​Well, we have reached the third and final March online Learning Together lesson. As always, you and your entire family are invited to read and listen and create and pray around our selected story.
    Our chosen story is called “The Singer” and can be found on pages 228-235 in the book The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. A free copy of this book is available to you at our church, Resurrection Lutheran Church, in New Berlin, or you can order a copy for yourself online.
     Below you will find a Children section, an Adult section, and a wrap-up section for Children and Adults together.
     Whether a child or an adult, if you have comments or questions, please use this blog to submit them to Pastor Matt, who welcomes discussion!
Children
     To begin, if you have your own book, please read the story “The Singer” again for review. You could also read the story out loud to a younger sister or brother, or maybe your mom or dad would listen to you read. If you do not have a book, listen again to our video above.
     The Lord has made all His creations and a bounty of flowers are part of that. If we look closer at our flowers, for example sunflowers, you will find some amazing miracles about them as programmed by God to thrive on their own.
     Did you know that God has built His sunflowers to ...
* have thousands of different types of sunflowers?
* range in color from yellow to white, orange, purple, brown, black and red?
* follow the sun during the day, which is important because, without enough light, they cannot produce seeds. Overnight, they return to facing east.
* slow their internal clocks after they bloom so they will no longer have to turn toward the sun? They remain facing east.
* absorb radioactive material from the soil? This makes them good plants to use in areas affected by radiation leaks.
     Sunflowers, like all flowers, find food and ways to protect themselves on their own because God has created them to know how to get the things they need to live and flourish.  From the Bible, we know that God loves US more than the flowers, or anything else for that matter, and doesn’t want His children, His dear lambs, to sit and worry. If He takes care of the sunflowers, which He does, He will take care of us.
Adults
     The Biblical reference is Matthew 5-7.
     The Sermon on the Mount could be the most well-known teaching of Jesus. It’s packed with valuable wisdom that has stood the test of time and informs our lives as followers of Jesus today just as much as it did back when it was given.  Below is the last four of ten interesting facts about this sermon of Jesus. (See the rest of the facts in the past two March lessons.)
It challenged the norms of who was “righteous” - The religious leaders of Jesus’ time heavily emphasized external behaviors as a marker for how faithful someone was. These leaders, the Pharisees, upheld strict rules from the Law of Moses – and were all too quick to point out when someone else failed to meet those standards. 
     Jesus turned these standards upside-down. In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus makes a bold statement: that he came to “accomplish the law of Moses.” He reveals that he’s come to make a new way for people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, one that doesn’t require a perfect track record.  
     What does that mean? In John 14:6, Jesus puts it simply: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Through Jesus – his sacrifice on the cross, which is what he knew would someday “accomplish the law of Moses” – our eternity in heaven can be secured. All we need to do is trust Jesus and invite him to change our lives. 
Jesus sat while he was teaching - In Jewish tradition, teachers often sat down when they were teaching. Jesus probably did the same thing when he delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:1 says, “When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside and sat down.” Sitting to teach was also a symbol of authority in Jewish culture. 
It ends with a call to action - The Sermon on the Mount isn’t just some good advice—it’s a call to action. Jesus wrapped up his sermon with a powerful story of two builders, one who built his house on the rock (a symbol of living out Jesus’ teachings) and another on sand (ignoring his teachings). “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24 
     The Sermon on the Mount is one of the key teachings of Jesus that gives us a glimpse into his heart for his people. These teachings stand the test of time and offer us insights into how we can better live out our faith today. 
Children and Adults
     This Sunday, March 23, 2025 is the fourth Sunday of the month, and that means our Sunday School will be meeting from 11 am – 12pm at our church right after service. We will start with a treat, followed by oral reading and discussing of our story, move on to assemble a fun craft, and end with a prayer. All ages are welcome!
~This Week’s Prayer~
Dear Lord, I am thankful for all Your
creations that so enrich my life. Amen
 
Have a safe week,
Margo Greer

I hope that this new online Lesson 3 for February finds everyone healthy! As always, you and your entire family are invited to read and listen and create and pray around our selected story. The title of our February story is “A Little Servant Girl and the Proud General”. It can be found on pages 136-143 of The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. A free copy of this book is available to you at our church, Resurrection Lutheran Church in New Berlin, or you can order a
copy online. Both children and adults can respond to Pastor Matt on this blog if there are questions or comments.

Children
Let’s begin with a reread of the story or a re-listen to the video above as a review. Remember you can also find someone, a parent or a friend for example, to read the story together. Today we are going to look at the miracles in our story. A miracle is a surprising and welcome event that cannot be explained by the normal laws of nature.

