January Family Newsletter

You are receiving this email because you have a child at home. This newsletter contains activities and events that are happening for both families and students, as well as articles for parents on various topics. Included each month is a list of upcoming events. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Stephanie Karolus

352-376-2062

dce@flcgainesville.org

Made New

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022! It's the start of a new year, which means it's the perfect time to be reminded that in Christ we have been made new. A New Year may give us new goals, activities to do, and places to see, but Jesus gives us NEW LIFE! It is with Jesus' death and resurrection that our life has been made new. The old sinful self in us is no more, we have been forgiven, and we have been made white as snow. Everyday is a good day to remember these things, but especially in the new year as we think about all that the upcoming year has to offer us. It's a great time to remember that we are children of God and that we are loved by Him. So as this new year begins, I want to encourage you to find time to remind yourself whose you are that because of His great love for you, you are forgiven and have been given new life!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4 (ESV)

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-2 (ESV)

Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to other parents you feel would benefit from the information.

God's Peace,

Stephanie Karolus

Director of Christian Education

First Lutheran Church

Articles for Parents

Get the Most From Your Digital Bible

How to Encourage your Children's Style & Identity

Creating a Habit of Time in God's Word

How to Help Your Teen Get Closer to God

Memorizing the Catechism with your Kids

Upcoming Events for

January & February

January 2022

January 9- Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

January 9 - Education Hour - 9am

January 9 - Sunday Worship - 10am

January 9 -Youth Group - 4pm

January 16 - Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

January 16 - Education Hour - 9am

January 16 - Sunday Worship - 10am

January 16 - Youth Group - 4pm

January 23- Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

January 23- Education Hour - 9am

January 23 - Sunday Worship - 10am

January 23 - Youth Group - 4pm

January 28 - Rock the Universe

January 29 - Rock the Universe

January 30 - Rock the Universe

January 30- Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

January 30- Education Hour - 9am

January 30 - Sunday Worship - 10am

February 2022

February 6 - Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

February 6 - Education Hour - 9am

February 6 - Sunday Worship - 10am

February 6 - Youth Group - 4pm

February 13- Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

February 13 - Education Hour - 9am

February 13 - Sunday Worship - 10am

February 13 - Youth Group - 4pm

February 20 - Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

February 20 - Education Hour - 9am

February 20 - Sunday Worship - 10am

February 20 - Youth Group - 4pm

February 27- Donuts & Fellowship - 8:30am

February 27- Countdown to Easter - 9am

February 27 - Sunday Worship - 10am

February 27 - Youth Group - 4pm

Family Devotions

Join DCE Stephanie Karolus for weekly devotions on our Facebook Page! Join us this November as we begin a new book for Family Devotions! Devotions will be posted on Wednesdays mornings at 10am. Check out our Facebook page to view all the Family Devotions. This month we will be taking our devotions from "How Great is Our God:100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science".

Education Hour!

Our Sunday morning education hour is returning at First Lutheran! We have something for everyone! A parent Bible Study led by DCE Stephanie and Sunday school led by Ms. Susan Bolch will be happening on the 1st & 3rd Sunday's of each month. An adult Bible Study led by Pastor John will happen every weekend and a youth Bible Study led by Jacob. Please see below for further details.

Devotion, Bible, and Religious Book Recommendations

Each month I recommend different devotion, Bible, and religious book f families and different age groups. This month we have a variety of resources for you to check out! Click the blue title to be taken to the Amazon page or other purchase location for each book. If you wish to see each book in person, we have a copy in the family library in the Cry Room.

Family Devotions

How Great is Our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions about God and Science-The bestselling children's devotional Indescribable: 100 Devotions About God and Science resonated with more than 200,000 kids, parents, and teachers. Now Louie Giglio offers 100 more devotions about God and science that will expand the curiosity of your 6- to 10-year-olds. Including amazing scientific facts, beautiful photography, fun illustrations, and simple activities, How Great Is Our God covers topics like

Space and time

Earth and weather

The human body

Animals

Plants

And more!

With this science devotional, which is based on Giglio's well-known "How Great Is Our God" and “Indescribable” Messages, children will embark on a journey to discover more about God and His incredible creation. From the pink lake in Senegal to the earth's trip around the sun to the water-holding frog that can live up to five years without a drink, the wonders of the universe will deepen your kids’ Appreciation for God's wild imagination. (A copy of this book is in the Cry Room if you wish to check it out).

Featured Prayer Book

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep - Now children everywhere can share peaceful moments with this new collection of activity prayers and quiet conversations with God. Charming full-color illustrations combine with well-loved traditional songs to enhance bedtime rituals. (A copy of this resource is in the cry room).

Elementary

Daily Truth for Kids: Scripture for Every Circumstance - - This book is a kids' edition of our best-selling Daily Truth book. It covers a variety of issues, emotions, and struggles that kids face with a short encouragement and a list of Scripture for each topic.

This is an amazing tool for parents to use to open Scripture with their kids when children are facing struggles, struggling with sin, or facing hurt from others.

With older kids, it can be a quick reference tool for kids to look up passages on their own that correlate with their own feelings and struggles.

The topics include: Anger, Worry, Sharing, Disobedience, Unfairness, Fear, Courage, Forgiveness, Self-Control, and so many more.(We have a copy of this in the Cry Room if you wish to check it out!)

Youth

Not-So-Nice Bible Stories: Gory Deaths - Drowned. Burned. Hanged. Crushed. Stabbed. Eaten by dogs.

This is not a book of fairy tales. Happy endings are few and far-between. This is a book of history—true tales of people who lived and died long ago.

