Hello Chapel Hill Families!

I hope you were able to join us for one of our Christmas Eve services on Saturday night. The kids did a great job in the live nativity pageant this year! This will be an annual tradition, so if your child is interested in participating in it next year, please let me know.

This Sunday, we will not have Sunday School. We will resume Sunday School on January 8th. There will be one service on New Year’s day at 11:00 only.

A New Year brings a new Unit, Faith Word, and Memory Verse. Our Faith Word for the month of January is BELIEVE which means “to know in your heart what is true about God”. Our Memory Verse is from John 6:14, “This is truly the prophet who is coming into the world.” Bible Stories include:

• January 1st “The Three Wise Men” (Matthew 2:1-12) NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
• January 8th “Jesus Baptism” (Mark 1:4-11)
• January 15th “Jesus Calls Levi” (Mark 2:13-17)
• January 22nd “Jesus Feeds 5000” (Luke 4:14-30)
• January 29th “Jesus Walks on Water” (Mark 6:45-52)

Check out the video and Bible story preview for “The Three Wise Men” below if you would like to talk more about this story with your child at home since we will not be meeting this Sunday.

Information for our new 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 January is “BELIEVE”.

The magi, or wise men, were Gentiles, traveling from the east. They came searching for Jesus. The magi had not been waiting for the birth of the Messiah. They came because they were astrologers who had seen a new star. They believed the appearance of a new star meant a king had been born, and they were curious. The magi’s search for the new king leads them to King Herod. From King Herod’s chief priests and scribes, they learn of Micah’s prophecy that a new leader will be born in Bethlehem. They also receive a request from King Herod to report back to him when they find the one they are looking for.

After their interaction with King Herod, the magi continue their journey following the star that leads them to Bethlehem. Matthew tells us when the star stopped, the magi are “filled with joy.” The magi act on their feelings of joy by worshiping Jesus and offering him gifts. The last we hear of the magi is their choice to ignore King Herod’s request to report back to him and instead to heed the warning they received in a dream and to return home by a different route.

Like the magi, we receive the news of Jesus’ birth with joy. Although Jesus has been born, the joy does not end. It is only the beginning of a joyous journey. As you explore the story of the magi with children, consider all the magi may have seen, heard, smelled, or even touched, on their journey to Jesus. Help children to slow down and to notice the joy all around them and be thankful for the joy of Jesus.

Draw a star on a piece of paper. At each point of the star write different things you believe. In the middle of the star, write one or more ways you can take what you believe and put your beliefs into action. Throughout the week, try to make small steps to put your beliefs into action.