Christmas Eve Worship Services at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Enter into and relive the Christmas story, and celebrate the birth of Jesus during Christmas Eve worship on Saturday, December 24th, at services at 5:30p.m. or 7:00 p.m. Both services will be short and engaging for all ages through drama, poetry, video, and music to share in the celebration of a baby to be born in a manger. Worshipers will be sent out singing Joy to the World by candle light.

Christmas Day Worship Service 10:00 a.m.

Come to a casual worship on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25th. Join in telling of the story of Christmas through  scripture lessons and carols. You’re invited to wear your Christmas pajamas - if you’d like - and children can bring their baby dolls to cuddle.

Merry Christmas!

Lent Wednesdays & Holy Week Happenings

We still have Lent Wednesday Soup Supper & Bible Study going on tonight and next Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. All Ages welcome! 

* The Adult Bible Study class is focusing on Jesus' ministry and miracles in the Gospel books and people are really enjoying digging into the scripture. Each class topic stands on it its own - so if this is your first time attending - it's alright, you won't have to catch up!

* There are also classes for the middle/high school age crowd, elementary school age children, and nursery care is provided for infants/toddlers/preschool children.

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Up and coming in two weeks is Holy Week signifying Jesus' journey to the cross and eventually his resurrection at Easter. Here are a few dates to pencil or type into your calendar:

* Palm Leaf Cross Folding Party - Saturday March 27th, 9:30 a.m. - Have you ever folded a palm leaf into a cross? It's a really neat trick to share with others once you've figured it out. Come join in on a Palm Cross folding party in preparation for Palm Sunday worship. The crosses will be handed out to all in attendance on Sunday morning. Children & youth welcome to participate!! Contact Nancy Walker for more information.

* Palm Sunday Worship - Sunday March 28th, 10:00 a.m. - Have you heard the word 'Hosanna' and wondered what that's all about? Join in worship as we acknowledge Jesus as the one who saves us from our sin and gives us a life of freedom. There will be waving of palm branches just as when the people ushered Jesus into Jerusalem as their Messiah-to-be.

* Maundy Thursday Worship - Thursday April 1st, 7:00 p.m. - Remembrance of Jesus' Last Supper with the disciples at Passover (Communion) and his commission to serve others by following his example. Pastor Sandra Hackett will preside over this service as her first official worship service at LCPC. Nursery care provided for children ages infant-4yrs.

* "Spruce the Church for Easter" Work Party - Saturday April 3rd. 9:00 a.m. to ???. We'll be spring-cleaning the church grounds and working on some inside tasks as well. (All ages and skill levels welcome!). Contact Steve Babinec or Irv Kellenberger with questions. 

* Easter Sunday Celebration - Sunday April 4th, 10:00 a.m. Worship Service, Nursery care provided for infants through age 3, Sunday school (including Egg Hunt) for grades K-5 provided during worship.

Christmas Eve Services @ Lake City Pres

You are invited to Come re-focus on Jesus at one of our Christmas Eve Services on 12/24 -- 

5:00 p.m.* Service geared towards families with children (including grandparents, aunties, and uncles!). Service is approx. 45 minutes.

7:00 p.m.* Traditional Carols and Lessons service.

Both services will end with singing "Silent Night" by candlelight.

* No Nursery care provided during worship, because we want to encourage families to worship together. Children are going to make children sounds and that is OK, God is the God of all ages.

Share this invite friends, family, and neighbors, and others you meet on the street to join you in worshiping Jesus and focusing on his birth story on Christmas Eve. We already have an invitation set up on Facebook, use that if you'd like, or just forward this email.

Christmas Blessings to you and your family!

Lake City Presbyterian Church

3841 NE 123rd Street | Seattle, WA

www.lakecitypres.org

Dec. 18th - Kids Night Christmas Party!

Just a reminder that this Friday night - Dec. 18th - is Kids Night for December.

Kid's Night is for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade.

'Tis the season for Christmas parties and Kids Night is no exception!

Friday December 18th - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Lake City Pres.

We'll have fun Christmas games, a Christmas-sy story time, and opportunity to decorate ornaments & cookies all to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

With two days to go.. please RSVP to let me know if your child is planning on being there. Friends are welcome to join in... please RSVP for them as well. I want to make sure to have enough cookies and ornaments on hand.

