As the school year draws to a close, I am overwhelmed at how much time has past since my last post, so I decided to add some of my newsletter articles for folks who are interested in what we do around here! I hope to keep current info on typepad through the summer. Please email me with any info you might have for me to post as well as pictures from events like TGIF dinners and Christophany!
Peace,
Ellyn Siftar
Christophany is an appearance of Christ after his ascension.
Our youth trip to Spruce Retreat Center this past month was a journey from Maudy Thursday to Easter Sunday, pausing along the way for reflection and fellowship. The deep, penetrating quiet and thoughtfulness reflected the spiritual mood of this amazing group. Nearly 60 adults and youth gathered in worship and praise in three services, guided by imagery, music, activities under the leadership of Demery Bader-Saye. We sang, laughed, cried and comforted each other in a weekend full of fun with a purpose. Both adults and youth alike were given the gift of a deeper relationship to both Christ and each other.
I’d like to thank both the parents of the youth and Trinity Parish, whose financial support and enthusiastic commitment made it possible to participate in such a life-changing event.
COMING THIS MONTH:
May 6th and 13th are our last two sessions of Godly Play. If you have been bringing your children to Sunday school this year, they will not want to miss these last two days!
May 6th is our last day of Sunday school for middle school youth. May 13th we will go out to breakfast and make plans for the summer!
May 18th-20th, TGIF group will be going on a camping trip-call Jen Bradley at 610.694.9805 with any questions.
It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.
John Steinbeck (1902-1968), American novelist
Dear Friends,
My winter has been a stormy one. My father has been in and out of the hospital for both a stroke and dehydration related to the flu. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware and Mother Nature thwarts my trips regularly with ice and snow. On the other hand, it is with joy and expectancy that Andrew, Anna, Philip, Margaret and myself wait for the child who will join our family this September.
This last storm has taught me to be patient. After the 70 degree days last week I thought for sure we were in the clear for Spring’s arrival. I have faith that the snowdrops that blossomed during the warmer days are still there, waiting under the blanket of snow and ice. The children in my life, although they moaned at first about wearing snow pants instead of shorts, ran outside into the storm with anticipation and glee. If only I could take each day as it comes as easily as they do.
My life at Trinity keeps me grounded and connected to both the Spirit and humanity. All the children in the Godly Play program allow me to be a part of their spiritual journey when they respond to the stories in very personal and different ways. Some children are quiet and their responses reflect their introspective nature. Others are very verbal and revel in retelling the story to other children as well as their parents. Still others help the class to see connections between stories that are not so obvious. I am so grateful for their gifts. The middle school youth-and Vanessa-are honest reminders of what is important-friendship. Their relationship to each other and the teachers shows their respect for leadership and each other and eagerness to learn new approaches to their spiritual lives.
The Committee for Children and Youth gathered for the 3rd time this month to discuss programs for teens. We agree that we would like to support a Sunday morning gathering in the church where teens could have informal discussions, share coffee and treats in the fellowship of their peers in the context of a Christian community. We are asking that all members of Trinity Church pray for the calling that might be theirs, to lead this group.
Thank you all for your support of the youth ministries at here at Trinity!
Blessings on your family,
Ellyn Siftar,
Director of Youth Ministries
Dear Friends,
Often January can be a time of lethargy as the excitement of the holidays dies away and the credit card bills arrive. So far, this New Year is all about energy and forward-thinking! Already this year we have seen several new ventures.
The Committee for Children and Youth had its very first meeting. About a dozen wonderful folks filled the library to capacity. We spent most of our time together discussing what we would like to see in place for our youth and young adults. We exchanged ideas and made some tentative plans for the next year. We will meet again on February 11th in the library following the 10:30 service.
Demery Bader-Saye, the youth missioner for the Diocese of Bethlehem, spoke at our forum on January 21st. Demery is an active Episcopal priest who is involved in the emerging church movement, a mother of three, and has been working with youth groups since college. Her experience with both youth and parents was evident in her dynamic presentation as she gave an overview of all the programs that the Diocese offers the teens and young adults in our area, such as Happening, Christophany and the Bishop’s Day with Youth. Not only does the Diocese host local events, they also are involved in the facilitating the Diocesan Youth Council, which is a group comprised of youth and youth leaders who help to plan diocesan youth events. Despite all the hard work this group does throughout their six meetings a year, Demery stays pretty busy coordinating all the local events and retreat as well as the PYE (Provincial Youth Event) and EYE (the National Episcopal Youth Event) and this year’s Youth Missions Trip to New Orleans. For more information about Youth Events, see the diobeth youth website: lifeistasty.org.
Not to be left in the 20th century, the middle school group will be diving into ancient Greek history beginning February 4th. This class, taught by Linda Henry, will attempt to put in perspective the life and times of Jesus and the early Christians. As a brief interlude, we will get a second fix of Tai-Chi led by Tom Ardizzone on February 11th. If you are an adult and you would like to join us, you are most welcome! Meet us in the chapel at 10:15 and wear comfortable clothes. Linda will pick up where she left off on February the 25th, as the 18th is our next Children’s Sunday and Parish Luncheon.
