WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE KIDS?!
In a word: LOTS!
Gosh, there's so much excitement, enthusiasm and energy in our Children and Youth Ministry areas at Holy Trinity. Over the past few weeks, in preparation for the launch of all our new kids' initiatives, a lot of wonderful, talented people have been buzzing around the church building getting things organized and cleaned and primed for September 12.
And what a team!
It's not just about clean and pretty rooms. An amazing team of smart, caring, energized people has come together not only to get the spaces ready, but also to pull together a plan for care and catechesis of our children. With Pastor Matt Traylor on point, Helen Horn has poured much effort into getting the nursery ready, while Laura Laurie and Lara Stata have focused on classrooms and curriculum. Our kids' team still needs more volunteers, but we've got a great core group that's generating important momentum for the launch on Sunday.
Our Children and Youth Ministry Offerings
Here are the specific offerings we will have for our Children and Youth ministries as we kick off the Fall season:
Nursery: The nursery will be open and staffed (God willing) for both services on Sunday morning: 8:30 and 10:45. The nursery is suitable for children from 6 months to 3 years of age. It opens at 15 minutes before each service and closes at 10 minutes after each service. You can find more detailed information about this ministry in our Nursery Guidelines brochure (available in the nursery).
Children's Catechesis (Teaching): We will be offering one class, taught at two different times, on Sunday mornings for children ages 4 to 10. The first class time for children will be from 9:55 to 10:35 AM (between the two Sunday services) in the Children's Classroom. The second class time will be during the second service, from about 11:05 to 11:45. Children will be dismissed for their class before the sermon and can be picked up by their parents during the Passing of the Peace.
The classes will be coordinated primarily by Laura Laurie, using a curriculum called "Youth Children & Worship." She will be supported by a team of "storytellers" and "shepherds", including some of our older children who are interested in helping out. (We'll let your kids tell you about the storytellers and shepherds.)
In addition to the Sunday activities, Pastor Matt Traylor will also be developing and gathering resources that can be sent home with our families to support and reinforce the importance and practice of family prayer and ongoing learning in the home. More details will be coming on those resources for our families at home.
Middle School Youth Groups: The movement and energy is not limited to our elementary and younger crowd. Our middle school boys are continuing their adventures under the inspired leadership of Kevin Brooks. The MS Boys are meeting now on Wednesday evenings at the Church, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Kevin continues to challenge these young men with lessons and activities that build their character while encouraging them to enjoy and appreciate the glories of God that are always present in our world.
The middle school girls are not currently meeting; in fact, we're still reaching out to determine whether we have a group that would be interested in meeting. If your family includes a middle school girl who might be interested in a fellowship group context, please reach out to Pastor Matt Traylor.
High School Youth Group: Finally, our High School Group continues to build and grow and amaze their adult companion, Pastor Matt Burnett. These young men and women are, believe it or not, working their way through C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters"! The group meets on Sundays, after the second service, in the Fellowship Hall at the Church. Based on the stories shared regularly by Pastor Matt about the insight and spiritual maturity of this group, we have much to look forward to in this next generation of leaders in our Church and our community.
A Few Additional Items of Note
The Imagination Redeemed Conference - Anselm Society
There are just a few tickets left for the Anselm Society's annual conference, Imagination Redeemed, Sept 24-25 at Glen Eyrie. All the details can be found on the Anselm Website at www.imaginationredeemed.com/2021.
Tickets will most likely be sold out soon, so don't delay!
The Narnian Catechism
We have a truly unique experience coming to Holy Trinity, beginning on September 29: The Narnian Catechism with Pastor Matt.
The Catechism is a biblical, sound and historically grounded way to understand who God is, who we are, and our relationship to Him. We learn and grow, seeking to experience personally our God and His love. The classic Anglican Catechism and accompanying Scripture include study of The Apostles Creed (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), our Baptismal Promises, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. To unpack the content, we lean into the writings of learned theologians, such as J.I. Packer, N.T. Wright, Thomas Oden and Gerald Bray.
To enliven the material to touch our hearts more deeply, we use the Chronicles of Narnia (and various other writings of C.S. Lewis), which track amazingly well with each element of the Catechism and help open our imaginations to love God even more deeply. The Catechism will offer context and content to grow closer in relationship with God and with each other. It is traditionally the Anglican preparation for Confirmation.
More information will be coming on this opportunity. If you have questions or wish to sign up, please contact the Church Office.
