FAMILY NEWSLETTER MAR 22 - APRIL 12

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Samson McGee
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This can be as simple as a sticker chart or even include prizes or special family activity rewards.

1 PETER IS FORGIVEN FAMILY NEWSLETTER MAR 22 - APRIL 12 STORY IN FOCUS: Easter & Peter s Reconcilliation MEMORY VERSE We encourage families to make scripture memorization a priority in their faith journey! Consider implementing an incentive program as a family to encourage your children in their memorization journey. This can be as simple as a sticker chart or even include prizes or special family activity rewards. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord ~Acts 3:19 - NIV FORGIVE US This year we ve been exploring theme s of the Lord s Prayer. The Easter season is the perfect time to explore the theme of forgiveness. Christ s death and resurecction was the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins! The disciple Peter experienced Jesus forgiveness in a very personal way first hand as he witnessed the very first Easter. We hope that in this rotation kids will be able to: Retell the Easter story and know where in the Bible it is found Understand Peter s experience during the story and recognize how themes of forgiveness are displayed Recognize that Jesus death and resurrection was for all humanity - and for each of us individually Experience the power of Christ s forgiveness in our own lives and receive His love just as Peter did PRESCHOOL Our preschoolers are going to be learning about Easter too. Each Sunday they will learn about parts of Easter week - from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection! Each lesson is written specially for these young hearts and minds and we look forward to sharing Christ s love for us through these stories.

2 WHERE AM I GOING? PRESCHOOL K - GR 1 BOYS K - GR 1 GIRLS GRADE 2-3 GRADE 4-6 MAR 22 EGGSTRAVAGANZA FLYER DELIVERY IN RITCHIE COMMUNITY (Come as a family) MAR 22 Fishermans. Net Thou Art Loaves & Fishes Chapel MAR Loaves & FIshes CHAPEL MAR 29 Thou Art Bible TImes Square Chapel Loaves & Fishes APRIL 5 APRIL 5 EASTER WEEKEND - NO STREET 2:52 APRIL Loaves & FIshes Fishermans.Net Palestine Productions APR 12 Bible TImes Square Fishermans. Net Thou Art CURRENT VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE Preschool Steph Christensen Preschool TBD Preschool Joelle Bakker & Andrea Anderst Preschool Dorothy Mack, Emily Weston, Sara Werner Thou Art Miranda Lee Loaves & Fishes Cooking Company Marla Cameron, Andrea Anderst & Olga Hammond Games Mike Christensen & Deann Fuellbrandt Picnic Darren Neimen, Andrea Anderst, Chris Weston, Movies Tamara devry & Treena Gish Hall Monitor Dayton Strauss Hall Monitor Steph McKinnon, Marcia Barnard

3 SPOILER ALERT!! OVERVIEW OF WORKSHOPS AND OBJECTIVES: Throughout an entire rotation children learn through a variety of learning styles, repetition and varying story viewpoints. The entire rotation is designed to increase memory retention, dig deep into scripture and inspire a long term faith journey. To get the best view of the overall teaching objectives, we ve broken them down by workshop for you to see. Movie Older children will watch small sections from the Visual Bible - The Gospel of John, a non animated film reinacting the story of Peter s Reconciliation. During their viewing they will discuss what they see. Younger students will view a video celebrating Jesus Ressurection. Thou Art Using the Japanese art style Notan, children will make artwork with symbols that demonstrate the negative and positive aspects of the story. Loaves & Fishes Cooking Co. Students will make a trail mix as they recount the Peter s journey during the first easter. Each ingredient will remind them about parts of the story. Games Students will play games to help explore the story and remember the sequence of events. Picnic Students will participate in a picnic on the beach as they meet Peter and hear first hand about His experience during the first Easter. PLEASE NOTE: SUNDAY MARCH am - EGGSTRAVAGANZA FLYERS We re hitting the streets of Ritchie Community to help share the news of Jesus resurrection and we need your help! As a group we re going to deliver Eggstravaganza flyers to as many mailboxes as we can between -10:45. This is not a typical Street 2:52 workshop but we thought it was too fun an opportunity to pass by. We need at least one parent/caregiver from each family to accompany their children for this walk. Feel free to bring older siblings or push a stroller. We ll meet together in the chapel at and head out in teams with maps and flyers in hand. Let us know if you plan to help out by replying to this ! This activity will replace regular programming for the session. SUNDAY MARCH am - A Picnic With Peter All children from Kindergarten through Grade 6 are invited to join us for a picnic with the Apostle Peter. We ll be hearing first hand what it was like for Peter on the very first Easter and how Jesus death, resurrection and forgiveness impacted Peter s life. The script for this session was written with young children in mind, however, we recognize that the story of Jesus death is emotional and often requires sensitive support and open dialogue as children learn even the most basic details of this story. If you feel that your child would benefit from your presence during this session, please feel free to join us and take a seat next to your child(ren). References used for Bible Background: Achtemier, Paul J. ed. Harper s Bible Dictionary. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985 Deffinbaugh, Robert L. What Is This Thing Called Love? (John 21:1-25) Edscorn, Kris. Bible Background on John infopop.cc/eve /m/ Johnson, Barton W. Commentary on John 21. People s New Testament Life Application Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Lindsley, Steve. Background for the Story of Peter Workshops. (From a St. Elmo s Choir Rotation Lesson Set).