Naaman, whose picture is to the left, was commander of the Army, wealthy, and a talented soldier.  He had everything going for him, except leprosy.  While leprosy may have been a terrible thing to Naaman, it brought him to Israel to the prophet Elisha who told him about the one true God. God could have helped Naaman’s leprosy in many ways, but He chose to use one small girl to bring Naaman to healing and to know God. And this little girl should have hated Naaman for killing her parents and making her a slave!! God miraculously softened her heart so she wanted to help him. Yes, God can use anybody to do His work. Just as He can use a little servant girl, He can use each and every one of us! He can use YOU! Do you think the little girl was treated differently once Naaman went back home? My answer would be yes, very much differently. She was not only
responsible for his healing, she had given him (and his wife, children, and servants) a chance to know the true God! I believe that Naaman and the little girl would have loved each other, and he would have welcomed her into the family. It was a miracle that her life was so amazingly changed by God! Healing Naaman’s leprosy was truly a miracle, also. Let’s think about what possibly could have been in the water of the Jordan River that healed Naaman?? Would the river Naaman could have used in his home country of Aram have worked? Could any river have worked? Yes is the answer to all three questions. Any body of water, large or small, an ocean or a puddle, chosen by God would have worked if Naaman wanted to try it. The water wasn’t the cure on its own; God used that water to deliver His miracle of healing and rebirth for Naaman. Why would God choose “washing in water” to do Naaman’s healing? Being washed in water should sound familiar to us in our religion. Amazingly, Naaman was baptizing himself and didn’t know it. And being baptized allowed
him to be a member of God’s kingdom, just as it does for us. Knowing and loving our Lord God and His grace is the greatest miracle of all!

Adults
The Biblical reference is 2 Kings 5 and is continued from the previous lesson. Naaman went straight back to Elisha’s house. Naaman wanted to give Elisha all the money, gold and silver, and beautiful fabrics he had brought from Aram. But Elisha would not accept the gifts. He had not done this for money. He told Naaman how to be healed because he wanted Naaman to know that God was real. “Elisha, since I have been healed of my leprosy, I know that the God of Israel is real. My wife’s servant girl was right. From now on, I will worship the Lord,” Naaman promised. Naaman left and began his journey back to Aram. Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, was not happy. He thought Elisha should have accepted all of the gifts. Gehazi did not tell Elisha, but he followed Naaman and told him a lie. Gehazi told Naaman that Elisha had changed his mind, and now Elisha wanted the gifts. Naaman was happy to give Gehazi the gifts, and then he continued on his journey.
Elisha was very angry with Gehazi for the way he had tricked Naaman. He told Gehazi that now he would have the leprosy that Naaman had had. Gehazi looked down at his skin and saw that he did have leprosy. Gehazi knew that he had made a big mistake. P.S. In this final note, adults/parents praise children for their accomplishments – earning good grades, scoring a soccer goal, or painting a pretty picture. Let us also praise them for helping others, for allowing someone else to go first, for volunteering to clean up or tidy an area, for trying to help someone solve a problem when difficulties arise. God wants us to praise their simple acts of kindness.

Children and Adults
This coming Sunday, February 23, 2024, from 11 am to 12pm, our monthly Sunday School will gather to talk about the little girl and Naaman. We will begin with a tasty treat, continue with an oral reading and discussion of our story, move on to a fun craft, and end with a prayer of the week. All are invited to join us! Hope to see you!

~Weekly Prayer~
My dear Lord, thank You for the miracle of creating me.

Brrr … Stay warm,
Margo Greer

Hello again to you and your family! Today we are beginning a new Bible
story for the new month. As always, you and your entire family are invited to
read and listen and create and pray around this story.
Besides this first lesson, there will be two more online lessons this
month, one per week, and Sunday School will meet on Sunday, February 23,
2025. More information about that will be given at the end of this lesson.
February’s story is “A Little Servant Girl and the Proud General” and can
be found on pages 136-143 of The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally
Lloyd-Jones. A free copy of this book is available for you at church or you
can order one online.
Below, you will find a Children section, an Adult section, and a wrap-up
section for Children and Adults together.
Children
Please locate a comfortable spot, settle in, and listen to the oral read
recording of this story found at the beginning of this lesson. Close your eyes
as you listen and imagine the scenes as they take place, or you could draw
your own pictures as the story is read to you.
You have met our main character – Naaman. He was very rich, a high-
ranking army man, and very famous for winning a big battle that helped save
his country. He was very, very proud of himself and thought he knew best
about everything.
He was also a very sick man. His illness was called leprosy. Today it is
called Hansen’s Disease.
In the time of the Bible, leprosy was a chronic (doesn’t ever go away) and
incurable (can’t be healed) skin disease that was considered a punishment
from God for sinning. People with leprosy were treated as outcasts, meaning
they could not be allowed to live with their families and be in their
neighborhoods. It seems a very mean way to treat sick people, but everyone
knew this disease could spread, and there was no cure. It was best not to
take any chances and best to avoid a pandemic.

