Hello Chapel Hill Families!

CH Kids had fun learning about how the disciples were afraid when they saw Jesus walking on the Water during Sunday School this week. We had a great turn-out for our VBS Fundraiser, “Sled-In Movie Night” on Friday. We had almost 100 people in attendance and raised approximately $500.00.

A new month brings a new Unit Faith Word and Memory Verse. In February, our Faith Word is “KINGDOM” and our Memory Verse is from Mark 10:14 “God’s kingdom belongs to the people like these children”. Our Bible Stories this month include:

• February 5th “Jesus and the Children” (Mark 10:13-16)
• February 12th “The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin” (Luke 15:3-10)
• February 19th “The Forgiving Father” (Luke 15:11-32)
• February 26th “The Widow’s Coins” (Luke 21:1-4)

KDIC & PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT

Kids Day in Christ and Chapel Hill Preschool opened their enrollment to current families and Chapel Hill members today. If you have young children interested in attending these programs, please click the links below to get them signed up. These programs fill fast, and will be open to the public on March 1st to fill any remaining spots.

Summer KDIC

KDIC 2023-2024

Preschool 2023-2024

Lunch Bunch 2023-2024 (Extended Preschool Day)

VBS 2023

Save the Date for VBS at Chapel Hill! Volunteer Registration is now OPEN! Child attendance will be limited to 250 children. To ensure your child gets a spot, join our team to receive a link for EARLY child registration. We will open child registration to the public on Palm Sunday, and will close once we fill all our spots.  We filled all 250 spots before Memorial Day last year, so do not delay!

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 February is “KINGDOM”.

In this week’s lesson, we will explore the familiar Bible story of Jesus blessing the children. The disciples tried to keep the children from Jesus. We are not told why the parents were bringing their children to Jesus. In those days, the infant mortality rate was high. It is likely that the parents had heard of Jesus’ healing miracles and wanted him to bless and protect their children.

When the disciples attempted to discourage the parents from bringing their children to see Jesus, they weren’t intentionally being mean to children. They were acting in a way consistent with the social norms and expectations of the time. When Jesus reprimanded the disciples for keeping the children away, he made a clear statement that access to him and to God’s love was for everyone. By blessing the children, Jesus showed that they were full members in God’s family.

In addition to welcoming and blessing the children, Jesus used them as an example to teach the disciples about the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like the children. The kingdom of heaven can be a difficult concept for children (and adults) to understand. Some people refer to the coming kingdom of heaven, alluding to a time in the future when Jesus will return. However, during his ministry, Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is a present reality. The spirit of God is within us and among us.

This week, meet or talk with someone who is older or younger than you. When you are talking, ask these questions:

• What do you believe about God?
• What does the kingdom of heaven look like?
• If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?