Sunday School, Youth & Nursery News
March 26, 2017
Hello parents & teachers!
In Sunday School this week, the children will be continuing their Sunday School lessons with teachers Joan and Jennifer. This week's lesson is titled:
"The Good Samaritan"
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a didactic story told by Jesus in Luke 10:25–37. It is about a traveler who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left severely hurt alongside the road. First a priest and then a Levite comes by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveler. Samaritans and Jews generally despised each other, but the Samaritan helps the injured man. Jesus is described as telling the parable in response to the question from a lawyer, "And who is my neighbor ?" whom Leviticus 19:18 says should be loved. In response, Jesus tells the parable, the conclusion of which is that the neighbor figure in the parable is the man who shows mercy to the injured man-- that is, the Samaritan. He then tells the lawyer to "go and do likewise." His answer corresponds to his words in the Gospel of Matthew 5:43-48, to love one's enemy.
Portraying a Samaritan in a positive light would have come as a shock to Jesus' audience. It is typical of his provocative speech in which conventional expectations are inverted.
Some Christians, such as Augustine, have interpreted the parable allegorically, with the Samaritan representing Jesus Christ, who saves the sinful soul. Others, however, discount this allegory as unrelated to the parable's original meaning and see the parable as exemplifying the ethics of Jesus.
The parable has inspired painting, sculpture, satire, poetry, and film. The colloquial phrase "Good Samaritan," meaning someone who helps a stranger, derives from this parable, and many hospitals and charitable organizations are named after the Good Samaritan.
During this week's lesson, we will read this passage and discuss the story. We will watch a short video, and talk about the video through interactive, thoughtful questions. We will create a fun craft where the children will make a chain of hearts and hands showing people and ways they can help. We will ponder the question: What if the person you liked the least helped you the most?
Coming Up at St. Nick's:
SUNDAY SCHOOL LENTEN PROJECT Our Lenten offering is growing, thanks to your generosity. Let's keep it up! Send your child to Sunday School with a pocket full of loose change (or in the plastic Easter egg they picked up last week) and we'll put it in the offering plate to help us support the important work of Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). Further information - and plastic eggs! - will be available in the pews throughout Lent. If you'd like to learn more about ERD, here's the website.
LOOKING AHEAD: GOOD FRIDAY CHILDREN'S SERVICE APRIL 14TH AT 10 AM Remember our Good Friday service for kids of all ages? We will walk through the last week of Jesus' life in an interactive, kid-friendly way. This is a great chance for kids to learn the story in language that speaks to them and their world. Please join us!
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP! Parents, would any of you be interested in helping out at a "station" this year?We have the "part" written out completely, and you can use what we've written or improvise if you like. We would also love a few helping hands with the post-service craft, as well (we will be making beautiful Resurrection Gardens.) Please contact Dana at [email protected], or email Jennifer Klein at[email protected] or call her at (845)242-9857 if you might be interested. Also ...
EASTER SUNDAY EGG HUNT Easter is coming soon - April 16th! We're looking for a few parents to help coordinate our popular Easter Sunday egg hunt. It is always a fun time! Please email Jennifer Klein if you're able to help or want to learn more. Thank you!
PERSONAL CARE PANTRY needs help stocking their shelves for families in need. The items currently most needed are: Paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, laundry detergent, hair conditioner and dish washing liquid. Linens Ministry could use gently used blankets and new pillows. Furniture Ministry needs able bodied volunteers to help with pick-up and delivery. Please see Liz P. or Eileen D. for more info. Thanks!
Peace and Blessings,
St. Nick's
Sunday School is for kids ages 4-12 and takes place in the undercroft from 10-10:30. Teachers, the current teaching schedule can be foundhere. Please let me (Jennifer Klein) know if you need to make any changes. Thanks for all you do!
March 26, 2017
Hello parents & teachers!
In Sunday School this week, the children will be continuing their Sunday School lessons with teachers Joan and Jennifer. This week's lesson is titled:
"The Good Samaritan"
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a didactic story told by Jesus in Luke 10:25–37. It is about a traveler who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left severely hurt alongside the road. First a priest and then a Levite comes by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveler. Samaritans and Jews generally despised each other, but the Samaritan helps the injured man. Jesus is described as telling the parable in response to the question from a lawyer, "And who is my neighbor ?" whom Leviticus 19:18 says should be loved. In response, Jesus tells the parable, the conclusion of which is that the neighbor figure in the parable is the man who shows mercy to the injured man-- that is, the Samaritan. He then tells the lawyer to "go and do likewise." His answer corresponds to his words in the Gospel of Matthew 5:43-48, to love one's enemy.
Portraying a Samaritan in a positive light would have come as a shock to Jesus' audience. It is typical of his provocative speech in which conventional expectations are inverted.
Some Christians, such as Augustine, have interpreted the parable allegorically, with the Samaritan representing Jesus Christ, who saves the sinful soul. Others, however, discount this allegory as unrelated to the parable's original meaning and see the parable as exemplifying the ethics of Jesus.
The parable has inspired painting, sculpture, satire, poetry, and film. The colloquial phrase "Good Samaritan," meaning someone who helps a stranger, derives from this parable, and many hospitals and charitable organizations are named after the Good Samaritan.
During this week's lesson, we will read this passage and discuss the story. We will watch a short video, and talk about the video through interactive, thoughtful questions. We will create a fun craft where the children will make a chain of hearts and hands showing people and ways they can help. We will ponder the question: What if the person you liked the least helped you the most?
Coming Up at St. Nick's:
SUNDAY SCHOOL LENTEN PROJECT Our Lenten offering is growing, thanks to your generosity. Let's keep it up! Send your child to Sunday School with a pocket full of loose change (or in the plastic Easter egg they picked up last week) and we'll put it in the offering plate to help us support the important work of Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). Further information - and plastic eggs! - will be available in the pews throughout Lent. If you'd like to learn more about ERD, here's the website.
LOOKING AHEAD: GOOD FRIDAY CHILDREN'S SERVICE APRIL 14TH AT 10 AM Remember our Good Friday service for kids of all ages? We will walk through the last week of Jesus' life in an interactive, kid-friendly way. This is a great chance for kids to learn the story in language that speaks to them and their world. Please join us!
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP! Parents, would any of you be interested in helping out at a "station" this year?We have the "part" written out completely, and you can use what we've written or improvise if you like. We would also love a few helping hands with the post-service craft, as well (we will be making beautiful Resurrection Gardens.) Please contact Dana at [email protected], or email Jennifer Klein at[email protected] or call her at (845)242-9857 if you might be interested. Also ...
EASTER SUNDAY EGG HUNT Easter is coming soon - April 16th! We're looking for a few parents to help coordinate our popular Easter Sunday egg hunt. It is always a fun time! Please email Jennifer Klein if you're able to help or want to learn more. Thank you!
PERSONAL CARE PANTRY needs help stocking their shelves for families in need. The items currently most needed are: Paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, laundry detergent, hair conditioner and dish washing liquid. Linens Ministry could use gently used blankets and new pillows. Furniture Ministry needs able bodied volunteers to help with pick-up and delivery. Please see Liz P. or Eileen D. for more info. Thanks!
Peace and Blessings,
St. Nick's
Sunday School is for kids ages 4-12 and takes place in the undercroft from 10-10:30. Teachers, the current teaching schedule can be foundhere. Please let me (Jennifer Klein) know if you need to make any changes. Thanks for all you do!
