“All the people were beside themselves with wonder. Filled with awe, they glorified God, saying, ‘We’ve seen unimaginable things today.'” Luke 5:26

Dear Friends: We’re always happy to hear from our Children, Youth and Family Minister, Dana Hale:

It has been so encouraging to see our Sunday School program continue to grow in size and depth over the past few years, and we have been looking for ways to create space for our needs. After some creative thinking, Godly Play for our youngest class will now be in room 114, which has previously been the nursery. This is such a gift for our program!! Godly Play rooms are sacred space and are set up in a very intentional way. The stories are arranged in boxes on shelves in chronological order to help us see the flow of the biblical narrative and God’s faithfulness in never leaving us. We have a church year calendar on the wall to help us tell time, a desert (sand) box because “so many wonderful and important things happened in the desert that we need to know what it is like,” and colorful art supplies for responding to the story. It is all meant to inspire a deep sense of wonder about how God works in our lives. 

As a result, the nursery will now be supervised by two volunteers in the glass room at the back of the Worship Space during 10am worship, beginning this Sunday. This will bring children and nursery volunteers back into worship with us. What a blessing! There is audio to the room, so adults and children will be able to hear the worship service and participate. The glass room has been set up with quiet toys and books and is ready for our littlest ones this Sunday. 

In Godly Play, we always wonder aloud together after the story is told. One question we ask is, “I wonder where you are in the story or what part of the story is about you?” I grew up in a church with a volunteer nursery, and I remember walking past the Dutch door every week on my way down from Sunday School to see people of all ages sharing their time to be with our congregation’s little ones. I think this change has great potential to bring us closer together and strengthen our sense of belonging to one another. 

If you would like to volunteer in the nursery, you can sign up at the following link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054faca929a13-childcare.

With love, Dana Hale

Thank you, Dana, for your good news of the transition with Godly Play and the nursery. Worship will be all the better with our youngest just within sight!

Family Worship on Sunday includes a special invitation to Preschool households. Please, take a moment to welcome young families new to Epiphany! Also, we’ll commission our Youth Confirmation class along with their mentors as they begin their journey to make a mature commitment to the faith. Episcopal 101 for Adults parallels the Youth Confirmation class for all those interested in learning more about The Episcopal Church, and being Confirmed, Received or Reaffirmed and/or being baptized in the faith. Adults may wish to share in the Youth Confirmation with their children by participating in Episcopal 101 and respond to “car questions” from the parallel classes on the way home.

Celtic Worship is held Sunday evening at 5:30 with guest violinist Rami Kanaan blessing us with sacred music. Resident scholar John Rybicki will begin his series, “Science and Religion” with dinner at 5:00 and class from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

There’s much in the life of Epiphany. Come along. Invite neighbors, friends and family to join in the good news of God in Christ growing Epiphany!

See you on Sunday dear friends.

Blessings,

Hillary