CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Children & Youth Ministries Newsletter

February 2018

Teacher Remarks

Love and Caring
 
What are two things you think of when you think of February? Winter and Valentine's Day! When you think of it, one represents cold and the other represents warmth. In February we find ourselves in the heart of a cold blanket of snow, wind, temperatures, and ice. But in the middle of February we are also in the heart of well...a holiday of hearts. Valentine's Day represents love and warmth, hugs and kisses... You can throw chocolate and roses in there too. All wonderful warm, loving, comforting things. Valentine's Day is often marked by couples doing something special for each other. Families exchange gifts and cards and express their love for each other. While love is shown throughout the year, Valentine's Day is one day where we can really emphasis what our family, friends, and partners mean to us. It's a time to reflect and be comforted by the love around us. 

Not to be lost in the festivities is Jesus' love for us. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice of love of us. He died for our sins. As we approach Lent and the Easter Season, we are told the story of how Jesus loved us so much he died for us. In John 3:16 we hear that God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. In John 3:1 we are told "see what great LOVE the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" We are all God's family and we all share equally and unequivocally in his wonderful, comforting LOVE. Even though we fall short frequently in sin, we can take comfort in what is written in Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us."

Don't let the cold of February, freeze you out. Let your February be one of love, warmth, comfort, blessings of family and friends. Let God continue to bless us with his undying love and know that we are saved because Jesus died for our sins.  

-Chris McCormick


February 2018 CYM Events

Friday February 2
CYM Youth Poster Session - Youth will create visuals to display at CYM Coffee Hour.

Weekend of February 3-4
Souper Sunday - Bring a can of soup to church on Super Bowl Weekend. All donations will go to the Food Bank of Western New York. The Food Bank especially welcomes low sodium varieties of soup.

Sunday February 11:
Pretzel Sunday starts at 9:15 am.
CYM Coffee Hour
Sign up to help with Pretzel Sunday or Coffee Hour.

Tuesday February 13:
Shrove Tuesday Jambalaya Dinner, 5:30-7:30 pm
Bring the kids to this parish-wide celebration and stay for the burning of the palms at 6:30 pm. Eat in or take out, $10 adults, $3 children 12 and under, or $30 for immediate family. Box mac & cheese also available.


Friday February 23:
Family Movie Night at 6:30 pm. We will be watching Zootopia. Kids may wear their pajamas and bring
blankets, a pillow, or a stuffed animal. We will serve drinks and popcorn for a small donation to fund our
2019 Meal Packing Event. Parents may want to bring water bottles or sippy cups.

Sunday February 25:
Scout Sunday - Calvary Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will be honored at the 10 am. Wear your full field
scout uniform to church. If you are a scout, please give your name to Mrs. Sityar even if you cannot attend
Scout Sunday.

Please keep bringing in your NY 5ยข refundable bottles and cans. We are still raising funds for Puerto Rico.


Plans for Youth Ministry

A collaborative youth ministry with St. Paul's Harris Hill is beginning to take shape. It will target children from ages 10 to 14 years. We are grateful for the support of Calvary's clergy, lay leadership, and congregation to our youth program. Please help us to grow this ministry by encouraging youth participation, volunteering your time and energy, and continuing to communicate your ideas and concerns. Your prayers are also appreciated.


A Lenten Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You that You are loving and forgiving.

Help us to love people in the same way as You have loved us.

Help us do generous things for others because we love You.

Amen.

from  https://40acts.org.uk


I will go to the altar of God
To the God of my joy and gladness.

Acolytes

Acolytes actively assist the clergy in leading the worship of God. Acolytes often find their service not only fun, but also spiritually fulfilling. They learn to serve with dignity, humility, and care, always with the love of Christ. We welcome you to this ministry if you are in 4th grade or higher. We work with your schedule; it's not an "every Sunday" commitment, and you will get training and practice so that you will feel comfortable at the altar.

If you and your parents would like to learn more, please contact Doug Sandburg II


FROM OUR TEACHERS

Children's Chapel
Ellie Yuhasz and Carol Mayo

The month of January was a cold one indeed, outside. However, in the Children's Chapel there is a warm and relaxed family atmosphere and those that were absent due to the weather, etc., were greatly missed.

Inspired by Martin Luther King's Holiday, and our shared Day of Service with Congregation Shir Shalom's Gesher Religious School, the Sunday Schools song during January has been "We Shall Overcome." A deeper meaning was brought to this song by singing it together, on this Day of Service, with members of Shir Shalom and showing our unity in loving our neighbors.

Hopefully, the cold weather and that nasty flu bug of January will give way to more children being present  at Chapel and Sunday School. Please remember, the last Sunday of the month is set aside to remember those celebrating their birthday during that month. There is always a special blessing and song to recognize their birthday.

