Southwood Lutheran Church

Dot Matrix Anyone?

Dot Matrix printer needed for Tanzania

Remember the old dot matrix printers? (I, Sara, remember printing out papers in college and then having to punch the holes in the sides off of them!) I thought these printers were almost obsolete - but wait, there is a need for one. Who still has one??

The teaching team will be leaving on June 23 to conduct workshops at Uroki Secondary School in Tanzania, Africa. While we are there, we would like to set up system with several computers daisy chained together with a printer.

A dot matrix printer would work best with this system. If you have a dot matrix printer you could donate, contact Faye Koehn or the church office at 423-5511.

Thanks for your help!

Faye

Sleeping on the Lord’s Prayer

Lord’s Prayer class for 1st graders

Last Sunday in the Faith Stepping Stones class for 1st graders and their parents, Pastor Michael and Luther helped the 1st graders look at the Lord’s Prayer petition by petition, drawing pictures for each petition and then translating them into a word and picture representation of the Lord’s Prayer on a pillow case.

Sleeping on the Lord’s Prayer probably won’t embed it in their memory, but reading it every night before they go to sleep might! Click on PRAYER to see kids and parents making the pillow cases.

Faye Koehn
Children & Family Ministry

Am I Really Suffering?

A couple of months ago, Kim (Turnage) had a blog that referred to a daily devotional. It was by a Pastor Kerry Nelson and I liked it so much I subscribed. He continues to make me think deeply and discover new ways to apply scripture to my life. He recently wrote about the following verse from Paul’s letter to the Philippians:

“Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” Philippians 1:27-30

He writes about how seldom we have to suffer persecution. When we think of suffering, it probably relates to sacrifices of our time, talents, treasures and concern.

I am currently part of a group that is preparing for the teacher’s summer trip to Tanzania to teach in Uroki, a secondary school in Southwood’s sister parish, Uswaa. Like most people, I have a variety of responsibilities in my life and I have been struggling to find time to spend on preparation. It was late the other night as I was trying to come up with a plan for teaching math – did I mention my background is teaching business? My mind wandered to Uroki, the teachers there, their rooms with cement floors, broken chalkboards and perhaps one book for 6 students to share. They lack most of the resources and supplies that are plentiful in our schools. Yet on a daily basis they go into their classrooms and do their best to share knowledge and bring understanding to their students.

Every time I go to Tanzania I think about the monetary cost – it costs about $3,000 just to get there. And every time I get there I ask them the same question – wouldn’t it be better if I just sent the money?

Luther Teaches The Lord's Prayer

Luther taught the Lord's Prayer on Sunday (with a little help from Pastor Michael).

If kindergarten parents get “tired” of teaching the Lord’s prayer, their kids can just sleep on it! Even with the change to daylight savings time, kindergarteners were wide awake as they drew pictures for each petition of the Lord’s prayer and translated them into a word and picture representation of the Lord’s prayer on a pillow case.

Luther was impressed that so many parents made their child’s faith formation a priority. He said his parents wanted him to learn the Lord’s prayer too. They went ape if he wouldn’t quit monkeying around about learning how to pray. Click on SNOOOZE to see kids and parents making the pillow cases.

Faye

Luther Impersonates a SHEEP!

Pastor Michael and Luther were telling stories again last Sunday.  This time it was the 4/5 year olds and their parents that learned about a monkey I mean SHEEP, that was lost and Jesus left the other 99 sheep to find it.  Luther dressed for the story by wearing a sheep costume so you can understand my confusion.

The 4/5 year olds made sheep puppets out of socks and cotton balls, played a matching animal card game with JESUS as one of the cards (which animal do you think Jesus was matched with?  A SHEEP, of course), and alternated with their parents in gluing cotton balls onto a sheep picture as they told each other . . . I love you because . . .   I  learned that dads are loved for some odd characteristics –being silly, stinky and sleepy.  How many of you dads (or moms?) can identify with that?

If you’d like to see pictures of Luther’s great sheep costume, socks turning into sheep, and dads being silly (I didn’t get any proof of their being stinky or sleepy), just click on the word of the day -- SHEEP!

Faith Stepping Stone classes for families happen once a year for each age child. Together, parents and their child learn a Bible story and create something that will help them talk about faith in their home, every night. For a schedule of Faith Stepping Stones classes from now until May, 2008, click on the word JESUS!

May God richly bless the 4/5 year olds and their families as they continue to learn and grow in their faith.

Faye

God Made Everything! God Made Me!

Do you know how dark it was before God created light or on which day of creation monkeys were created . . . or trains? 

These were some of the questions that Pastor Michael and Luther talked about with the 3 year olds last Sunday in the 3 year old Faith Stepping Stones class for parents and their child.  After 20 minutes of telling the story – with lots of help from the 3 year olds and a little help from the parents – parents and kids made a creation placement so they could continue the conversation at home.  At the center of the placement, a very special part of God’s creation was represented with a picture of the child. 

If you’d like to see pictures of Pastor Michael and Luther in action, just click on the word --  MONKEY!  (Luther made me put that in.)

