St. Peter’s Sunday School is meeting in-person again! Join us at 10:00 AM on Sundays from September to June. Click on the links below to see some of our online lessons.

You may link directly to the lessons for each week:

Sunday School Lessons for June 6, 2021

This is our last Sunday School class of the program year. I HOPE & PRAY we will be back in person for the fall! That is the plan 🙂

This week for Sunday School we are talking about Paul.  Paul is a pretty big deal so the below lesson will introduce the children to some of his story and why it is important to know him.

It has been a crazy year!  Thank you for the support as I tried to continue to bring you Sunday School.  You know you can revisit any of the lessons on our St. Peter’s web page.  I hope to see you over the summer.  I will be around if you, or your children, need me. Continue to be safe and well!!

With Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for May 23, 2021

Happy Birthday!!  
Many of the children will remember that this Sunday, Pentecost, is the church’s birthday. We all wear red and commemorate when, after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples. They felt as if their tongues were on FIRE and went out to tell the story of Jesus. They became apostles.

I have one special Pentecost Sunday School lesson that we tell every year. I know most of you have not been “going” to Sunday School.  It has been such a strange year. I hope, however, you all celebrate Pentecost this Sunday. MAKE A BIRTHDAY CAKE! The younger children can pull up a chair to stand on to help and the older ones might be able to make it on there own (if you can read, you can cook!). And ALL can decorate! I just made our Pentecost birthday cake and decorated it RED. One year I made red velvet cake 🙂 I invite you all to make a cake (or cupcakes) with your child(ren) and send me a picture of making it, eating it or just a picture of the cake!  Another way to celebrate Pentecost is…go to church! We are back inside, you have to RSVP and space is limited, but there are going to be BAPTISMS! 

The Mystery of Pentecost

Picture of my cake … I had to make it early because we are away this weekend and Ryan arrived home from college and immediately began eating it 😉


I hope you are all well and things are starting to feel a bit more normal. I miss you, pray for you and hope to see you soon!

Faith & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for May 16, 2021

Hello Families!!
This Sunday, the 7th Sunday of Easter, we are talking disciples/apostles. Who can tell me the difference between an apostle and a disciple? Anyone? Anyone? 🙂  A disciple is a student; an apostle is a messenger sent to spread the teachings. Before Jesus’ death the 12 were disciples, but after his death as they spread the word they became apostles. I have some really cute finger puppets that the children can color and cut out (or parents can cut out and children can just play with) which includes their symbols. It is an excellent resource to help the children remember the names & symbols of the 12. For the 1st-3rd grades I used the lesson of the Jesus and the Twelve from Godly Play, but not in a formal Godly Play way. (Reminder, most of the apostles died fairly grisly deaths. Some are mentioned, but not dwelled upon)  The 4th-6th grades are reviewing the reading from Acts this week.  After Jesus’ death, the 11 remaining apostles pick a new member, Matthias, to replace Judas and bring their number back to 12.

All – Finger Puppets, The 12 Apostles plus some bonus puppets

1st-3rd grade class, talking about 12 Apostles and their symbols


4th-6th grade class, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

Numbers keep going down; there is hope! Keep up the faith and continue to be safe!! Also, please remember church continues on. I would love to see you at church. Children are welcome. As you know we are currently meeting in the courtyard and if numbers continue as they are we may get to be inside soon. No news on in-person Sunday School, but as the year winds down I have my mind set on a new beginning this fall!

Please reach out if you need me.  You are all in my prayers!

Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for April 25, 2021

Hello families!
This week for the 4th Sunday of Easter everyone is talking about the Good Shepherd! There many Good Shepherd references in the Bible and these are only a couple. The PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes hear the lesson of the Good Shepherd and World Communion and the 4th-6th graders are reading John 10:11-18 and thinking about the Good Shepherd from John’s account. What does it mean to be a good shepherd? Can WE be good shepherds? HOW?

PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes, The Good Shepherd and World Communion


4th-6th grades, John 10:11-18


I hope you all are doing well and continuing to stay safe! Please reach out to say hi any time. You continue to be in my prayers!

With Faith & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for April 18, 2021

Hi my wonderful families!

It is finally getting spring-like outside! I hope all the blooming things are giving you a feeling of hope and renewal! This week I am recycling a lesson I recorded last April for the PreK – 3rd grades. These are lessons we tell right after Easter each year to help us remember how AMAZING it would have been to see Jesus after he died and rose again! You can tell by my language in the recording that the pandemic was still fairly new but, hopefully, you don’t feel the intro and prayers are TOO dated. The 4th-6th graders are reading from the Gospel of Luke to hear his perspective on Jesus appearing to the disciples after his resurrection (slightly different than John’s story last week) and to think about forgiveness.

PreK-3rd grades
Appearance to Mary Magdalene & Road to Emmaus (recorded April 2020)

4th-6th grades
Luke 24:36b-48 (Click here to view and download the guide)


I hope you all are doing well and continuing to stay safe!  Please reach out to say hi any time. You continue to be in my prayers!

With Faith & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for April 11, 2021

Hi Friends!

I hope everyone had a special Easter this year! It was so good to see some of you at church. This week I recorded one of my favorite stories for PreK-3rd grade. The illustrations are beautiful as is the message. The 4th-6th grade will talk about what it was like to be one of the disciples after Jesus died. How did it feel to be locked in a room then suddenly have Jesus with them? To SEE him and TOUCH him?!

PreK-3rd
The Three Questions, by Jon Muthlink

4th-6th grade
John 20:19-31 (Click here to view and download the guide)

I am hopeful that we are headed toward the end of this mess. Numbers are still on the rise, however, so as hard as it is, continue to be safe & cautious!! If you need me for anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You continue to be in my prayers!

Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for March 28, 2021

Hello Friends!

This Sunday is Palm Sunday! We are moving through Lent quickly. In church on Palm Sunday we read The Passion. This is similar to a play, recounting parts of the last few days of Jesus’ life. Each year we rotate through different versions from the different Gospels. Each Gospel is a little different, focusing on parts that the author thought important. This Sunday we are reading The Passion According to Mark. For Sunday School this week I have read this Passion story. I use some pictures and a few things from our classroom to help the children see the story. I’ve never done this before and I hope the children enjoy it and learn from it.

PreK-K – Jesus the King (April 2020 recording)


1st-6th grade – The Passion According to Mark

You continue to be in my prayers! Please let me know if Sunday School is working for your family and/or if there is anything different I can do to support you as we continue praying together while staying apart. Miss you!

Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for March 14, 2021

Hello Families!

This Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Lent. Phew! Seems like the seriousness of Lent has been here for a year. There is hope, however; Easter is around the corner! In Sunday School last year I shared the lessons and pictures for the Mystery of Easter I – VI and many of you did them on your own. You may view those lessons on this page if you’d like to revisit doing the lesson yourselves. It is a great activity for your children to deepen their knowledge of Jesus’ life. I recorded a simplified Mystery of Easter for this week. 4th-6th grade is looking at the Gospel of John 12:20-33. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” The children can understand this. Plant a seed with your child!

PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes: The Mystery of Easter

4th-6th grade class: John 12:20-33 lesson (click for the link, no recording this week)

As always, you are in my prayers. Reach out if you need me for anything!

Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for March 7, 2021

Hello Sunday School!

