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CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Children's & Youth Ministries Newsletter
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Click
here
to email Rev. Dr. Judith Lee
Click
here
for our
Current CYM Calendar
May is a month of beginnings and endings. We plant our gardens, open our homes, set up our pools and decks, make plans for the summer. Baseball season begins, while hockey and basketball end. It is a season of firsts and lasts: graduations, First Communions, weddings, proms, performances of all kinds. During May at Calvary we look forward to the end of the program year and we begin planning for next year.
Sunday May 7th - Family Chapel 9:15 am - This is our opportunity to talk about what will be most beneficial to your family next year as you get ready to present ideas to your new Rector. What would you like to see in Sunday School? What schedule will work best for you and your family? What events have been most meaningful? What can we be doing better? Your teachers spend a lot of time thinking and planning for Sundays, but you know best how we can help your children grow in their love for Jesus. Your children may play or join the conversation, and then we will pray and sing together.
On May 14th - Mother's Day - we will have our semi-annual ingathering for the United Thank Offering. Each child will bring home a blue & white box for the family. The United Thank Offering, often referred to as UTO, is a personal and family devotional program of the Episcopal Church for people to give thanks for the blessings in their everyday lives. It was founded in 1889 and has become a worldwide effort to meet compelling human needs and to expand the mission and ministry of the church. You might put this box in a central place in the house, so that each member of the family might place coins every day to say "thank you" for a blessing of the day. Some families do this together, while others do it individually, on the run. In either case, we hope to make this a part of all our lives for the next two weeks.
Judith+
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CYM Parent Board
I am pleased and grateful to announce that the following parents have agreed to serve on a new CYM Parent Board for the 2017-2018 program year: Janis and Mike Bommer, Lora and Mark Bunting, Brian and Christina Donaghy, Laura and Jeremiah Lohnes, Andria and Mike McCarthy, Christina and Shawn McCormick, and Kelly and Doug Sandburg. This group will serve as support to the teachers in planning events and arranging for assistance in classes, and it will be an advisory group to your new Rector in making long-term plans for the structure and staffing.
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End of the year
On June 4th and 11th we will end our program year with two traditional events:
June 4th
will be Pentecost Sunday, often called the Birthday of the Church because we observe the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. We will have our annual CYM picnic with breakfast pizza, games, and fellowship. Weather permitting we will gather outside; in case of rain we'll gather in Hughson Hall. Wear Red and come prepared for fun! We welcome parents' help with this event: please contact Emily Sityar if you are able to help.
On June 11th, the last day of the program year, our children will meet the teachers they will have next year, and after the 10 am service we will have a pot-luck luncheon to celebrate our Sunday school teachers, our choir, and Mother Judith's ministry with us. Please plan to stay.
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Baptisms
We will welcome two children in Holy Baptism this month: On Saturday May 6th, Connor Quinn Lathan will be baptized, and on Sunday May 28th we welcome Caroline Louise Sandburg. Please join us in prayers and celebration for our newest members!
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Teacher's Reflection - Christina McCormick
As the school year comes to an end, it is time to reflect on what everyone has learned over the last school year, both at Sunday School and in their regular classes. Education is so important for students, as they will take what they learn with them for the rest of their lives. Students may not think they will need the math they learned during their school years, but that is something that they will use in many capacities of their lives and occupations. Christian education is no different; indeed, one could easily argue that it is more important. The stories and lesson learned in Sunday School will stay with students for the remainder of their lives, long after they stop working. The lessons will be handed down to their children and then their children. Being strong in your faith will carry you through the good and the tough times. Sunday School brings the basis of faith to young children. Sunday School is not just another "class" a child has to attend; it's starting to build their knowledge of their faith and their love for Jesus. I still remember my days in Sunday School and I wanted the same strong Christian education for my son. Calvary Episcopal Sunday School has provided that to my son and to all the children of Calvary. There is fun, fellowship, and education for children and everyone is the richer for it.
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May 6th - We welcome in Holy Baptism Connor Quinn Lathan
May 7th - 9:15-9:45 am - Family Chapel
May 14th - Mother's Day Celebration in Children's Chapel
UTO Offering during the service
May 28th - We welcome in Holy Baptism Caroline Louise Sandburg
June 4th - Pentecost Picnic - outdoor games and fun after Children's Chapel with recognition of our current graduates during the service
June 11th - Celebration Sunday: Potluck Luncheon and Reception to celebrate Mother Judith's ministry, our Sunday School Teachers, our Choir, Choristers, and Choral Scholars
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Community Service
Raising money for a family well through Episcopal Relief & Development
This year's Lenten Project, which will extend to the end of the program year (June 12th), is to collect returnable bottles & cans to raise money for Episcopal Relief and Development. ERD provides disaster relief both overseas and in our country, and it supports projects for economic development throughout the world. So far we have raised $140 from our bottle drive, and our goal is to raise $750. (To learn more about Episcopal Relief and Development, go to their website at
www.episcopalrelief.org
.) We will do two things for this project:
- The Children's Weekly Offering is being set aside for ERD.
- We are asking members of the congregation to bring their returnable bottles and cans to church (rather than leaving them out for pickup at their homes). Calvary now has an account at Integrity Bottle & Can Redemption Center, 2790 Sheridan Dr. near Parkhurst in Tonawanda, so you may bring your recycling directly there and ask them to apply credit to Calvary Episcopal Church.
