Uphill idealist

This blog post originally was published at: younglutherans.blogspot.com Tara Eastman, Youth & Family Director at First Lutheran in Jamestown, is a contributing writer to an exciting new Sunday School curriculum from Sparkhouse (a division of Augsburg Fortress). Connect is a witty, video-based Sunday school that helps preteens start connecting individual Bible stories with larger biblical themes. Connect is designed to be used with fifth and sixth graders. Each Connect session features a short animated video that unveils the lesson’s theme and its meaning, and sets students up for Bible exploration. Students then use their learner sheets to create a visual and interactive project that relates to the lesson’s theme. During this time, leaders are encouraged to ask questions listed in the Leader Guide to help kids engage their minds and connect with one another. The Leader Guides offer visual cues and brief, clear descriptions to help save time each week. Ea

Exodus 13:21 New International Version (NIV) 21  By day the  Lord  went ahead  of them in a pillar of cloud  to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Early in June a group of youth and adults from the  ELCA Southwest Conference  will gather for the 2012 Assembly. This year the group will be reading, studying and applying what they learn from the Exodus story (Exodus 13:21) over three days. We will integrate a 9x12 ft. walkable Labyrinth as a prayer tool, create personal travel Labyrinths, and be wearing a seven circuit Labyrinth on our "family" shirts (with the graphic below printed on them) as a reminder that God goes with us wherever we go. It is with a thankful heart that I will be attending Convo as chaplain for this awesome group of youth and adults. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we gather from June 6th-9th, 2012. Connected in prayer, we will travel t