As I am writing this it is BEAUTIFUL outside! The sun is shining and it is warming up. Hope is here and Easter is coming! But we are still on this journey through Lent and must continue to look out for each other, to be careful and safe. This week is the 3rd Sunday in Lent. I have two short stories about Jesus reaching out to people for the PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes. And 4th-6th grade is looking at a reading from the Old Testament, The Ten Commandments. Below you will find the link for the study sheet for the older class. I’ve included a link for the Zoom recording of me guiding them through the reading.  These lessons are all enhanced by interaction and discussion so I hope you participate with your children.  For the 4th-6th grade, reading it with them is much better than me reading it through the computer 🙂

PreK-K & 1st-3rd grade lesson, Jesus and Bartimaeus & Jesus and Zacchaeus

4th-6th grade lesson, Exodus 20:1-17, The Ten Commandments
Link to reading

I hope you are taking time for faith formation or reflection for your children and yourself this Lent. I heard from one family that they are memorizing a line from the Bible each week as a family during dinner. What a wonderful idea! So many short lines that have powerful meanings or can offer support and an easy way to bring a family together during Lent without anyone needing to be in front of a screen! I continue to think of you and pray for you all!  Reach out if you need me 🙂 

Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for February 28, 2021

This week is the 2nd Sunday in Lent. I hope you are all well and are able to take some time to remember the season and prepare for Easter. I pray we will be together again soon

I found some FABULOUS pictures of some of the children with their homemade Mystery of Easter lessons from last year.  I don’t think I recorded it then. The lock down was all so new.

Mystery of Easter, PreK-K and 1st-3rd grades
Click here to download the craft.

Continuing on with the Gospel readings for the older children 🙂
Mark 9:31-38, 4th-6th grades
Link to the study sheet.

I miss you all and am holding you each in my prayers!! I’m here if you need me!

With Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for February 21, 2021

Hello all!

Here we are in Lent. Often people choose to give something up during this six-week stretch. As many of you may remember from previous years, I’m more a fan of adding something to help deepen one’s relationship with God. Intentional “attendance” at Sunday School is a great start! Sadly this year it means a little more time in front of the computer. If video Sunday School is followed up with some reflection as a family, I think your children (and you), will find yourselves experiencing a more fulfilling and Holy Lent. You do NOT need to have the answers, the idea is to THINK 🙂

A few options this week. I have recorded the lesson for Jesus Feeds Five Thousand People. I also gathered the story from all four of the Gospels and have a brief video reading each of them. Here is a copy to print to read along or independently. My thought is the video lesson is for PreK-K, but the 1st-3rd graders would benefit from watching both. They are short.

For the 4th-6th grade, here is the study sheet and the recorded reading is below. This week I offer both the Gospel (Jesus is Baptized and Tempted) and the Old Testament (God’s promise to Noah) for some variety 🙂

PreK-K & 1st-3rd lesson, Jesus Feeds Five Thousand People


1st-3rd addendum, Jesus Feeds Five Thousand – Gospel Comparisons

4th-6th, Gospel of Mark 1:9-15, Old Testament Genesis 9:8-1


I want to remind you that your child can choose any of the Sunday School offerings. They are not limited to the lesson assigned their grade. Also, as an adult, I have greatly benefited from looking into these readings 🙂

I hope you are all well! I hope you feel God’s presence this Lent! I will “see” you again next week. Reach out to me anytime.

Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for February 14, 2021

Hello Families!

This Sunday is Family Church! Yay! Join me Sunday morning via Zoom for the 10:00 am service. It has been recorded and you can view it at this link. We will resume Sunday School next week, but if you miss it you can come here to watch a lesson you haven’t seen or re-visit a favorite.

Next week is the beginning of Lent. Wednesday, February 17, is Ash Wednesday and we head into that serious time for the church where we prepare ourselves for Jesus’s death, followed by the joy of his resurrection. I am going to miss our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted by SPY, terribly! May I recommend on Tuesday, February 16th you have pancakes for dinner?! Maybe play a little jazz music and dance around the kitchen? Take the time to Google “Why do we have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?” And you can think about all the others also spending time with their families and pancakes 🙂 I found this prayer you can say, maybe as grace, before you dig in to those yummy pancakes!

God of feasting,
we give you thanks for the richness of life.
As Jesus turned water into wine at Cana,
we think of your desire for all your people to celebrate life.
Bless us as we celebrate the joy of being your people.
Send your Spirit to dance and sing with us.
As we enter the Season of Lent,
may it, too, be a celebration of life:
of an inward journey of contemplation and wondering,
of learning and exploring.
And in all of this, may we grow closer to Jesus,
to one another, and to you.
This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Also, you should have received Flat St. Peter in the mail 🙂  I can’t wait to see your pictures! If you didn’t get Flat St. Peter, please let me know.

As always I send you each my love and prayers!
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for February 7, 2021

Hello!!
I enjoyed talking with many of the children earlier in the week about the activities they did for Sunday School, and about other things, too! It was really lovely to visit with some of my special friends again! Once the weather gets warm and the MOUNDS of snow melt we will try something similar again 🙂

This week the PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade are back to parables. Godly Play has many parable lessons. I think they can be hard for the children to understand…I think parables are hard for many adults to understand. The idea is keep coming back to them and THINK about them and someday they will OPEN for you. I have included a Mustard Seed craft to help reflect on the lesson.

PreK-K & 1st-3rd – The Parable of the Mustard Seed

For 4th-6th grade I have prepared a lesson sheet with the reading, but also a video as a supplement. Print the lesson then the children can read and watch at the same time.  Let me know if this helps them 🙂
4th-6th – Mark 1:29-39

Remember, JUST because it is Super Bowl Sunday does NOT mean you can’t take 20 minutes to “go” to Sunday School. It may even help your team to win! Ok, probably not connected, but you never know 🙂  Next week, February 14th, will be Family Church! Yay! It will still be online through Zoom, but I hope many of you attend. What a lovely way to start your Valentine’s Day!

Reach out if you need me or would just like to talk!
Sending love & prayers!
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for January 31, 2021

Hello families!
Something different this week for Sunday School! Father, Son and Holy Ghost; Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer; God, Jesus and Holy Spirit…whatever they are called they are separate, but one! I offer you three possible activities to do as a family. Pick one that works best with the ages of your children and which appeals to them. Do the activity as a family then have shared family discussion about what you each saw or felt.  No phones to interrupt these activities. Focus! Take at least 15 or 20 minutes (longer if you’d like) with one of the below.  I will then have Zoom meetings with each class so the children can share their experiences with each other!

Creator – Bundle up and take a nature walk, preferably around a park or in the woods. LOOK!  So many different things. Trees, bushes, birds, critters…. What do the clouds look like? What does it smell like? What do you hear? Any footprints: deer, raccoon, squirrel? How can there possibly be so many different things in nature? Do all the trees all look alike? How does the bark feel? Have you ever just watched a squirrel or bird busy with the job of living their lives? God as NATURE!

Redeemer – Dance party! Move that body! Can you feel your arms wave and feet hit the floor? What do you hear? Can you clap along? Is your heart pounding? Can you feel yourself breathing in and out? Jesus was born so God could live as one of us! God with a body like yours! What did it feel like to be Jesus? Did he walk far and breath deeply with exertion? Did he smile and laugh like you? Do you think he got tired? Do you think he ever stubbed his toe or fell? Did Jesus dance? God as MAN!

Sustainer – Sit, quietly in a straight chair with your hands on your lap and with your eyes closed. Breath in slowly and out slowly. Relax your face and your shoulders. Try to focus on your breath and clear your mind. Imagine God’s HUGE arms encircling you like a blanket. As thoughts pop into your mind slowly send them away and refocus on your breath. Think of one word like peace or love or calm that can help you re-focus. After a time (15 or 20 minutes – set a timer so you don’t have to peek) open your eyes. How did that feel? Was it hard? Was it easy? Were there any thoughts that kept popping into your head? Do you feel a little more relaxed than you did when you started? Was this easier for the children or grown-ups in the family? Did you get to a calm place? God as SPIRIT!

To start the activity and help everyone “get ready” please read the below poem, which is one of my favorites. I can’t wait for warm weather and summer days 🙂

The Summer Day By Mary Oliver 
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down–
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

Please join me for Zoom (email me at leach@stpetersef.org for the link):

  • PreK-K, Sunday, Jan 31st at 4pm
  • 1st-3rd, Monday, Feb 1st at 4pm
  • 4th-6th, Monday, Feb 1st at 7pm

Looking forward to hearing how these go!  Back to “regular” videos next week 🙂

Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for January 24, 2021

Hello Families!
Here we are already 2/3 of the way through January! How is that New Year’s resolution to prioritize faith formation in your children going? 🙂 As I’ve said, “going” to Sunday School with your children each week and spending just 30 minutes is a great start!

