Bear Cub Facts October 15, 2017
Dear Parents,  

The next few weeks are full of fun and excitement at school.  On Friday, we hope you will join us at our Open House at 6:30 p.m.  Come and see what your child has been working on at school and meet some of his/her friends and their families.  We will also have a food truck here at 5:45 to benefit our 8th grade trip to Washington D.C.

On Sunday, we will be singing  during the 10:55 a.m. worship service and teaching the congregation a special song.  Children can sit with their families and will be called up to the front when it is time to sing.  We have been practicing our special song with Mr. Gagan who will accompany us on the piano.  You can practice at home with your child using the link on our chapel page at 
http://www.bethanylutheran.org/preschool-blog/preschool-chapel/. 

On October 24-25, during your child's class time on Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be taking photographs.   Your registration fee for preschool included a packet which will consist of 1 5x7, 2 4x6's, 4 2x3's and 1 8x10 class composite.  When you receive your photos in a few weeks you will have the option to order more photos.  If your child does not normally come on Tuesday or Wednesday, you are welcome to stop by Room 101 with your child at 9 a.m. and we will take their photo while you wait.

Friday, October 27 is our special Evening with Dad.  Bring your dad, uncle, grandpa, or special friend and a hallowed out pumpkin.  We'll have story time, snack, trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving fun.  Please note  that as per your request on last year's Parent Surveys, we will be serving healthier items this year.  Our snack will include Pirate Booty or pretzels and 100% apple juice.  The children will then trick-or-treat for play-doh, stamps, pencils, and holiday stickers.  Make sure Dad downloads our Bethany App and show it to our Admissions Counselor, Kathy, at the event to get a special prize for your child.
 
This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.  In your child's cubby this week you should have found a special Reformation A-Z coloring book.  We hope that your family will join us for our Oktoberfest/Kinderfeier on Sunday, October 29 from 4-7:30 p.m.  There will be carnival games, a costume contest, pumpkin carving, German food and music, and even a Biergarten for those that purchase tickets in advance.  Tickets can be purchased in our elementary school office.  If you would like to assist at the Kinderfeier Pumpkin Patch Carnival for FISH hours please sign up at:  https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/2059008/false#/invitation.

On October 31 we are planning a Pumpkin Day Parade and a special Pumpkin Patch where each child can select a pumpkin to take home.  Please dress your child in their costume, preferably over their clothes.  We will go on a parade around the campus at 8:45 a.m.   Afterward we will take the costumes off so if they are not over their clothing, please bring extra clothes.  No costume accessories will be allowed.  In addition, we would like each child to bring a small pumpkin to their classroom anytime between October 24-31 to be used at the patch.   We are also planning a special treat for after lunch.  Sign up sheets are located on each classroom sign in book.  Please note that this event is only for our students who are enrolled on Tuesdays.  If your child attends on Tuesday and you would like to stay for the parade, please make sure to sign in in the office and wear a visitor sticker.  As we are a licensed facility, we are not able to have siblings attend the event. Due to SB 792 we are  now required to have pertussis, flu, and measles vaccinations for all parents who engage with the children during the event. We will take class photos and put them in your child's portfolio.  Our schedule for the day is as follows:

8:30 snack
8:45 parade
9:15 take off costumes
9:30 chapel
9:50 older classes pumpkin patch followed by outside time
10:35 younger classes pumpkin patch followed by outside time
11:20 lunch followed by cookie treat

For those parents who are not able to obtain their immunizations or whose child does not attend on Tuesday, we would encourage you to attend our PTL sponsored Kinderfeier Pumpkin Patch on Sunday, October 27 from 4-6 p.m.

In His Service,
Mary Wolfinbarger
Bethany Lutheran Preschool
562-429-7335 
 
http://www.bethanylutheran.org/

Dates for your calendar:

October 20 Fall Fling Open House 
October 22 Preschool sings in 10:55 a.m. service. Pat Gagan will accompany us in singing "We Love Because God First Loved Us"
October 24-25 Picture Days
October 27  Evening with Dad 6 p.m.
October 31  Pumpkin Day Celebration
This week in Jesus Circle: 

God Helps Us in Times of Trouble - Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14)
Discovery Points
Law:  Sin is our enemy.  Each day, we fight against our own sinful thoughts and actions.
Gospel:  Jesus defeated sin for us.  Through Baptism, our sins are washed away.
Sanctification:  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we rejoice that sin no longer controls us!  We live in freedom - free to live for Jesus.
 
