We also hope that you'll join us this Sunday, February 4, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Loft, as we listen to and discuss the recent TED Talk: "Lessons from the Longest Study on Human Development." While not a catchy title, this talk explores the influence that parents and poverty have on children--and can potentially inform some of the life-changing work that we'd like to do as a church.

• Twenty minutes of socializing and meeting other parents
• Twenty minutes of watching a TED Talk on parenting
• Twenty minutes in small groups, using a handout with prepared questions to discuss themes and ideas from the talk

We hope you'll join us for coffee, muffins and bagels, and some great conversation! For more information, please contact Matt Helms. 

• All children who would normally attend Sunday School on the fourth floor (age 3 through grade 5) should instead stay with you as you attend worship that morning--nursery-aged children (ages 2 and younger) are welcome in the nursery as usual.

• Before the sermon begins, all Sunday School children will be invited to come forward to the front of the Sanctuary for a short liturgical piece before heading off to their regular classrooms. Our teachers will meet them at the front of the Sanctuary and help make sure everyone gets where they need to go as we exit and head to the Gratz Center.

• After worship, you will pick up your children from their fourth-floor classroom just like you would on any other Sunday.

• Each year, we use Fish Banks to collect money for One Great Hour of Sharing--a program dedicated to helping developing communities all over the world. Participating children are encouraged to collect loose change all throughout Lent. We talk during Children's Chapel about the way that that money is used to make a positive difference in the lives of families around the world. Fish Banks can be found in your children's Sunday School and Nursery classrooms, and these banks will be returned to the church on Palm Sunday as a part of our offering during worship that day.

• On the Sunday School floor over these next several weeks, you will also be seeing a sign-up sheet for something called the "Lenten SNAP Challenge." SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a federal program that provides a monthly food budget to low- and fixed-income families. During the SNAP Challenge, families are asked to stick to (either for one day or one week) a small stipend for their food budget that matches what the SNAP benefits are for the State of Illinois. These numbers change based on the number of family members in your house, but on average it is only slightly more than $5 per person per day for all of your food. You'll also be given a worksheet to help your family think about what this experience might teach us.

• Finally, an oldie but a goodie: our denomination has always encouraged us to either consider "giving up something," or "taking up something" as part of our Lenten fast. The idea behind this is not just an excuse to diet; it's an opportunity to think about small, but meaningful changes we can make in our daily lives that will improve both our lives and the lives of those around us.