This week we continue parables in the PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes with the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Many of the children may be at least slightly aware of the turmoil in politics right now which makes this is an especially timely lesson. Who are our neighbors? Is it easy to love them?  
I’m trying something a little different for the 4th-6th grade. In the spring I was sending you the Living the Good News lesson to sort out. For fall, in trying to make things easier, I modified the lessons by compiling the Bible reading, discussion questions and possible activities into one or two study sheets. I wonder how many of you are printing them and using them? This week I have recorded myself reading the lesson and asking the questions as well as providing the study sheet. Please let me know if this is helpful.

PreK-K & 1st-3rd grade – Parable of the Good Samaritan

4th-6th grade – Mark 1:14-20 Printing this lesson to use with video is helpful, but not necessary.

I am very aware of how much time most of your children are spending in front of a computer screen and have been trying to keep things short. A friendly reminder, the most important things in life do take a commitment of time and effort. Please let me know what has been working for you and what has not and I’ll try to do what works best for all!

I continue to keep you all in my prayers!

With Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for January 17, 2021

Hello Families!

I hope this week, as the country continues its deep divide and the pandemic wages on, you all are finding moments of peace, away from the news, where you can quietly breath in and out.  Although I’m finding preparing Sunday School each week to be much more work than pre-pandemic and some weeks that is hard I am feeling so blessed by it. I have only taught 4th-6th grade a few times and taking the time to read the lessons and investigate questions and activities has been wonderful! The videos for PreK-3rd grades have been entertaining to put together and I feel like I am actually talking to the children. I hope they can feel that. (Although I’ll be glad when I’m done recording!) I desperately miss the discussions and EXPLORING with the children. I hope you are able to use the videos and/or lesson sheets and explore with your children. TALK with them about what they think and feel about the lesson and what YOU think and feel about the lesson. You do NOT need to have the answers. Focusing on growing faith and understanding together, especially with all the craziness swirling around, is a gift for them and I think you’ll find it is rewarding for you too.  

Thirty minutes on Sunday…maybe right after lunch…before bed as a way to settle…find time to “go” to Sunday School with your children 🙂

PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade lesson – The Parable of the Good Shepherd – A good one!!

4th-6th grade lesson – John 1:43-51 AND 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20) What would you do if Jesus called you? What would you do if God called you? How would you know? How would you react?

I continue to send prayers to you all!  If anyone needs me for anything or just want to chat, please reach out!

Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for January 10, 2021

New Year’s Resolution — Sunday School! Just 30 minutes per week with your child (often less, it is what you make it) 🙂  This can become a special time of bonding and growing your faith together.

This week, the Sunday after Epiphany, we celebrate The Baptism of our Lord so all our lessons are about baptism.  I offer you two videos and the Gospel reading with questions.  As always, you can use whichever of the lessons works for your family.  If your 5th grader would rather watch one (or both) of the videos, fine; if your 2nd grader is more of an intellect and wants to find the Gospel in the Bible then read and think about it … also, totally fine!
PreK-K – Jesus is Baptized

1st-3rd – Baptism

4th-6th – Mark 1:4-11
Click here to download the reading.

Keep up the praying!  God is still here, even as the pandemic continues on. Let God’s love surround you and lift you up and support you!

Sending Love & Prayers!
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for January 3, 2021

Hello Sunday School Friends!
Merry Christmas! I hope you had a special Christmas this year despite all the yucky stuff going on. I LOVED the pageant!! You all did such a wonderful job! I loved the readings, the costumes, the pictures….  My son Connor said he was watching me as I watched the pageant and I had a HUGE smile the whole time 🙂  Thank you to those who participated and Terri and Lena Korenstein for being tech support and putting it all together! You can view the pageant by clicking this link.

This week we celebrate Epiphany. The Season of Christmas ends on the 12th Day of Christmas and January 6th is Epiphany when we welcome the Wise Men from the East! I have recorded one lesson this week for all of the children and talk about what we do and don’t know about the Wise Men and the significance of gifts.

All the best to everyone for 2021! I hope the new year brings us back together again at St. Peter’s! If anyone needs me please reach out.

Peace & Love!!
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for December 20, 2020

Hello Families!
How is everyone? Enjoying the snow? I continue to encourage you all to take 30-45 minutes each week to “go” to Sunday School with your children.  Did you know I can see how many people watch the Sunday School videos? Yup! I know that many of you aren’t “going” to Sunday School. I have found that routine really helps with something like this. Maybe Sunday right after lunch is Sunday School time or 9:00am because kids are up early or 4:30pm before dinner prep….  Santa is watching 🙂

PreK-K & 1st-3rd grades
This week I have recorded the second half of our Advent lessons. This is a very important time in the church calendar as we think about the coming of Jesus. Christmas is almost here! Are you ready? And YES, I stumble over Epiphany in the video. It IS Epiphany when the Magi come. It’s the twelfth day after Christmas (Pentecost is red, Epiphany is white).  Brain freeze 🙂

4th-6th grades
We are back in Luke for the Gospel this week. I use the questions each week from our Living the Good News lessons that the children would be investigating in class on Sunday mornings.  Many of the activities I have to create myself since we aren’t together 🙁  I hope you and your children are finding these lessons useful and are working on them together. I’d welcome feedback!!

You are always in my prayers! I miss you all! Reach out if you need me.
Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for December 13, 2020

Hello Families!

I continue to encourage you all to take 30-45 minutes each week to “go” Sunday School with your children 🙂  The discussions may surprise you and it shows your children that you think faith formation and church is important for them (and you).

PreK-K & 1st-3rd grades
This week I have recorded the first half of our Advent lessons. The lessons will conclude next week. Keep the Advent discussion going at home. This is a very important time in the church calendar as we think about the coming of Jesus.

4th-6th grades 
The Gospel this week is from John. If you don’t have a Bible, I encourage you to get one (if you need to borrow a Bible from Sunday School let me know). A great exercise for our older children is to look at the beginning of John and Mark and see how they are the same and different. Then look at the beginning of Matthew and Luke. Remember, you do not need to have all the answers (I know I don’t), but encouraging your child to be curious about the readings and THINK about them is awesome!

You are always in my prayers! I miss you all! Reach out if you need me.

Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for December 6, 2020

Hello Families!

It was so wonderful seeing so many at the Advent Event! It made me realize even more how important it is to stay connected. During Advent try to make a point of “going” to Sunday School each week, even if it is only 30 minutes or you go back and use one of the older lessons. Show your children the importance of this season and faith in their lives.

This week I have recorded the story of The Holy Family. We usually only tell this story in the PreK-K class and we tell it at the beginning of the program year in September. This year I thought it would be nice for the children to take a closer look at their own nativity set, if you have one at home, or make one of their own which they can manipulate as they’d like. There was a nativity set in the Advent activity bags, but here is a link if you’d like another copy. I also encourage you as a family to find the Christmas Story (link to info) in the Bible and read the passages together while looking at your nativity set.

PreK-K & 1st-3rd grade lesson: The Holy Family

4th-6th grade lesson: Gospel of Mark 1:1-8
For 4th-6th grade, the Gospel is about John the Baptist. There are some good things to think about in this lesson. The wondering questions encourage the children to actually picture John and the scene of him baptizing people. Picturing yourself in Bible stories is a neat way to hear the stories in a different way. Another activity you could do with this lesson is have your child(ren) close their eyes and read it aloud to them asking them to picture the scene. Then discuss: Where were they were in the story? Who were they were in the story? What did they notice? …

Happy week #2 of Advent!  I hope you are all doing well and, because of the forced slow down this year, are able to take a little more time to think about this season. I’d love to talk to you and hear how you are doing. Feel free to reach out!