Grounds
Volunteers are needed to plant flowers in the Courtyard and to help with 3 Eagle Scout Projects this summer. Please contact Paul McKenna to learn more.
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From April 23rd - June 4th, our children will celebrate the resurrection by learning the traditional song, "Praise him, praise him." You can listen to a version of this song on YouTube, or download the sheet music. Here are the words:
Praise him in the morning,
Praise him in the noontime.
Praise him, praise him.
Praise him when the sun goes down.
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Nursery (infant - 3 years)
The Nursery children continue to bring a smile to our faces every week. Kiernan and I have seen so much growth in each child and your children appear to love coming to us. We enjoy seeing each individual personality develop and how they think about the toys and each other. Watching those who cry at the beginning of nursery and leave laughing, or sometimes stalling to leave, makes us know that we have gained their confidence in a safe, playful, and loving environment.
The nursery could really use a playpen/pack and play. It is wonderful to have the infants and toddlers, but we do need a safe place to put a baby down for a nap. We received a changing table courtesy of the Sandburgs.
Kiernan and I would also like to thank Carol Mayo and her friends, for donating some new toys (the children instantly gravitated to them and LOVE them), and the Christmas tree as well. Also a BIG "Thank you" to the parent volunteers. We know that you like some time away from the little ones and spending time in Church, but your help is appreciated.
Kelly Blackey and Kiernan Hayward
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Beginners Class (Pre-K & K)
- May Message
The beginner class has just finished talking about Baptism and have enjoyed our time talking about Easter! We are now beginning our last unit of the year entitled, "We are the Church." During our time together, we talk about how people go to different types of churches. Then we learn about the different types of people in the church such as clergy, lay leaders, friends and family. Also included in this unit is talking about the Bible, why we pray and sing hymns. Overall our group will be learning a lot about the church!
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Primary Class (Grades 1-3) - May Message
During the month of May our class will continue learning about the early church. The students are looking up our lesson passages in the Bible in the Acts of the Apostles. It was a violent and turbulent time for the disciples. We are focused on the power of prayer, forgiveness and the positive events.
Our class is also discussing the many ways we can be good stewards to Mother Earth. This goes hand in hand with our CYM Lenten project of collecting recyclable bottles and cans for an African village well.
We are remembering to notice the beauty of each spring day, looking around at all the new growth and to say a prayer of thanks.
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Intermediate (Grades 4-6) -
May
Message
It has been a while since the Intermediate Sunday School class has met separately and individually. The Easter season has begun and our focus is on the Great Commandments - to love God completely and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
On April 23rd, we read and reviewed the apostle Paul's famous chapter on love, 1 Corinthians 13. We listed and wrote out roughly sixteen characteristics of love mentioned by Paul.
Whenever the word "love" is used, we are going to substitute the name of Jesus in its place. For example, Jesus is patient and kind. Jesus is not jealous, conceited or proud. Jesus does not keep a record of wrongs. Jesus is not happy with evil but is happy with the truth. Jesus never gives up. Jesus is eternal.
What if we substituted our names where we have seen the word "love" in this chapter? Better yet, consider reading this passage with the phrase "Christ in _____." Christ in George is patient and kind. Christ in Megan is not jealous, conceited or proud. Christ in Liv is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable. Christ in Hailey does not keep a record of wrongs. Christ in Natalie is not happy with evil but is happy with the truth. As we become more Christ-like, these loving qualities will become more apparent in our day-to-day lives. How amazing!!!
Mr. Mayer
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Junior High Youth (Grades 7-9) - May Message
In the coming weeks, the Junior Youth Class will be examining the life and accomplishments of St. Paul: his dramatic conversion to Christianity, his travels and missionary work, and his writings and moral teachings. We will look at how St. Paul's example of discipleship may guide how we encounter and serve God in our lives and examine how his teachings may apply to current issues in the modern world.
Springtime is always hectic with sports and end-of-the-school-year activities, but please join us when you can. Our class is better for having you with us! Also, anyone who is interested in sorting returnable bottles and cans and bringing them to the recycle center, please contact me at
[email protected].
Emily
Sityar
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The Choristers of Calvary
A New Community Youth Choir Program
Boys and Girls, 3rd Grade and up
Tuesdays - 4:30 - 6:30pm
Rehearsal 4:30-5:45pm
Choral Evensong 6:00-6:30pm
through June 11, 2017
World-class music education and after school program
No Sunday morning commitment; scholarship provided to all choristers covers the cost of workbooks, vestments, and music. Open to all community members. For more information contact:
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I will go to the altar of God / To the God of my joy and gladness.
Acolytes actively assist the clergy in leading the worship of God. Acolytes often find their service is not only fun, but also spiritually fulfilling. They learn to serve with dignity, humility, and care, always with love of Christ. We welcome you to this ministry if you are in 4th grade or higher. We work with your schedule: it's not an "every Sunday" commitment, and you will get training and practice so that you will feel comfortable at the altar. To see the current acolyte schedule click
here.
If you and your parents would like to learn more please contact Doug Sandburg II at: [email protected]
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They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper. [Psalm 1:3]
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