Join us for these events!
 
April 2016
In This Issue
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Fourth Church Links
 
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Here's the Good News!
 
First off, even though it already feels like ages ago, thanks to everyone for a wonderful Holy Week! Our Palm Sunday and Easter celebrations were joyous, and our Good Friday children's time was very meaningful for me as well. Our volunteer Sunday School teachers were, as always, an incredible help in making our programming possible, so a big thanks goes out to them!
 
I'd also like to share a huge congratulations to our 2016 Confirmation class; it is such a special thing to see the incredible men and women our eighth graders are growing up to be, and this year felt particularly poignant since I remembered several of our eighth graders from my first few months with Children and Family Ministry (how time flies!).
 
Even though we're allegedly in our post-Easter lull, you'll see from everything listed above that that's far from the case. We've got some wonderful opportunities this month, from a supply drive helping those around the world, to marking a special moment with our fourth graders as they receive Bibles during worship, to a service after 11:00 a.m. worship on April 24 at which we'll celebrate communion together as families. Oh, and we're having a magic show for this month's Family Night. While it's not exactly deeply meaningful, it should be lots of fun!
 
And finally, please know that you and your family can now register for our Spring Family Camp (Friday, May 20 to Sunday, May 22). Many of you will remember that we ended up needing to cancel our fall camp due to many families being unable to attend, but from the number of inquiries that we've had the last few months, I definitely do not think that will be the case for the spring! 
 
Blessings and peace,

Matt Helms signature  

Associate Pastor for Children and Family Ministry 
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Spring Family Camp Registration

Friday May 20 to Sunday, May 22 
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin  
 
Registration is now open for our annual Spring Family Camp--a favorite tradition of many families at the church! We will once again be heading back to Covenant Harbor, which is located in nearby Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for a weekend of family fun, games, and fellowship.
 
The camp has gotten rave reviews for combining a woodsy camp feel with hotel-style accommodations at the main lodge--it ends up being the best of both worlds!--and the massive gym and climbing wall are pretty fun, too.
 
If you're looking to connect with other Fourth Church families or are just looking for some quality time away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you're encouraged to check out more, either by looking at our website or by sending Matt an email .
 
If you'd like to register for Spring Family Camp, you can either click here to register online or fill out a paper copy in our classrooms on a Sunday morning. Please note that registrations will be due by Sunday, May 8!
            
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Hygiene Kit Collection
 
Sunday, April 10 to Sunday, May 1
All items can be dropped off at the Nursery or on the fourth floor  
 
Each year, Presbyterian Women at Fourth Church partners with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) to help share Christ's healing love in times of disaster by collecting supplies for hygiene kits--and this year, they're asking Children and Family Ministry for our help!
 
Over the next several Sundays, we will be collecting the following materials in baskets located in the Nursery and on the fourth floor:
 
  • hand towels (approximately 16" by 28")
  • washcloths
  • wide-tooth combs
  • nail clippers
  • bars of soap
  • toothbrushes (no toothpaste, please)
  • Band-aids
 
These materials may seem like small things for us, but they can be incredibly helpful for those who have been through a disaster or crisis. If you and your family would like to donate any or all of these items, we'll be collecting through Sunday, May 1--at which point we'll also assemble and package our kits. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!
            
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Parenting over Pizza: Sharing Our Stories

Sunday, April 10
12:00 to 1:00 p.m. 
Room 4G 
 
In a fascinating 2001 study conducted at Emory University, researchers discovered that the more children knew about their family's history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem, and the better they believed their families functioned.
 
So join us in Room 4G this Sunday following the 11:00 a.m. worship service for Parenting over Pizza, as we discuss the vital role that sharing our family's history and story plays in our family life and to reflect on the role our faith stories play as well.
 
Our time will open with a pizza lunch for everyone in the family, followed by the kids heading across the hall to Room 4F with Briana while the parents talk with Matt. There is no cost for attending and all ages of kids are welcome!
 
  • Ritual and Story in Family Life (April 10)
  • Youth Ministry and Confirmation (May 15)
 
For more information, contact Matt Helms or Briana Belding-Peck .
           
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Mindful Parenting

Sunday, April 17   
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. 
The Loft (fourth floor of Gratz, near Room 4A) 
 
Join us on Sunday, April 17 as Mindful Parenting continues with our new room and new rhythm! Mindful Parenting, a monthly class focused on mindful, creative, and effective parenting, meets on the third Sunday of each month, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., in the Loft on the fourth floor of the Gratz Center. These sessions are led by Sue Schemper, a spiritual director and an educator who has worked for more than thirty-five years with children, parents, and teachers.
 
Participants explore a variety of topics, from discipline techniques that develop responsibility to creating a family culture that supports each member in becoming who God intends them to be. The format of each session is thought provoking and interactive, and we hope that you'll be able to attend!
        
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A Very Magical Family Night 

Friday, April 22
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Bumpus Room 
 
For our last Family Night of the school year, we're going to be trying something brand new: we're bringing in one of Chicago's best children's magicians! The Great Scott is a Chicagoland magician who has appeared on CBS, FOX, NBC, and WGN--and so we're excited to see what he has up his sleeve (both literally and figuratively)!
 
We'll begin with dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Bumpus Room, and then we'll head down to Borwell Dining Room for an hour-long magic show.
 
The show should be fun for both kids and adults alike, so we hope you'll stop on by for a night of laughter and fun.
 
If you're interested in a brief preview, click here for a clip from last month's St. Patrick's Day magic show.
 
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Fourth Grade Bibles in Worship   
 
Sunday, April 24   
9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship 
Meet in Room 4E 
 
On Sunday, April 24, Fourth Church will be celebrating the maturing faith of our fourth graders by presenting them with their own Bible. Further details have been sent out in an email to our fourth grade parents, but I hope that you take the time to congratulate these fourth graders on this important milestone in their faith journey!
 
If you are a parent of a fourth grader and did not receive an email about your child receiving a Bible, please contact
Briana. 
 
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Family Communion Service 
 
Sunday, April 24   
12:15 to 12:45 p.m. 
Buchanan Chapel  
 
Following the 11:00 a.m. Sunday School hour on Sunday, April 24, we will have a unique opportunity for families to learn about and participate in Communion together! Although this event initially began as a way to reach out to second graders who had Catholic friends or classmates who were taking First Communion, families with children of all ages are invited to participate.
 
We will be gathering from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel, where Pastor Matt will talk about what Communion means in our church and some of the ways in which our understanding is different than other denominations, followed by a time when in which families can celebrate Communion together.
 
Immediately after this service, families are invited across the hall to the Bumpus Room, where we'll have a light meal provided so we can continue our fellowship together.
 
This is also the day of the youth's Pancake Breakfast, to raise funds for their summer Asheville Mission Trip, so we hope you will plan to start your day with pancakes in Borwell Dining Room!
 
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Save the Dates  
  • Kindergarten Bibles in Chapel--May 1
  • Children's Musical--May 1
  • Last Day of Regular Sunday School--May 15
  • Spring Family Camp--May 20-22
  • Vacation Bible School--August 8-12
          
Contact information
 

Fourth Presbyterian Church | 126 E. Chestnut St. | Chicago | IL | 60611