Connections for home: (from One in Christ, Preschool B 2013 CPH)
In this Bible story, God's people experience fear, act in faith, and then rejoice.  At first, they are afraid.  They see water ahead and mountains on the sides.  They know the bad king is coming behind them.  They felt trapped and turn to Moses.  Moses turns to God for help, and God shows His saving love.  He makes the wind blow and the sea dry up.  In faith, the people walk through the sea floor on dry land.  God washes away the enemy, and God's people rejoice.
 
Young children have many fears.  Use fearful situations as opportunities to talk about God's saving love.  Help them turn to God at such times.  Let them know God loves us too.  God promises in the Bible that He is with us and will take care of us.  He sent Jesus to be our Savior to get rid of our enemies (sin, death, and Satan).  God's victory comes to us through the waters of Baptism.  There, our sins are washed away.  We rejoice in songs and thankful prayers!
 
As you fill the sink to wash dishes, invite your child to help.  Part the suds  with your hands.  Remind your child how God saved His people by parting the waters.  He also saves us by washing us clean from sin in Holy Baptism.
 
Read more about the story on pages 110-112 of The Story Bible.


We go to chapel on Tuesday morning at 9:15 a.m.  Chapel offerings this year will go to benefit 
Mission Alaska,  Mission India, and  Lutheran Special Education Ministries .  Last year we raised almost $600 for each mission.  The first Tuesday of the month we will celebrate Baptism birthdays in chapel.  If you have not already done so, please return your Baptism birthday form to your teacher.   

We invite you to share chapel with your child each week at home.  Your child will enjoy seeing the songs and pointing out their friends at Bethany.  Each chapel is about 20 minutes in length.  Come back each week to our website at http://www.bethanylutheran.org/preschool/ and click on the corner right blog link for chapel.

Mealtime prayer for October:  For health and strength and daily food, we praise thy name O Lord.  For health and strength and daily food, we praise thy name O Lord.  Amen.  
Snack for the week of October 16-20

Monday:  AM cucumber, hummus, Wheat Thins & water
PM bagel, cream cheese & water

Tuesday: AM tofu, pears & water
PM Cheerios, milk 

Wednesday: AM carrots, ranch, Triscuits & water
PM string cheese, Saltines & water

Thursday:AM tangerines, Ritz & water
PM quesadilla & water
 
Friday: AM chicken nuggets & water
PM apples, Cheez-Its & water

Prayer for October:  
For health and strength and daily food, we praise thy name O Lord.  For health and strength and daily food, we praise thy name O Lord.  Amen.  
Staff in the Spotlight - Belinda Padias Outside Teacher


Hello Bethany family,
Mr. Padias, Dennis, is my husband of 38 years.  We have a daughter, Holly, who is a Bethany graduate herself and a graduate of Pepperdine University as well.  Our youngest one is Littlebit, our puppy.  She even goes to school, puppy school. 
I am Miss Belinda, our Outdoor Classroom Teacher.  What a blessing it is to be a teacher here at Bethany Lutheran Preschool for 26 years.  I have taught in a couple of our classrooms, but now I am outside most of the time with ALL the children.  I am happily cleaning, planning, setting up and closing down activities.  But best of all I have the opportunity to interact with all of our children; your children.  Thank you for choosing Bethany and thank you, God for giving me such a wonderful life. 
From Our Handbook -  Our Christian Faith

We are a Christian preschool sponsored by Bethany Lutheran Church. Your child will have "Jesus Time" in the classroom daily. We will use songs, stories, flannel board, CD's, puppets, and other types of visual aids to help your child come to know the love our Savior Jesus has for them. The children participate each week in a developmentally appropriate chapel service presented by our church and school leaders and teachers. Chapel is held on Tuesday mornings. Offerings are collected to support special causes which are highlighted in our newsletter. A chapel schedule will be posted on the Parent News board. You are
welcome to join us. Once a month we celebrate the Baptism Birthdays and weekly we celebrate the birthdays of children and staff members. If you are interested in having your child baptized, or have any questions relating to baptism, please see your child's teacher, the director, or one of our pastors.
We will sing during several Sunday morning church services. We will let you know the dates in advance.  We will also have a special Christmas Service in December. This is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family to come and hear the Gospel presented by our little children.  Bethany 201, offered several times each year, is a four week adult course that explores the key truths of the Christian faith from a Lutheran perspective. Attendance at this course is required for those joining Bethany who are not transferring their membership from another Lutheran Congregation. Those transferring from another Lutheran church are welcome to attend as are any members of Bethany wanting to 'refresh' their catechism instruction.  Bethany 101 is a one session event that welcomes confirmed Lutherans transferring to Bethany from another Lutheran congregation as well as those who have completed Bethany 201.
Every morning, at 7:45 a.m., the Lead Teachers, meet for devotions, prayer and worship. This is an opportunity for the staff to pray for the needs of our families and students, teachers, pastoral staff, and our leaders. If you have specific needs and wish to have prayer, please e-mail the Director at mwolfinbarger@bethanylutheran.org.

