Dear All Saints' Parents and Families,
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Happy
Halloween
! Here's what's coming up in the wonderful world of Children's Ministries...
As always,
please
don't forget to sign up to volunteer with Little Saints' Church and Children's Church (scroll down to the "Reminders" section)!
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This Sunday: All Saints' Sunday!
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Sunday, November 3
8:45 a.m., meet at the arcade next to the church
All kids are invited to come dressed as a saint or a superhero/ shero for our procession through the church. We will meet under the arcade at 8:45 a.m. to carry banners of saints in the procession and then head over to Children’s Chapel for our service.
When we come back over to the church, all of the kids will stay with me and we will be invited up to the altar to celebrate our Feast Day up close. At the end of the Eucharistic prayer, the kids will come join you for communion (so please stand up so they can see you). I could use a parent or two to help supervise during the procession and up at the altar. Please email me if you can help (
kroberts@allsaintsatlanta.org
).
Need some ideas for a saintly costume?
Click here
to view a list of some odd and interesting saints.
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Stewardship Pledge
This past Sunday, the kids and I talked about why we collect the offering and where it goes. We defined what time, talent, and treasures might be for them and they took a pledge sheet home with them (or at least out the door!). Their homework was to talk with you about what they may pledge and then this Sunday, we will carry our pledges up beside the adult pledges. Above is a picture of the pledge sheet if it did not make it home.
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Sunday, November 3
10:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Kennedy Courtyard and Ellis Hall
After the 9:00 a.m. service, everyone is invited to continue our all ages celebration during
A Taste for All Saints’
! We'll have the chance to enjoy each other’s company while sampling food from local restaurants and lifting up our four core ministries: Covenant Community, Midtown Assistance Center, Refugee Ministries, and Threads. It's free to attend, but we will accept donations of any amount to support these ministries.
Please note that there will be no formation on Sunday so that all parents and children can attend.
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Also, this Friday, November 1, we're hosting a
Requiem for All Souls
to honor the lives of saints who have died during a solemn worship service. This is a meaningful evening for anyone, but especially for those who have lost a loved one recently.
Click here
to get the details and feel free to invite friends and family.
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Next Sunday: Parenting with God Formation Series Continues
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Sunday, November 10
10:20 to 11:05 a.m. in P307
Join me and other parents to share and learn no matter where you are on the parenting journey! Discussion is centered around the book,
Bless This Mess
by the Rev. Molly Baskette and Ellen O’Donnell, PhD.
Here are some highlights from last Sunday:
- Ego-involvement is bred by fear which leads to more controlling parenting. We want to be authoritative, not authoriatarian.
- “When we are able to truly see who our kids are, and to support their natural gifts, passions and proclivities rather than making them into 'our masterpieces', we are Co-Creators with God in raising amazing kids into full-flowered adults.”
- “Self Determination Theory is based on the notion that human beings are born with intrinsic motivation to explore and master their worlds, and in so doing, gain new skills as well as for pure enjoyment.”
- Proverbs 19:19 warns, “if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.” Let them forget their homework! Ancient wisdom (and research!) say that if we let the short-term happiness win every time, we will make our kids miserable in the long run.
- Proverbs 19:18 says: “Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don’t, you’ll be a willing participant in their deaths.” Whew! Let’s put that into our everyday parenting: setting clear limits and boundaries for our kids is a form of life-saving love.
- Proverbs 13:24 “Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.” Hate my child? Maybe more like we just aren’t thinking about their long term adjustment, but that it is easier and quicker to just fix things now ourselves.
- Proverbs 15:32 “Those who reject discipline hate themselves.” Think about the real-life struggle of letting your three-year-old stay up way too late at a party! Who is suffering now!
- We all have days where we let the rules go lax a bit, but mostly, it is important to be consistent with our boundaries and limits.
There was so much more! Join us for the last class of the fall on Sunday, November 10!
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Last Sunday: Harry Potter Night
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We had a magical time enjoying:
- The Trunk or Treat where nine suitcase-type trunks were filled with candy and trinkets. Harry Potter characters asked trivia questions before the kids could help themselves at each trunk.
- The Cherub and Primary choirs, all dressed up in their costumes, lead us in some festive fall holiday songs before we all ran through the 9 ¾ gate into Ellis, er, I mean the Hogwarts Great Hall.
- Then, we found our House tables and shared a Eucharistic meal as well as a meal of soup, dessert, and butterbeer.
- And finally, onto the pillows on the floor for the movie and fellowship.
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GROW
(grades K through 3) continued their rotation called "The Great Escape: A four-week series on Moses and the Exodus." Kids are learning that when they’re in trouble, God can send people to help them, God can help them do great things, God can do anything, and God is with them.
CLUB 45
(grades 4 and 5) spent their first "Learn It and Live It" service day learning about Threads and helping them set up for their volunteer luncheon. The kids made centerpieces – vases filled with flowers made by folding baby socks (see photo above)! The kids also helped the parish collect over
173
pairs of underwear on the first Undie Sunday!!
Little Saints’
learned about praying this past Sunday. To practice, pick a time during the day that you can consistently pray with your little one...bedtime is often easiest. Here are a few short prayers you might say together before bed:
1.
Guide us waking, O Lord,
And guard us sleeping;
That awake we may watch with Christ,
And asleep we may rest in peace.
2.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Angels watch me through the night
And wake me with the morning light.
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Don't Forget to RSVP for Little Saints' Lunch and Play!
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Sunday, November 17
12:15 p.m. in Ellis Hall
If you have a child in the nursery, please mark your calendar for lunch and playtime on Sunday, November 17 after the 11:15 a.m. worship service!.
It can be difficult to meet folks when you are shepherding small humans (some joyful and some not so much!) into nursery care right before church or picking them up and running to lunch. Let’s take a breath and sit with and enjoy each other over a meal.
We'll have a very simple lunch, you can bring an easy dessert or cookies, and we'll let the kid
s play while we
socialize and get to know other families who are in similar stages on this wonderful parenting journey.
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PLEASE VOLUNTEER!
Sign up to help with Little Saints’ and/or Children’s Church!
Please
take a minute to sign up for a Sunday or more if your child/ children attend our children's services. Little Saints’ service is led by parents (Shawnne will help you!) and Children’s Church is led by me (Kathy) and Karol with parent assistance.
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We're hiring!
Also, we are looking to hire one or two more folks for the nursery on Sundays. If you know of someone good that might want to work there, email me at
kroberts@allsaintsatlanta.org
.
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Registration
If you haven't already, please register your children for Children's Formation and Children's Choirs for the 2019-2020 program year.
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Lots of fun things coming up...mark your calendars!
- Tuesday, November 26
- Give away Blessing Bags with toiletries and warm clothing at Covenant Community's Thanksgiving Dinner
- Sunday, December 1
- Advent Adventure and Festival!
- If you can volunteer to help, please email me at kroberts@allsaintsatlanta.org.
- Wednesday, December 4
- St. Nicholas Supper and Celebration
- The start of our Soles4Souls Shoe Collection!
- Wednesday, December 18
- Caroling at the North Ave MARTA Station
- Sunday, December 22
- Come As You Are Christmas Pageant
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Kathy Roberts
Director of Children's Ministries
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For more information email Kathy Roberts
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