Snap Shots from Sunday School

Snap Shots from Sunday School.

This fall I began a shifted my call as a minsiter to include more work with children and families. As part of that call, I am hoping to capture some stories that arise out of our expereince with Sunday School. I am going to call this - "Snap Shots from Sunday School." As part of the church, the congregation worshipping in the Sanctuary is unaware of what's going on in Sunday School, so here are a few stories from the smaller, younger sector of our congregation.

Last Sunday two girls, 4 and 6 showed up for Sunday School for the first time. Wide eyed and a bit nervous about the new situation, they came up the fireside room and joined in our songs and our prayers for Children’s Church. Still a little unsure of what to expect, they joined their workshop teacher to learn how to say, “God loves you,” in sign language. When they got home, they sang a song from Children’s Church to their grandmother, only to be wildly surprised to find out that she also knew this song. The grandmother and granddaughters have been singing that song all week, before meals and at bedtime. They have been using sign language to tell each other how God loves them. A wonderful and deep connection was made between grandmother, granddaughters and our stories of faith.

Wouldn’t you like to be a part of this story?

It has only been two weeks now since Church School started. As part of my new call at the church, I have been working more with children in the church school. And I have witnessed remarkable things and learned something new from the children of our church. Children are learning the stories of faith, they are being surrounded people who love and nurture them, they are growing in their understanding of and connection to God.

I am deeply humbled by this experience and realize that I cannot do this alone. That it takes the nurture and care of an entire congregation to make this Church School program be a place where children are taught about the importance of prayer, the wonder of the world around them, the depth of care that a community of faith can offer. If you are interested in being part of this adventure, please call Amy Carter at 543-6952 or e-mail me at amycarter@uccmsla.org

Guide My Feet

We took off our shoes and socks and walked around the church to find a place to take a picture of our feet. The grass was cold and wet. It had been a long time since our feet had seen the sun (except for one person who took a vacation in Hawaii in January)

Guide our feet - this has been our Lenten journey. On Thursday a small group of people walked along Waterworks hill to the peace park. Silently they walked to meditate and contemplate being guided by their feet.

Next week we will gather on Thursday at 5pm to walk around Maclay Flats. I wonder what our wanderings will bring forth for us there?

On the front cover of our worship bulletin, Peter Shober has chosen this quote from Anselm Grun, "Jesus is always on the way. He wanders from place to place. He is the divine wanderer who comes down from heaven to wander among us men and women and to remind us of the divine kernal within us."

A few questions come to mind as we continue with this theme:
When have you felt a guiding presence in your life?
When has walking been an important spiritual practice for you?
Has there been a time when you have wandered and through that wandering been blessed by the presence of the spirit?
Through walking have you been led to find that divine kernal within you?

Just some questions to ponder - we would love to hear your stories.

Amy and the UCC staff

Guide My Feet, an invitation into Lent

We began our Lenten journey last night with a beautiful Ash Wednesday service. The service was led by Emmaus Campus ministry, included a beautiful song by University Congregational Church's Ensemble Voices. We ended with the imposition of Ashes reminding each other that from Dust we have come and to dust we shall return.

This Lent we are being guided by a Lenten theme taken from a traditional African American Spiritual "Guide My Feet."

Inside the sanctuary of our church are many beautiful drawings of feet done by Missoula artist Katherine Kress.
This image brings forth all kinds of questions and thoughts. We invite you to share in these thoughts and quesitons in the weeks to come as we journey through lent together.