Today, modern medicine and science have taught doctors that leprosy is
caused by a certain type of germ called bacteria. Medicines called
antibiotics kill bacteria and can cure this disease now!
By the way, it is curious to know that skin doctors have noticed that
today’s patients with leprosy have one of these risk factors:
 Lived in a country where leprosy is more common, such as India, Brazil,
China, Indonesia, or parts of Africa
 Handled an armadillo
 Spent time outdoors in an area where armadillos live
If you have any comments or questions, please submit them on this blog
and Pastor Matt will respond to you.

Adults
The Biblical reference is 2 Kings 5.
Naaman was the commander of the whole army of the country of Aram
(now called Syria). He was very rich. He had many servants. Even his wife
had a servant girl. She was a little girl from the country of Israel. She had
been captured from her home and brought to the country of Aram to be a
slave in Naaman’s house. Naaman and his family did not believe in God, but
the little girl did. Even though she was far away from her parents and Israel,
she remembered what her parents had taught her when she was very little.
She remembered Elisha, the prophet, and all the good things he did for God.
Even though Naaman was a commander of the army and very rich, he had
a very big problem. He had a terrible disease called leprosy. Leprosy starts
out as white spots on the skin. Then, the white spots start becoming sorer.
If the leprosy spots were on a person’s hands, then their hands could
become so sore with leprosy that they could fall off. The spots would spread
all over your body, and finally, you would die. It was a horrible thing to have
leprosy because no medicine could make it better.
No one wanted to be around someone with leprosy because they might get
leprosy, too. Naaman had to stay away from everyone. He could not be a
soldier anymore, and he could not be with his family. Everyone was really
bummed about Naaman, especially Naaman.
To be continued next week.
As with the children, if you have any comments or questions, please
submit them on this blog. Pastor Matt welcomes the discussion.

Children and Adults

Sunday School will meet at our church on February 23, 2025, at 11am-
12pm after services. During our gathering, we will enjoy a treat, oral read
and discuss the story, assemble a craft, and end with a prayer. All ages are
invited to attend and participate. Put it on your calendar.
​
~This Week’s Prayer~
Sweet Jesus, give me strength to avoid being too proud and bossy.
Have a blessed week,
Margo Greer

​February Week 1, 2025 Learning Together
     Hello again to you and your family! Today we are beginning a new Bible story for the new month. As always, you and your entire family are invited to read and listen and create and pray around this story.
     Besides this first lesson, there will be two more online lessons this month, one per week, and Sunday School will meet on Sunday, February 23, 2025. More information about that will be given at the end of this lesson.
     February’s story is “A Little Servant Girl and the Proud General” and can be found on pages 136-143 of The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. A free copy of this book is available for you at church, or you can order one online.
     Below, you will find a Children section, an Adult section, and a wrap-up section for Children and Adults together.
Children
     Please locate a comfortable spot, settle in, and listen to the oral read recording of this story found at the beginning of this lesson. Close your eyes as you listen and imagine the scenes as they take place, or you could draw your own pictures as the story is read to you.
     You have met our main character – Naaman. He was very rich, a high-ranking army man, and very famous for winning a big battle that helped save his country. He was very, very proud of himself and thought he knew best about everything.
     He was also a very sick man. His illness was called leprosy. Today it is called Hansen’s Disease.
     In the time of the Bible, leprosy was a chronic (doesn’t ever go away) and incurable (can’t be healed) skin disease that was considered a punishment from God for sinning. People with leprosy were treated as outcasts, meaning they could not be allowed to live with their families and be in their neighborhoods. It seems a very mean way to treat sick people, but everyone knew this disease could spread, and there was no cure. It was best not to take any chances and best to avoid a pandemic.
     Today, modern medicine and science have taught doctors that leprosy is caused by a certain type of germ called bacteria. Medicines called antibiotics kill bacteria and can cure this disease now!
     By the way, it is curious to know that skin doctors have noticed that today’s patients with leprosy have one of these risk factors:

