Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,
I know that May can be a busy month for families with kids, especially as the school year comes to an end and graduation season unfolds. I am praying that you and your kids feel permission to rest and play in the midst of all the work and hustle.
As we honor the mother figures in our lives tomorrow, I wanted to share this post by Kat Armas (author of Abuelita Faith) on the topic of God and Jesus as mother figures. If you don't have time to read the whole post, then I encourage you to take a look at the poem provided at the end. It's called "God Our Mother" by Allison Woodard, and it is the poem read over me by members of FBCP at my baby shower when I was pregnant with Emma Kate. May we feel the expansive and tender heart of God as a mother figure who loves and nurtures us without end.
Youth Room Renovation
We are so excited to begin fixing up our youth room to make it more inviting and useful for our gatherings. If you want to help us beautify our space, we could use some help in a few ways. First, we are collecting used (but in good condition) picture frames of various sizes and styles. If you have any you don't want anymore, we would gladly take them! And if you're a pro at thrift stores and happen to see any there, we would gladly take those, too. Second, we are planning a work day to rip out carpet and paint the walls. If you're up for helping, join us on May 18th! More details to come, but you can email me if you want to sign up or get more information. Thanks for supporting our growing youth as they reimagine their space and all the ways they can share it with the congregation at large!
Mark Your Calendars for June 2!
On Sunday, June 2, our kids and youth will be joining our adult choir in singing during worship. We will be practicing during our regular Sunday time with kids and youth in the coming weeks, and you can help them practice at home, too. You can play the listening track and sing along with these lyrics. We'll ask kids and youth to arrive at 9:30 am that day to practice, and we'll have pastries for parents so y'all can hang out before worship. On that Sunday we will also take time to honor and celebrate our graduates of all ages, so it will be a full and beautiful service with a chance to bless those in this milestone moment.
Kids Camp Registration
We are already making plans for camp this summer, and registration is now open! Camp will run June 24-28 from 9am-12pm each day. We are excited to help our kids encounter God's love together with people from our church family! Youth families, please note that the youth are invited to help again this year, and this can count for community service hours if they have any requirements through school or other organizations.
SUNDAY
KIDS
Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Our nursery staff will be ready starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service and 10:20 AM for those coming just to worship. This week our nursery kids will explore how Jesus taught and healed people.
Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary in the front pews. This week we look at the beautiful ways that God is our Heavenly Mother. We are so excited to share in this special time together!
Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:
What are some traits you love most about your mom?
How can our moms and mother figures help us understand God's love and presence in our lives?
YOUTH
Parents, my apologies—we will NOT have youth this week so that youth can spend time with their moms. We will be back on for our time together next week!
Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!
With deep affection for you,
Pastor Lindsay