Spanish 
This month's topics:
(1) Let's Kick-Off the New Learning Year!
(2) A Back to School Message to Share with Parents
(3) Reminder - Bibles for Incoming Students
(4) Road to Confirmation
Let's Kick-Off the New Learning Year!
The new Sunday School, Religious Instruction, and Youth group year is about to begin. The official start date is Sunday Sept. 10. We encourage congregations take the time to celebrate their teachers and leaders and create excitement for children who will be returning to their classes or starting a new class or the Youth group. Some quick ideas:
- Ask the rector to introduce your teachers and leaders to the congregation and let your
- teachers and leaders introduce their classes to the congregation
- Begin the day with all groups together to play a welcome back game, like a scavenger hunt where they have to find items, or people, or hidden treasures in the congregation
- Start the learning year by letting the children or youth be active in the congregational life as ushers, greeters, flower arrangers, worship leaders, singers, players, tech support, etc.. Let the children continue in these roles throughout the year.
A Back to School Message to Share with Parents
Below is a message to consider emailing or texting the parents of your Sunday School and youth students:
As a new school year greets us, we are reminded of the boundless opportunities and adventures that lie ahead for our children. Just as God's grace is an unwavering presence in our lives, so too shall it be a guiding light in their journey of education and growth.
Proverbs 22:6 teaches us, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." As parents, we are entrusted with the sacred task of nurturing our children's hearts and minds, instilling within them values of compassion, wisdom, and faith. Just as a gardener tends to the delicate shoots, we must cultivate the fertile soil of their hearts with love, patience, and prayer.
In this new school year, let us lean upon the promises of the Lord, knowing that His plans for our children are filled with hope and purpose. As we entrust our little ones into the care of their teachers, let us remember that God's watchful eye never wavers. He is our ultimate Teacher, guiding our children through every lesson and challenge.
In times of uncertainty, let us turn to Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." As our children encounter new experiences and encounter obstacles, let us encourage them to seek solace in prayer, knowing that they can find strength, comfort, and clarity through their relationship with our Lord.
Dear parents, as we embark on this new school year, let us pray for our children daily, asking for God's wisdom to guide their decisions, His protection to shield them from harm, and His love to fill their hearts. May your homes be a sanctuary of encouragement, where faith is woven into the fabric of daily life, reminding your children that they are never alone on this journey.
Let the start of this school year be a reminder that we are not merely sending our children off to learn from textbooks and lessons, but we are entrusting them into the hands of the Almighty, the ultimate Educator. May God's grace be their constant companion, and may they shine as beacons of His light in their schools and communities.
Reminder - Bibles for Incoming Students
Please order the appropriate Bible and/or book for Kindergartners beginning Sunday School (Hands On Bible) and 8th graders that will be starting the youth group (IGNITE Teen Bible and a Catechism Q&A book) from our "Order Resources" page on NDI. These books are provided free of charge and are primarily intended for new students, however can be ordered for students that are beyond the indicated grades, if those students do not already have the necessary Bible. Teachers and facilitators of the respective classes should also have these books. To help control inventory and cost, one must be logged in to NDI in order to view the order page and submit an order. Please only order one or both of the books if you know a student or facilitator need them..
Road to Confirmation
Registration for the 2023-2024 Road to Confirmation cohort will open October 1. The complete Road to Confirmation process, starting with an Initial Conversation with students (who are in 10th or 11th grade) and their parents, is outlined on NDI (click here). The Initial Conversation should take place and be documented in NACstat no later than December 31, 2023. Conversation guides for the Initial Conversation as well as the Checkpoint Conversations are available on NDI. Any questions about the Road to Confirmation can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..