4 BIBLE BACKGROUND Story Background: As Easter approaches once again, we tell the overall Easter account with an emphasis on a particular aspect of the Passion story. In other years we have focused on the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Empty Tomb/Resurrection Appearances. This year we will focus on Peter s relationship with Jesus, specifically, Peter s denial of Jesus during Jesus arrest and Peter s restoration with Jesus after Jesus resurrection. Who was Peter? Peter was a Galilean fisherman, called to be one of Jesus twelve disciples. Many consider him to be the leader, or at the least the disciple s spokesperson. Originally named Simon, Peter acquired a nickname from Jesus. His new name was significant: it s the Greek word for rock and translates into an Aramaic nickname, Cephas that also means rock. Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas (which, when translated, is Peter). John 1:42 In Matthew s telling of Peter s name change there is an addition: And I tell you that you are Peter (meaning rock), and on this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16:18a) Did Peter, a lowly fisherman, become a building block for the church? Indeed if we look ahead in time, at Pentecost we see Peter preaching joyfully, telling the good news of what Jesus has done (Act 2:14ff ). Other stories in the book of Acts tell of Peter s efforts towards building the church. So we know that Peter lived up to his nickname but there was a time when it didn t look as though Peter would make it. This is where our story starts. Peter s resolve to follow Christ The setting is the evening before Jesus death. The disciples have had supper with Jesus in an upper room. Jesus is now teaching his disciples. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. John 13:33 A confused Peter asked Jesus, Lord, where are you going? As a trusty disciple, Peter likely had plans to follow Jesus anywhere! Jesus replied, Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later. An exasperated Peter asks Jesus, Lord, why can t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you! That statement speaks of Peter s resolve to follow Jesus. But Jesus knew that Peter was weaker than he thought. Thus Jesus reply is a surprising prediction of Peter s denial of Christ: Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! John 13:36-38 The denials Fast forward the story to the scene in the garden where Jesus is arrested and led away. His disciples flee into the darkness, fearful that they will be arrested too. However Peter and another disciple follow to the place where Jesus is taken. It is here that the first disowning occurs. You are not one of his disciples, are you? the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, I am not. John 18:17 In just a few brief hours, Jesus prediction is starting to be fulfilled: Peter denies that he knows Jesus. This is Peter, who a few hours earlier had said he would die for Jesus, now rejecting any association with him. Two more denials occur shortly there after. Peter stands in the courtyard of the high priest, warming himself by a charcoal fire. As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, You are not one of his disciples, are you? He denied it, saying, I am not. One of the high priest s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, Didn t I see you with him in the olive grove? Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. John 18:25-27 Feeling Peter s weakness Can you envision Peter s shame and sorrow when suddenly the rooster crowed? Imagine him thinking of Jesus words: before the rooster crows Picture his feelings of failure; surely he was guilt-ridden and demoralized. All of the other Gospels tell of Peter s denials, but they word his denials stronger, having Peter use an oath to

deny Christ. He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, I don t know this man you re talking about. Mark 14:71 His use of an oath does not mean that he used any foul language.

