Merry Christmas Eve

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the power to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

This morning started out a little ugly in my house. The kids were arguing before the sun came up and I was facing a long day of frantic cleaning and baking before heading to the church for 10 hours of back to back services. I am not finding "Peace on Earth" this Christmas Eve. And so I stopped and read, not Luke's account of the birth, but John's explanation of the "Why". There are 2 very important things I get from this piece of scripture.

First, Christ is in the world, now, today. It is up to me to look around enough to recognize him. I can't do that if my focus is on getting the brownies in the oven and mopping the bathroom. I can't do that if I am joining the argument with my children instead of seeing how my stress is spilling over into their world.

Second, my children ARE my Christmas gift. Every day (even the ugly ones) they are a gift from God. They were born not out of my own choice or desire, but out of God's. So today, I will stop a bit of the madness and talk to them about Mary and Joseph and the excitement and fear of having a baby on the way. I have told each of them about the day they were born. Today, we will talk about how I felt and what was happening the day before. I can make the time for myself, my kids, and for God.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Fearfully and Wonderfully made

This week during the education hour, Palmer kids participated in a hands-on experience honoring those with differing abilities and gifts. They were reminded that we are each a special part of God's creation and each play a role in the body of Christ. In the words of Psalm 139, "we are fearfully and wonderfully made".

If you or your child have questions or want more information about Palmer's "Community of Respect" initiative, please contact the Christian Formation offer. Many resources are available.

Disability Awareness Sunday on PhotoPeach

O Come Let Us Adore Him

Palmer's of all ages celebrated the first Sunday of Advent with the annual wreath making event in Fellowship Hall.
Advent 2009 on PhotoPeach

Counting our many blessings

This week, the focus of Sunday school was all the things we are thankful for; family, friends, food, homes, and all the things God has done in our lives.

And We Were Very Thankful on PhotoPeach

As we gather

Looking ahead to Sunday, November 15, there is much to be thankful for. During our Large Group time this week we have a special guest, Pat Simmons from the Palmer Way Station. Pat is coming to share his musical talent as well as his story of the many blessings in his life, especially the blessing of working with our friends at the Way Station. As you go about your week and prepare for Thanksgiving, please include the Way Station in your prayers.

Palmer Way Station on PhotoPeach

Jesus Loves Me!

Sunday school was filled with love as the adults celebrated confirmation with Bishop Payne. Many thanks to Kathy Segner for teaching us songs and sharing a story and pictures of children in Ghana, Africa.

Fill Us With Your Love on PhotoPeach

Miracle Sunday

This Sunday was all about the Miracles on Main Street and the lives touched by them. Randy Byrd led the Large Group Experience by singing Old Time Religion and Down in the River to Pray. Then all the kids broke into their small groups for Bible lessons.

Nursery- Baby Moses in the Basket
Pre-K- Tower of Babel
Kindergarten- Songs of David
1st grade- Stewardship
2nd grade- St Stephen, the Fearless
3rd grade-Psalm 23
4th & 5th grade- Becoming an Acolyte

Take a peak into the lives changed in Sunday School this week.
Lives Changed on PhotoPeach

An Ode to Joy

Sunday school this week was all about the joy we find in ourselves, our friends, and our church.

The Miracle of Joy on PhotoPeach

A Night to Remember

On October 16, Palmer youth came together to sponsor Kid's Night Out to raise money for the youth mission trip fund. There was pizza, brownies, games and puzzles, football, dancing, a movie, and great memories made. The kids also worked on baby blankets for Great Choirs for Great Causes. The youth will sponsor another Kid's Night Out in the Spring-so stay tuned.
Kid's Night Out on PhotoPeach

Morning Prayer

If you've seen any parenting magazines you've probably read about the decline of family meal time. We found with this school year that between work and homework, sports and music lessons, there just aren't that many nights we get to sit together as a family and have dinner. We miss our family time! So our family came up with a compromise. Our "family meal" is now breakfast. We are all in the house at that time and we all have to eat, so why not together. Eating together led to the great experience of praying together. It's amazing how different the start of your day becomes when prayer with your family is at the center. I challenge you to try it for a week. Skip hitting the snooze button one more time and have prayer with your family over oatmeal. I promise you won't regret adding it into your routine.

Seeking and Finding

This week was all about the Miracle of Faith; in God, in the church, in the world, and in each other.
The Miracle of Faith on PhotoPeach

All Creatures of Our God and King

The Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, October 3, was a huge success. Pets and animal friends of all shapes and sizes were blessed on the Palmer playground. Prizes were given to all those that entered the pet contest and prayers and goody bags were made for all those pets that haven't yet found their family of choice. Enjoy the slide show of photos from the event and mark your calendar for next year on the first Saturday of October.

