December 3-7, 2007
Knowing Jesus, Growing in Faith, Serving God’s Children
Dear Preschool parents (Tues/Thurs), www.zioncrusaders.org

Here we are to the big week of our Christmas program! We have been practicing SO hard! You will be very proud of your children…I already am! They do such a wonderful job of witnessing the true story of our Savior’s birth!
The program is on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7PM. We are asking that the children be to their classrooms no later than 6:45PM. Drop your child off in the preschool room and then go and grab a seat! Your child will be standing on the right hand side. You will then be able to pick up your child in the preschool room after the program.

This week in Jesus Time we learn about when Jesus is born, found in Luke 2:1-7. We learn that in order to save us, Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby.
We will begin to work on some Christmas art this week—we will make star ornaments on Tuesday and green pepper-stamped wreaths on Thursday. We will also be practicing these last few days for our Christmas program. We will have some fun with the “Nutcracker” music and ribbon “painting”. We will not have Chapel for the month of December as the big kids attend the Advent services. We will, however, still collect an offering to help out Pastor Utecht and his ministry on the reservation. There will be a flyer with offering ideas in the folders and in the hallways. Money is still welcome, too.
We will have Library on Tuesday. We will not have Music for the next two weeks due to the Christmas programs.

The December book order has been placed and should be here before our Christmas party on Thursday, December 20. We will be doing a book exchange for our party. Everyone will need to bring one wrapped book and everyone will go home with a new book after the party. If you would be able to help us out for the party by bringing some sugar cookie cut-outs, frosting, sprinkles or craft or game ideas, please let me know!

Some teachable moments about candles…taken from The ADVENTure of Christmas by Lisa Welchel. “Have you ever wondered why we put candles in the windows at Christmastime? Wonder no more. During the seventeenth century, the British conquerors of Ireland implemented harsh laws aimed at eradicating Irish traditions. Irishmen were forbidden to vote, send their children to school, purchase land, or own a horse worth more than twenty-five dollars. Irish priests were driven out of the land and warned never to return under penalty of death. On Christmas Eve, despite the iron hand of their conquerors, Irish families of faith placed a single candle in each or three windows—or three candles in one window—to represent Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. These candles signaled to a traveling priest that the doors were unlocked and he was welcome to come in, share a meal with the family, and celebrate “Christ-mass.” These Irish believers understood that, in the words of the apostle John, Jesus in the Light that shines through the darkness, “and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:5). No matter how many laws are enacted to try to snuff out the gathering of the saints, such laws are no match for the Light of the World!”

I pray that God blesses your week, as you prepare for His coming. Please feel free to call me with any questions or concerns!
Zion 342-5749 home 716-7689 cell 391-9046

God’s Blessings!
Hope Genzlinger