Hello Chapel Hill Families!

CH kids had fun creating instruments in Sunday school this week after hearing Psalm 150. We also continued practicing our memory verse Psalm 150:6. Join us this Sunday for “Christmas in July” as we hear the story of “Mary’s Song” (Luke 1:46-55). Kids are invited to wear Christmas colors and accessories. We may even sing some Christmas carols during our worship time together. I hope they can join us!

Our final Summer @ the Hill event will be this Sunday, July 24th at 6:30PM. We will gather in the prayer garden to roast marshmallows and sing songs with Josh Melcher and his guitar. This was my favorite summer event last year, and all ages are welcome! If you need to have a chair to sit on, I would suggest bringing one along 🙂

 A couple of reminders for our new kindergarten families:

• Our volunteers are supposed to arrive by 9:00, but life happens and sometimes they are running late. Please try to drop off kids between 9:15 and 9:30 AM to avoid waiting on them to arrive.
• Please walk your children back to their classrooms at drop off. We want our volunteers to see who goes with which kid to help speed up our pick up time.
• Don’t forget your pick-up ticket. You will show this to get back to the children’s wing and again to their teacher to pick them up.
• Remember that kids are now promoted to their next grade level so check that their name tags show they are in the right group. Please let Ryan know if it is incorrect.

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.

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 July is, “PRAISE”.

The gospel of Luke begins with the announcements of two upcoming births. The first announcement is to Elizabeth and Zechariah. The second birth announcement in Luke is the story of Gabriel telling Mary she will give birth to God’s son. Gabriel also tells Mary her cousin Elizabeth is expecting a baby. The two story lines merge when Mary goes to visit Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting, her child leapt in her womb. Elizabeth tells Mary the baby jumped for joy in the presence of the Lord. There is no indication Elizabeth knew of Mary’s pregnancy prior to her visit. When her baby jumped for joy, Elizabeth takes this as a sign. Elizabeth’s baby, who grows up to become John the Baptist, identifies Jesus as Lord even when they are both still in the womb.

Upon seeing Mary, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and makes several pronouncements. She tells Mary God has blessed her and the child she carries. Elizabeth also questions why she has been given the honor of the Lord visiting her. Even though an angel had told Mary she was pregnant with God’s son, it must have been reassuring to receive this affirmation from Elizabeth. Following Elizabeth’s greeting, Mary makes a joyful response of her own, praising God with a song that has become known as the Magnificat. Mary recalled God’s actions in the past and trusted in God to continue to be at work in her life. God is at work in each of our lives as well. Remembering God is at work in our lives helps us respond with joy

Find some time to praise God through poetry. You could read a psalm, a poem by a favorite poet, or listen to a song or a poetry podcast, like Poetry Unbound. Mary’s Magnificat is a poem. How is God speaking to you in the poem?

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”