• Lived in a country where leprosy is more common, such as India, Brazil, China, Indonesia, or parts of Africa
• Handled an armadillo
• Spent time outdoors in an area where armadillos live

     If you have any comments or questions, please submit them on this blog and Pastor Matt will respond to you.
Adults
 The Biblical reference is 2 Kings 5.
     Naaman was the commander of the whole army of the country of Aram (now called Syria). He was very rich. He had many servants. Even his wife had a servant girl. She was a little girl from the country of Israel. She had been captured from her home and brought to the country of Aram to be a slave in Naaman’s house. Naaman and his family did not believe in God, but the little girl did. Even though she was far away from her parents and Israel, she remembered what her parents had taught her when she was very little. She remembered Elisha, the prophet, and all the good things he did for God.
     Even though Naaman was a commander of the army and very rich, he had a very big problem. He had a terrible disease called leprosy. Leprosy starts out as white spots on the skin. Then, the white spots start becoming sorer. If the leprosy spots were on a person’s hands, then their hands could become so sore with leprosy that they could fall off. The spots would spread all over your body, and finally, you would die. It was a horrible thing to have leprosy because no medicine could make it better.
     No one wanted to be around someone with leprosy because they might get leprosy, too. Naaman had to stay away from everyone. He could not be a soldier anymore, and he could not be with his family. Everyone was really bummed about Naaman, especially Naaman.
     To be continued next week.
     As with the children, if you have any comments or questions, please submit them on this blog. Pastor Matt welcomes the discussion.
 
Children and Adults
     Sunday School will meet at our church on February 23, 2025, at 11am-12pm after services. During our gathering, we will enjoy a treat, oral read and discuss the story, assemble a craft, and end with a prayer. All ages are invited to attend and participate. Put it on your calendar.
~This Week’s Prayer~
Sweet Jesus, give me strength to avoid being too proud and bossy.
 
Have a blessed week,
Margo Greer

Hello to you once more! Welcome back for the second and final lesson of January. As in other months, you and your entire family are invited to read and listen and create and pray around our selected story.
     This month our story is “The Good Shepherd,” and it is found on pages 130-135 of The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones.
     There follows a children’s section, an adult section, weekly prayer, and a wrap up.
Children
     Settle into a comfy spot and listen to the videotape above, or read the story yourself, or maybe oral read it aloud to a family member.
     In last week’s lesson we talked about the 23rd Psalm written by King David, who wrote almost half of all the psalms. This week our subject will be who wrote the rest.
     The book of Psalms is found in the Old Testament of the Bible, which means all the psalms were written before Jesus was born.
     Out of the 150 psalms in the Bible, 73 were written by King David. The others were written by various authors who lived at the time such as -

• Moses: One of the most important prophets wrote Psalm 90.
• Solomon: The son of King David wrote Psalms 72 and 127.
• Asaph: A singer and a musician who served in the temple during the time of King David and who wrote 12 psalms
• Heman: A minister of music in the temple during King David’s reign who wrote Psalm 88
• Ethan the Ezrahite: A boy at King David’s court well known for his wisdom. He wrote Psalm 89.
• The three faithful sons of Korah: Korah was a rebel who rose up against Moses. His sons wrote 11 psalms.

     About half of the psalms are anonymous, meaning there is no known author. Some of these anonymous psalms may have been written by David.  
     The book of Psalms was likely organized by a high priest named Ezra.  He may have also added titles to psalms with known authors.
     Please direct any questions or comments on this blog to Pastor Matt Short, our new pastor.
     Look below the Adult section for the weekly prayer and send-off.
Adults
     Biblical references are Psalm 51, 2 Samuel, and paraphrased Psalm 23.
     Psalm 23 is thought to be the most uplifting psalm, but Psalm 88 is often considered the saddest psalm in the Bible. It expresses a deep sense of despair, fear, and hopelessness. The psalm is about feeling crushed by life's challenges and struggling with the idea that God allows people to suffer. 
    What specifically makes Psalm 88 so sad? It is full of verses that express despair; it is about a cry to a silent and absent God; it ends with darkness and no obvious note of hope.
     Heman the Ezrahite wrote it. He was ill, depressed and felt worse at the end of the psalm than at the beginning. The writer prays, but God does not seem to listen. God seems only to send more trouble to him. He cannot see how things may get better.
     If we sometimes feel the same way, it is good to use this psalm to speak to God. It helps us to speak aloud what we feel. We need to remember to seek the Lord while we are in pain.
     It behooves us to remember Jesus also experienced anguish of the soul.
     Again, our new pastor, Pastor Matt, will entertain any comments or questions about this lesson.
For Children and Adults
     Next Sunday, January 19, 2025, our Sunday School will gather to enjoy a treat, oral read and discuss the story, do a fun craft, and end with a prayer. All are invited to attend. Hope to see you!
 
