Category Archives: Sunday School

Children’s Benefit Concert (March 5)

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The concert ended with the F.R.O.G.S. Choir singing “Elijah Rock!”

The Sunday School is preparing to offer their annual benefit concert on Saturday, March 5, at 4:00 pm in the LCH Nave. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the children’s very own fundraising concerts.

In the past, the children have performed with song and dance and on trumpet, violin, cello, drums, flute, organ, and piano; and we expect another enjoyable afternoon provided by our talented children. The photo at right shows the F.R.O.G.S. Choir singing “Elijah Rock!” at the end of the 2015 concert, and additional photos are available on the Children’s Benefit Concert 2015 page.

The beneficiary will again be the ELCA Good Gifts program. The children ask the members of the congregation to make a pledge at the concert or any time during Lent which will be added to the money children have contributed during Sunday School. After the concert, the Sunday School decides which particular gifts to fund. The Good Gifts program enables individuals or groups to sponsor gifts of farm animals, clean water, health care, and education to help communities around the world transcend poverty and hunger. This tradition offers our children a chance to practice stewardship by donating their time and talent toward a worthy cause and a chance for adults in the congregation to model stewardship for the children by making contributions in connection with the concert.

We hope you will attend the concert and consider giving $1 a day during Lent ($40) towards the fundraising effort. Please join us on March 5 for an invigorating concert and consider contributing to the ELCA’s worldwide ministries!

Advent Means Preparing for Christmas

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The season of Advent has begun, and all around the church preparations for Christmas are underway. The children are practicing their skit for Christmas Eve worship, and the choirs are working on their music. Each Sunday of Advent we will light another candle on the Advent wreath during worship, and there aren’t any Christmas carols.

Plans are already being made to decorate the Nave for Christmas on the morning of December 24. The antique crèche (imported from German in the 1920s) will be brought out from storage, poinsettias unwrapped and placed around the Nave, a wreath of greens assembled and hung by the entrance, and a tree decorated. With the help of many hands, we will be ready for two worship services on Christmas Even and one on Christmas Day.

All are welcome to the three Christmas worship service:

  • Family Worship on Christmas Eve at 5:00 pm featuring a Christmas skit by the children, familiar carols, and Holy Communion.
  • Festival Choral Eucharist on Christmas Eve at 11:00 pm featuring the LCH Choir, familiar carols, and Holy Communion. Come early and enjoy music of Egil Hovland and Gustav Holst sung by the LCH Choir at 10:30.
  • Choral Eucharist on Christmas Day at 10:30 am featuring the men of the LCH Choir, familiar carols, and Holy Communion

Above, an acolyte lights one of the candles on the Advent wreath.

At left, Steve Miller and the kids unwrap poinsettias.

Children’s Benefit Concert a Great Success

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Members and friends of the congregation gathered for the 9th (mostly) annual Children”s Benefit Concert on Saturday afternoon, March 7

In keeping with tradition, the concert began with “Hittite Hints,” an original poem by Pr. Fritz Fritschel, read by Peggy Brandt because Pr. Fritz was out of town. Following the poem, more than a dozen children presented their musical talent. They performed on the trumpet, guitar, piano, violin, drum, and organ; one sang a solo, and all the children joined together to sing the finale.

The first Children”s Benefit Concert took place during Lent 2006, and except for last year, has taken place every Lent. Each year the children challenge members of the congregation to pledge $1 a day for the 40 days of Lent to be used to help families in need around the world. At the early years, donations were made through Heifer International, but in 2013 and again this year, donation will go the ELCA”s Good Gifts program.

Pastor Jeff welcomed the audience to the 9th Children’s Benefit ConcertPeggy Brant read “Hittite Hints,” a new poem by Pr. Fritz Fritschel written for the event.A boy played Jeremiah Clarke’s “Trumpet Voluntary.”A boy played a guitar arrangement of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”A girl played “Go Tell Aunt Rhody” on the violin.A girl played “What Can I Share” by Palmer, Manus, and Lethco on the piano.A boy played “Hip Little Sixteen” by Murray Hollif on the snare drum.A boy played Beethoven’ “Für Elise” on the piano.A boy played “Toccotina” by David Schaap on the organ.A girl played “Vivace” by Ferdinando Carulli and “Minuet in G minor” by J.S. Bach on the piano.A girl sand “New York, New York” by Kander and Ebb.A boy played “Sicilienne and Rigaudon” by Fritz Kreisler on the violin.A girl played “Morning Vista” by Melody Bober on the piano.A boy played the second movement of Diitri Shostokovich’s “Sonata in D minor” on the cello.A boy played “Toccata” form Suite Gothique on the organ.The concert ended with the F.R.O.G.S. Choir singing “Elijah Rock!”

