Elsa Marshall

 We are in the church season of Advent and the church joins with people of faith of long ago in words of long­ing, words of comfort, and words of hope for lives restored as we wait expectantly....

“My Peace I Leave You” - Helping Students Learn How to Resolve Disagreements Peacefully

As disciples of Jesus, whom we call the Prince of Peace, the church can be a place where children learn the key skills that they need for dealing with anger, frustration, violence and conflict.  Church classrooms can help them to understand and practice the four key principles for peaceful resolution from the Center for Nonviolent Communication.  These principles are: 

Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays are considered Little Easters celebrating the Resurrection. Lent begins on 9 March 2011 and ends on 23 April 2011, which is the day before Easter. It is the season we travel into the wilderness with Jesus.  

This year Lent begins late giving Epiphany NINE Sundays during this church season. Take this time and make it special. This year, in worship and in your classrooms, have Epiphany be festive and filled with special activities, rather than have it feel like the end of Christmas. Epiphany means to make manifest or appearance, and we celebrate during this season, the coming of the Light of God into the world. 

Advent Time in Youth Ministry – In this busy season, when it is easy to forget why we are celebrating, here is a suggestion for an easy way to help us remember the “reason for the season.” 
 

The Nativity, an Eerdmans Book for Young Readers, is a vividly illustrated book that retells the story of the birth of Jesus. 

Advent is already here!  I have dusted off my Advent wreath, bought new candles and I am preparing to begin the celebration of this season. Some members of your church family might be new to this celebration or just aren’t sure what to do and how to celebrate Advent, especially if celebrating with children for the first time. It is appropriate for the church to help families make this a fun and instructive time without entering into the shopper flurry which is the secular celebration.