Sending love and prayers (as always!),
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for November 22, 2020

Hello Sunday School!
This week I offer one lesson for all the children. The story of Jonah. Jonah was a prophet. He was close to God. He could hear what God wanted him to do. He just wasn’t interested in doing what God wanted him to do. He thought the people of Nineveh were beyond saving and that God shouldn’t give them a chance for redemption. We learn from the story of Jonah that we are ALL loved by God and God wants us to turn to him and gives us second chances all the time. God probably gives us 3rd & 4th chances as well 🙂 No time like the present as we head into Advent to remember to turn to God in our thoughts, words and deeds.

Jonah, The Backward Prophet


I hope to see you next Sunday, November 29th at 4:00 for our modified, parking lot, Advent Event!!  Sunday School children will each get a bag of Advent crafts to take home 🙂

As always, I’m here if you (or your child) needs me for anything at all. I’d love to hear how you are doing! You are all in my prayers!

Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for November 15, 2020

Hello Families!
We are quickly approaching Advent. PHEW! Where is the time going? I hope you have seen the save the date for our modified Advent Event on Sunday, Nov 29th. It is going to be great!! Sarah Latson and I have been busy putting together some Advent crafts and activities to take home. I think you’ll like them!

This week I have three different offerings. For PreK-K there is the recording of The Baby in the Bulrushes. This is a retelling of the story of baby Moses from the perspective of one of the bullfrogs in the Nile River. The 1st-3rd grades conclude their time with The People of God in the desert in The Exile and Return. And the 4th-6th grades explore their talents and strengths after reading The Parable of the Talents. One of the best parts of Sunday School at St. Peter’s has always been the discussion and the wondering together.  Please “go” to Sunday School with your children for 30 minutes each week and discuss, share and WONDER with them.  It will feed your children’s souls as well as your own 🙂

PreK-K – The Baby in the Bulrushes

1st-3rd – The Exile and Return

4th-6th – Matthew 25:14-15, 19-29, The Parable of the Talents
Click here to download The Parable of the Talents

Please reach out to me if you need anything or if you or your child wants to talk. I’d love to hear how you are doing.  As the country and the world continue to be unsettled in so many ways remember God is ALWAYS with you! Be safe and be well, in body, mind and spirit!

With Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for November 8, 2020

Hello my Sunday School families!

Here we are, a week into November already! I hope you are all doing well and staying safe. It has been a turbulent week on top of a turbulent year and I hope you are taking quiet time to remember God is there through this storm!!

This week I have recorded a new lesson for the PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes, The Ark and the Temple, and there is a new set of questions with an activity for the 4th-6th graders based on this week’s Gospel, Matthew 25:1-13, The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.  Please take 30 minutes to “go” to Sunday School this week!

A quick review of my thoughts from last week: I’ve decided I’m going back to calling it SUNDAY School because I think it is important we all take time to work on our spiritual health and if it is marked as SUNDAY School perhaps it will remind us to make time on Sundays. Church School is a bit too open ended and I suspect it is hard to remember to get back to it or work it into the week. That being said, you can still “go” to Sunday School whenever you’d like 🙂  As parents or caregivers you need to be involved in this new type of Sunday School in a way you never have before. I think you will find you can learn from it too, I know I do, and spiritual growth together as a family is far more powerful and lasting than just Sunday School attendance.  I encourage you to watch the lessons with your child(ren) then pause the video and discuss the wondering questions together.  Likewise, read the lesson with your 4th-6th grader and discuss those questions as well.  Remember, there are no right or wrong answers; it is about exploring and developing faith!  

PreK-K & 1st – 3rd grade lesson: The Ark and the Temple


4th-6th grade lesson: Matthew 25:1-13, The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

Please let me know how you are doing! I’d also love to hear if you are finding these lessons at all interesting, helpful, enlightening or if you think something else might be better. I can easily go back to trying the occasional Zoom get together if there is interest. I miss the discussions with the children desperately!

You are in my prayers!

Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Sunday School Lessons for November 1, 2020

Hello Families!  

Happy All Saints’ Day! I’ve prepared a different type of lesson this week.  Click here for a coloring page and click here for a page with information on different saints and a hymn with links to listen and sing. Hope the children (and you) find it fun and interesting 🙂

It looks like we are going to be in this pandemic for a while still 🙁  I don’t know what that will mean for Sunday School, but now that it is November I think the outside, in-person Sunday School idea will have to be placed on hold. So, I’ve been thinking… I’ve decided I’m going back to calling it SUNDAY School because I think it is important we all take time to work on our spiritual health and if it is marked as SUNDAY School perhaps it will remind us to make time on Sundays. Church School is a bit too open-ended and I suspect it is hard to remember to get back to it or work it into the week. That being said, you can still “go” to Sunday School whenever you’d like 🙂 As parents or caregivers you need to be involved in this new type of Sunday School in a way you never have before. I think you will find you can learn from it too, I know I do, and spiritual growth together as a family is far more powerful and lasting than just Sunday School attendance.  I encourage you to watch the lessons with your child(ren) then pause the video and discuss the wondering questions together. Likewise, read the lesson with your 4th-6th grader and discuss those questions as well.  Remember, there are no right or wrong answers; it is about exploring and developing faith! Next week I’ll return to these type of lessons, but will continue to try to throw something different in now and again.

I hope all have a Happy Halloween in whatever form works for you and your family.  Reach out and say, “Hi!” and fill me in on how things are going. Can you do me a favor and give your children each a hug and tell them it is from me? I miss them 🙁  Be well, physically, mentally and SPIRITUALLY.  God is GOOD and is there for you ALWAYS.  You continue to be in my prayers.

Sending Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for October 25, 2020

Hello friends!
How has fall been going? I hope everyone can get outside and take a nice long walk as a family (no cell phones) and enjoy the crisp air and crunchy leaves and look for birds and watch squirrels … notice things together. The world is a beautiful and amazing place.

PreK-K
Story time! Be Kind, by Pat Zietlow Miller, is a really sweet book I discovered not long ago. Not necessarily a religious book, but a way to talk to younger children about how to love your neighbor.

Be Kind

1st-3rd grades (also PreK-K)
We continue in the desert with The People of God and explore where they kept the Ten Best Ways and how they got ready to come close to them.

The Ark and the Tent

4th-6th grades
Read Matthew 22:34-40 and think about The Greatest Commandments.

I would love to hear what works (and what doesn’t) for you with these lessons. Are you finding time to “go” to church school? Are you finding it isn’t something you are able to think about right now? No judgement, just curious.

I continue to miss you all and keep you in my prayers!  I’m here if you need me.

With Love & Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for October 18, 2020

Hi all!
We had hoped that this week we could have our first in-person, outdoor Sunday School! Sadly, it is not to be. Luckily because of the time in which we live there was a plan B 🙂
Here is the link to the recorded lesson for the PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes.  It’s a goodie!!

The Ten Best Ways

Also, here is the Living the Good News lesson guide for the 4th-6th graders, Trusting in God Alone. As in the spring, take what you’d like from the Living the Good News leader guide. No need to do all 6 pages, the first 2 or 3 are usually where the teachers focus. I did find, however, the handouts “More about today’s scriptures” and “Older children and the Gospel” to be really helpful this week. You can either have the children look up the Gospel or other readings in a Bible (a GREAT exercise) or get them from the Lectionary Page.

As always, I miss you and love you!

If you need me for anything please reach out!

Peace & Love,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for October 10, 2020

Hello All!
I am so happy as I sit in the Church School classroom and record lessons because it gives me quiet time to intentionally think of you all and pray for you all! This week is The Exodus lesson for the PreK-3rd grade where we travel with the People of God across the desert. The children LOVE the desert box. I know there is a bigger draw when they are actually in the classroom because they each hope they might get to play in the sand a bit, but I hope they enjoy hearing the story of The Exodus from home as well. The 4th-6th grade will again examine the Gospel. This time we are hearing about the wedding feast and examining what might keep us from a deeper relationship with God. I encourage parents to work with the 4th-6th graders with their lesson. You do not need to have the answers.