5 deny Christ. He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, I don t know this man you re talking about. Mark 14:71 His use of an oath does not mean that he used any foul language. He was in effect saying, May God strike me dead if I am lying. Luke s Gospel includes more information about this event, including adding Jesus to the scene: Peter replied, Man, I don t know what you re talking about! Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22: It is easy for us to identify with Peter s pain, for Peter s disposition demonstrates that of someone who wants so desperately to follow Jesus but lets human frailty get in the way. Peter promised never to leave or deny Jesus; and only a short while later he was hiding and had denied Jesus three times. How are our own stories like Peter s? In what ways do modern-day Christians deny Christ? Have our lifestyles, our actions or our attitudes caused us to deny Jesus? Many of us have experienced Peter s denial; through fear, lack of faith and disobedience we have left the presence of Jesus. Crucifixion and Resurrection Jesus was led away to trial and subsequent crucifixion on a cross. All the disciples, but surely Peter, were defeated and desolate. Peter must have thought about how his chances to express his feelings of sorrow and repent, were gone forever. After his death, Jesus was taken from the cross and placed hurriedly in a tomb. Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb but much to her surprise, the stone covering the entrance to the tomb was rolled away! She ran and told Peter and Jesus favorite disciple (according to tradition, this is John). Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb and saw that it was empty except for strips of cloth that had covered Jesus body and face. Mystified, the disciples went back to their homes but Mary stayed by the tomb. Then Mary saw Jesus! Later that day Jesus showed himself to his disciples. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. A week later, Jesus appeared to the disciples again. One can imagine how the disciples felt they had seen the risen Lord, some of them more than once. While they were full of joy, Jesus appearances seemed random, and they had no clear direction of what they should do next. Jesus was resurrected, but what would happen to them now, especially to Peter? Breakfast on the beach The Gospel of John includes one more resurrection appearance story. In this story Peter finds restoration with Jesus. It is interesting that none of the other Gospel writers chose to include this final incident. Many scholars think this chapter was a later addition. However, if this is the case, it was added very early on, for all early manuscripts include it. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two other disciples were together, seven disciples in all. Peter had announced, I m going out to fish. So the others went with him in their boat onto Lake Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee). They didn t catch a thing all night long. In the morning light, Jesus, unrecognized by the disciples, called to their boat from the shore, Friends, have you caught anything? Jesus told them to let their net down on the right side of the boat. They did and the net was so full of fish that they couldn t drag it into the boat. Then they recognized Jesus and said, It is the Lord! When they got to the shore, they saw bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. Jesus said, Come and eat! Peter s Restoration After they had finished eating, Jesus had a conversation with Peter. Now had come the time for a reinstatement of Peter. Jesus asked Peter a question: Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these? It is interesting to note that Jesus does not call him Peter the rock but uses his given name, Simon. The question is also curious do you love me more than these, what is meant by these? Peter responded with Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus then had a simple response, Feed my lambs. Three times Jesus asked Peter the same question: do you love me. Peter had denied Jesus three times, now Jesus is offering Peter three chances for redemption. Jesus does not place any guilt upon Peter for his earlier denials, but instead provides him an equal number of opportunities to affirm his love for his Lord. Peter readily accepts the opportunities, and each time Jesus instructs him to feed and take care of his flock. This is assurance for Peter that God has work for him to do to nurture the church. We are like Peter because we all lose courage and do the wrong thing sometimes. But even though we betray him, Jesus died for us. This powerful story of gentle forgiveness can be a great source of comfort and hope to all of us who have sinned and through our lifestyles, actions and attitudes, have denied Jesus. Through his tender mercies he forgives us too, and restores us to ministry (whatever that might be). All that he asks of us is to love him. And always his final command to us is Follow me. How do we love him and follow him? By following the call he has given to each of us, by serving his body, his church, using whatever gifts and abilities he has given.

FAMILY NEWSLETTER JAN 12 - FEB 9

ONE BIG CHURCH FAMILY NEWSLETTER JAN 12 - FEB 9 THE CREEDS OF OUR FAITH This year we are focusing on teaching some foundations of our faith. Most of our story choices have been based around the Apostles