Sunday October 4, 2026

The Nineteenth 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 all ages this Sunday
• Blessing of the Pets at 3:30

Dear Church School Friends,

I have not had a great track record with the Feast of St. Francis here at Christ Church. My first year here, my wife was in a car accident (she was fine, but that was the end of our Honda Fit) and I went home to troubleshoot insurance. My second year I was in Indiana with the other U.S. Godly Play trainers. Last year I think I was in Chicago for a committee meeting.

This year, I'm convinced, is going to be my year. My cats, however, are not so excited for this particular activity, so unfortunately, I don't think they'll be joining us.

I hope I get to meet many of your pets on Sunday afternoon and that Saint Francis's message of care for both animals and the most marginalized of people – his commitment to poverty, his care for lepers – serve to inspire your family to meet the needs of this world that calls out to us.

Primary Godly Play: The Ark & The Flood

At first glance, it feels fitting that we'll hear The Ark & the Flood on the Feast of St. Francis. This is a story in which we often perceive animals as taking center stage. But what role do the animals really play in this story and what are we - children and adults alike - meant to find here?

At its core, the Ark & the Flood is a story of covenant. It is the beginning of a long journey of mutual promise and relationship between God and God's creation. The heart of the story could be told without any animals at all. Instead, we arrive at the end knowing that God has promised to move forward with us in this world that has emerged from the brink of total destruction, and we must learn to walk in God's ways too.

Gr. 4 & Up: Abraham

"I wonder what part of this story we could leave out and still have all of the story that we need?"

This is one of the questions we ask at the end of Godly Play's sacred stories. But when I tell the story of the Great Family - of Sarah and Abraham - to adults, they are struck by how much is already left out. Where are all of these other pieces, they'll ask?

The answer is in the extension materials – like the Story of Abraham. This week we'll come closer to the particular details of Abraham's life, including some of the more difficult ones (which is why we don't tell this story to younger children!), like the Binding of Isaac. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all trace our stories back to Abraham, so we need to come close to these subplots, so to speak, to better understand where we come from.

Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible

I had so much fun curating storybook Bibles for our bookshelves (including pulling some very old ones out of our library) - and Growing in God's Love is an absolute staple in this category.

Author Elizabeth Caldwell is a storied scholar of children's spirituality and formation and the stories contained here are brief and clear, ideal for introducing them to children. And now you can add family devotions to your storytelling (we've got the devotional too).

Check out our Bible storybook collection on the shelf in UPH - I've been fine-tuning the organization. All storybook Bibles can be found on the lower left side.

Sunday October 4:

• Church School for all ages
• Childcare available during Braver Angels Sunday School
• Feast of Saint Francis: Blessing of the Pets at 3:30

Tuesday October 6- Thursday October 8:

• Bird Out of Office at Godly Play Trainer Gathering

Sunday October 11

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

Sunday October 18:

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

Sunday November 1: All Saints Day:

• 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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