The students are learning about parables in their classes. To make this a little more meaningful, our song this month is actually a parable. It is a fun song with a great message. The song is, "The  Wise Man and The Foolish Man." If desired most of our songs can be found on the internet.
 

-Ellie Yuhasz
Nursery (infant - 3 years)
Kelly Blackey and Kiernan Hayward

The Nursery is available from 9:45 - 11:30 a.m.
Beginners Class (Pre-K & K)
Dr. Sarah English
Assistant: Andria McCarthy

Greetings from the beginner class! During the Christmas season our group learned about the meaning of Advent and the role of the Shepherds in announcing the good news of the birth of Jesus. We have had a wonderful time with our class Nativity and doing crafts! We are finishing up the unit Jesus: Storyteller by learning about some of the parables of Jesus such as the story of the mustard seed and the lost coin. We are looking forward to continuing our learning and having a wonderful time together!

-Dr. Sarah English
Primary Class (Grades 1-3)
Cinda & Wes Stone and Natalie Bottomley
Class Parents: Brian & Christina Donaghy

The Primary classroom has continued to be a fun place to learn. 

After our Christmas break we have been reading about the Parables of Jesus. The children love to be read to and we have been having very thoughtful discussions.
 
Last Sunday we acted out the Parable of the Good Samaritan with figures that we made in class. Ask your child who was the good neighbor. The priest, the Levite or the Samaritan. Also, see if you can find the stained glass window in Church that depicts the Good Samaritan Parable.
 
Our Gratitude Garland is growing, stop by and see what your children are grateful for. Everyday is a good day to be grateful!
 
Coming up in February we will move on to study the Eucharist. This includes the Last Supper and how we celebrate Holy Communion in the Episcopal Church.
 
Two events coming up at Calvary to keep an eye out for in February.  Shrove Tuesday dinner and Mardi Gras party on February 13th and Family Movie Night on February 23rd, we are showing ZOOTOPIA. Bring a pillow, wear your PJ's and join the fun!
 
-Cinda Stone
Intermediate (Grades 4-6)
Mr. George Mayer & Mr. Brian Donaghy

Although understandable, it is unfortunate that the Sunday School classroom attendance for the month of January was very low. We hope that this trend will change in February.

This year, Ash Wednesday occurs on Valentine's Day. (It is also Adam Sarzynski's birthday!) With Lent fast approaching, the Parables of Jesus take on even greater significance and importance. Jesus has so much to teach us and we have so much to learn.

May we be "Good Soil" into which the "seed" of God's Word readily enters and takes root. If we stretch our minds to find the meaning of the Word of God, and if we accept it in such a way that it becomes part of our very being, it will enable our lives to bring forth wonderful fruits. So, let us hold fast to the Word of God at all times and in all places. God wants us to ask for His help and His Resources. The choice is ours to make.
 
-Mr. George Mayer 
Junior Youth
Christina McCormick 
Assistant: Jim Greno 

Prior to Advent the students learned all about the prophets. One theme that came up over and over again was the foretelling of Jesus' birth. We will have a lesson to wrap all that up, right up to the promised birth of the prophesied Messiah. After that we will focus on the Parables of Jesus. Along with weekly lessons, we will work in our parable coloring book of our church windows. These will tie in nicely with each other as we will learn about the parables that are in the book. Students can color in their own stained glass window. I also have various seasonal teen crafts for this month and the coming months. We have finished our Old Testament posters and our Books of the Bible craft. Both have been helpful in our weekly lessons. It's not too late to join in on the fun and learning. Lessons are full of good and interesting information and we tie it into relevance of today. Fun age appropriate and season appropriate crafts will be available for all to participate in. So come learn more about the Parables and have fun creating a nice craft. Don't forget Pretzel Sunday on the 11th. This is a very popular event. 

-Christina McCormick

From the Diocese

Visit the diocesan website at  episcopalwny.org
 
Family Winter Fun Day February 4
Como Park, Lancaster
  
On  Sunday February 4th, the First Thirty Ministries will be hosting a Winter Family Fun Day at Como Lake Park in Lancaster. Come spend a wonderful afternoon ( Noon - 5 pm) outside with others from the Diocese.

The Diocese has reserved "Lancaster Place", which is a short distance away from the sledding hill and right across the road from an ice skating area. Bring your own skates or sleds!  Inside the lodge with be hot chocolate, coffee, and tea to warm you up, as well as family friendly games. Bring a dish or snack to share. Please contact Wendy Schumacher, First Thirty Event Manager, at  wschumacher@episcopalwny.org with questions or to RSVP.
 
They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither;
everything they do shall prosper.
[Psalm 1:3]

In This Issue
Quick Reminders
Like us on  Facebook

If you have not already done so, please download and return the photo waiver.

Download the   CYM Calendar.