<![CDATA[Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. No matter where you are on life's journey... you are welcome here!

<![CDATA[Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. No matter where you are on life's journey... you are welcome here! - Sunday School blog]]>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:54:01 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Make Your Own Labyrinth for Holy Week 2021]]>Tue, 23 Mar 2021 22:54:07 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/make-your-own-labyrinth-for-holy-week-2021

Original drawing by Jeff Saward, final graphic by Vicki Keiser. For more information, go to: https://labyrinthsociety.org/download-a-labyrinth/

Labyrinths are an ancient tool for meditation and centering. Their construction and use is older than Christianity, but, Christians adapted them to Christian practice. Here is information about two of them:

The labyrinth in the Cathedral at Chartres: www.luc.edu/medieval/labyrinths/chartres.shtml
The Pilgrim Lodge Labyrinth: https://www.pilgrimlodge.org/how-to-rent-pilgrim-lodge/labyrinth/v

This Holy Week, we're inviting you to make a labyrinth of your own or come use the one we're going to draw in the church parking lot. I asked the Lazure family to do a test run of these instructions for us: https://labyrinthsociety.org/make-a-labyrinth.

Here's their tips and tricks:
We did the labyrinth and it worked out really well. It took us about 30 minutes to draw it, and then the girls added some decorations, also with chalk. We used easter egg sidewalk chalks from Dollar General and it used 1 box of 4 (used up 2/3 of each egg). It was important to sweep the area clear ahead of time to make the chalk work best.

I annotated the instruction sheet from the website with some details on how we did it and I've attached here photos from Sunday. I think it would be easily do-able with kids/adults in the church lot if there's a clear sunny day. Annotated Instruction sheet can be accessed here.

After you make your labyrinth or come to church to walk the labyrinth:
There is a pastor and scholar named Rev. Dr. Jill Geoffrion who writes about prayer and labyrinths. I've adapted her recommendations for prayer near the Chartres labyrinth to help us pray as we walk our labyrinths.

Pray in one of the following ways, or another that comes to you:

Follow the path with your eyes (instead of your feet).
Follow the path with your feet.
Use your breath to pray. Inhale, taking the labyrinth and its beauty into you. Exhale, sharing your love with all those who will come to pray here later. Inhale beauty. Exhale love.
Say the Lord's Prayer as you walk.
Write out your own prayer that is coming to your mind and heart as you walk.
As you walk the labyrinth, consider these questions: “God what do you want to show me? What do you want me to see/notice/experience?”
Notice if there is a certain part of the labyrinth you want to stand on. Go there and pray.
Take your Bible (a paper one or one on your phone). Stop and read a favorite scripture as you walk.

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School lesson plans update]]>Fri, 06 Nov 2020 20:39:35 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-lesson-plans-updateHi!
Since the beginning of September 2020, we have been emailing Sunday School at Home lessons dircectly to folks with kids at home. If you'd like to be added to our email list, please fill out the form below.
Pastor Chrissy

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School lesson from June 14th, 2020- Saul's Conversion]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2020 21:33:31 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-lesson-from-june-14th-2020-sauls-conversion

Conversion of St. Paul, can be found at: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54208

Here's a lesson about Saul's conversion in Acts 9: june_14th_the_conversion_of_saul_acts_9.doc http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54208

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School lesson for June 7th, 2020]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2020 21:21:10 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-lesson-for-june-7th-2020

Close up of window, Tuskeegee University: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56492

Here's a lesson about God calling Moses to some very important work: exodus_5_june_7th.doc

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School for May 31st, 2020]]>Thu, 28 May 2020 16:10:56 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-for-may-31st-2020

Image from Jesus Mafa and can be found here: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48388

Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
   and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
   and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
   in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
     and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
   and signs on the earth below,
     blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
   and the moon to blood,
     before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Here is our Sunday School lesson: acts_2-1-12_may_31st.doc
And, here's a fun Pentecost cupcake recipe: pentecost_cupcake_recipe.pdf

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School lesson for May 24th, 2020]]>Thu, 21 May 2020 17:45:13 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-lesson-for-may-24th-2020

image from JESUS MAFA and can be found at: Here's is the connection information for zoom worship: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48393

Luke 19:1-10
He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

Click this link to access the Sunday School lesson: may_24th__luke_19__1.doc

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School lesson for May 17th, 2020]]>Fri, 15 May 2020 17:48:10 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-lesson-for-may-17th-2020

This lovely picture of the Aeropagus as it looks now is by Ilias Chalkias: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ichalkias/23793133311

Acts 17:22-31 (NRSV translation)
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.”
Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’

Here's a Sunday school lesson about Paul's sermon in Athens: childrens_sunday_school_acts_17_22-31.pdf

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School for May 10th]]>Thu, 07 May 2020 15:30:59 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-for-may-10th

Jesus Walks on Water by Bazzi Rahib, can be found at: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55906

Matthew 14: 22-33
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

Click here to download the Sunday School lesson about Peter trying to walk on water: may_10th_sunday_school_lesson.doc

]]><![CDATA[Sunday School for May 3rd]]>Tue, 05 May 2020 15:46:28 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/sunday-school-for-may-3rd

Image can be found at: http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48288

John 10:1-10
Jesus the Good Shepherd ‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Click the link to download the Lesson on the Parable of the Good Shepherd.
the_parable_of_the_shepherd.doc

]]><![CDATA[What are we doing for Sunday School?]]>Thu, 30 Apr 2020 23:38:13 GMThttp://www.wccucc.org/sunday-school-blog/what-are-we-doing-for-sunday-schoolWhen we realized that we needed to begin worshiping digitally in order to ensure the health and safety of our community members after the COVID-19 outbreak here in the United States, all of our typical church routine was disrupted, including Sunday School.

From early March through Easter, we were sharing some free resources from Illustrated Ministry with families in our church that still have elementary aged children at home. Now that we've gotten our feet under us a bit better, we are going to start sharing Sunday School at Home lessons here for anyone's use.

We know families with kids at home are under a lot of strain right now. Kids are missing their friends and the routine of school. Parents are trying to learning what it means to parent in a stay-at-home order. We are working to make sure that what we offer isn't adding to the stress of family life, but, instead is providing an opportunity to continue spiritual formation at home until we can meet together in person safely once again.

Also, please know that kids are always welcome in our Zoom Worship service. If you'd like to be emailed the zoom link, please visit the Covid-19 resource page and sign up.

We're glad that you've found your way to this page and hope that it is a place of support for your family.

Pastor Chrissy
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I would like to receive Sunday School at Home Lessons.

Click here to download the Sunday School lesson about Peter trying to walk on water: may_10th_sunday_school_lesson.doc