PreK-K & 1st-3rd grade lesson
The Exodus


4th-6th grade, click to download the reading and exercise: Matthew 22:1-10

Sending love and prayers!
Be well, body, mind & spirit!
Dana Leach
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for October 4, 2020

Hello My Friends!

I hope you are all doing well!  

This week we have recordings for PreK-K and 1st-3rd classes. I have cut out the getting ready portion and also shortened the prayers. My rationale is the children all have too much screen time right now. For the 4th-6th graders I have copied the Gospel lesson for this week and added some questions for you to ponder with them. I hope since the Church School lessons are shorter you will make sure to take time to work on the faith formation of your children (and yourselves). Try to encourage your children to take a little time each day to just sit quietly, maybe outside, and breath slowly, listen to the birds and the wind…and talk to God. I’d really love some feed back on what is working for you (and what isn’t).

PreK-K, The Flood and the Ark


1st-3rd, The Great Family (the children LOVE this because we head into the desert)


4th-6th grade, Click here for Matthew 21:33-46.
We get different things out of Bible readings at different times in life. The children (and you) do not need to fully understand the reading, the point is to think about it. It is also important to remember the Bible was written a long, long time ago, a different era and a different culture.

Remember, if your 3rd grader wants to take a look at the 4th-6th grade Gospel lesson, your 2nd grader would rather walk with Noah than Abram & Sarai, or your 5th grader misses the desert box, it is FINE to use the different lessons.  

If you haven’t sent me your registration information, please fill out this year’s form and email it right back to me.

As always, I’m here if you need me! Be well!

Love and Peace,
Dana
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for September 27, 2020

Hello, my dear families!

I hope you are all well this week and everyone is adjusting to school.  We all have to take things one day at a time!

PreK – 3rd grade
This week I recorded The Circle of the Church Year for our PreK-3rd grades. The children can make their own Circle of the Church Year calendar by coloring in this graphic. If you have a fastener (the little gold button like thing with the two prongs that bend) you can add an arrow 🙂


4th-6th grade
For the 4th-6th grade I have recorded a book called, This Man – Jesus by David Melton. It is a story about Jesus’s life. I’d like to point out two things about the book, which was given to me as a child. First, some of Jesus’s teachings and parts of his life are hard and we may not know what to do with them all; that doesn’t mean it isn’t good to be reminded of them and continue to work through them. Second, although the illustrations are beautiful, I was a little uncomfortable with the very white-looking Jesus. I remind the children that Jesus was from the Middle East. Bethlehem, Nazareth & Jerusalem are in Israel and although this may be how the artist pictured Jesus, we don’t know what he looked like and, in fact, since he was from that part of the world he probably had darker skin and darker hair than these pictures portray.

If anyone needs me for anything please feel free to reach out.  Sending prayers!

With Peace & Love,
Dana Leach
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for September 20, 2020

Hello, Church School Families!

I hope the beginning of school continues to go well for you all!  I think of you each often.

This week I have recorded two church school lessons. The PreK-K class will start at the very beginning and hear the story of Creation. The 1st-3rd grade class will go a little deeper into the Creation story with “Who is God? Who is Jesus?”  I have tried to not make either any longer than necessary as I know we are all having a little too much screen time these days.

PreK-K: Creation

1st-3rd: Who is God?  Who is Jesus?


For the 4th-6th grade I will hold a Zoom class this week on Sunday (9/20) at 11:30am. I am looking forward to seeing the 4th-6th graders and talking with them about this week’s Gospel! I plan on trying to keep this to 30-45 minutes, but you know I don’t like to interrupt a good wondering discussion 🙂  Join Zoom Meeting Here (meeting ID: 816 3950 4422)

Because I am keeping church school short, I ask you have your children spend time in prayer in some other way.  Maybe start the practice of saying grace before dinner, or ask them to tell you their prayers before bed, or make them a special place where they can go and sit quietly and talk to God.  I know of one family who has started lighting a Christ candle and praying like we do in Church School.  I’d love to hear what you and your children decide to do!

If you haven’t done so already please take the time to fill out the registration form.

I miss you all and hope you are well, physically, mentally and spiritually!

Love & Peace,
Dana Leach
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for September 13, 2020

Hello Families!
I hope the beginning of school is going well for all!  This week is supposed to be Family Church and the kick off for the new program year. Kind of sad. I couldn’t decide what to do about that so I finally recorded a fairly brief message (under 10 minutes) for the children as we enter fall and the school year. Please have them take time to watch it on Sunday 🙂

Also, please fill out the registration form for this year and email it back to me, drop it at the church office or bring it on Sunday. I know I ask you to fill this out every year, but it is helpful to make sure I have everyone’s most up-to-date information and have marked the children down in their proper grades. I am continuing to brainstorm and search for ideas on how to make Sunday School work. I appreciate your continued patience with that process and I’d love it if you’d let me know if you have a thought on ways to proceed.

I am going to step back from the weekly emails I was sending in the spring and encourage you to read your eblast each week for Church School information, links, etc.  If you need anything from me, please don’t hesitate to reach out (I mean it!).  I’m very excited for Fr. Nate to arrive next week!  I think you (and the children) are going to like him a lot!

If you do not get the weekly eblast send your email address to Terri Korenstein at eblast.stpeters@gmail.com and ask that you be added.
Also, a million thanks to those who have kept up with their pledges!

Be well – physically, emotionally and spiritually!

With Love & Peace,
Dana Leach
leach@stpetersef.org

Church School Lessons for June 21, 2020

Hello again, dear families!
I know I said we were done for the program year, but I couldn’t help sending another message 🙂
I have been thinking a lot about the marches and anger and sadness around the country. There is a book I love called Old Turtle and the Broken Truth. I think it is relevant and wonderful for all our Church School children (as well as the adults). The littlest may not understand, but the illustrations are lovely as is the message. So I made another recording for you 🙂

You all are in my prayers. Please remember, I continue to be available to you and your children throughout the summer. I’d love to hear how you are doing!  
With Faith and Love,
Dana Leach
scottdanaL@aol.com

Church School Lessons for June 7, 2020

Hello, my dear families!
This Sunday is the First Sunday after Pentecost, also called Trinity Sunday. Good lessons this week!
This is our last Church School of the program year 🙁  It has been a very strange few months! Thank you for your patience and support as I work through how to bring you Church School from a safe distance. I hope your children have found ways to continue to grow in their faith during this time and that I have been helpful with that journey. The recordings will remain available here on the church website if you’d like to revisit one or watch one you may have missed.

I want to take the time to say: Thank you TEACHERS!! We had a wonderful herd of teachers for Church School before all was changed. I’d like to thank, Michelle Spell, Serena Watkinson & Emily Blake who each gave an entire three months to teaching PreK-K, and Laura Copeland, Christina Doyle & Quinn Egan who rotated through the 4th-6th grade. Each teacher brought special gifts to the classroom. We had so many who jumped in for a week or two (or more) to help as a substitute teacher for me in the 1st-3rd grade or as greeters and I am so grateful: Kevin Hersh, Carolyn Wescott, Sarah Blake, Mary Shearin, Christine Albano, Stephanie Cutting, Sally Cutting, Patty Vitiello, Sammy Vitiello and Maggie Wohltmann. As a parish we are blessed to have so many involved with this critical ministry! BIG (virtual) HUGS to them all!

Godly Play:
The Godly Play lesson I normally like do at this time is called The Holy Trinity and is WONDERFUL! It brings together Creation, The Faces of Easter and Paul’s Discovery as a way to SHOW the children the Trinity. Sadly it involves the children moving the lesson pieces around and interacting so not ideal for teaching during a pandemic. I chose instead to teach Paul’s Discovery which is also a lesson for this time in the church calendar. It is a bit long with more words than physical lesson movement so may be better for 1st-3rd graders than for PreK-K.  

Story:
I also have a new story for you called “It will be Okay.” I recently found this book and think it is really lovely! I thought the younger children might like it, but also found it great for any age. “The Farmer was good, and the Farmer was kind, and the Farmer was always watching over them.  Even when they didn’t know it.”