Last, but not least, Trinity’s Group Involving Families will again be hosting a Pancake Supper in celebration of Shrove Tuesday. If you have never had the opportunity to see our gang in ACTION, now’s your chance. Adults and young folks alike will have an chance to join our infamous pancake race! This event is open to everyone in our parish, even if you’re not a member. Please join us for fun and fellowship as we celebrate the last day of ordinary time before the season of lent.
Blessings on your family,
Ellyn Siftar, DRE
We've experienced a few snags in mass communication in the past few weeks and I am posting links to both the Trinity calendar as well as the new website for Youth in the Diocese of Bethlehem. I hope you all take the time to check these websites periodically and provide feedback about communications within our parish and the diocese!
Thanks,
Ellyn
life is tasty: youth happenings in the diocese
google calendar
Prepare the Way
As the rush of the Holiday season begins, you may want to take a deep breath. While there is shopping, decorating, planning and parties to attend to, the Advent season is a time of preparation- not of the material world, but of our spirits. It is an opportunity to contemplate, meditate and reconnect with our spiritual lives as the light of the days grows short. This year, consider preparing a space, both inwardly and outwardly, in which the mystery of Christmas may enter. Whether it is lighting the advent candles every night with your family, singing carols, or making a regular habit of reading the scripture verses that tell of Christ’s birth, don’t miss out on the real joy of Advent-quietly waiting.
December 6th is the feast day of St. Nicholas. On the evening before, children the world over leave their polished shoes out for Saint Nicholas along with a note and a carrot for his donkey. In the morning they may find star cookies, oranges, candy canes, gold coins and other simple gifts. There are many stories of the life and deeds of St. Nicholas as well as stories, legends poems and traditions. I share with you a story of Bishop Nicholas and wish you a peaceful prelude to the great mystery of Christmas.
St. Nicholas
One
day, by chance, Nicholas heard about a rich man in Myra who lost all
his money when his business failed. The man had three lovely
daughters, all wishing to get married, but he had no money for their
marriage. Besides, who would marry them, he thought, since their
father is such a failure? With nothing to eat, the man in desperation
decided to sell one of his daughters into slavery. At least then the
rest of them might survive.
That night before the first daughter was to be sold, Nicholas, with a small bag of gold in his hand, softly approached their house, and, tossing the gold through an open window, quickly vanished into the darkness.
The next morning, the father found a bag of gold lying on the floor next to his bed. He had no idea where it came from. "Maybe it's counterfeit," he thought. But as he tested it, he knew it was real. He went over the list of his friends and business associates. None of them could possibly have given him this.
The poor man fell to his knees and great tears came to his eyes. He thanked God for this beautiful gift. His spirits rose higher than they had been for a long time because someone had been so unexpectedly good to him. He arranged for his first daughter's wedding and there was enough money left for the rest of them to live for almost a year. Often he wondered: who gave them the gold?
But by the end of the year, the family again had nothing, and the father, again desperate and seeing no other way open, decided his second daughter must be sold. But Nicholas, hearing about it, came by night to their window and tossed in another bag of gold as before. The next morning the father rejoiced, and, thanking God, begged His pardon for losing hope. Who, though, was the mysterious stranger giving them such a gift?
Each night afterwards the father watched by the window. As the year passed their money ran out. In the dead of one night he heard quiet steps approaching his house and suddenly a bag of gold fell onto the floor. The father quickly ran out to catch the one who threw it there. He caught up with Nicholas some distance away and recognized him, for the young man came from a well-known family in the city.
"Why did you give us the gold?" the father asked.
"Because you needed it," Nicholas answered. "But why didn't you let us know who you were?" the man asked again. "Because it's good to give and have only God know about it."
from http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/adx/adnick.html
Dear Friends,
It's been a while since I've updated, but
that's a good thing. We've been busy planning and preparing Godly
Play materials for our classes. The Godly Play class has met 5 times
and the children are "wondering" about the Holy Family, the creation,
the flood, exodus, and the ten best ways(the ten commandments). They
have painted with watercolours, modeled with clay and beeswax, made
collages and worked with the storytelling materials in their response
time.
The middle school youth group is an enthusiastic
bunch! For the past few Sundays they have been working on choosing a
saint that they feel represents something about them in preparation for Mrs. Genthner, who will teach them how to paint pictures of the
saints on wooden plaques. They have also met one Thursday evening for
a pizza social and games. Our next pizza social is planned for
Thursday November 16th at 5:30pm. You can email me for more
information ellyn@trinitybeth.org.
The TGIF(Trinity's Group Involving Families)
also met this month to schedule and plan upcoming events. The next
gathering will be a Thanksgiving dinner on Friday November 10th at 6pm
in the Parish Hall. For more information about this event, call Jen
Bradley at 610.694.9805.