Let all around us be Peace

In the midst of flu and rain and Youth retreats, we looked for and found peace in the Sunday School room. Enjoy.

Blessing our pets

All God's Creatures-from the two to the eight legged-are invited to the Palmer playground Saturday morning, October 3, at 10:00 for the Blessing of the Animals. If you have a pet better blessed by avoiding crowds, bring a picture and we will bless them in spirit. Stay tuned for pictures of this year's event and don't miss out on the opportunity to be part of the fellowship.

Children of Light

Week Two showed us all the ways that we can trust in God. It reminded each of us that God was with us in creation, when we reach out to our friends, when we sleep, and when we create for ourselves. We are each made in the image of God-and it is very good.

I'm gonna let it shine!

Take a look at our first week of Sunday School this fall. We missed you if you weren't here!

Great Wednesday Kids

Great Wednesday classes and fellowship started last night with a mighty roar and the Palmer kids were well represented. After "early" choir and pizza, we spent time outside for a rowdy game of tag and some playground volleyball. When "late" choir started, we moved into Holy Cross Chapel where everyone finished their homework....mostly. There was some exploration of the Godly Play lessons and a wonderful "bible story puppet show" written, directed, and acted by our PreYC kid's. We got together to draw an initial design of the PreYC banner and sorted through material to find the perfect medium for our design. After the Youth Bible Study (rumor has it the "best one ever"), the guys from the Palmer youth group joined us for an unplanned costume party. You don't want to miss next week when we commence with the making of the banner and have a lesson from the "Storykeepers".

Slime in the Sunday School Room

Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

This week in Sunday school Bartholomew and the Oobleck reinforced the Gospel lesson. We talked about the importance of not only saying "I'm Sorry" but "I forgive you.". The kids made slime to remind us how gunked up our hearts get when we can't apologize and admit when we're wrong as well as how harmful it is to refuse to forgive. Oobleck is powerful stuff.

Green Eggs & Ham or A Whale of a Tale

This week in Sunday school we watched Dr. Seuss's Green Egg's and Ham and listened to the music from "Oh, Jonah!". Like the character in Green Eggs & Ham, Jonah wasn't sure about trying out something new, and being a preacher-man in Ninevah sounded pretty new to him! But Sam-I-Am and God are very persistent. God has a way of following you around, even into the belly of a whale, until you end up where he wanted you to go. And if you're open to his message, it may just be the best thing you've ever done....or tasted.

Who are your "Who's"?

Whose voice do you hear crying out for help? For our Elementary kids it was the clients at the Way Station. We decorated stickers for water bottles and wrote messages on snack bags to hand out to the people we see on the street corners of our city. Postcards with directions and information about Palmer's Way Station can be found in the front office. Grab a few postcards and add a snack or battle of water to give out as you travel around hearing "Who's".

Let the Wild Rumpus Begin

Sunday school this week made me wish I was 4 again! Michael and Jan Rybarski, along with a few helpers, introduced the kids to Jesus spending time in the wilderness and the temptations he faced by paralleling the story in Matthew 4 with the Maurice Sendak classic, Where the Wild Things Are. The kids made Monster Puppets and had a "wild rumpus" and then, like Jesus (and Max) resisted temptation and returned to the safe and loving arms of their parents.

People can change!

This week in Sunday school we read How the Grinch Stole Christmas. After we got past the questions on WHY we were reading a Christmas story in July, great things began to happen. I learned that I could listen to Sarah Oldrin read the phone book and if the silence in the room is any indication, the kids agreed with me! Along with the Grinch, we read the story of one of my favorite Bible grouchy guys, Zaccheaus. We had some wonderful examples from the kids of times when we took our anger and frustration out on other people as well as examples of acts of kindness that changed our attitudes. I pray for us all to have fewer Zaccheaus/Grinch moments, and more opportunities to be Jesus/Cindy Lou Who. You never know when an invitation to dinner can change the size of a heart.

Forgive us our trespasses

Elementary Sunday School read The Zax by Dr. Seuss. There are two kinds of Zax's; those that go north and those that go south. When a north-going Zax and a south-going Zax find themselves on a collision course, what happens is a lesson in pride. The kids discussed times that their pride stood in the way of doing what was best. They read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 and talked about how hard it was for both the son and the dad to set aside their pride and admit they were wrong. They found a great answers in the Lord's Prayer. "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Setting aside pride and forgiving ourselves and others is a wonderful place to start. Stop by the hallway outside the formation office and take a look at the banner they made to illistrate this weeks lesson.

Guess How Much I Love You.

Pre-k and Kindergarten explored the depth of God's love by learning John 3:16 and reading the book Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Like Big Nutbrown Hare, God will always love us more than we can love God. The ultimate proof is in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Aren't we all glad that God loves us SO MUCH!!!