Extracurricular Activities: 

Bethany Lutheran Preschool offers Webby Dance and   Play Sports on Mondays.   For more information, please see the sign up forms in the preschool hallway.  
Conscious Discipline Tip:  We have an unruly brood of kids between the ages of five and twelve. How can we get them to use manners? They really enjoy belching at the dinner table and taking food from siblings' plates.


Conscious Discipline asks us to change our perception of conflict. Questioning how we can get a child to do something implies making them act differently. "How do I get my child to stay in her bed." "How do I make my child finish his homework?" My first suggestion is to change the question. We cannot make another person do anything. If you have tried to make a smoker quit smoking, a drinker quit drinking, a miserable person happy or a baby eat peas, you know what I'm talking about. The only person we can make change is our self.
Change the question and ask yourself, "How am I going to help my children more likely choose to use manners at the dinner table?" From this question, we can generate a number of possible solutions. Here are some suggestions:
  1. Give the children feedback. Say, "I don't like to hear belching at the dinner table. I find it hard to eat." Resist the temptation to give a moral lecture on the rudeness of bodily functions.
  2. Give the children choices. "You can stay at the table, eat quietly and talk with each other or you can be excused. If the children then choose to stay at the table and they continue with poor behavior you can simply say, "I can see by your actions you have decided to be excused."
  3. Model appropriate manners with each other. You can also role play the skills you would like to see them use, remembering to encourage them.
  4. If one sibling grabs food off of another's plate, empower the victim. When the child begins to whine, "Mom, he touched my food," ask, "Did you like it?" When he says, "No," then say, "Tell your sister, 'I don't like it when you take my food. Eat off your own plate.'" Use each moment as a teaching moment.

Birthdays in October - May Jesus bless you the whole year through!

Jessie White
Andrew Bartle
Chloe Bakalar
Lily Craft
Samantha Young
Christopher Farias
Derek Pettay
Allysa Flores
Caleb Acuna
Isabella Luna
Chloe Sagale
Alexander Sedano
Ethan Desch
Leticia Perez
Bethany Lutheran School News
 
Bethany Lutheran School follows a similar calendar year to Bethany Lutheran Church Preschool.  Keep up with our elementary and middle school students in our   Bear Facts publication. 
Parent Teacher League

Parents, you are ALL members of our Parent Teacher League (PTL), our amazing group of parent leadership and an important part of making Bethany such a special place. Would you like to get involved in a PTL activity? There's a place for you! Just contact our PTL President,
Jen Carlson: msjencarlson@gmail.com.

Special thank you to Laura Crahan, Alicia Christie, Allie Parker, and Erika Alvarado for all of their work on the Jog-a-thon.

Sign up to assist at our Kinderfeier Pumpkin Patch this year on Sunday, October 29 from 4-6 p.m.

All are invited to our next meeting in the library on Tuesday, October 24 at 6:30 p.m.  Childcare is provided.
Opportunities to Worship Faithfully, Form Spiritually, Serve Passionately, Give Proportionately, and Share Intentionally:

