Inter-generational Ministry – December 2018

Hello, Church family,
Merry Christmas everyone!

God’s love is hard at work this time of year. As we take time to remember all that we are thankful, it is hard to turn our hearts to the many who are not experiencing the same love and abundance in their lives. We offer up what we can, praying it is enough.

This year our church has put together 46 boxes for the Samaritan’s Purse project. Rebecca Crumb-Johnson and I saw this project from beginning to end and have learned many valuable lessons along the way. Older students were able to become teachers to the younger Sunday school students as they shared with them the meaning of Samaritan’s Purse and ways that the younger students, too, could contribute to the project. We are working to create more opportunities likes this for the older students as they begin to define their new role within the church as students who became confirmed in their faith last year. Please take the time to bless and encourage them as they continue to find their place in the world and in our church.

November was full of wonderful intergenerational opportunities. Young and old came together to create a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. We had the Sunday school class make placemats and centerpieces for our tables; senior high students set the tables; junior high students gave us a Thanksgiving blessing; other church members prepared the meal and cleaned up, while others blessed us with receiving the gift we all worked so lovingly to create. Thank you all for keeping God’s love alive in our church.

Recently, a group of our young children came together with the Women’s Association to create beautiful lap robe kits. Some have even chosen to make the lap robes, which will eventually be placed on display here at UPCC, and then blessed and taken to the local nursing homes. I embrace the new collaboration between the Women’s Association and our young people. You may even see some of their creations at this year’s Holiday Bazaar.

As Christmas approaches, we carry with us the gratitude we have for each other. Together we are able to come together to create Christmas decorations for our church Christmas tree, which will be donated by Eileen and Paul Van Pernis. We are thankful for their kindness, love, and generosity towards our children and our church. We are also thankful for the many parents, grandparents, and young children who willing give of their hearts and talent in all that we do.

This year’s Christmas program will be yet another
intergenerational collaboration. We are blessed to have Katherine Swanson and her daughters creating this year’s performance. I am blessed to have a year off from
directing. I look forwarding to being a strong support system for them as they move forward to putting on a wonderful show for all of you. This year we will be
performing on December 9th during usual service time. Next year we are thinking about moving the children’s program to the 3rd Sunday in December. What do you think?
Blessing all of you, Merry Christmas!

Dates to remember
December 1 9:00 am Christmas tree decorating
10:00 am Play practice
December 5 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Early release program with Kate Bernardo
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Play practice, pizza and popcorn provided
December 8th 10:00 am – Noon Play practice
December 9th 9:00 am Final dress rehearsal before performance
10:30 am Worship and Christmas play
December 16 9:00 am Sunday school/ Bible Buck Sunday
December 23 No Sunday school
December 30 Family Fun Day in Duluth–details TBA

Jill Zifko,
Intergenerational Ministry Coordinator