Parents Welcome!

This Sunday, I heard from several parents that their kids were shy, nervous, or generally unsure about going to Sunday school. They seemed shocked when I suggested that they go to class with their child. Please, consider this an open invitation. Any and all parents are welcome to sit with their child in Sunday school. I promise you will be amazed at the way the spirit moves with and through our children. You will be awed by their understanding and expressions of faith. You might even be inspired to join them on their journey as a leader or assistant in a Sunday school class. I hope to see your family in a classroom soon.

Running Scared

This past Sunday's theme from pre-K through 5th grade was running away.

For Pre-k and kindergarten, it was all about running from God. They read Runaway Bunny and Psalm 139. They ate carrots and talked about trying to run from your parents and trying to run from God.

Grades 1-5 read Dr. Seuss's "What Was I Scared Of?" and Matthew 26: 39-46. They talked about how Jesus prayed when he was afraid and they made prayer journals to write about their own fears.

The King of All I Survey

Sunday brought a few great lessons to the elementary gang this week. Class began with a reading from Matthew 7:24-29 and then the reading of Dr. Seuss' Yertle the Turtle. It was clear that building a kingdom on the backs of your friends and family made for a very shaky foundation! The kids had some wonderful insight into how we sometimes use others to get ahead and look better. They were also very open in discussing times when they, like Yertle, wanted much more than they needed or was rightfully theirs. They talked about people who were less fortunate than they are and made stuffed turtles to be sent to Operation Kid-2-Kid. The turtles will be handed out to children who lose their homes due to natural disasters. Each student also kept a turtle for themselves as a reminder of the many blessings they have in their own lives and to remember to not be a Yertle!

Remembering

In pre-k and kinder Sunday school this week, we talked about memories and the power of being a child. We read the verses in Mark about Jesus and the children (Mark 10:13-16) and talked about how important children were to Jesus and what it meant when he said "Do not hinder them." Then we read Mem Fox's Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. Like Wilfred Gordon, the kids all knew someone who had misplaced their memories. There was some lively discussion of the memories they would be sad to lose, everything from a trip to Sea World or watching Granddaddy ride his horse to how it felt to get a hug from Mom when you hurt your knee. The kids made Memory Boxes for our elderly friends that come every month to the Gathering Place. I pray the work of our children can spark a few memories for the "Miss Nancys" in our church family. If you missed out on this weeks lesson and want to know more about making a Memory Box for someone special in your own life, contact me for instructions.

First Day of Summer.....

Summer Sunday school that is.
Pre-K and Kindergarten read The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant and talked about visiting family. They looked at the story in Matthew 13:54-56 of Jesus' family and had some great and creative speculation about what it was like for Jesus to visit with his family.  They finished up by drawing pictures of their own families. 
Grades 1-5 read Horton Hatches the Egg and decided that God, like Horton, is faithful 100%.  We looked at Exodus 3:12 and God's promise to always be with us.  We talked about the people in our lives that always keep their promises.  Parents can rest assured they made the list of the faithful.  The kids then decorated plastic eggs and filled them with all the promises they want to remember to keep.

Goodbye Croc-dock

The posters are down, the kids have gone home, and the dock has been sent on loan to another church. Vacation Bible School is officially over. If you had asked me last week if I would miss it, I would have thought there was no way. Today I find myself a little bit sad that I won't be spending another week with the Ducks, Frogs, Toads, and Swamp Rats that made up this year's VBS crews. The message on the last night was that God cares for us. I saw God's love in the faces of every child, youth, parent, and volunteer that made this week possible. There is no way to truly thank everyone for all the effort it took to create and execute an incredible week.

God is Powerful

One more day left in VBS this year. So far we have learned that God is with us, God is powerful, God keeps his promises, and God gives us life. I am reminded every evening just how powerful God really is as I watch our children dance and sing and praise God together. God has shown his power as our Youth are attacked with hugs when they walk through the door and as our adult volunteers share their love and patience throughout the evenings events. God is moving through the room as a little voice asks if tomorrow has to be the last night. "Couldn't we do this all summer?" And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my prayers from Monday have been answered. God kept his promise and has been with us every day. Because we have gathered together in his name, our lives are forever changed. God is Powerful!

Crocodile Dock

I ask for your prayers as we get ready for Vacation Bible School this evening. The instructions written on my calendar say "Don't Panic!". It is so easy for me to do as I make lists of all the things left undone and I ponder all the things that could possibly go wrong. Given enough time I can visualize everything from me sitting in a room with a hundred kids and no help in sight to forty adults staring blankly at a dozen kids. The possibilities are endless! The theme for tonight "God is always with me". And so I pray that I am ever mindful of His presence; in the faces of the children who attend, in the minds of those who volunteer, and in the hearts of the parents who entrust their kids to our care. Help me to remember that God is with us in everything we do, tonight and always.