  • Follow Bethany on Twitter @RevKevBethany and  www.facebook.com/Bethany.Long.Beach 
  • Renew your Ralphs Club cards each year after August 31 using our Bethany NPO # 83441.
  • Box Tops
    Box Tops, Box Tops, send in your Box Tops! Please save your Box Tops and start sending them in now. We are going to have a surprise for all classrooms that bring in 50 Box tops by October 20th. Thank you!
  • Home Bible Study Groups are now forming.  Contact Pastor Seth, Pastor Kritzer, or Karl Fink for more information.
  • Lazy Acres contributes 4% to Bethany.  Make sure to show your Lazy Acres Community Card. 
  • Griefshare meets on Sundays at 1 p.m. in the Conference Room starting August 27.  Contact kfink@bethanylutheran.org for more info.
  • Challenge yourself to read the Bible in 2017.  The study is posted on our blogspot www.bethanylutheran.blogsport.com.
  • Do you have Kohl's charge?  You can buy Kohl's Care Fundraising Gift Cards from Scrip to pay your bill.
  • Save the date for our annual Raise a Glass event on Saturday, October 21.  This is a unique fundraiser event to support our Student Success Program.  If you are interested in donating auction items, please contact Sheri Esswein at 714-863-5615.
  • Men's Bible Study Fellowship www.bsfinternational.org  meets every Monday evening from 6:55-8:50 p.m. in Bethany's choir room.  Contact Don Baldwin at 562-596-0489 for more information.
  • Living Way Bible Study meets starting October 4 at 7 p.m. following ReFuel workship.  Contact kkritzer@bethanylutheran.org for more information.
  • Bible Discovery starts Sunday, September 17 at 9:30 a.m. and includes ages preschool - adult.  We are looking for volunteers to assist and donations of Lego bricks.  Contact Kayleigh or Pastor Seth for more information.
  • Women's Thursday Morning Bible Study resumes September 21 in the Parish Lounge from 9:15-11 a.m.
  • Our elementary school cheer squad is looking for an assistant coach.  Contact Mrs. DeJongh for more information.
  • Save the date for our Oktoberfest on Sunday October 29 as we celebrate 500 years of the Reformation.
 At Bethany, worship is a celebration of what God has done for us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior-His initiative in our life, His saving events throughout history. Worship is a remembrance, a reenactment-if-you-will, of God's redemptive acts for all people throughout history; it is also a joyful reception through faith, by God's people now, who live to proclaim His redeeming grace to all the world. The Lutheran understanding of "Gottesdienst" or "God's service to us" and "our service to God" are foundational to all that we do in worship. God first comes to us, and we respond in confession, joyful praise, prayer and humble faith. 

Worship Service times are: 
 Sunday at 8:00AM, 9:30AM and 10:55AM (convergent/blended style) 
 
Bethany Bullet
 

SCRIP

Are you purchasing SCRIP?  If not, you are passing up an easy way to help with your tuition payments and to help Bethany.  SCRIP is simply gift certificates.  You purchase them from us, and use them as you would any gift card.  Since Bethany is able to purchase the cards in bulk, the gift cards cost less than their face value; and the profit is divided between your tuition and funds for various groups at Bethany.  If you have any questions about the Scrip program contact Carol Grudt, 420-7783 x58 or cgrudt@bethanylutheran.org.

FISH Opportunities:

We suggest opportunities that will help you fulfill your FISH commitments; while taking care of some of our needs.  We will post these needs/opportunities in the weekly newsletter, by email and in posters that will be put up on the parent board by the sign in sheet.     Opportunities currently available include:
 
  • Stitching our cots
  • Stitching our parachute
  • Shoveling our rubber nuggets from the bottom of the playground back to the top.
  • Sign up in your child's classroom to bring items for Evening with Dad or Halloween.
  • Volunteer at the Kinderfeier Pumpkin Patch
Once you have completed a FISH opportunity, you may complete a form located in the preschool hallway or online .
Helpful Websites and Links for Parents and Children:


Preschool play websites:
  
Websites and links for parents:

Devotions:
 
Ideas you can use at home:
 Numbers - HWT
Gross and Fine Motor Activities from Chancy and Bruce
Mental Health Chancy and Bruce
 
Healthy snacks for kids:
10 tips to decrease added sugars
Healthy celebrations
Frozen yogurt
In Our Prayers:

Thank you for your continued prayers for the loved ones connected to our center. If there is a need in your family and you would like to add someone to the prayer list, please let me know.  

In addition, we pray for the children and staff in our center (one a day), look for your child's name listed below throughout the year. 

+ Madeleine Maekawa, Ayden Hudson, Mia Villatoro, Sebastian Calderon
+ Jennifer and Derek on their baptism
+ Gene, father of Dmetra, who is in the hospital
+ Future father-in-law of Barbie, who is in the hospital
+ All of those affected by the fire in Anaheim
+ Emily, dear friend of the Osborn family, who has been diagnosed with cancer
+ Lukas, who will be undergoing surgery for tonsils and adenoids in November
+ Please join the Board of Evangelism in praying for Christian Outreach in Action, Habitat for Humanity GLA, Jesse and Kelly Sipan, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

"The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army: He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me walk (not to stand still in terror, but to walk) and make (spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering, or responsibility)!   Habakkuk 3:19 (AMP)
STAY CONNECTED:
Bethany Lutheran Preschool | 562-429-7335 | Email |   www.bethanylutheran.org