March 2019
Each month, we’re featuring a Sunday School teacher or two in our Good News Letters to help you learn more about the amazing volunteers that help make our Sunday School possible. 

This month, we’re going to get to know Liz Adams and Tanya Padilla!  
Each month, we’re featuring a Sunday School teacher or two in our Good News Letters to help you learn more about the amazing volunteers that help make our Sunday School possible. 

This month, we’re going to get to know Liz Adams and Tanya Padilla!  

So, how long have the two of you been teaching?
Tanya: I’ve been teaching kindergarten and first grade since 2010.

Liz: I started teaching the kindergarten class when my son Will was in kindergarten. He is twenty-six years old now, so I guess that’s around twenty-one years.

What do you love about teaching Sunday School? Any favorite memories?
Liz: Now that my own children are grown up, I love having the chance to spend time with the little ones and see the world through their eyes. They are very sweet. I also enjoy preparing for class and reacquainting myself with Bible stories. 

Tanya: I think one of the things all of the Sunday School teachers, myself included, love is making the children feel welcome at church and loved by God and their teachers. I also get a kick out of the hilarious things that five- and six-year-olds sometimes say! One of the best memories I have is of the kids’ excitement and reaction to eating biscuit locusts dipped in honey while doing our John the Baptist lesson. 

What are some other passions and interests you have outside of church?
Tanya: Outside of church, I can be found at the Field Museum, leading school groups on tours of the Egypt exhibit. I also enjoy cooking and baking (editor’s note: Tanya is a pro at baking).

Liz: I love sports! My favorites are biking, skiing, tennis, and sailing. I am passionate about the performing and visual arts and volunteer for a number of arts institutions in the city, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet, and the Art Institute. I enjoy cooking for my family and trying new recipes and ingredients. I am also a dog lover and have a crazy Norfolk Terrier named Pete. 

If you see Liz or Tanya in the halls on Sunday, take a moment to say hello!
We are continuing our popular Sunday Morning TED Talk series, this year taking the time to broaden our scope beyond parenting into talking about relationships in a digital age. Our next TED Talks for Parents will be this Sunday, March 3.

Typically held on the first Sunday of the month, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Fourth Floor Loft, these TED Talk offerings invite parents to gather for a time of connection and conversation with one another.

The typical schedule for our time together looks like this:

  • Twenty minutes of socializing and meeting other parents
  • Twenty minutes of watching a TED Talk; our March talk will be “How to Teach Kids to Talk about Taboo Topics,” an excellent talk given earlier this year from a teacher specializing in K-12 curriculum
  • Twenty minutes in small groups discussing themes and ideas from the talk, using a handout with prepared questions

Come join us for coffee, donuts, and some great conversation!

For more information, please contact Matt Helms .

Sunday, March 3
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
The Loft

As part of our celebrations of various faith milestones this spring, our second grade classes will be attending the entirety of our Youth Sunday worship on Sunday, March 3 to continue learning more about what it means to worship in our Presbyterian tradition.

This will not change the drop-off or pick-up patterns for that morning; kids will be dropped off and picked up in their normal classroom, with the visit to worship taking place within that particular class hour. We hope your second grader will be able to participate!

For more information, please contact Matt Helms.

Second Grade Observing Worship
Sunday, March 3
Both 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. Sunday School hours
Room 4J
The season of Lent is one of the most important times in our church year. It is a season dedicated to prayer, self-reflection, and generosity. To help your kids experience part of what Lent is all about, we encourage you and your family to consider one or all of these Lenten practices: 

  • Each year, we use Fish Banks to collect money for One Great Hour of Sharing. This program is dedicated to helping developing communities all over the world. Participating children are encouraged to collect loose change all throughout Lent, and we will 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 we ask that these banks be returned to the church on Palm/Passion Sunday as a part of our offering during worship.

  • 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 (either for one day or one week) to 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 consider either “giving up something” or “taking something up” 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.

Ash Wednesday Worship
Wednesday, March 6
12:10 and 7:30 p.m.
Sanctuary
All Sunday School-aged children are invited to attend worship with their parents for the first half of the hour on Sunday, March 10 as we celebrate baptisms. If you have not had a chance to experience this before, here’s everything you need to know:

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

  • 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 and help make sure everyone gets where they need to go after exiting the Sanctuary.

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

If your child attends Cherub Choir, you can plan to walk down to worship afterwards with them rather than dropping them off on the fourth floor. 

For any questions or clarifications or information, please contact Matt Helms .

Sunday, March 10
During the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services
Sanctuary

We’re delighted to welcome back one of Chicago’s best children’s magicians for our March Family Night. The Great Scott is a Chicagoland magician who has appeared on CBS, FOX, NBC, and WGN, and we’re very excited to see what he has up his sleeve! If you’re interested in a brief preview, here is one of the tricks that kept me up at night last year. How does he do it?!
 
We’ll begin with dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. in Borwell Dining Room, and then we’ll head over to Anderson Hall at 6:30 p.m. for an hour of magic! His show should be fun for both kids and adults alike, so we hope you’ll stop on by for a night of laughter and fun.

If you’ve never been to a Family Night in the past, please know that there is no cost to attend and there are no RSVPs necessary; we do, however, put out an offering box if you’d like to help us offset the cost. Parking validations for $8 are available at the reception desk, provided that you park in the 900 N. Michigan garage after
5:00 p.m.

 Friday, March 15
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Borwell Dining Room
As part of our celebrations of various faith milestones this spring, on March 24 we’re planning to partner up each attendee of our third-grade classes with a child from our three- or four-year-old classes as a “Bible Buddy.” Each “buddy” will be responsible for reading that morning’s Bible story with that child, as well as helping to teach a short lesson. It’s a good way for them to put what they’ve been learning into practice!

This will not change the drop-off or pick-up patterns for that morning, as this celebration will happen during class that morning. For more information, please contact Matt Helms.

 Sunday, March 24
Both 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. Sunday School hours
Our summer Detroit trip is for all youth who will be in grades five-eight in the fall of 2019.

Through our partnership with the Presbytery of Detroit, a team of Fourth Church youth will spend four days serving and learning around the city, doing such things as sorting clothing donations, landscaping, and serving meals. The trip also includes fun activities like a visit to the Detroit History Museum or a water park (weather permitting).

Pastor Rocky and Pastor Matt will be leading this trip.

To register please click here

The suggested contribution toward the trip’s cost is $250 per person.
Here are upcoming events we h ope you’ll take a moment to put on your spring and summer calendar so you can plan on joining us for some special times together.

  • Spring Family Camp: May 17-19
  • Vacation Bible School: August 5-9
Fourth Presbyterian Church | 312.787.4570 | www.fourthchurch.org