Living the Good News:
The 4th-6th grade Living the Good News lesson is Celebrating the Trinity. The lesson focuses on Matthew’s Gospel and, VERY relevant to today, asks the children to read a newspaper and “choose a headline that shows a situation where a life of love could make a difference.”

Celebrating the Trinity

RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Trinity-A.pdf
6-7-2020 RCL-IN-Explore-Light-Color-Spring-Trinity-A.pdf
6-7-2020 readings (I encourage you to have your child FIND the lesson in The Bible, but here are the readings, just in case).

As always the children can decide which lesson(s) they’d like to try for this week. They do not need to “go” to Church School with their age group if they don’t want to 🙂
As I say each week, PLEASE reach out if you need me, or have anything to share. I will be around this summer and hope to hear from you. I think of you all so often, pray for you regularly and have faith that we will continue to move forward together.
With Faith & Love,
Dana Leach

Church School Lessons for May 31, 2020

Happy Pentecost!
I hope you will all join me in wearing red on Sunday to celebrate Pentecost. The children will tell you it is the church’s birthday! The season of Easter has ended and we remember when the Holy Spirit swept through and filled the disciples until they felt like their tongues were on fire and they became apostles. I’ve attached additional Pentecost resources at the bottom of this email 🙂

PreK – 3rd grade Godly Play lesson
The Mystery of Pentecost
Click here to see the recorded Godly Play lesson

4th – 6th grade Living the Good News lesson
Wind and Fire
5-31-2020 RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Pentecost-A.pdf – This week’s lesson uses the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2

5-31-2020 RCL-IN-Explore-Light-Color-Spring-Pentecost-A.pdf – Extra pages with activities

Readings for Pentecost – Although this link contains this week’s lessons, I encourage you to have your child find the readings in the bible. We all could use a better knowledge of where things are in this important book!

Remember, if your 6th grader wants to watch the Godly Play video, let them; if your 2nd grader is curious about the 4th-6th grade lesson and searching out the readings in the bible, great, that is okay too! All I hope is that you continue to show your children the importance of church and encourage their curiosity about their faith! You also don’t have to “go” to church & Church School on Sunday morning, the videos remain on the church website. However, I do find without scheduling a regular time each week it is easy to forget or have church get lost in the business of life.

St. Peter’s NOTES:
We are starting discussion at staff meetings about what the church will look like going forward. No easy answers. The most important thing is that everyone is as safe as possible. Fr. Bob would love your input at coffee hour Sunday at 11:00 am.  Join by clicking here. I know for me personally I really miss worshiping in community. But I am also enjoying “going” to church on Sunday mornings and am so grateful for Fr. Bob, John Pivarnik, Chris Corso, Toby West, Eileen Andersen and all those who make it possible!  We are so blessed!!

Also, I was so excited to hear a couple weeks ago from Pam Bayard that the search committee is diligently working and seem in agreement on 4 candidates to investigate further.  GO SEARCH COMMITTEE!!  Thank you for all your work!

If you are ordering from Amazon these days, remember, if you use Amazon Smile and choose St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Essex Fells as your charity the church gets a percentage of the sale. It isn’t a huge percent, but it is “free” money for St. Peter’s and every little bit helps 🙂 We receive a small percentage if you use the link right here in the footer on the website as well. Please link to Amazon that way if you remember.

As I say each week, PLEASE reach out if you need me, or have anything to share.  If you appreciate these emails, but they aren’t relevant to you any longer for whatever reason just let me know and I’ll remove you from the list. I think of you all so often, pray for you regularly and have faith that we will continue to go forward together.
With Faith & Love,
Dana Leach
scottdanaL@aol.com

Fr. Bob forwarded me the below from Rev. Audrey Hasselbrook, the Assistant Rector, St. James in Montclair. Great resources! If your child misses choir, there are a variety of hymns in the Rows of Sharon link. There are also some fun craft ideas AND I personally may make a cake which will make Scott and Ryan very happy 🙂

Dear Travelers on the Journey,
I am sharing with you some of the resources I pulled together for home use. The links work. 
Pentecost is a major feast day of the church celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples after Jesus’ ascension. Below are links to resources and ideas to help your parish family celebrate at home.

  • Sharon Ely Pearson’s Rows of Sharon
  • Building Faith’s Fire Sticks
  • Building Faith Why and How to Celebrate Pentecost (good for older children/adults)
  • Pentecost is the birthday of the church. Make a birthday cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to the church. 
  • Table grace:  Gracious God, may the power of your Holy Spirit fill our hearts and prepare us for serving you in our daily lives. We ask your blessing upon this meal for which we give thanks. May it nourish our bodies and gladden our hearts.  Amen

Sincerely,
Audrey Hasselbrook

May 24, 2020

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! No Church School this weekend, just as if we were living our regular lives 🙂  That being said, the links to lessons and stories remain here so no reason you can’t have your child(ren) watch one they haven’t seen or revisit one they liked or which led to good discussion.  I’m pretty sure God doesn’t take long weekends!

“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.”

– attributed to St. Teresa or Avila (or maybe St. Teresa of Liseaux, or maybe Jane St. Clair or Minnie Louise Haskins…)

You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers as this distancing drags on. May you continue to have strength, courage, faith and good health (mental & physical). As always, I’m here if you need me, stick my contact information in your phones.

With Love & Faith,
Dana
scottdanaL@aol.com

Church School Lessons for May 17, 2020

Hello, dear Families!
I hope you are all well!  St. Peter’s continues to move along trying to figure out how to best support you all during this time. If any of you have any needs, please reach out! I hope you are finding the Church School videos helpful for your children (and you) and if you can’t “go” to Church School on Sundays, remember they continue to be available to watch any time on this page 🙂

This week is Family Church!!  We have the wonderful Alexis Felix, Kayla Felix, Jack Latson and Luke Latson reading for us this week 🙂  There will also be a children’s sermon by Fr. Bob, “Nature’s Amazing Designing.”  In celebration of Rogation Sunday, this special spring church service will focus on earth as God’s creation to be treated with care.  Enjoy the service together as a family then, if you’d like, join us for a Zoom coffee hour at 11:00.  Link is in the Life at St. Peter’s eblast.

I have recorded a second story.  As I think I mentioned before I have limited relevant picture books here.  This book isn’t religious, but it does give us some lessons to ponder about how we can react to things.  Good for ALL ages.  I hope you like it.  It is called Zen Shorts, by Jon Muth.

Continue to be strong!  Take time to care for your spiritual self and try to pray with your children each day. What worked for me when the boys were smaller was just before bed we’d talk about lows and highs for the day. We’d try to end on the highs and things for which we were thankful. God is there, even when it doesn’t seem like it.  
The prayer I made up when they were quite small and we continued to say every night even as they got bigger:

God bless and keep me while I sleep.
And while I play and while I eat.
God bless and keep me all day through.
And those I love,
God bless them too.
Amen

Be well and be safe and know you are missed and loved!
Peace,
Dana

Church School Lessons for May 10, 2020

Hello my wonderful families!

How are you? Are you doing okay? How is work? And school? Looks like we are going to continue like this for a while still. I hope you are all able to take time for your selves as individuals as well as finding stress free, positive family time. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms!! This week I recorded two lessons for the PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade classes.  The original lesson planned was The Synagogue and the Upper Rooom, which is a pretty cool lesson. I’ve added Mary, the Mother of Jesus as a bonus Mother’s Day lesson. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be the mother of Jesus!  Many of us, as parents, have moments of being overwhelmed by sadness at the things our children are missing right now. It’s okay for us to wallow a bit. It’s also okay for our children to have some sadness.  However, the sun is still rising each morning and God is still there with HUGE arms wrapped tightly around us all. I pray that you can feel the love of God and the warmth of the sun (even through the clouds) each day.

Godly Play lessons for PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade:

4th-6th grade lesson:
The Way, Truth and Life
5-10-2020 RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Easter-5-A.pdf – As usual, if this was a “regular” Sunday, the teacher would probably be focusing on page 2 in the Leader Guide. This week the lesson looks at both a portion of the Gospel lesson and the 2nd lesson. Looking at God’s house and being part of God’s own people [family].

