Hello Chapel Hill Families!

We had so much fun celebrating Pastor Lisa this past Sunday! CH kids braved the cold and were able to help plant onions and potatoes in our community garden after hearing the Bible story “In the Garden” (Matthew 26:36-46). We also enjoyed eating popcorn and practicing our Palm Sunday song “Praise Ye the Lord”.  I hope you will join us this Sunday for “Peter’s Denial” (Matthew 26:69-75) and our FINAL PALM SUNDAY PRACTICE WEEK  at 9:30AM in the children’s wing.

If you are unable to attend Sunday school to practice, here is a link to the song we will be singing. Please practice with them at home when you can. We are encouraging kids to sing during both services. This is the same day as our Easter Egg Hunt and Luncheon provided by the CH Youth. I hope you will join us for this time of fellowship!

COVID UPDATE: Masking is no longer required for children in the children’s wing as of 3/6/22. We are so thankful to see the kids faces again!

We sponsor cousins, Neema & Kikwete, who live in the Angel House Orphanage in Tanzania, Africa. We have pledged to give $90/month in order to provide food, clothing and schooling to these children at Angel House. Each Sunday, kids have the opportunity to bring money to put into our offering for Neema and Kikwete. Would you help us meet our goal by sending your child with $1.00 each week? Our former Director of Children’s Ministries, Raegan Brane, has visited Angel House in the past. You can find out more information about the Grassroots Organization and Angel House by clicking HERE.

REMINDER:

If you have a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader that has a Deep Blue Bible, please help them remember to bring it with them to Sunday school each week! We don’t have many extras of that particular version at the church and they will be looking up and reading scripture every time they come to church from now on.

On Palm Sunday, CH Kids will wave palms & sing during both services. CH Youth will be cooking lunch to raise funds for their Summer Mission Trips. Please join us for a kid-friendly lunch followed by our annual Easter Egg Hunt. Lunch will be served from 11:00AM-1:00PM. We will begin our Easter Egg Hunt for Toddlers and Preschoolers on the playground at Noon immediately followed by the Elementary School Egg Hunt at the 3 crosses. Join us for a fun morning of fellowship at Chapel Hill!

If you are interested in donating candy for this event, we will have collection bins at the entrances starting March 6th. Thank you!

We will be doing “Knights of North Castle” LIVE for VBS 2022 at Chapel Hill. We did this VBS virtually during 2020, but are excited to deck out the church with snow, Christmas trees, and castle décor this Summer. Child attendance will be capped at 250 kids. We will open child registration on Palm Sunday, April 10th and registration will close by Sunday, June 5th (unless we hit our 250 mark sooner). If you would like to help plan and prep for VBS this year, please contact me. If you would like to volunteer during the week, click here!

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, 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.

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.

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

As the calendar moves us closer to Easter, our Bible stories also move us closer to the time of Jesus’ arrest and death. The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion involved many people. This week’s Bible story is about Peter.

Two weeks ago when we heard the story of the Lord’s Supper, we heard Jesus tell Peter that Peter would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Although Peter was determined to try to prove Jesus wrong, he did not.

Unlike Judas, whose betrayal of Jesus was planned, Peter did not set out to deny Jesus; it just happened. Peter was trying to follow Jesus. After Jesus was arrested in the garden, Peter followed along at a distance. As he sat around a fire in the courtyard, the accusations began to come. “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean.” “You must be one of them. The way you talk gives you away.”

Put yourself in Peter’s place. Roman soldiers have arrested Jesus and things are starting to get ugly. Peter was scared. He may have feared that his life was in danger, and it might have been. He denied his association with Jesus. And then he heard the rooster. Peter remembered Jesus’ words. Peter had failed Jesus, even before Jesus’ trial had begun. Peter cried.

As you teach your children about Peter’s denial of Jesus, assure them this is not the end of Peter’s story. Yes, Peter messed up. We all mess up at some point. The good news is that just as Peter was given another chance, so are we.

For the season of Lent, set an intention for more connection with God and your community. Is there something keeping you from connection? Do not add shame to this Lenten practice. God loves you unconditionally. Just be open to God’s desires for you—to have connection and meaningful relationships.