurrection. We recently added 4 new pieces by artists around the city. Here is a guide to use as you walk through and look at the art.

This Sunday, March 107 2024

Nursery : 8:30-12:30

1st floor Pritchett Center

Children's Church: 8:45 gathering; 9:00 service; 9:30 to you at the Peace

2nd floor Pritchett Center

Children's Formation: 10:20-11:05

2nd floor Pritchett Center

Club 45 will go to the Habitat Celebration in Ellis Hall

. K-3rd will meet in classroom as usual

Habitat Build Celebration

10:20, Ellis Hall

Parents, join us in Ellis Hall during the Formation hour for a celebration of the completion of the Habitat house All Saints' parishioners have built alongside William, the new owner. Club 45 will join the celebration, K-3rd will still meet in their classrooms ( save them some cake!)

Palm Sunday

March 24, 9:00

Lester the Donkey 8:15-9:00

Come take your picture with Lester the donkey up on the grass in the courtyard. He will be here at 8:15. At 8:45, we will gather at the steps in front of the church to bless the palms and process partly around our block following Lester and singing our Hosannas! Then the kids will lead us into Ellis Hall with our palms waving and voices singing. We will circle around as the choir sings and end up front and then come back to sit with you.