~ This Week’s Prayer ~
Dear Lord, I am blessed to know that I can
talk to You whenever I want and however I feel.
 
Brrr - Stay warm!
Margo Greer

​   Happy New Year to you and your whole family! Along with this new year greeting comes the very first Learning Together lesson of 2025. As before, you and your entire family are invited to read and listen and create and pray around one particular bible story.

   The book we are using is called The Jesus Storybook Bible and is written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This book can be ordered online or a free copy can be found at our church. January’s story is called “The Good Shepherd” and is found on pages 130-135.
Children - We are continuing our study of King David. This time you will learn about special songs he wrote called psalms, which are poems put to music. Please curl up in a comfy spot, close your eyes, and listen to the poem being orally read to you. Imagine pictures in your head as you listen.

Yes, King David was a poet and harp player and loved to sing to his people of Israel about God and all of His blessings on them. King David knew that God would always love them like a shepherd loves his sheep.

Yes, King David was a poet and harp player and loved to sing to his people of Israel about God and all of His blessings on them. King David knew that God would always love them like a shepherd loves his sheep.
     Out of 150 psalms that are found in the book of Psalms in the bible, 73 were written by David. The 23rd psalm, which is THE most well-known psalm throughout the world, is also written by David and is called “The Song of the Shepherd.”  
Adults – Taken from Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 7, and paraphrased Psalm 23.
     David's kingship began over the tribe of Judah in 1000 BC and expanded to the whole of Israel in 993 BC. Many scholars believe that David wrote Psalm 23 toward the end of his reign because of its calm and nostalgic tone.  
     Psalm 23 is a poetic expression of deep trust in God, beautifully depicting Him as a shepherd who lovingly cares for his sheep, providing them with rest, nourishment, guidance, protection even in the darkest valleys, and ultimately leading them to a place of abundance and peace; essentially conveying that no matter what challenges life throws, God is always present, providing comfort and security throughout one's journey. 
     Key elements of the imagery are:
"The Lord is my shepherd": This opening line establishes God as the ultimate provider and protector, like a shepherd caring for his flock. 
"Green pastures": Represents a place of rest and plentiful provision, symbolizing spiritual nourishment and contentment. 
 "Still waters": A picture of tranquility and serenity, signifying a sense of peace amidst life's turmoil. 
 "Valley of the shadow of death": Represents difficult times or moments of fear, but the reassurance that even in darkness, God is present. 
 "Rod and staff": Tools used by a shepherd to guide and protect his sheep, signifying God's guidance and strength. 
 "Table before me": Represents God's abundant provision and blessings, a feast laid out for his faithful. 
 "Oil on my head": A symbol of joy and anointing, signifying God's favor and blessing. 
     What does Psalm 23 mean for us today? It demonstrates God's wonderful care and provision, fulfilled for us in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. As God was David's shepherd in the Old Testament, He is ours today through Jesus Christ.
For Children and Adults
This Week’s Prayer –
                 Heavenly Father, thank you for being my shepherd who provides for me, leads me, and comforts me.
There will be only 2 (rather than three) Learning Together lessons this month, and Sunday School will gather on 1/19/25 at 11am for story reading, discussion, and a fun craft. Mark the date on your calendar!
Have a safe week,
Margo Greer

A hearty hello to all of you! Thanks for joining me on our blog for the second and last lesson for this month.
      Each lesson I write has one section for children and one for adults.
     There are two important events I want to share. Sunday School will gather at church on December 15 and our Christmas program will be on December 22. More details can be found at the end of this document.
     Our selected story is “The Young Hero and The Horrible Giant” found on pages 122-129 of The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones.
Children  Please oral read the story yourself and check out the pictures for additional information.
     We left our discussion last week about David and Goliath when King Saul accepted David’s offer to take on Goliath one-on-one in battle! This does appear to be a silly offer by David, and a crazy one for King Saul to hear, but David had two great reasons to feel confident. He shared both with King Saul, and the king agreed.
     Reason #1 -> In the Bible, David said to King Saul, “I have been keeping my father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.  I have killed both the lion and the bear; this Philistine will be like one of them.” David was confident he could deliver a life-ending blow with a rock and his sling.