Blessings on your family,
Ellyn
“When a child walks down
the road, a company of angels goes before him proclaiming,
'Make way
for the image of the Holy One.'” --Hasidic saying
Dear Friends,
As I write this, I am in my office
and my children are in the nursery, completely engrossed in their
play. This building has become a second home to us all and I feel
truly blessed to be a part of this community in Christ. Sundays at
church are a natural part of our weekly rhythm as much as Saturday is
pancake day and Monday is back to work and school. If I sit quietly,
I can remember the nursery at my childhood church: the cozy resting
nooks; vanilla wafers for snack; and the rainbow-colored stacking
toy. The way I feel when I come down to the Sunday School wing now
is much the same as it was when I was four. When our children are
welcomed to the Sunday School each Sunday, it is a gift for their
journey, to become a piece of their heritage.
Some of the strongest memories at
an early age are aberrations from the routine. Why? Because most
days are a part of the flow of family life that is like the gentle
rocking of the sea. Sunday is a day unlike any other. It is set
aside for worship and praise. It is a day above all others, an
anchor for the rest of our weekly living, which provides an
unbreakable tether to God. Please join us as we embark on a journey
together.
Please look for a registration
card in the mail and return it to the church by September 17th. If
you do not receive a card, please contact me at 610.867.4741 x307 and
I will send one out to you. By taking the time to register, you will
help us prepare the classrooms as well as the teachers so we can
better facilitate Sunday School programs.
New this year is a nursery room
connected to the preschool room. This space is intended for feeding
time, sleeping babies and quiet play for those under two. The
preschool room (first door on your right) is available as a
supervised play space during the worship hour.
For our school-age children, we have
the The Godly Play room which will inhabit classrooms D and F. This
group will begin meeting on Sunday September 24th, at 10:15 am. We
will be spending time over the next few weeks preparing this sacred
space for the children. On Saturday September 9th
from 9 until 1 we will be painting the walls as well as crafting
supplies for the stories. Supplies and lunch will be provided, bring
yourself and a sense of humor!
Middle school and high school youth
are encouraged to join other folks their age every Sunday for a blend
of outside activities, drama, music, fun and games. Our program for
young adults is going to depend on which of us will lead them as well
as how many of them can make a commitment to meeting here on a
regular basis. We hope to connect with other area churches for
activities outside of Trinity, but to do that we need a core group of
families who will make that a priority. Meditate on what is
meaningful in the life of a teenager: someone who is about to cross
the threshold into responsibility and maturity. I truly believe our
children need direction, honest dialog and an opportunity to grow
stronger through their experiences in Christ. Please give of your
time and energy to these young folks by offering yourself as a mentor
or leader for activities here at Trinity, in the diocese and beyond.
My hope is that all of the
children of this parish can feel that this is a place in which they
can meet their friends to play as well as experience the blessing of
God's grace and the embrace of community.
Dear Friends,
A big thank you to Claire Hornung and her family for their years of service to the the youth and families here at Trinity. We have all been the recipients of the fruits of their labor: Rich in friendships, memories and knowledge of the Christian faith.
I am honored and humbled to be in the position of Director of Religious Education and it is my will to serve our church community faithfully. Having spent the past ten years working with children from birth to 5 years both in a kindergarten classroom as well as parent-child classes has provided me with observations and insights into the world of young children and their families. I'm looking forward to having the privilege of being involved in the spiritual life of the children and families at Trinity Church.
There will be some changes in our Sunday School program this year. Over the summer, several parents have presented me with the guide books to “Godly Play”. This approach to teaching the stories of the Old and New Testaments was developed by an Episcopal priest, Jerome Berryman, who based this presentation style on his work in Montessori education. Over the course of the next year, we will be incorporating this new curriculum into our Sunday School program for kindergarten age to 5th Grade children. I'm very excited about this program, especially after meeting with Rev. Judith Snyder who has taught using “Godly Play” in a variety of settings for the past ten years. Jen Bradley and myself will be attending a weekend conference in September to deepen our understanding of this approach and bring it home for our children. For anyone who is interested in learning more, please come to “An Introduction to Godly Play” presented by the Rev. Snyder here at Trinity on Monday August 14th at 7pm downstairs in the Sunday School rooms.
For those folks who have middle school or high school aged children, please keep looking in your mailboxes for a questionnaire regarding how we might best serve you through our youth ministries!
Feel free to contact me at ellyn@trinitybeth.org or leave a message in the church voice mail box #307.
Peace,
Ellyn Siftar,
Director of Religious Education
It's that time of year again: school will be beginning again soon. Trinity parishioners are being asked to please donate supplies for those children who will be starting off without what they need to do their school work. You may drop off your contributions in a box in the vestibule.
Especially appreciated are backpacks (either new or in good used condition.) Crayons, loose-leaf notebooks, binders/folders, markers, highlighters, rulers, pens, pencils, erasers, glue, dictionaries, book covers and paper are always welcome.
Lets continue to act on our commitment to affirm and promote economic and social justice for those who have the least power and possessions among us.
