Hello Chapel Hill Families!

This Sunday, I will be giving the children’s sermon during the 9:30 and 11:00 services. Did you know Valentine’s Day originated as a church holiday? Tune in to find out more about St. Valentine on Sunday!

Don’t forget to pick up your ashes this week! Pastor Jeff and I will be distributing ashes to those who signed up in the circle drive this Sunday, February 14th from 12:30-2:00PM. I have a lent activity for each family as well. I’m really looking forward to actually seeing some of you in person!

I hope you are enjoying the Sunday School videos each week. If you take any pictures or videos of your children worshipping or doing the crafts, please share them with our Facebook group, or e-mail them to me at aroth@chwichita.org. I always love seeing the kids participating in Sunday School activities!

I am enjoying filming a new family each week for the Sunday School videos. If your child would like to be featured in one of these videos, please let me know!  I can be flexible with days and times so let me know what works best for your family. I am now in search of children to assist with the February lessons:

• February 21st- “Mary and Martha” (Luke 10:38-42)
• February 28th- “Zacchaeus” (Luke 19:1-10)

Don’t forget to check our Chapel Hill Kids Facebook Group regularly for the most up to date information. If you haven’t checked your child’s information on the birthday post from December 29th, please make sure you do so as soon as possible. I have marked it as an announcement so you can easily find it.  If you have moved in the last year, please contact the office so that we have your correct address on file so they can receive some birthday mail. The office number is (316) 684-1117.

Lastly, if you are interested in enrolling your children in our award winning Preschool and/or Kids Day in Christ program, enrollment opened to current families and church members on February 1st, and classes are filling up! Historically, MWF classes fill up first for the preschool, and Tuesdays and Fridays are the most popular for KDIC. If you are interested in any of those dates, please do not delay to enroll!  We will open to the public on March 1st. Preschoolers must be 3 before January 1st, 2022. Kids in KDIC must be between 9 months and 6 years old. We also offer KDIC in the summer, which is a really fun time for everyone! Check out these links for more information: Preschool & KDIC

Blessings to you and your children,

Allison

Celebrate Wonder is a Sunday school curriculum that engages children’s natural sense of curiosity to help them understand God’s love. It creates a safe environment for kids to ask big questions — helping them explore the Bible in ways that feed their imagination and encourages creativity. Through carefully-selected Bible stories, songs, videos, and hands-on activities, Celebrate Wonder gives children the tools to explore their faith while incorporating it into their daily lives.

Since we are not able to meet in person, I have been mailing Sunday School Kits to families each month with printed lesson plans, activity sheets and craft supplies. If you would like to be added to our mailing list for March, please sign up by clicking the button below.  I will also continue to attach digital copies of the material to our weekly e- news for you to print at home if you prefer that option, or missed the deadline.

Each month, our weekly stories will align with a Faith Word. The Faith Word for the month of February is, “Guide”.

In this story, Jesus has been teaching large crowds and decides to take some time away with the disciples. Jesus and the disciples take a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, tired from teaching and ministering, falls asleep. Soon, a storm hits, the boat shakes, and the disciples are afraid. They go to Jesus for help and are surprised to find him sleeping. How can anyone sleep when there is a chance the boat might be overtaken by water and they all might drown? But Jesus remains calm. He gets up and calms the storm. He then asks the disciples why they are scared, as if their feelings of fear are unnecessary.

This might leave us confused. It also creates a sense of awe and wonder. After Jesus awoke and addressed the storm, the disciples were amazed. The Scripture says: “Overcome with awe, they said to each other, ‘Who then is this?’ ” We, too, might feel this way about this story. What amazing power Jesus has! We also might wonder how he could stop such a powerful storm. There is so much mystery in this story. Yet, there is calmness in the midst of the storm.

This story likely is familiar to your children. There are so many elements for children to latch onto. However, what a gift it is to know there is someone like Jesus who can be present with us in the midst of life’s storms! I don’t think this story truly dismisses our feelings of fear or anxiety. Rather, it reminds us there is always something bigger to rely on when we are overwhelmed. Our faith can ground us and be a guide in helping us know we are loved and safe.

Blow bubbles. Watch the bubbles get bigger, then smaller, then disappear. Our feelings and fears can be this way. They feel big and overwhelming at first, but with time, they can lessen. When we have faith, we can give our feelings to God and know there is comfort and healing. And with time, big feelings can lead to a big faith.

Check out the Stucky kids in last week’s video, Session 10- “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:5-15)