We got a goat!

Well done Sunday School!
Today we found out about Heifer, an organization that supports families and communities in the USA and around the world. By providing livestock and training they enable people to build better, sustainable livelihoods.
We learned that a gift of a goat can not only provide nutritious milk for a family to drink and to sell but the manure they collect can be used to fertilize their soil.
So, today, during the annual meeting we decorated cookies and sold them afterwards to start raising money towards our Heifer appeal. The really great news is we raised more than $120 - enough to send for Heifer to sponsor a goat!

We now have collecting boxes to gather coins for our next fundraising event for Heifer.

Cookies for fun-draising!

This Sunday (January 20) Sunday School will meet at 10am (single service 10am this Sunday) During Sunday School we will learn about how we can help others around the world. We have been talking about bringing in God's Kingdom in Earth as in Heaven so beginning our outreach project this week seems like good timing.
We are planning on raising funds for Heifer help provide animals to transform a family's life. A flock of chicks, geese or ducks can be just $20, providing eggs for a family, income from selling eggs, eating weeds/insects and even providing fertilizer as well as young to be handed on to another family.  This can improve the health, offer opportunities for education and change a family and then a community. A sheep or goat costs $120 and a trip of rabbits $60. Heifer provides training and support to families and communities.
So during this weeks Annual Meeting our kids will be decorating cookies to sell to the congregation. We'll have fun and do something for others at the same time!
We also have small collecting boxes for the children to take home to collect pennies towards our appeal.

Merry Christmas Everyone!
We had a great time this afternoon at our Christmas Eve Pageant - Mary, Joseph,Angels, Wise people, Animals, Shepherds and Stars created a Christmas scene and were reminded of the reason for our celebration.
Sunday School returns on Janaury 6 at 10.20am. Everyone welcome!

Jan

Animals and Kids!

We celebrated St Francis' Day this morning at St James' and it was great to see so many dogs, cats, and soft toys present to receive blessings and share our worship. With children playing outside in a nursery within sight of the altar and pets, and their humans, sitting in the shade on the hottest day of the year.Almost all the animals seemed to enjoy each others company.
As an additional treat we enjoyed a fun performance of 'Joy to the World' from the Children's Choir. Its first line 'Jeremiah was a bullfrog' had us smiling but links nicely to our Sunday School theme of growing our faith in 'leaps and bounds'! The children's choir is a great opportunity for the children to have fun together but also to make a meaningful contribution to our worship.


The link to the audio of the choir performance can be found here. 

Jennifer Carini, our music director, welcomes all children to join the choir. They meet for short rehearsals directly after each 10.30am Sunday Service. Their next performance will be in celebration of All Saints' Day on November 4 when the service will include baptisms. New singers are always welcome!

St James' Kids blog

Parents,
As you register your children for Sunday School this year you will be signed up to follow the St James' kids blog by email. This is a simple way to follow what is happening or has happened at church or Sunday School and also to share things with others. If you would rather follow our activities by another method please feel free to unsubscribe to the blog or connect using another method (see the right hand side of the blog page)
Thanks
Jan
Children, Teen & Family Coordinator

Great to see you!

It was wonderful to see the new year begin at Sunday School yesterday.
Our new curriculum is called Grow, Proclaim, Serve and the frog influences in our classroom illustrate the tagline 'Grow your faith in leaps and bounds'. In the next few weeks the blog and classroom communication will communicate more about the plans for the year and how we are committed to developing a more cohesive children's program here at St James'.
For the first few weeks the children will be studying the story of Moses, not just the baby in the basket but the man who led the Israelites out of Egypt and who relied on God for strength and support.
The Bible verse that will be repeated again and again during this unit is 'But I will remember the Lord's deeds; yes, I will remember your wondrous acts from times long past' Psalm 77:11

Yesterday the class was introduced for the first time to the people of 'Leaper's Pointe' a fictional town 'in the middle of everywhere where everyone understands that God loves them and counts their blessings'. These fun little episodes on DVD support the teaching each week. Each class will begin by reminding the children of the previous weeks class by showing the previous episode again at 10.20am. It is important we start on time to allow all the interesting activities that are planned to be used in each class.

See you next week

Jan

The Sunday School classroom is being prepared this week for our first class on Sunday. All kids from 4 years up to 6th grade are welcome. Children should be signed in on arrival at EB3 at 10.15am and will join their families in church during the 10.30am service.
See you there!
Jan