Thanks!

~Leena Prindle

Director of Faith Formation

Veteran's Day Rememberance Room Activities for 11/11

Veteran's Day Remembrance Room.

Wednesday, Nov. 11th, 2009

11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. 

 in LCPC Youth Room 

(lower level across from the Fireplace room) 

In this room will be interactive stations where children, youth, and parents & other adults are invited to:

* Light a candle or a few in honor of friends and family who are veterans

* Write a prayer on a banner to pray for those who are veterans

* Mold playdough, build with legos, or color/paint a picture focused on giving thanks for those who fight for American freedom.

* Write a letter or make a card to be given to a veteran through Operation Gratitude.

* Bring & donate your leftover Halloween candy (an extra bag) to donate to Operation Gratitude Halloween Candy Collection (they take the candy to children in various places around the world to make friends.(Here is a video about the candy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxIHgabfxKA).

So stop in anytime between 11am and 2pm take 15 minutes or a few hours to remember and honor our Veterans, 

it is up to you. Invite friends & family to join you!

Peace in Jesus, 

~Leena Prindle

Director of Faith Formation @ LCPC

Halloween Alternatives (Trick or Treat & beyond)

Halloween can be a special family time for the Christian family. Here are some suggestions for making this time more meaningful. Perhaps these suggestions will be helpful in building your own family traditions. Just try one or two this year.

1.    Alternative Trick or Treat Ideas:

a.   Collect Money for Children supported by Unicef – project started by a Presbyterian pastor. Follow this link for more information.

b.   Bring an extra bag or box along to collect food for your local food bank. Using feedingamerica.org to locate your local food bank and their needs list, print out and ask neighbors if they can donate something on the list. (Make sure items are unopened and not expired or soon to expire).

2.    Carve a pumpkin for others.
Then take it to a family who have no children, or to someone in a convalescent hospital or a widow.

3.    Take a box of food for a needy family.
Include an uncarved pumpkin or take it to a family in your church, community, or neighborhood

4.    Give out Halloween tracts/Bible verses/prayers at the door.
Of course, give nice treats too. Tape a piece of gum to the tract/scripture/prayer and write “something to chew on” or tape a sucker with “a lick and a promise.”

5.    Save some of the Halloween candy.
Put it in a plastic bag in the freezer. Use this to stuff your stockings at Christmas.

6.    Make pumpkin bread as a family.
Then give it as a “love gift” to a friend. Save the pumpkin seeds and roast them in the oven for eating. (Follow this link for a recipe.)

7.    Invite another couple over to share the evening.
You might consider a couple without children. Have a simple dinner and let them enjoy handing out treats and/or helping with your children.

8.    Use the holiday to teach some of the negative aspects about Halloween.
With older children, use the story of the witch of Endor (I Sam. 28:7-25) to show the Biblical view regarding witches.

9.    Look up information regarding Jewish feasts and fall celebrations.
For example, the Feast of Tabernacles (see Exodus 23:16). Another festival is Purim (see Esther 9:20-32). Get some new family traditions.

10.   Have family discussions about honesty.
You might begin this with an object lesson on the masks of Halloween. Read Romans 12:1-2. Emphasize not being conformed to this world (by putting on masks), but be transformed by renewing of your mind (by putting God’s thoughts in your mind). Thus, being real honest about who we really are as Christians.

Fall 2008 Middle/High School Youth Update

Fall 2008 Middle/High School Youth Update Happenings @ Lake City Pres

This Sunday, September 21st Hike - Let’s Take A Hike ~ all ages welcome
On Sunday Sept. 21, join us for a 2 mile round trip hike in the Denny Creek area. It is designed to be an easy family friendly hike. We will gather after Church, so dress in hiking clothes and bring a lunch and water bottle. Contact Jerry Berger (206-363-7998) for more information. http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/denny-creek

Next Wednesday, September 24th – See You at the Pole – 7 a.m. Your school. Children & youth join classmates for prayer at your school’s flag pole at 7:00 a.m. Contact your school or student leaders to find out more information. http://www.syatp.com/info/

Next Sunday, September 28th – Communion Informational Class during worship for children and youth 4th grade and higher. Jackie Brotnov will be leading a lesson on all the ins and outs of Communion for the 4th -6th grade class, older youth who are waiting for preparation before taking communion – here is your chance! If this date doesn’t work out for your family, please contact Leena Prindle, in the church office and we can work out other arrangements for your child(ren).

