Why "The Gander"?

Why "The Gander"?

Most people are familiar with the mythology of St. Martin's cloak. Less familiar may be the myth of St. Martin's goose. It is told that Martin the priest was wanted as bishop. He didn't want the job, and so hid (here the accounts are fuzzy) in a goose pen, barn, or bush and was revealed by the honking of the goose. A gander is a male goose - much like a drake is a male duck. To "take a gander" means to take a peek, a look. We hope to use this space to take a deeper look at things happening at St. Martin's, and share more thoughts and information with you.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Kairos: Christian Formation for Children & Youth - Fall 2018 updates

Dear Parents,

Kairos, St. Martin's faith formation program for children and youth, starts up this month. Here's what's new, how to register and what to expect.

New Time: 9:15 on Sunday mornings

Formation Hour, including our classes for children in grades 1 to 8, will begin Sunday, September 23, from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. That's the hour between the 8 a.m. service and the new 10:30 a.m. service. (Learn more about the new worship schedule here.)

Kairos programs are free, but registration is required. Please sign up by Wednesday, September 19, so we can plan for class sizes.

An hour for everyone -- including parents

  • For kids in grades 1-8: Three Kairos classes offer fun, interactive learning that engage children in the faith -- elementary (grades 1-4), middle-school (grades 5-6), and Jr. High (grades 7-8.)
  • For adults and high school youth: During that same hour, Parish Forum in the Parish Hall features local and national presenters who engage faith in action on a more mature level. Parenting in Faith, a forum for parents to talk about faith in the family, will be held monthly in the Mary Chapel, also during the 9:15 hour.
  • For preschoolers and their families: worship.together, a full-Eucharist for families of young children, will continue every Sunday in the church at 9:15 a.m., followed by a reception in the Houston Room.

High School youth meet twice a month, starting Oct. 14 

Our pastor, the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, will be anchoring youth ministry for our high school-aged students (youth in grades 9-12). The first meeting, Sunday, October 14 at noon, will invite teens to vision and plan the year over lunch with Rev. Jarrett in the library. The group is scheduled to meet the second and fourth Sundays of each month from noon to 2 p.m., making room for potential road trips, diocesan activities, service projects, and more. Use the Kairos registration form to sign up.

Learn more about Kairos and Faith Formation Sunday, Sept. 16

When it comes to faith, what do your children wonder about? What would you, personally, like to learn more about? Parish leaders from Kairos, Biblical Studies, Education for Ministry, Parish Forum and more will be on hand as part of "I Wonder Sunday", from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. on September 16.This engaging hour will offer parishioners of all ages a unique way to explore the various faith formation opportunities available to them on Sunday mornings and beyond.

Have Questions? Want to volunteer?

Please contact me if you have thoughts or questions about St. Martin's ministry to children, youth, and families at bballenger@stmartinec.org, or call 215.247.7466. If you'd like to volunteer to support our programs, let me know and we'll talk. And you can sign up here.

I'm excited to be heading up our ministry to children, youth, and families, and look forward to working with you this program year!

Peace,

Barb Ballenger

Associate for Spiritual Formation and Care