Sunday October 11, 2026

The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Quick Links

• An Introduction to Godly Play
• Church School @ Christ Church Needham
• Church School Wish List
• Wiggles & Wonder, Bird's weekly formation Substack

Highlights


• Church Calendar Highlights for Fall 2026 Below
• 2026-27 Church School Registration Here
• Church School for PreK-Gr. 3 this Sunday
• Next Faithful Families meets Nov. 1 at 9:15

Dear Church School Friends,

I had a nickname in college: the fastest Bible page turner in the land.

Okay, that makes it sound like I was some kind of Bible cowboy. Realistically, my nickname in college is simply my name now - Bird – but, the professor who continues to chair the Smith Religion Department really did say I was the fastest Bible page turner he had ever met. At the time, I was a first year student sitting in a classroom with several people who had already been admitted to places like Harvard Divinity School.

Of course, knowing and loving scripture isn't about being fast with those whisper-thin pages.There's so much more to it, so much more to love. But it does help to know your way around – which brings me to...

Primary Godly Play: The Bible and the Books of the Bible

How do we visualize everything found between the covers of the Holy Bible (which is ever so much!)? There are plenty of options, but one way is to get right to the heart of it and transform the Bible into something of a library. Meet the Book of the Bible shelf.

Godly Play transforms the Books of the Bible not just into a whole library of books, but gets all the way into the weeds by making the books thicker by length! And that stack of cards? Nick jokes he should keep those up in the pulpit because they're quick summaries of each book! There's so much here.

At the heart of what we do in Godly Play, of course, is something more traditional: telling stories in a circle, no text, like people have done around fires for millennia. Still, for Christians today, the making of the text itself is also an origin story, so we tell that one too.

Thank You For This Day, God

In honor of Indigenous People's Day, this is a song that originates in the Native American Church Movement. Thank You For The Day, God is another zipper song - one you can "zip" different words into – so you can thank God for this day, this land, these friends, you name it.

You might try using this song to talk about your day or to give thanks before meals. It's easy to learn and fun to play with.

Sunday October 11

• Church School for PreK-Gr. 3
• Childcare available during Braver Angels Sunday School

Friday October 15:

• Zoom Orientation for Confirmation Families

Sunday October 18:

• Church School for All Ages
• Childcare available during Braver Angels Sunday School

Sunday October 25: Founder's Day (One Service)

• Church School for PreK-Gr. 3
• Founder's Day Stewardship Brunch following Worship

Sunday November 1: All Saints Day (One Service)

• Faithful Families Breakfast Program at 9:15 in UPH
• Church School for PreK-Gr. 3

Tuesday November 3 (Election Day - No School):

• Sacred Order of Acolytes Training & Refresh

Christ Episcopal Church

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