Faith Stepping Stone classes for families happen once a year for each age child.  Together, parents and their child learn a Bible story and create something to help them talk about faith, every night.  For a schedule of Faith Stepping Stones classes from now until May, 2008, click on the word LUTHER! (I’m sending him back to Pastor Michael’s office!)

Faye

More than Christmas Crafts

There was a cold wind blowing outside for the Christmas ‘Make and Take’ Craft Festival, but the Christmas spirit was keeping everyone warm inside! Over 200 children with parents in tow had a very creative experience making gifts for others -- including the birds -- and perhaps one or two things for themselves as well. The beautiful Christmas music provided by the Suzuki cello groups and the smell of warm pretzels baking created a heavenly atmosphere!

We saw lots of familiar and unfamiliar faces. You invited your friends and they came! One mom said she's been meaning to get out to see our new space for a while, and this was the perfect excuse. "Now that I've been here once, I have no excuse not to come back for worship," she said.

Thanks to the many adult and youth volunteers who enthusiastically gave their time to create this introduction to the Christmas season -- and, for some, this fun introduction to Southwood! May your Christmas joy be multiplied because of your giving spirit!

Faye

An Adventure of the Spirit

You are invited to take an Adventure of the Spirit!

When people think of Africa, they think of adventure. Our trips to Uswaa, our sister parish in Tanzania, are filled with adventure . . .

The roads can be steep and a little rough . . .

Trees and flowers are bigger . . .

And there are wild animals . . .

As you spend some time there, however, you find adventure in discovering how much we are like the people in our sister parish.

Kids like to go barefoot . . .

And sing in Sunday School . . .

Everyone likes watermelon . . .

And playing games . . .

But most of all, while we may be on opposite sides of the world . . .

The God we worship is bigger than the world and unites us in a common bond of faith.

The greatest adventure, is the adventure of the Spirit.

There is a team going to Tanzania June 23 – July 7. Deadline for scholarship application is December 1, 2007. Contact Jill Hurlbut if you would like to learn more about joining us on this adventure of the spirit!

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

This picture is a gift from one of Southwood's partners in mission in Tanzania, Africa. Uroki (er o kee) is a secondary school where members of Southwood go to teach when they visit our sister parish, Uswaa (oo swah) . The headmaster at Uroki, Invo Makayo, purchased this picture as a gift for Southwood because it reminded him of our partnership. The picture is hanging in the commons area on the lower level (education area). Invo's tells us that he chose this gift as a reflection of the partnership between Southwood and our brothers and sisters in Tanzania.

The happy fish reminded Invo of the students at Uroki. They are happy because of everything that Southwood has done for them. As this painting shows, the fish are swimming around the light, which represents hope. In a more practical sense, when we recently visited the school, we purchased a generator which will literally give them light. There were three days during our visit when there was no electricity at the school. The generator we purchased can provide power for their entire campus.

In 2006 Southwood teachers taught a Sunday School lesson at Uswaa reminding the students to Let Your Light Shine. They are thankful that Southwood lets their light shine and now the students and teachers at Uroki have hope and light, which makes them happy.

In 2007 Southwood teachers taught a Sunday School lesson that we are to Go and be Fishers of Men. Our partnership works both ways. Southwood has helped to provide hope and light to the students at Uroki and with this painting, Uroki is reminding us of our mission to bring people to Christ!

We are thankful for the hospitality and Christian love that our sister parish, Uswaa, and the staff and students at Uroki Secondary School have shown us. May we continue to work together in our mission to love God and love others.

Gearing up for the first day of Sunday School

Only a couple of weeks before the first day of Sunday School!  Here are some reminders and a few  changes in how Sunday School will work this year:

• First things first...the first day of Sunday School is September 9!

• Parents of 3 year olds - 2nd graders...be sure you take good care of the ID card you receive when you drop your child off at class. You'll need it to get your child back!!

• CHANGE!  ~  3rd – 5th grade students will begin in the multipurpose room and end in their classrooms.

• CHANGE!    ~  The big wooden doors to the Children’s Ministry area will open 10 minutes before the end of the Sunday School hour. At this time, parents of 3-year olds - 2nd graders can begin picking up their students. (Parents, your children love seeing you at the end of Sunday School, but they are very distracted when they see you waiting outside during the last few minutes of the class. Of course, our Sunday School staff always welcome parents to participate in their children's classes anytime.) Please plan to pick up your 3-year old - 2nd grade students beginning at 9:20 for the 1st service, 10:35 for the 2nd service and 11:50 for the 3rd service.

• In light of their maturity and responsibility, 3rd - 5th graders will be released on their own at the times listed above for each service. Please plan with your child on a place to meet at the end of Sunday School.

• Parents, have you thought about when you'll go to Sunday School? Adult Sunday School starts September 23rd, with classes at both 9:45 & 11:00.

• Have you registered your child for a Sunday School class yet? We have room for everyone! Call the church office at 423.5511 to get your child enrolled in a class.

• If you love kids and love Jesus, have we got an opportunity for you!!! Contact me to learn how you can help with Sunday School this year. We always have room for one more!

• Our Sunday School teachers love kids, and they can't wait to starting helping your kids grow in their faith!

Still have questions? Email me or call me at 423-5511, ext. 29.

Faye Koehn
Director of Children & Family Ministries