These 18 chapters give you cool trivia, factoids, and things to think about, like

Why the story is in the Bible

How it can guide your life

What it shows you about Jesus

These TRUE stories show how God’s justice smashes the sinful, the sinister, the sneaky; and they show how Jesus conquers death and gives you life. (We have a copy of this in the Cry Room if you wish to check it out!)

The Focus on the Family Minute shares a brief tip each day taken from the Focus on the Family Broadcast to help strengthen marriages, raise kids on the right path and build a thriving family – in one meaningful minute.

Click HERE to Listen

The Center for Parent and Youth Understanding (CPYU) have made available a one minute tip shared by Walt Mueller, the founder and president of CPYU.

Click HERE to Listen

Family TableTalks are here for you! Access over 80 TableTalks that you can use with your family at home! Each TableTalk includes a scripture reading, a reflection, application questions, and a prayer. This is a great resource for faith discussions at home! This resources is provided by the Center for Parent and Youth Understanding. New Family TableTalks are released weekly.

Click HERE to View

Did you know that generosity impacts us at the biological level in addition to socially? Read on to see how it impacts our genes, nervous systems and brains!

Generosity

By now, I’m sure you have seen the exciting news, RightNowMedia launched with First Lutheran this week! This means you now have access to thousands of videos for personal Bible Study & Devotion! You also have access to thousands of videos for kids to watch! If you haven’t registered yet, please click the following link to get access to all these amazing resources to help your family in their walk with Christ! https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/flcgainesville

If you have any questions, please reach out to Stephanie Karolus

First Lutheran Youth

Rock the Universe

Dates: January 28-30.

Abiding Savior is going for the entire weekend, and to help us get the group rate, we will be attending with them. It will also be a good bonding opportunity for both our groups.

I know there is some concern about homework getting done, youth will have time on the road as we travel to and from Orlando to complete homework, and for students who need to complete homework beyond that, I can stay behind with students at the hotel during the day before going to the parks so that homework is completed. I will be getting a WiFi hotspot from the library so that students who need internet access will be able to use that.

We will be leaving Gainesville in the late afternoon/early evening on January 28th and be arriving back on the evening of Sunday, January 30th.

If the FLC group wishes to leave earlier on Sunday, that is something that we can do.

Cost: Cost for students will be $100

Students will need to cover meals on Saturday & Sunday. FLC will cover the Friday night meal.

Includes: Hotel, 2 Nights of Rock the Universe, 2 Days at Universal Theme Parks, Friday Night Meal

Masks

Universal Studios currently is requiring that all guests to their property wear a mask at all times. This is for both indoors & outdoors throughout the theme parks.

Please let DCE Stephanie know if your child will plan on attending by Monday, January 9, 2021. Permission forms will be emailed out later this month once departure details have been solidified.

Youth Night this January!

This January, FLC & Abiding Savior Youth will begin meeting together for fellowship & Bible Study. All students who are in 5th-12th grade are invited to join us Sunday Evenings at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church (9700 W Newberry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32606), in their Family Life Center, from 4-6pm for a meal, games, and Bible Study.

Join us for our next Youth Bible Study series! Starting this January!

What we think about Jesus matters. Our perception of Him shapes us—what we say, how we treat others, even what we think. If we paint Jesus as any less than who He is as supreme over all creation and savior of the world, not only does our theology slip, but the working out of our faith also suffers.

In this 8-session series, Louie Giglio will take us through the book of Colossians to help us form a complete picture of Jesus. What we believe about Him influences everything from our corporate worship to our relationships to our attitude toward sin. Now alive in Christ, we can live a life worthy of God instead of falling back into the ways of the world.

Check out the Trailer!

Youth Night Meals

We are asking again that parents help with meal preparations for youth night. Parents can either purchase meal supplies and we'll take care of making the meal, or if you would like to use the kitchen at Abiding Savior, you can make the meal there. If you would like to be reimbursed, please contact the First Lutheran Office for a reimbursement form. You can sign-up for a meal below:

Meal Sign-Up

Football Parking-2022 Dates

Calling all Youth Families! Students in 6th-12th Grade and their parents are encouraged and invited to help out with Football Parking during Fall of 2022!

For those of you who are new to Football Parking, here is a little background: Every year FLC sells parking passes to Gator Fans to park in our parking lot. They have a set parking spot that they use for every single game, so we will see lots of familiar faces this Fall. We also have spaces available that we sell on Game Day (the grassy area along 5th Ave). Football Parking is an activity that we ask both youth and their parents to be involved in throughout Fall. Helping out with Football Parking is one way that FLC Youth and their families serve FLC, for this reason I ask that you and your family help out with as many Football parking weekends as your family schedule allows.

Please put the dates on the righthand side in your calendar for next year.

If you have questions about Football Parking please talk with DCE Stephanie.

Football Parking 2022 Dates

September 3

September 10

September 17

October 1

October 8

October 15

November 12

LCMS Youth Gathering - July 2022

Abiding Savior & First Lutheran Youth will be teaming up to attend the 2022 LCMS Youth Gathering together! Below are some updates that all participants need to know and forms that need to be filled out.

Meetings: We will be meeting Sunday Evenings at Abiding Savior. Our next meeting date will be coming soon. Our next National Youth Gathering meeting will be in February 2022.

Remind: Please sign-up for our group remind for the gathering.

Text @2022nat to 81010

Group Building: Starting in January - FLC & Abiding Savior Youth will have youth group together on Sunday afternoons. We will meet at Abiding Savior from 4:00pm-6:00pm, dinner will be provided each evening.

Gathering Theme: In All Things

Gathering Verse: Colossians 1:15-20

Dates: July 8 – 14

Location: Houston, TX

Transportation: Flying

LCMS Gathering Website: www.lcmsgathering.com

2022 Gathering Covenant and Medical Release