Thank You for Your Generosity
Thank you for your generous response to the Advent Giving Tree program. The volunteers at Episcopal City Mission were grateful for the boxes of gifts and the monetary donations to the Youth in Detention outreach ministry. These gifts will be distributed to youth in St. Louis area juvenile detention centers. This outreach is especially important this year as the children are not allowed visitors. Thanks to your generosity, every child in detention will have at least one gift to unwrap.
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Advent Curriculum
Week 3: To Practice Joy
The third lesson of our Advent curriculum focuses on the scripture reading Luke 2:1-14. Shepherds working in the field are visited by an angel.

Scripture: Look up the scripture and read it out loud together. You also may watch a video of Luke 1-2, the story of the Nativity, called "He's Here" from the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.

Reflection: Each lesson includes a brief reflection for the scripture texts. How did you experience joy today? Check the lesson for more reflection questions.

Activity: One way people practice joy is by telling stores of good times spent together. Some families remember these times through photographs or scrapbooks. Spend some time recording your joys on the scrolls provided on the Activity Page. What joys did you experience this week, this month, and this year?

Please share pictures of your Advent creations with us. If you want a curriculum packet, they are available to pick up at any CSMSG outdoor Sunday worship service. You also may request a packet to be included with communion pickup or mailed to your home by emailing Mary Beth Tipton. For mailing requests, please include your mailing address.
Host the Traveling Nativity
Would you like to host some special travelers in your home during Advent? To aid in our preparation for the feast of Christmas, parishioners are invited to host Mary and Joseph, some shepherds, or some Magi. Members of the CSMSG Knitting Ministry lovingly created these travelers so that we may experience the traveling nativity, a modern take on the Mexican tradition of the Posada. When the travelers arrive, please unpack them from their box and create a place for them. Included in the box is a brief service to pray that we may encounter Jesus as we prepare for Christmas. Please take pictures so that we may share on social media the journey our travelers take. Use the link below to sign up to host the travelers and read more about this tradition in Fr. Tom’s Words of Encouragement.
The Birds of Bethlehem
The book The Birds of Bethlehem, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola, tells the story of the Nativity from a different perspective - the birds in the trees above Bethlehem. Watch and listen to the story through the video link above.
Register for Children's Ministry
We are still registering students for Children's Ministry for the 2020-21 school year. Please complete the online registration for your family. We will continue to send weekly updates through our e-newsletter and resources also are available at csmsg.org.
Contact Us
Mary Beth Tipton
Director of Children's Education
The Church of St. Michael and St. George
314-880-9206
Amy Zimmerman
Assistant Director of Children's Education
The Church of St. Michael and St. George
314-960-3474
Church School | The Church of St. Michael & St. George | 314.721.1502 | www.csmsg.org