Learn About Common Hope

The first Sunday of each month our Sunday School kids will be participating in a Service Project. This week on Sunday, December 4 we will be learning about Common Hope in Guatemala. HAUMC sponsors two children to attend school in Guatemala, and our HAUMC kids are going to spend time writing letters, making Christmas cards, and coloring pictures to send to the kids! We will also have some information about Common Hope and Guatemala available in Carlson Hall, so definitely stop by and check out what's going on! 

The Angel Tree:

Holiday Gifts for

Newly Arrived

Refugee Families 

Every year we partner with Minnesota Council of Churches to provide gifts for refugee families who have resettled in the Twin Cities this year. 

To participate click HERE, select the children you'd like to shop for, then bring your unwrapped gifts to the church by December 11th. Make sure the gifts are clearly labeled with the child's name, age, and family number. Refugee Services recommends purchasing only three gifts per child–something warm (hats, socks, gloves, etc.), something fun (toys, games, soccer balls, etc.), and something educational (books, games, puzzles, etc.). To ensure gifts are culturally sensitive, avoid stuffed animals that are dogs or pigs. 

Questions? Contact Leslie Wille at leslie@haumc.org 

Get Your Advent Bag!

If you haven't gotten an Advent bag for your child, be sure to ask one of our Sunday School teachers for one to take home with you! Inside you'll find a devotional to do together as a family each week of Advent, along with all the supplies needed to complete each week's activity. We hope that these bags will empower you as parents to take time for family faith formation as we anticipate the celebration of Christ's birth.

Be in the Christmas Eve Pageant–Even if You Can't Make a Rehearsal

I have heard rumors that the Family Christmas Eve Service is the most adorable thing that happens at HAUMC every year and this year will be no exception! I am planning a Christmas Pageant that kids of all ages can participate in! If your family will be here December 24th for our 4pm service, your kids are automatically welcome to star in our original production of "The 12 Days of Christmas." We will be following the journey of the Magi as they make their way to Bethlehem to meet Baby Jesus. It will be joyful, funny, and include fun audience participation. There will be a few speaking parts that will require a rehearsal, but there will also be parts for all kids, even those who aren't able to make a rehearsal! In addition to the pageant, we will have a preschool choir and a children's choir performing as well. See more details below! 

Children's Choirs Practice 

Altar Choir (grades 1-5) led by Darin Riedel, will practice this Sunday at 11:30am in Border Chapel. Cherub Choir (pre-K & K) led by Patricia Rice will practice this Sunday at 11:30am in Room 105.

Join in as soon as possible! Our first time to share our songs will be on Christmas Eve at the 4pm service! Questions? Contact Darin or Patricia at riedel.darin@gmail.com or patriciarice765@gmail.com.

I am looking for a parent wiling to sit in on each choir rehearsal so that we can help our choir directors with our safe gatherings protocol of having two adults per classroom. Please let me know if this is something you are willing to do. I will be teaching Confirmation class while these choirs meet so I'll need two volunteers. You can reach me at keesha@haumc.org.

Family Faith Formation Resource of the Week

During this Advent season I want to encourage you to guide your families through the Advent devotional that we sent home with the kids! If you didn't get one, or if you would like an extra copy of the devotional, let me know and we'll get you one on Sunday. Happy Advent everyone! I am praying for each of your families as you look for opportunities to deepen your faith. 

Worship Survey

Would you take a few minutes and complete this survey https://conta.cc/3UCFci5? We highly value your opinion and would like to know how Worship at HAUMC is (or is not) meeting the needs and desires of your family. It would also be incredibly helpful for our worship production team and HAUMC leadership to hear directly from our families with kids at HAUMC. 

Safe Gatherings 

At HAUMC we take child safety seriously. Any volunteers or staff members working with students under the age of 18 are required to do a background check and training through Safe Gatherings. I would like to see more of our parents and grandparents be Safe Gatherings certified. When we are all on the same page about what to expect of each other as we interact with HAUMC children and youth, the more effective we will be at maintaining a safe and trustworthy space for spiritual formation to take place. There is no cost to you. Click here, select "new application," and follow the prompts. 

Follow Us!

Hennepin Avenue UMC is on Facebook! Please "like" us at www.facebook.com/HennepinAvenueUMC.To find out more about Hennepin Kids for LYFE, go to HAUMC's website at haumc.org/children.