Hello again! I am glad you could join us for this, the first of three lessons for February. The new story, found in The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally- Lloyd Jones on pages 244-249, is called “Filled Full.” As always, you, along with your whole family, are invited to listen and read and create and pray around this selected story.
     Children: Let’s begin with the listening part. The oral reading of this story has been video-taped for you, so as you listen to it, I would like you to imagine the described scenes inside your head, or you may want to draw your own pictures as you listen.
     You know, food is actually a remarkable thing, when you think about it. When we eat food, our body breaks down what we put into it and turns those little munched bits into things that can be used for strength and energy. We don’t really have to think about it. We just eat something (hopefully something healthy), and our body does the rest of the work. In some ways, our relationship with God is similar. We give to Him whatever we might have, and He can put it to work to do amazing things!
     That’s what happened in the story today. Jesus was teaching, and there was a big group of people that had come to listen to what He had to say. Well, it happened to be dinnertime, and the disciples brought it to Jesus’ attention that the crowds might be getting hungry. Jesus told the disciples to find something for the people to eat! That seemed a bit astonishing. There were more than 5,000 people present, and to give everyone even a tiny bite of food would cost more than any of them had. What were the disciples to do?
     Questions? Comments? Opinions? Pastor Steve would love to hear from you on this blog!
     Adults: The Biblical references for this story are from Matthew 14, Mark 6, and Luke 9.
     Can you relate to the boy with five loaves and two fish? Do you feel that your resources are so little and wonder what God could ever do with them? Don’t get discouraged. Keep your hands open. Here are the first two of five things we learn from the boy who shared his lunch in John 6.
         1. God is in control. In verse 6, we read these words, “But He was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what he intended to do.: Jesus had asked Philip the question about buying bread, not because he wanted a solution, but because he wanted faith. None of what was transpiring caught Jesus off guard. He wasn’t concerned. He was in control. The boy with the five loaves and two fishes saw this firsthand.
     God doesn’t need the money we possess to accomplish His mission. He isn’t in heaven, anxiously wringing his hands, wondering if we will step up financially so His mission can proceed. And if we don’t leverage our resources for His purposes, God will not throw up His arms in exasperation and walk away from the mission dejected. No, God doesn’t need us for His already victorious mission, but He does invite us to participate, to join Him in victory. He is in control. The boy learned this on that day.
     2. God is about multiplication. As the boy handed his meal to the disciples and Jesus, he likely wondered what difference such a small amount of food could make among the large crowd. It would not be surprising if the boy assumed he and his meal would be turned away, asked to return to his friend or family. His meal was small, and the need was so great.
     But then, Jesus took hold of the food and began to break it into pieces. The small meal turned into a feast that was more than enough to fill the stomachs of the crowd. He takes that which is insufficient and uses it to accomplish His purpose. Our God can take whatever is given in faith and multiply its impact in unfathomable ways for His mission. God is about multiplication. The boy learned this on that day.
     As with the children, Pastor Steve would love to discuss any questions or comments you may have about any of the stories or our lessons; just respond on this blog.
This week’s prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you for caring for my ordinary human needs. Thank you for my “daily bread.” Amen
     Two more on-line lessons will follow this month based on the five loaves and two fish story. Sunday School will gather on the fourth Sunday of the month, February 25, 2024, at 11 a.m. following services. For an hour (approximately), we will orally read and discuss the story and end with a fun craft. You are invited to join us!
Enjoy the warm weather,
Margo Greer

​     Hello everyone! Thanks for being with me for our third and last Learning Together lesson of January.
     Our current story is “Heaven Breaks Through” and can be found on pages 200-207 of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.
     Children: Please read our story out loud, or maybe you can read it to another family member.
     To John the Baptist’s amazement, he was asked by Jesus to baptize Jesus in the River Jordan.
     Jesus was old enough to remember His baptism day, but you were probably too small to remember anything about yours. If so, your parents will be able to tell you all about the event and share photos and stories with you. It was a very important day for you and everyone!
     Being baptized means you are officially a member of God’s church.
After baptism, each believer becomes part of our church. Becoming a Christian through baptism is a bit like sharing your promise to a better way of life. Because it’s witnessed by family, friends, loved ones, and church members, baptism is a public confession of faith. 
     The life of John the Baptist teaches us some very important lessons. We learn to be responsible for whatever our mission in life is, to be sorry for our sins, and humbly to do our work of service without drawing attention to ourselves.
     Adults: The Biblical references to our story are Matthew 3, Luke 1 and 3, and John 1.

