CommUNITY VBS

Vacation Bible School is just around the corner: Mark your calendars for June 23-25 CommUNITY VBS at First Presbyterian Church and also June 30 for the CommUNITY VBS Worship Service at Grandon Civic Center.

National Youth Gathering Meeting

There will be a National Youth Gathering meeting from 11:15 am-Noon on April 28 at Immanuel.

Sunday School Schedule for April

4/7: Lesson 11-Jesus Blesses the Children
4/14: Music & Popcorn
4/21: Activity-Spring Shut-In Bags
4/28: Lesson 12-Jesus Heals the Two Blind Men

April Noisy Offerings

For April, the noisy offerings are going to Another Child Foundation (ACF). ACF strives to be faithful in the Just Cause of being a Voice for the Voiceless child. Some of this work happens through the Point of Hope Development Center (POH) located in Tarneveni, Romania. POH provides many essential services including Education, Food, Hot Showers, Medicine, Hygiene Training, Christian Education, and Bible Study. ACF also runs a drive called Project Respond which provides humanitarian aid in Romania including the Shoe Collection Celebration. Donations for this month’s Noisy Offering help to defray the cost of sending shoes and other aid supplies to Romania. Please watch for this year’s shoe collection in June and July.

Buddy Bags Update

Sunday School Youth and Families: Please be sure to mark your calendars for April 24, the next scheduled Buddy Bags assembly date. On that date we’ll once again gather at 7 pm at Wesley United Methodist Church (2200 16th Ave, Sterling, IL  61081) to help assemble Buddy Bags for students in the community.

Confirmation Sunday

Confirmation Students and Families: Be sure to mark your calendars for June 2nd—Confirmation Sunday! As we get closer to June, reminders will be sent out about preparing student’s faith statements and selecting their Confirmation Verse (favorite Bible verse), as well as when to pick up a confirmation gown, and information on making a confirmation stole.

Confirmation Schedule for 2023-24 Year

I am pleased to share that after much conversation with Pastor Bree and Pastor Makayla, Immanuel, St. Paul, and St. John’s will once again be collaborating for shared Confirmation Classes during the 2023 – 2024 Academic Year.

This collaboration will once again allow for youth from all three congregations to gather for Bible Study, conversations and questions about faith and life, service opportunities, worship, retreats, and other activities.

To accommodate the variety of schedules of congregations, students’ schools, and other extracurricular activities, the combined Confirmation Class will meet for monthly Sunday gatherings from 11 am to 2 pm beginning in September with each session including a light lunch.

As Confirmation Classes at each congregation have been and continue to be part of a multi-year faith formation program, this year’s focus is faith life and a deep exploration of Luther’s Small Catechism. Our tentative schedule is as follows:

• September 10, 2023 – St. Paul – Exploring Baptism
• October 1, 2023 – St. John’s – Exploring the Apostles Creed
• November 12, 2023 – Immanuel – Exploring the Apostles Creed
• December 3, 2023 – St. Paul – Exploring the Apostles Creed
• January 14, 2024 – St. John’s – Exploring the Lord’s Prayer
• February 4, 2024 – Immanuel – Exploring the Commandments
• March 3, 2024 – St. Paul – Exploring the Commandments
• April 14, 2024 – St. John’s – Exploring the Commandments
• May 5, 2024 – Immanuel – Exploring Communion

Throughout the course of the year there will also be occasions for mid-week community service nights as well as gatherings for conversation and planning for youth events including the Fall Retreat, the Schaumburg Youth Quake, and the upcoming Youth Gathering.

On Sundays that do not have a scheduled Confirmation Class meeting, seventh and eighth grade Confirmation Students will gather with the sixth grade Sunday School Class as well as assist the lower grade students during the whole Sunday School event days.

While I understand that this is a significant change from the past year’s Sunday School and Confirmation Class programming, I want to assure Sunday School and Confirmation Class students and families that I will be walking with you during these transitions. As always, if you have a question or would like to know more, please feel free to contact me by phone, text message, or email.

God’s peace to each of you—I’m looking forward to the upcoming School Year and the opportunities it will bring.