Hello Chapel Hill Families!

This Past Sunday marked the beginning of our new unit on the Faith Word: CALL– “to know we are each chosen by God to do God’s work in the world”. Our memory verse is “Speak. Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10b). This month, we will sing “Deep Cries Out” and “I Just Want to be a Sheep“.

Here are the lessons for this month:

• September 11th – “Hannah” (1 Samuel 1:1-28) & “God Calls Samuel” (1 Samuel 3:1-21)
• September 18th – “Samuel Anoints Saul” (1 Samuel 7-8, 10:17-24)
• September 25th – “Samuel Anoints David” (1 Samuel 16:1-13)

Pastor Jeff has requested that we cancel our Campfire Sing Along and S’mores scheduled for this coming Sunday. Stay tuned for Trunk or Treat information coming soon!

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 September is “CALL”.

Some of the Israelite elders went to Samuel and asked him to appoint a king for them. One of the reasons the elders gave for wanting a king was so that Israel “could be like other nations.” Samuel was upset by the Israelites’ request and so he prayed to God. God assured Samuel the Israelites were not rejecting Samuel; instead, they were rejecting God. Up to this point, the nation of Israel has had a tradition of being a covenant community since the time God had delivered them from slavery under the Egyptians. Covenant community was rooted in an understanding of God as divine king. God saw Israel’s asking for a king as a denial of God’s leadership. The desire of Israel to “be like other nations” represented a shift. Israel was moving away
from being a people with a particular identity and conforming to the patterns of other people.

Even though Israel’s request for a king is a rejection of God’s sovereignty, God told Samuel to do as the people have requested and give them a king. As the story progresses and Saul is chosen as the first king of Israel, it becomes clear that God is involved in the choice. God gave in to Israel’s desire for a king, but this does not mean God had abandoned Israel. God is still Israel’s God.

Often in Israel’s history we witness the struggle of the people to follow God and not conform to the world around them. The church today faces the same struggle. The church is called to be in the world yet to follow God, not others. This was not easy for the Israelites, and it is not easy for us. We are called to listen for God’s voice so we may know how to be God’s people.

Consider the positive leaders in your life. Who are they? What makes them good leaders? Are you a leader? Take time to write a thank-you note to someone who demonstrates good leadership in your life. Thank God for your leaders.