5-10-2020 RCL-IN-Explore-Light-Color-Spring-Easter-5-A.pdf – Extra activities, if you’d like them.

This Sunday’s readings….remember, you can also work on finding them in the Bible.  A good activity for ALL of us 🙂  NOTE: in case you haven’t noticed, the Church School lesson usually does not use the entire passage from a reading; often only part.

I miss you all and continue to send you prayers and BIG virtual HUGS!  Let me know if you need me for anything.  Be in touch!!  And again, Happy Mother’s Day to the moms out there!  

Love, Faith, Courage & Peace!
Dana Leach
scottdanaL@aol.com

Sunday School Lessons for May 3, 2020:

Hello, my dear families!
How are you this week? If you are like me, some days are good and some days not so good. This weekend’s sunshine is perfect timing!! I hope you are finding time each week in the craziness of remote school and work to “go” to church and/or Sunday School. It’s easy to get out of the habit. It’s very important at this time to try to care for yourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. For me, routine helps.
I realize that many of you aren’t “going” to Sunday School at 9:45 on Sunday mornings. Perhaps you’re “going” on Sunday afternoons or even on Monday or on Saturday…therefore I’m going to TRY to start calling it Church School. Sunday School has been in my vocabulary since I was a child so this is an adjustment for me, but I think it’s an important one. I don’t want you to think that because you didn’t “go” to church or Church School on Sunday it is over and done. One of the pluses of remote church is the lessons are available any time 🙂 

This Sunday we are ALL talking about the Good Shepherd, adults and children. I think all the children will remember the Parable of the Good Shepherd. I wonder how they will compare this week’s lessons with the parable they have all heard from the gold box?

PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade:  Godly Play lesson
The Good Shepherd and World Communion

4th-6th grade: 

Living the Good News lesson
Guide and Guardian

Lectionary page for Sunday.
5-3-2020 RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Easter-4-A.pdf:  Leader guide.  Great questions about this week’s Gospel on page 2 to help explore the reading.  Feel free to explore other the options from this guide.
5-3-2020 RCL-IN-Explore-Light-Color-Spring-Easter-4-A.pdf:  Supplemental activities

A special thanks to those who are giving me feedback on the lessons! I really appreciate the time you take to keep me posted on how Church School is working for you. I’d love to hear from others.  Remember I’m here if anyone needs me for anything.

Continued prayers for all my Sunday School children and their families.  I miss you!

Love, Peace, Faith, Courage and Good Health (physical, mental & spiritual) to you all!
Dana

Reminder on Sunday we will be having Zoom Coffee Hour at 11am.  It would be lovely to see you!  Also, be on the lookout for a future Bible Study with Fr. Bob.  Details will be coming in the eblast and during church announcements.

eblast – if you aren’t getting the weekly Life at St. Peter’s eblast and would like to, send an email to eblast.stpeters@gmail.com to be added to the list 🙂 

Thanks LOADS to those who have been keeping up with your pledges!  If you are in a position to continue your church pledge you can either mail a check to the church (271 Roseland Ave., Essex Fells 07021) or click the Donate link above.

Sunday School Lessons for April 26, 2020:

Hello My Families!
I hope all continue to be safe and healthy and are finding silver linings in these strange times. So much to be sad, distressed and anxious about, but I am also finding blessings….  I’ve been able to watch the gold finches out my window turn gold this year and I don’t ever remember seeing so many robins; we are having family dinners every night; I’m being forced to slow down which was VERY hard at first, but has gotten easier and kind of nice. I definitely miss church, specifically, the community of St. Peter’s. I’ve spoken to many of you either through call or text or email and I know the community continues on despite us not actually being together 🙂

This week is the 3rd Sunday of Easter. I recorded two lessons together for PreK-3rd grade because they are short and the wondering questions can be combined. The lessons are The Appearance to Mary Magdalene and The Road to Emmaus. 4th-6th grade is also concentrating on The Road to Emmaus. Jesus has Risen!  The Lord has Risen Indeed!!

PreK-K and 1st-3rd grade:
We are so blessed at St. Peter’s to have invested many years ago in Godly Play. It has made recording lessons so much easier. I’m still struggling a bit with the flow of “getting ready” and the concluding prayers and Christ candle, but doing the lessons and sending them make me feel like I continue to have a connection with the children. I hope they feel the same. I’m still new at this so if anyone has a problem or notices any muck-ups let me know 🙂

The Appearance to Mary Magdalene and The Road to Emmaus:

4th-6th grade:
This week’s lesson, Emmaus Revelation, focuses on the Gospel reading from Luke. It’s a familiar story to us and leads to good conversation about how we recognize Jesus. As I’ve said each week, it is easiest to just focus on page 2 of the leader guide, but you are welcome to look deeper into the material.

Lectionary page for Sunday.  If you don’t have a Bible handy, all the lessons are here.  I do think it is nice for the children to try to FIND the the lesson in the Bible as it familiarizes them with this important book

4-26-2020 RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Easter-3-A.pdf: All the information for the lesson and LOTS more is here.  You do NOT need to go nuts printing everything!  
4-26-2020 RCL-IN-Explore-Light-Color-Spring-Easter-3-A.pdf: Extra pages with activities.

I’d love to hear from you about ANYTHING!  Let the children know I’m here for them too.

Continued prayers for all my Sunday School children and their families. I miss you.

Love, Peace, Faith, Courage and Good Health (physical & mental) to you all!
Dana
scottdanaL@aol.com

Sunday School Lessons for April 19, 2020:

I know watching an entire online service can be tough for some children so I’ve recorded a small supplement for this week. It isn’t a Sunday School lesson, just me reading a book I like called Old Turtle, by Douglas Wood. It has beautiful watercolor illustrations by Cheng-Khee Chee. I like the book because it makes me think and wonder, just like we encourage the children to do in Sunday School. In this case it makes me think about God. WHO is God? WHAT does God looks like? And WHERE is God? I actually like the book for all ages, children through adults.

Other thoughts: I’d like to remind you all we have an online directory right here on the website if you need to find anyone’s contact information (you can email me if you need the password). If you go to the Who We Are tab on the menu above, the last choice on the bottom of the drop down is Parish Directory. If you have time, make sure your information is accurate. You can edit or update your family’s information and check your pledging history by logging in where it says Manage My Family Info at the bottom of the screen. If you have questions or problems let me know and we can figure out who can help you.

If you are in a place where you can continue to keep up with your pledge to St. Peter’s, and even add an extra Easter pledge as we would do in “regular” times please do so.  You can either mail a check to the church office at 271 Roseland Ave., Essex Fells, NJ 07021 or click on the Donate tab on the menu above.

I continue to send love and prayers to you all!  Remember I am here if you or your children need me!

Peace & Blessings,
Dana
scottdanal@aol.com

For April 5, 2020, Palm Sunday:

Hello, my special families!

Here we are again.  Thank you to those who have reached out with pictures and information on how you made Sunday School work in your house!!  Keep the feedback coming 🙂
This week we will miss the opportunity to spend Palm Sunday together. It’s sad. Palm Sunday is the day we remember Jesus’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and the people greeting him in the streets.  In Sunday School we talk about how the people were greeting Jesus as a king without really understanding what type of king he was.  They didn’t notice he wasn’t on a big white horse with a gold crown and an army…he was riding on a borrowed donkey!

Ok, here I go with the video again 🙂  I hope some of you enjoyed it last week.  I have had help from my trusty cameraman, Ryan who is being such a good sport about being home from school as his father puts him to work in the yard and I put him to work on my lessons for Sunday School.  I’m just going to give you the videos this week, although I do have copies of the lessons if anyone wants them.  4th-6th grade can watch the PreK-K’s, Jesus the King, and/or the 1st-3rd grades’, Jesus and the Twelve, or they can work on their own lesson.  Or any combination 🙂

For the wondering questions remember you do not need to have the answers, nor do your children.  It is all about THINKING.

