St. John’s Christian Education Newsletter

Editor: Shirley Mustard, Christian Education Coordinator

The Back Pew                                    

School supplies are flying off the shelves and yellow school busses are rolling once again along the roads of Bedford County.  Long hot summer days are coming to an end and shorter crisp fall days will soon be a reality.  Family calendars will become full and evening meals will often be eaten in the car on the way to soccer, swim team, or band practice.

 A new year arrives bringing our teachers opportunities to share their love of the Gospel, the church, and their own spiritual journey with the children, the youth, or fellow adults. St. John’s Christian Formation teachers have dusted and readied classrooms, and prepared lessons in anticipation.

Welcome Back Sunday on September 11, if tradition follows, will find the classes well attended and the pews full. It is my prayer we can all live into our good intentions of continuing to keep up our faithful attendance by the time fall leaves are raked and the first snowflake falls and on into the first blooms of spring. We should feel the same commitment to Christian Formation for our children or ourselves as we do for those other activities that crowd our calendars and days. Shirley Mustard

Sunday Morning Christian Formation Class Schedule

• Godly Play in the Atrium for ages 5-12

      Teachers: Nikki Chevalier and Shirley Mustard

• Middle and Senior High Youth

      Teachers: Jim Church and Mel Nowlin

• Adult Forum- “The Episcopal Church’s response to the Windsor Report”

       Discussion leader: Michael Cross

• Bible Time for Tots (10:30-11:30) for ages 2-5

      1^st and 3^rd Sundays with Carol Martin

      In September it will be 2^nd and 3^rd Sundays

Other Christian Formation Opportunities

• Couples Study & Discussion Group using the book “The Marriage Journey”

       Begins September 25 and will meet on Sunday evenings twice a month

       There is still time to sign up for this group. Call the church office or see Fr. Tom

• Formation of an EFM Group ( Education for Ministry) with Deacon Kay Waff and Mary Page Gwaltney as leaders. Click on this link for more details.

• Middle and Senior High Youth Group

      Jim and Brenda Church are the leaders

 Other news

Sunday, October 9 will be Secret Shepherd Sunday. Anyone who would like to keep the same family you had last year for this coming church year please let Shirley Mustard know by October 2.  Secret Shepherding is a way to support through prayer the families of our parish who have children. More details will be in the October newsletter.