Rain Can’t Dampen Children’s Sabbath

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Not even a tropical storm warning could keep folks away from out annual celebration of Children’s Sabbath on Sunday, October 19. Our congregation’s talented children had been practicing their music and acting for weeks, so they were ready with enthusiastic performances during both morning worship services. They also provided ushers, readers, and communion assistants.

The highlight of the morning was the children’s skit which served as both children’s conversation and sermon. Under the direction of Georgine Stark, they retold the Gospel story when Jesus was asked whether it was OK to pay taxes to the emperor.

In keeping with our program of year-round stewardship, Linda Miller offered a Temple Talk emphasizing our congregation’s commitment to stewardship of our keiki (children) and our thanks to our children for participating enthusiastically in our Sunday School and youth programs.

Below is a slideshow with photos of some of the ways our children offered their talents.

A girl plays the prelude.The children singing the call to worshipThe children do a Gospel skitboy playing a violin pieceTwo brothers play part of a sonata

Godly Play Room Dedicated for New School Year

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With the new school year just around the corner, the congregation gathered to dedicate the new Godly Play room following worship on Sunday, August 31.

The Sunday School teachers and pastors have been preparing for almost a year for the introduction of this new curriculum, which approaches the stories of sacred history in a way that is both fun and engaging. Linda Miller has been describing the journey to be ready for Godly Play in her blog, Notes from Nana Linda. For a brief introduction, please read her post “What is Godly Play?”

Christian Educations is offered for children and adults of all ages each Sunday morning at 9:20, between the two morning worship services. In addition to Godly Play for children ages 3 through 5th grade, children 6th through 12th grade have their own class (which meets in the Rainbow Room), the Adult Forum gathers in the Board Room, and professional nursery care is provided for children infant through 4 years. All are welcome.

At right, Pastor Angela blesses the Godly Play room with help from one of the children.

Sunday School Prepares for Godly Play

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Linda Miller meets with prospective Sunday School teachers to prepare for the new Godly Play curriculumIt seems like summer has just begun, but already folks in our Sunday School are getting ready for the new school year in September. Earlier this year, they decided to switch their curriculum and adopt Godly Play for the LCH Sunday School, so the leadership is busy getting everything ready.

Linda Miller first introduced the Godly Play to the congregation back in January, and one of the Sunday School rooms has been outfitted for the curriculum, so now the teachers are beginning their training to use the curriculum effectively. At right, Linda (left), discusses Godly Play with Jim Niermann, Marjan Lynch, Laurie Leach, and Stepha Luuloa.

To help get the word out about Godly Play, Linda has resurrected her blog, Notes from Nana Linda, with a recent post explaining Godly Play. Check it out, and stay tuned for more news about this exciting curriculum.

Sunday School Year Ends with Fun Day

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Sunday School children and teachers enjoy some of the games on Fun DayChildren in the LCH Sunday School enjoyed a morning of fun and games on their last day together until the fall. The Sunday School teachers had prepared a variety of games to appeal to individual interests and different ages. Others from the congregation pitched in to prepare hot dogs and other snacks for the children.

At right, children reach into the mystery box for prizes.

The summer worship schedule begins on June 1, with one morning worship service at 9:15 am. Regular Sunday School Classes will resume with the first Sunday in September, but nursery classes will be provided during worship.

Godly Play Is Introduced!

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Pastor Angela Freeman and Linda Miller, director of the Sunday school programming were recently trained as facilitators for the Sunday school programing called, Godly Play. Godly Play was developed by Jerome Berryman and continues to be an effective and creative curriculum for students of all ages.

The program is a Montessori style of learning encouraging the participants to ask questions and learn Bible stories in an intimate way. The photo below is of Linda introducing the Christmas story on the Second Sunday after Christmas. This telling of the story is a “soft” introduction of Godly Play. LCH will be slowly building up of its resources as well as materials for the program.

You’re invited to participate in the telling of the story of the Mystery of Baptism which will be offered directly after the 10:30 am worship this Sunday, January 12. The story will be told in the Rainbow Room.

You could also experience a Godly Play story being told on Sunday, February 23 as the sermon for both the 8:00 am and 10:30 am services that day.

http://www.godlyplayfoundation.org

Godly Play 1 Godly Play 2