Children, Youth, and Family Ministries Update February 2020
Upcoming Events
GHTC Annual Meeting | Feb. 2
Parish Parent Meetup | Feb. 15
Grace & Holy Angels Choir Performs at 8:45 a.m. Service | Feb. 23
Youth Host All-Parish Mardi Gras Bingo Night | Feb. 23
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February Children's Chapel Signups Live for Adults and Kids
Our Children's Chapel program has a lot of opportunities for parish kids to take an active role in their learning experience. From lighting candles and helping with the week's activity to reading Scripture and the carrying the cross, children are fundamental as leaders in our Children's Chapel. Know that your child would like to do something particular? Be sure to sign them up here! Parents, your extra pairs of eyes, ears, and hands are of great benefit to Children's Chapel too, so please consider signing up to help once a month. Questions? Just ask Aaron Davis.
What's in Store at 10:00 a.m. this Month?
This month the saints of God at Grace & Holy Trinity will meet upstairs Feb. 9 to learn about Clare of Assisi and Feb. 16 for Martin Luther. Children (PreK - Grade 5) will meet in Room #6 at 10:00 a.m. to explore Clare's amazing story of peacemaking and Luther's sparking of the Reformation with icons and activities while youth (Grades 6-12) join Meredith and Billy McGuire for Doughnuts & Discussion at the same time in Room #5. On Feb. 2 and Feb. 23 children will enjoy social activities in the adult classroom downstairs while youth are invited to join in the Annual Meeting and presentation of Discernment Survey results respectively in the parish hall.
Next Parent's Meetup, Tots & Tunes Feb. 15
Given the chilly weather of these winter months our Park & Playground meetups for parish kids and parents are meeting in the parish hall this month. Our next meetup will be on Feb. 15 from 9:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. and will feature some fun, musical activities for kids to enjoy with the help of parishioner and Episcopal campus minister Julia Terhune. Please RSVP here and let Nick Sollog know if you have any questions.
As much as we would all prefer not to talk or think about death too much, death and the grief it often brings are an unavoidable part of life. However, we are not alone in dealing with death and grief, something author, minister, and college instructor J. Dana Trent reminds us of in her new book Dessert First: Preparing for Death while Savoring Life . This month we have an free excerpt from Dessert First available in which Trent shares ten lessons she learned as an end-of-life chaplain and three steps for coping with grief. The whole book is available now from Chalice Press for less than $15 by following this link.
Upcoming Opportunities at Shrine Mont, PYM and More
Every year Shrine Mont offers multiple opportunities for children and youth across the diocese to connect, share times of fun and learning, and grow as followers of Jesus. Upcoming is the Grades 4 -5 weekend April 17-19 and the Grades 6-8 weekend May 8-10. Students and chaperones, please indicate your interest here . And don't forget that Shrine Mont Camps offer experiences for children and youth through the summer with registration open now. Scholarships for all these opportunities are available; contact Aaron Davis for details.
Youth Hosted All-Parish Mardi Gras Bingo Night Feb. 23
Join us Feb. 23 at 6:00 p.m. as GHTC's youth host an all-parish Mardi Gras bingo night in the parish hall. All ages are invited to this celebratory event as we prepare to move into the more somber, penitential season of Lent. Final details on food are pending so be on the look out for those. We will also have small prizes to be won by players that we hope you will come compete for during this parish-wide event.
Calling Parish Youth for Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) 2020
Every three years the General Convention of The Episcopal Church has mandated the convening of an international youth event so "that the energy of the youth of the Episcopal Church can continue to be utilized in active ministry as members of the Body of Christ." This year the Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) will be held at the University of Maryland, College Park and its theme will be " unite! ¡unámonos!" There is no limit on how many delegates the Diocese of Virginia may take to EYE but once 1650 participants are registered then registration will close, so if you are interest be sure to fill out your delegate application soon! For questions contact Megan Nolde , Registrar & Communications Assistant for the diocese's Office of Christian Formation.
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