The Spirit Moves

This Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church. We celebrate by dressing in red and with images of wind and fire to commemorate the Holy Spirit moving through the room and igniting the disciples to action.

We will hear the story of Pentecost during the service. As some of the images can be scary to sensitive children, I recommend reading the story in Acts 2:1-21 and discussing the imagery ahead of time. It is fun to use pin-wheels, wind chimes, or red balloons to talk about how the wind reminds us that the Holy Spirit put the breathe of life into the church and is with us still today.

Good enough for Jesus

One Sunday morning I walked into my 5 year old daughter's room to find her already dressed for church. She had on a black satin dress, pink and white plastic shoes, several strands of mardi-gras beads, and a red feathered tiara. I quickly tried to "fix" the situation.

"Honey, can we put on our black shoes? The pink shoes don't match your dress." She grabbed me by the hand and quietly said "Mother, Jesus doesn't care if I match and church is about Jesus, It's not about you." So we went to church proudly in our plastic shoes and tiara.

I saw this as one more example of the irritating strong-will of my child and have told friends the story with surprise that she played "the Jesus card" to put a hasty end to any discussion on the matter. I'm often shocked by her ability to out-think me.

I recently got a response that changed my way of looking at the episode. Someone said "How awesome is it she had such confidence Jesus loves her just as she is? How great would it be if every child of God had that kind of faith?" And I was reminded that that they were both right. It is about Jesus, not me.

It is now my fervent prayer that she carry that level of faith with her for the rest of her life. I am making a conscious effort to see her, and myself, with the heart and eyes of Christ.

Get It In Writing

One of the faith skills we are trying to build is the ability to dialogue with God. That means memorized prayers and free-form prayers as well as just thoughtful conversations. Try writing the names of people or things you want to pray for on your bathroom mirror in dry erase marker and thank God for them as you wash your hands or brush your teeth.

Movie time Sunday

This morning in Sunday school we watched "Stanley the Stinkbug Goes to Camp" from Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends series. Stanley taught us about inclusion and that God created each one of us for a special purpose. It was great to discuss as our kids prepare to meet new friends at the pool, the park, or camp this summer who may look, act, or even smell different from us. We are all children of God and each have a unique calling. I recommend any of the Hermie videos to spark conversation at home.

Let's Talk About Faith

Whenever we went on a road trip when I was a child my mom would pull out a list of questions. Between Houston and Dallas I learned that the Godfather was my dad's all-time favorite movie and by the time we got to Tulsa I knew that my little brother would rather eat lima beans than any other vegetable (YUCK!) We made fun of mom and her questions but they are now some of our best memories. So this summer I encourage you to strap your kids into their seatbelts and start asking some questions. Throw in a few like "If Jesus was having a meal at our house tonight, what would you serve?" or "Name the place you feel closest to God." You may get a few eye-rolls, but you will also get some answers that make talking about faith part of the rhythm of every day life.

Thanks Mom!

This Sunday was all about what a wonderful gift we have in our mothers. From Pre-K through 1st grade, cards and tissue paper stained glass was crafted to thank our moms. 2nd grade put on a lovely Mother's Day concert highlighting some of their favorite hymns and showing off what they've learned this year about navigating the hymnal. 3rd grade wrapped up their tour of the Bible this week and 4th and 5th grades "grappled" with their last question for the year. A big thanks goes out to our Youth who split the duties of selling mothers day flowers and cards and helping in the younger grades with Mother's day crafts and activities.

Register NOW!

Mark your calendars for June 1-5 and join us from 5:00 to 8:00 for dinner and vacation bible school fun. Crocodile Dock is "where fearless kid's learn to shine God's light". Registration forms are available on Sunday mornings on the patio or can be printed from the church website.

If you want to volunteer to help, see me on the patio during the 10:00 education hour. I am happy to put you to work!

You are Invited!

At Palmer, communion is open to all God's children. Every person and every family has the opportunity to decide what is the right time, emotionally and developmentally, for their child to partake in the Eucharist. Whether you've chosen to wait or your child has been receiving communion since their baptism, all kids in grades 1-5, along with their parents, are invited to Holy Cross Chapel at 10:00 on Sunday, May 17th for a Family Eucharistic Instruction.

A New Day is Dawning

I am home from Georgia with a renewed spirit and a whole host of ideas. I ask for your prayers as we work to change how we communicate with parents and the larger Palmer community about our kids and the incredible things they are learning and doing on their faith journey. Stay Tuned......Exciting things are on the horizon.