Next Middle School Grapple Group: For youth Grades 6-8 interested in hanging out with kids their age and Grappling together to figure out “Why should I trust God?” “Is there even really a God?” “What if I mess up?” and “Can’t you just leave me alone?”. Let’s Grapple with this God thing together – Sundays beginning September 28th in the Tween classroom from 11:30 a.m. -1pm. Includes grub, games, and techy stuff too! Contact Leena Prindle for a parent permission slip (will come soon attached to an email as well).

High School Get Togethers: Calling all youth grades 9-12. Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Sunday September 28th. This is a time catered to, yes-YOU! Connect with others your age. Chat about issues that you are concerned about. Talk about music, eat some food, and hangout. Designed to help you work on your faith – and even respect if you have a lack of faith for now - and have fun doing it. Bring yourself, invite your friends – especially the ones who are bored and don’t go to church!

October 26th –Slime Time Halloween Party, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Gobs of games, tons of treats, and a life-changing message that’ll last long after all that candy is gone! This is a family event with games for toddler, preschool, and elementary age children! If you (youth and adults) would like to help out with this event in any form - publicity, games lead/assistant, greeter, food provider, etc contact Leena to join the team!

!! Middle School Fall Retreat (Grades 6-8) November 7-9, 2008 @ Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood, WA (www.warmbeach.com, Cost $45.. more info coming soon to a mailbox near you!)


!! High School Fall Retreat (Grades 9-12) November 14-16,2008 @ Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood, WA (www.warmbeach.com, Cost $45.. more info coming soon to a mailbox near you!)



As always let me know if you have questions, concerns, or want to help out with an event.


Peace,
~Leena Prindle, LCPC Director of Faith Formation

Observing Memorial Day with Your Children

We all know Memorial Day brings students a day off from school, and for some adults a day off from work. It follows a popular weekend for camping, summer kick-off BBQs, and relaxing. But how can we help our children understand what the day really is about?

As Christians we can also consider the believers who have gone before us on this journey of faith in Jesus:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1

And ultimately remembering Jesus as he died for our sins to give us life forever:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." John 3:16

Below is an article from ChildrensMinistry.com. Read to glean an idea or two. Leave a comment on this blog to share with others how you will or how you observe the true purpose of Memorial Day. Enjoy!

~Leena

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Understanding the Importance of Memorial Day

(Found at - http://www.childrensministry.com/article.asp?ID=443)

Don’t let Memorial Day pass by without helping your kids understand the importance of honoring others. Great ways to observe this important day include:

• Visiting and tending the graves of loved ones.
• Visiting a museum or memorial dedicated to national heroes.

• Wearing a red poppy to honor those who died serving the country (for more information, go to http://www.usmemorialday.org/.

• Sharing stories about loved ones.

• Observing the National Moment of Remembrance (a moment of silence observed at 3 p.m. to honor our fallen heroes), a resolution passed in December 2000.

• Discussing what it means to be a hero.

Tracing Your Family Tree
Over Memorial Day weekend, trace your family’s roots by creating a family tree keepsake with your children. This is a wonderful way to help kids understand about the Memorial Day holiday, learn about their roots, and remember loved ones who’ve passed away.

Cut out a brown construction paper tree trunk and three large green construction paper circles. Glue the trunk to a large sheet of paper. Then overlap the three large circles to make the leaves of the tree (see illustration). Cut out a red construction paper apple for each ancestor you add to the family tree.

Place an apple in the center of the tree with your first child’s name and birthday written on the apple. Directly below the first child’s apple, place any siblings’ apples with the same information. Branch out from the children with parents and grandparents. You can make the tree simple by adding only immediate relatives, such as parents and grandparents.

If you’d like to make the tree more detailed or continue the project, your family can research to find distant relatives, along with their country of origin or occupation. If you’d like more information on how to search your family’s ancestry, check out one of these Web sites: http://www.familytreemaker.com/; http://www.ancestry.com/; or http://www.genhomepage.com/.