The Baptism of Christ
Ippolito Scarsellino
1585-1590


       Remarkably, Christ's baptism shows all three Persons of the Trinity at the same time: the Son being baptized, the Holy Spirit descending, and the Father speaking from the heavens. In this event, the Father and the Holy Spirit confirm the deity of Christ, and Jesus submits to his Father's will.
      Herodias asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter and sadly her wish was granted. He was beheaded in 31AD.
     John the Baptist is of great theological importance in the New Testament. He ended nearly four hundred years of prophetic silence and paved the way for the Messiah. In the spirit of Elijah, he preached a message of repentance and baptism. In his darkest hour he questioned if Jesus was the One who was to come, or whether there would be another. He inaugurated a spiritual movement that had influence long after his death and extended throughout the Mediterranean world.
     He was truly a transitional figure, forming the link between the Old and New Testaments. He spans the ages with one foot firmly planted in the Old Testament and the other squarely placed in the New.
​
~This week’s prayer: Lord, thank you for the precious gift of baptism. Amen
     Next week, Sunday School will gather on Sunday, January 28, at approximately 11 a.m. There will be story reading, discussion, and a fun craft. Hope you can make it!
Sincerely,
Margo Greer

Hello once again, and thank you for joining us in this our second of three
lessons for January’s story “Heaven Breaks Through”. You can find this story
in The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones,
Children: Time to refresh our memories by listening once more to Pastor
Steve’s oral reading video of our story, or maybe an older brother, sister, or
parent could read it to you.
John the Baptist was important in the life of Jesus because God had
promised a messenger would come before Jesus. This man would be sent to
get people ready for Jesus' message about the Kingdom of God. John was
this very man.
What did he tell the crowds of people who would gather to hear him? He
told them that everyone was a sinner, that they needed to be sorry for their
sins, and if they were truly sorry, he told them God would forgive their sins.
Jesus was going to be The Rescuer everyone was waiting for!
Another message John taught to his followers is that God expects
everyone to share with others willingly and with kindness. Service to others
is an important part of a Christian’s life.
Adults: The Biblical references to this story are Matthew 3, Luke 1, 3
and John 1.
St. Luke records that John the Baptist preached a three part message:
1) he preached human repentance and divine forgiveness, 2) he preached
stewardship, and 3) he preached the arrival of Jesus Christ.
He attracted much public notice circa 28 CE as a prophet in the Jordan
Valley. Jesus himself came to be baptized by John and shortly afterward
began his own mission.
Here are other interesting facts about this man. John the Baptist’s
parents were Zacharias and Elizabeth. According to the Gospel of Luke,
Elizabeth was barren due to her age. The Angel Gabriel appeared to
Zacharias whilst in a temple and told him that Elizabeth would bear a child.
Zacharias did not believe what he had been told, and therefore because of
his disbelief, the Angel Gabriel made him mute. The name “John” was given
to Elizabeth’s child by an angel sent by God. It is believed that John was
born around six months before Jesus and that he was a second cousin to
Jesus.
~This week’s prayer: Dear God, help us to keep our focus on Jesus’ love
and forgiveness. Amen
Next week there will be one more Learning Together lesson based on our
“Heaven Breaks Through” story. The following week, on January 28, at 11
a.m., Sunday School will meet for story reading, discussion, and a fun craft.
All are welcome to attend!
Stay warm,
Margo Greer

​     Happy New Year’s to you and your entire family! With the new year comes this very first Learning Together lesson of 2024. As always, you and your whole family are invited to listen and read and create and pray around one particular story.
     This month’s story is entitled “Heaven Breaks Through” and is located in The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. (This book can be ordered online, or a free copy found at our church.)
     Children: Please find a comfy spot, curl up with an afghan, and listen to January’s story being read aloud to you. As you listen you may want to close your eyes and imagine the scenes described, or you may want to check out the wonderful illustrations (pictures) found in the book, or you could draw your very own pictures.
     John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin. John led a simple life and was a bit of an unusual sort of person. He grew up in a desert, he wore a really scratchy type of clothing made from camel hair that was super uncomfortable, and he was taught as a child to find his own food, like grasshoppers and honey, from the desert.
     John the Baptist was named so because he believed his main goal in life was to baptize as many people as possible and prepare them for the coming of Jesus. His only concern was to share his belief in the Kingdom of God with all. Large crowds of people would come to listen to and believe in his message, which was for everyone to feel sorry for their sins and want to begin a new life rescued by God.
     Please feel free on this blog to share any of your thoughts or comments or ask any questions of Pastor Steve.
     Adults: The Biblical reference for the story of John the Baptist is Matthew 3, Luke 1, and John 1.
     Apart from Jesus Christ, John the Baptist is probably the most theologically significant figure in the Gospels. As was the case with Jesus, his birth was meticulously recorded ( Luke 1:5-25 ). His entrance into the world was marked by angelic proclamation and divine intervention ( Luke 1:57-80 ). John's birth not only parallels that of Jesus, but echoes the momentous occasion of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah ( Gen 17:15-22 ; 21:1-7 ). John is clearly a pivotal figure in the salvation history of God.
     John's lifestyle was as austere as his message. He was an ascetic living in the wilderness, clothed in camel hair and subsisting on locusts and wild honey ( Matt 3:4 ; Mark 1:6 ). Unlike Jesus, he expected people to come to him, rather than he going to them ( Matt 3:5 ), and he did not disappoint the large crowds that came – He was a fiery prophet proclaiming the apocalyptic message of God.
~This week’s prayer: I pray that I will never have to wear camel hair clothing. Amen
     There will be two more lessons in the next couple of weeks about the story of John the Baptist, and Sunday School will gather on the fourth Sunday of January, 1/28/24, at 11 a.m. for story reading, discussion, and a fun craft. Hope to see you then!
Until next week,
Margo Greer