Guiding RAY Gazette 12/09/2012

Guiding RAY Gazette    12/09/12: Second Sunday in Advent

9:30am: Drop-off childcare begins

10:00am:  Classes start promptly

10:35am: (approx) Children go to church for communion  (except Godly Play)

Immediately following church: 

-S. Mary's Youth Choir practice (practicing Mary's Boy Child for the pageant and O Come Little Children for the 4:00pm Christmas Eve Service)All pageant participants must attend to learn Mary's Boy Child.

-Pageant Practice for speaking roles only (we will be bringing treats/snacks so the children will have their own coffee hour in the church).

-Stay tuned for info on the bell choir.

**NOTE:  Father Nathan stops by between 9:30-9:45am to informally chat with the children.  

Guiding RAY Gazette 12/02/12

Guiding RAY Gazette    12/02/12: First Sunday in Advent

9:30am: Drop-off childcare begins

10:00am:  Classes start promptly

10:40am: (approx) Children go to church for communion 

NOTE:  Godly Play will come over for communion this week!  The Godly Play children will be creating the ornaments for the Advent Giving Tree and will be decorating the tree.

Immediately following church: 

-S. Mary's Youth Choir practice (practicing Mary's Boy Child for the pageant and O Come Little Children for the 4:00pm Christmas Eve Service)

-Pageant Practice (we will be bringing treats/snacks so the children will have their own coffee hour

3:00pm: Advent Wreath Workshop---a fun family tradition.  We will also make a collective wreath to put on James+ grave.

4:00pm: Lessons and Carols Service followed by the Memorial Tree Lighting and a candle/flashlight procession to James+ grave.

Guiding RAY Gazette

Guiding RAY Gazette for Sunday, November 18, 2012

To consolidate communications, this will be the last gazette you receive from me.  After this week, the Guiding RAY Gazette will be consolidated into the e-news so that all the news you need is in one handy place.  

Guiding RAY Gazette

What do Jars of Clay, Bill Cosby, and Sting all have in common?  Find out during November's rotation. 

Sunday Morning Schedule

9:30am: Door open for registration and childcare drop-off.  We respectfully ask that parents say goodbye at registration to allow the children to take ownership of their space.  If your child has a difficult time saying goodbye, we can help!  We have a procedure especially for this.  Just ask!  We will have both active and quiet activities set up in the great room with constant supervision and all children will be personally directed to their classrooms at the appropriate times.  We are working hard to create a safe, welcoming, and peaceful space for the children.  If you are curious about the new space, we will be offering tours after the service.

10:00am:  Classes start promptly

10:40am:  Approximate time children come over for communion.  We try to coordinate this so they enter at the peace. 

*Godly Play does not go over to the church.  After church, parents should line up outside the door and wait for the door person to individually excuse each child in the order the parents are lined up.  This allows each teacher to personally say goodbye and still maintains the integrity of the children's worship space.  

RAY Reminders

*To access the new Guiding RAY space, please walk to the left of the auditorium building and follow the path down the hill.  You will see a large plywood door.  Bear with us as we are still putting the finishing touches on this area.  The RAY Registration table will be a short way inside on the left.

*S. Mary's Youth Choir:  Under the direction of Betsy Stoddard and the accompaniment of Bruce Fithian, the children (ages 5-13) meet every Sunday immediately following church.  Children should meet up front in the pews.  We are currently practicing for our Christmas services.  If your child doesn't read, we utilize the Suzuki method of listening, listening, listening.  CD's are available upon request for families to listen and learn.

*After church, the choir will practice.  We will lead the children over to coffee hour to get a bite to eat and then the major speaking parts will practice downstairs in the Guiding RAY space.

Welcome to Saint Mary's Guiding Ray Blog!  Check here for updates on program activities and other notices.