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Youngchurch


Rally around vacation Bible school A


t Nativity Lutheran Church, Allentown, Pa., excitement about vacation Bible school began not long after Easter as the children antici- pated visiting “Hometown Nazareth.” The excitement grew as volunteers began building Nazareth for the July 11-15 event.


Send stories of your youth group (pre- school-confirmation age) to: Andrea Pohlmann Kulik , 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago IL 60631; andrea.pohlmann@ thelutheran.org.


Over 10 days the church’s new fel- lowship area was transformed. Large sheets of Styrofoam were molded and painted to look like the main street in Nazareth. This area became the mar- ketplace, with tented cubicles inviting children to try their hands at creative crafts at the Wool Shop, the Carpenter Shop, the Bead Bazaar, Tie-Dye Ter- rific and more. Large, colorful blankets on the narthex floor identified where each of the 12 tribes (classes) would gather for learning, caring and sharing. The stage was set for the nearly 100 children who attended Bible school, held with Cedar Lutheran and Cedar United Church of Christ, Allentown. They weren’t disappointed. Each night the tribes gathered for a light supper. The excitement continued as the kids made their way through the activities and concluded with worship, making full use of the new nave’s video screens and sound system. Participants were particularly excited that Bible school was a rally- ing point for all ages, wrote Richard Stough, a pastor of Nativity. “Obvi- ously the elementary age children and their friends were the major focus. But it also served as a mid- summer inspiration for the [50 teenage and adult volun- teers], including a number of senior citizens. A number of parents simply


40 The Lutheran • www.thelutheran.org


Youth go back in time to visit Hometown Nazareth at Nativity Lutheran Church, Allentown, Pa. Bible school participants heard the stories and explored an authen- tic marketplace to discover more about Jesus’ childhood.


enjoyed hanging around in the shadows, watching the enthusiastic response of their children to their first experience in Hometown Nazareth,” he said. For more information, contact Stough at dstough@entermail.net.


Going healthy with snacks


Kids attending Bible school at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hutchinson, Kan., learned about God, the world when Jesus was a boy, Bible verses and songs. But another important lesson was: “Treat your body like a temple.” With a $300 grant from a local nonprofit and a community foundation, Emanuel introduced healthy snacks and daily walking to Bible school. Fruit was available each day. Other days included build-your-own trail mix; yogurt with toppings; cheese and crackers/matzos; and pudding with vanilla wafers. For the Friday lunch, kids could try fruit, meat and cheese, vegetables, and assorted breads (tortillas, matzos, crackers and Italian bread) with spreads (humus, pea- nut butter, sugar free jelly, honey and a cheese ball).


“I thought the snacks were extremely well received,” said DeAnna Marshall, one of the organizers of the refreshments. “We tried to incorporate some things from when Jesus was a boy in Nazareth, like the dates, honey and flatbreads, etc.” Tim Carey, pastor, said, “It is a matter of stewardship, caring for what God has entrusted to us—our bodies and health. While we can’t force people to make healthy choices, we can encourage them to make choices that will impact their health and well-being for years to come ....” To learn more, contact Carey at tcarey@emanuel-hutchinson.org. M


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