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Where Do We Go This Week?
Church School and Children's Chapel is still on Summer Break! We will all continue attending worship together in "Big Church" until September 27th.
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Classes will begin September 27th with a special family worship for 4th grade and under. See below for exciting news about bringing a JOY worship service to families at St. Elizabeth's!
5th-7th Grades will have their own special session at 9:30 am in the UPSTAIRS CONFERENCE ROOM with "Breakfast & Believe": a fellowship oriented class to discuss the reading of the day and relate it to our modern lives. Waffles and drinks will be served.
| | Class leaders are still needed, so please consider growing in faith along side your children. All materials and lessons are provided. Church School will not happen without leaders for classes. Please check the sign up for available dates. You don't have to volunteer in your child's class. Contact Beth for more information. | | |
Nursery
We know that sitting in church can be challenging for some of our youngest kids. Children are joyful reminders that God is in our midst and are always welcome in worship. They belong right here among God's people. We have "pew bags" outside the Narthex with quiet activities for young children to interact with during the service but if you feel the need to step out with your child, our nursery is open on the second floor for babies through age 5.
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The Blessing Shelf
Please bring donations for the Ridgewood Social Service Association during this month's donation drive for the Blessing Shelf. The SSA is unbelievably low in terms of inventory. Almost no soup, no canned vegetables, no frozen meat, snacks, pasta, and even beans as well as a myriad of other things. If you find yourself in the grocery store at any point this week, please consider picking up some essential items to donate to the Blessing Shelf.
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Acolytes
We do not have youth acolytes for this Sunday.
We welcome Grades 4 and up to serve during Worship as a Crucifer, Torch Bearers, Gospel Bearer or Lector.
We are holding Acolyte Training THIS Sunday at 12 noon in the church. If you are new to St. E's or need a refresher on what to do, this is for you!
We need acolytes for opening Sunday - September 20th
| | JOY Family Worship is Coming to St. E's! | | |
We are very excited to bring a JOY Worship experience for young children and families to St. Elizabeth's on Sunday, September 27th at 9:45 am in the Children's Chapel. This service will take the place of both Church School and Children's Chapel for families with 4th Graders and younger.
Led by the very talented Mrs. Kristen Lee, this is a special Sunday Morning service for young children and their parents with multimedia worship, music and movement as we celebrate the glorious gifts of God.
| | Middle Grades - Breakfast & Believe | | |
While our younger friends sing, dance and pray in the Chapel, we will be holding a class for our 5th-7th graders called "Breakfast & Believe" in the upstairs Conference Room on Sunday, September 27th at 9:30 am. Our topic of conversation is "Two Sons in the Vineyard", based on Matthew 21:23-32.
Breakfast & Believe is just for 5th–7th graders where there’s room for waffles, questions, laughter, and faith all at the same table. On the last Sunday of the month, students will gather around a waffle bar breakfast, share time with friends, and dig into Bible stories and real-life conversations in a fun, relaxed way. It’s a place to eat well, wonder big, and grow in God’s love — one Sunday (and one waffle) at a time.
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Keep these dates handy!
TODAY September 10 -Children and Youth Choirs 5:30 pm
September 13 - Acolyte Training, noon
September 19 - Mini-musicians 10 am
September 20 - Welcome Home Sunday
September 27 - JOY Worship for Families
"Breakfast & Believe" for 5th-7th Graders
October 25 - Diocese of Newark Youth Scavenger Hunt at American Dream Mall (6th grade and up)
| | BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Diocese of Newark Youth Scavenger Hunt at American Dream Mall for 6th grade and up will return this October. The St. E's Youth who attended two years ago had a great time, so we'll do it again! We will arrange for carpools and attend this event with our youth. Please RSVP to Beth and we will get those interested registered. | | | |  | |
10:00 am
Eucharist Rite II
Livestream
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Temperatures will be hot this weekend. Dress lightly and bring a water bottle. Services will also be streamed in the Chapel this Sunday.
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Children's Chapel
Children's Chapel has been on summer vacation, but formation doesn't take a break for the summer, and for those who can't make it this Sunday at 10 am, the lesson for use at home is below.
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This Sunday's lesson is "The Unforgiving Servant", based on our reading of Matthew 18:21-35.This passage falls in a section of Matthew’s Gospel that addresses how to live in community, particularly communities dealing with sinful behavior. This prompts Peter to ask about forgiveness. Peter was sure there must be a limit to the number of times he should forgive someone else, but Jesus responded that forgiveness must be offered infinitely: 77 times or 7 times 70 times. Jesus followed this teaching of infinite forgiveness with a parable. Unlike some of Jesus’ parables, this one is clear in its message. Forgiveness within a community is not something up for debate. Jesus often told stories using extreme exaggeration, or hyperbole, to make his points clear.
Why does this story matter for kids? Kids of all ages can appreciate that 490 “forgivings” (7 X 70) would be tough to count, and that’s just the way Jesus intended it to be. We are called to forgive without keeping track, because that’s how God forgives us. This Bible story helps remind us of words we say during worship each week. There is a section in the Lord’s Prayer that asks for forgiveness AND that declares that we will forgive others.
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Suggested Craft: “Seventy and then Some”
You will need:
- Stickers or other small decorative items
- Glue or tape
- Construction paper
- Markers or crayons
- Verse caption or extra decoration (optional)
Procedure:
- Decorate the paper with a verse caption depicting the number “70” in some sense.
- Practice counting (or use up time!) by counting to seventy: use small candies, stickers, tick marks, dots, or other decorations to count up to seventy on the construction paper.
- Remind students that we are to forgive people not just 70 or 490 times, but again and again. That’s what God does for us!
- Add a string or pipe cleaner if you’d like to make this into a decoration.
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Children's Bulletins
We have children's bulletins available at church to keep kids entertained in the pews. These are a great tool for home discussion with your kids about the lessons we heard on Sunday. Copies of our Children's Bulletins are available upon request for home use.
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For the Care of Children: Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Contact Us!
Beth Van Emburgh
Associate for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries
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