St. John's Church Savannah, Georgia GA

Just when you thought our church school couldn’t get any better,

IT DOES!

What you need to know:

The classes at 9:30 are as follows –

• • Nursery – (First Floor Cranmer Hall)
  • Preschool – Kindergarten
  • 1^st and 2^nd Grades
  • 3^rd and 4^th Grades
  • 5^th Grades
  • All classes for Preschool – 5^th Grades will be on the 2^nd floor of Cranmer Hall
  • All children in 1^st – 5^th go straight to the 2^nd floor assembly area.
  • All children in Preschool – Kindergarten go to their classroom.
  • Please pick your children up from their classrooms at 10:15 for church.  Preschool – 4^th grades must have a parent pick them up from the door to ensure everyone’s safety.
  • This year the children will continue to learn the History of Our Salvation in the New Testament.

What goes on at 10:30:

• Nursery (first floor Cranmer Hall – newborn to 2yrs)
• Sunday School and Music for
  • Preschool Class (second floor Cranmer Hall)
  • Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten (second floor Cranmer Hall)
  • Children in 1^st – 4^th Grades attend church with their parents.  They then have the option of following the cross back to Cranmer Hall at the hymn before the sermon for Junior Choir with Diane Stallings (Choral Director at Savannah Arts Academy)
  • Children in 5^th Grade and older remain in church with their parents for the service.

THIS SUNDAY,  Quinquagesima, February 19, 2012

Greetings St. John’s Church School,

This Sunday we will follow our regular schedule with Morning Assembly beginning at 9:30 in the children’s chapel area located on the 2^nd floor of Cranmer Hall.  This Sunday Lance Hearn will be the Dad Squad Morning Assembly Leader.  The Church School Supervisor will be Sandy and David Dixon.

As a part of Morning Assembly, we will continue with this month’s hymn, #55 Forty Days and Forty Nights. We will also look at Stations #4 and #5 as part of our Lenten studies in preparation for the 5:30 Stations of the Cross Service that takes place on Good Friday.  More information to come. . .

This Sunday the children will learn:

Today’s Scripture: Luke 15: 1-10

Lesson Background:

Situation:  “Publicans and Sinners” (“bad” Jews) are listening to Jesus’ preaching of the gospel of God, and he is eating and drinking with them (celebrating the gospel of the Kingdom in fellowship with them).  Jesus is criticized by scribes and Pharisees (“good” Jews) for eating and drinking with “publicans and sinners” (“bad” Jews) who are hearing his preaching about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus answers the criticism with Parables of Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Lost Son.  This Lesson will cover the first two stories in Luke 15:  Lost Sheep and Lost Coin.  We will cover the Lost Son in a subsequent lesson.

First Story:  Shepherd with 100 sheep loses 1—what does he do?

1. He leaves the 99 and goes to find the one lost sheep and brings it home on his shoulders—that is Jesus preaching the gospel.
2. He calls his neighbours in to rejoice with him—that is Jesus eating and drinking with sinners.
3. Moral:  Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.

Pharisees and scribes are out of step with God, in refusal to celebrate and promote repentance and conversion of sinners.

Second Story:  Woman with 10 coins loses 1—what does she do?

1. She lights a candle and sweeps house till she finds it—that is what the Church of Jesus does—in lightening the darkness of our hearts by the light of God’s word.
2. She calls her neighbours together to rejoice with her—that is what the Church of Jesus does—in celebrating the conversion of sinners.
3. Moral:  Joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.  Pharisees and scribes are out of step with God’s Church, in refusal to celebrate and promote repentance and conversion of sinners.

Key Points:

REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD

• of Sin:  One way of sinning is to openly reject God and his ways and to make use of his good gifts while denying him worship and thanks—God wills us to repent of this sin, and to return to him.
• of Sin:  Another way of sinning is not open rejection of God and his ways—but a refusal to share his good will toward sinners—angry, proud, self-righteous judgment cuts us off from God as much as riotous living.
• Repentance:  God does not want sinners to be punished, but wants them to repent and return to him—So, let’s repent and return to him!—and let us rejoice in those who repent!—and let us work to bring about their conversion!

FAITH IN CHRIST

• Faith believes and trusts in Christ, who is our true good shepherd—and God’s true Son—who embraces and carries out the Father’s will for sinners—he took upon himself the whole cost of bringing sinners back to God, not just by preaching, but also by dying on the cross.
• Believes and trusts in God’s undeserved and freely given forgiveness and pardon of all the sins of those who truly repent and believe his gospel—it is ours for the asking, and it is more than we desire or deserve.

OBEDIENT SERVICE IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD

• Forgiveness is free to the repentant sinner, but costly to the God who forgives—the church is made up of freely forgiven people who are engaged in the costly business
  • of forgiveness of those who have wronged them
  • of bearing witness to the Gospel, calling sinners to repentance, welcoming them home, rejoicing in their conversion.

I think it would be very interesting to take a poll and find out what everyone’s initial reaction to this lesson is.  Do you feel that it is a continuation of last week’s lessons on the Beatitudes teaching us to genuinely care and have empathy for others?  You need to be like Christ and help look for those that are lost?  Or was your first reaction, relief knowing that God will always come looking for you if you stray?

I once heard someone say that your relationship with God can be like marriage.  There are times when you are very close and this relationship is at the forefront of your mind.  Other times, you know it is there, but it requires a lot of work to make sure it stays at the center of your life.  And possibly, sometimes, it can be pushed to the back of your mind.  Scary place to be – lost.

How often do you repent?  Five times a day – depending on how your kids are behaving?  Twice daily – morning and evening prayer?  Daily?  Sunday mornings?  Twice a month on Sunday mornings?  Easter and Christmas?

I wish I could say at least twice daily, but I cannot.  With next Wednesday being Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, I know I need to think about where I fall.   Where do you fall?  A shepherd or a lost lamb?

See you Sunday,

Caroline Hayes

For more information about our church school program contact

Maryan Harrell, Parish Activities Director

or

Caroline Hayes, Church School Superintendent.

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St. John’ Church presents extensive opportunities for

Children’s Music Education for boys and girls of all ages.

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Vacation Bible School

As many of you know, St. John’s now has its very own VBS curriculum.

“On Eagles’ Wings” was written by Maryan Harrell, and is a four year program. Centered on the life of Christ as portrayed in St. John’s beautiful stained glass windows, each of the four years is studied from the aspect of the four gospels. The program is directed for children in our parish and neighborhoods, from ages 3 to 7. We hope that this special program will serve to teach our children the truths found in the Bible, as well as give them an understanding of what they see around them as they grow up worshiping at St. John’s Church.