PreK-K – Jesus the King
Short lesson about Palm Sunday

Note….I was having some sound issues so if there is no sound let me know and I’ll try again.  Fingers crossed!  

1st-3rd – Jesus and the Twelve
In this lesson we hear about each of Jesus’s 12 apostles.  The children learn who they were and their symbols, most of which can be found somewhere in the church.  It’s a bit grizzly, I’m afraid.  Most died.  Usually I’m able to steer them to the importance of each of the disciples to Jesus and the spread of Jesus’s story.  Not sure how this will work with the video.  I KNOW I forgot to change the light.  Tell the children I’m very sorry!  I couldn’t make Ryan video the whole thing again, we’d already had dog and phone interruptions 🙂

Here is a copy of the shields if the children want to print and look them over or copy them.  They can cut them out then write the names on the back of each and test their memories.


4th-6th grade – God on the Cross
As I said there are TONS of material for the 4th-6th grade. We use the Living the Good News curriculum. I was reading over the lesson for this Sunday and it is going to be a bit tough to adapt to home so I am attaching it if you’d like to use it, but I’m going to propose something else as an alternative.  

Read the Gospel lesson together, but before you begin, direct everyone to picture themselves somewhere in the story as they listen (or read). They can be anyone: a guard, a disciple, an observer in the crowd, Mary or even Jesus. Or they may find their roll changing as the story unfolds. Then talk about the reading and how it was from this perspective. How did it feel? What did it look like? Parents can/should participate too. You do not need to have the answers, nor do your children. It is all about THINKING. I’d love to hear how this works! 

Lectionary page for Sunday.  If you don’t have a Bible handy all the lessons are here.  I do think it is nice for the children to try to FIND the the lesson in the Bible as it familiarizes them with this important book.

All the information for the lesson and LOTS more is here.
You do NOT need to go nuts printing everything!  

Here are some extra pages with activities.

You will be receiving a couple emails from me this week.  The first with miscellaneous Holy Week information/activities provided by Church Publishing and the second a Good Friday, Stations of the Cross, activity.  The Friday activity uses 4 brown sandwich bags for each child if you have them.

If I’ve left anything out or you have any questions or need me for ANYTHING please don’t hesitate to reach out!  I’d love to hear from you.  Be in touch and let me know how you are doing and how your children are doing.  If the children would like to talk to me I’m here for them.  Feel free to call me (if you don’t have my number please email me!).

Continued prayers for all my Sunday School children and their families.  I miss you.

Love, Peace, Faith, Courage and Good Health (physical & mental) to you all!
Dana

For March 29, 2020, The Fifth Sunday in Lent:

I hope this week’s Sunday School finds you all well and adjusting to being home. I know Lent is a time many Christians give something up, but I don’t think this is what most of us had in mind. As you may recall, I encourage taking something on for Lent instead of giving something up. Maybe Sunday School at home is something to add?? 🙂

In Sunday School we light the Christ Candle and pray. The words we use are in the Step-by-step godly play attached. I encourage you to find a candle and make it your family Christ Candle. Join together each Sunday, or even daily, for time to pray together. Remember your prayers of thanksgiving at this time too.

Below you will find this week’s lessons for Sunday School. I continue to invite (urge) you to take 30 or 40 minutes on Sunday to sit with your children and explore the lesson. I can’t give you all the instructions, so read through the lesson, look around the house for pieces you can use to create the lesson, talk with your children, learn with them. For the wondering questions, remember that you do not need to have the answers, nor do your children. It is all about THINKING.

I was able to video the lesson this week, The Parable of the Sower. There are a couple points where sound is a little fuzzy, but overall not horrible for my debut 🙂 We tell this story in both Godly Play classes so it is appropriate for all the children, although I do think it can be a little hard for the younger ones. You can view the lesson here: 

PreK-K – The Parable of the Sower
You can do the lesson yourself with attachments or watch the video … or both 🙂
Step-by-step godly play: Outline of how we “get ready” to listen to God’s lesson for that day and how we pray afterwards. You can use it if you choose to create a mood and “holy” space for the lesson and have a way to wrap up with prayer afterwards.
Parable of the Sower: Parables are hard to understand for all of us. And sometimes I think it is a bit nutty to be doing parables for PreK-K, but it does get them to think and wonder, which is not a bad thing. The Sower is a pretty good one.
Parable of the Sower parts: Parables in Godly Play are flat so I was able to copy them for you to cut out. Didn’t quite fit on the page, but good enough 🙂 

1st-3rd – The Faces of Easter V, VI & VII 
(conclusion of last week’s lessons of Jesus’s life)
Step-by-step godly play: Outline of how we “get ready” to listen to God’s lesson for that day and how we pray afterwards.  You can use it if you choose to create a mood and “holy” space for the lesson and have a way to wrap up with prayer afterwards.
Faces of Easter V, VI, ,VII: This is the lesson.  Because it is really 3 lessons it is quite long, but they build on each other telling the story of Jesus’s life.  This week we first do a brief review of each of last week’s 4 lessons (let me know if you need them resent to you) then continue with the story of Jesus’s life.
Faces of Easter  V, VI, ,VII plaques – mini:  The bottom two pictures are attached back to back to illustrate that you can’t separate Jesus’s death and his rising so you can staple or tape them together.  The lesson uses a purple underlay if you have purple paper or felt handy, or you can just tell the lesson in sequence without the underlay.  I heard that some of you were able to find this lesson which we made last year in class, YAY!  Note: if you want the full size version let me know and I’ll scan the big plaques to you.

4th-6th grade – Christ’s Power Displayed
As I said there are TONS of material for the 4th-6th grade. We use the Living the Good News curriculum. The teachers tend to use page 2 or 3 from the leader guide and a Bible then work with the activity suggested, but I leave it up to them to do any part of the lesson. This week’s lesson uses the Gospel of John. Whatever speaks to you, go with it. Expanding a bit on Godly Play there are open questions in many of the Living the Good News lessons. You do not need to have the answers, nor do your children.  It is all about THINKING.
3-29-2020 readings: Lectionary page for Sunday.  If you don’t have a Bible handy all the lessons are here.  I do think it is nice for the children to try to FIND the the lesson in the Bible as it familiarizes them with this important book.
3-29-2020 RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Lent-5-A: All the information for the lesson and LOTS more is here.  You do NOT need to go nuts printing everything!
3-29-2020 RCL-IN-Explore-Light-Color-Spring-Lent-5-A: Extra pages with activities.

One extra point. I know times are tough for us all, but if possible, don’t forget your St. Peter’s pledge. The search for a new rector continues the best that it can under the circumstances and it is important for St. Peter’s to stay strong, not only spiritually, but on the practical side, financially as well.  You can click this link to make your donation online, or send in a check (Eileen is checking the mail).  Thank you! 

If I’ve left anything out or you have any questions or need me for ANYTHING please don’t hesitate to reach out!  I’d love to hear from you.  Tune in and let me know how you are doing and how your children are doing.  If the children would like to talk to me I’m here for them. If you don’t have my telephone number, please email me at . Continued prayers for all my Sunday School children and their families.  I miss you.Love, Peace, Faith, Courage and Good Health to you all!
Dana  

For March 22, 2020, The Fourth Sunday in Lent

Hi Gang!
 
I was THRILLED to get pictures from some of you last week showing me what Sunday School at home looks like.  It was even reported that songs were sung and the Christ Candle was lit!  And so we journey on!!  I encourage you during this time of uncertainty to not ignore your spiritual well being, nor the spiritual well being of your children.  This is actually an opportunity to practice your faith with even more intent.  To grow in God’s grace together as a family.
 
I have attached this week’s lessons for Sunday School.  Similar to last week I invite (urge) you to take 30 or 40 minutes on Sunday to sit with your children and explore the lesson.  I can’t give you all the instructions so read through the lesson, look around the house for pieces you can use to create the lesson, talk with your children, learn with them.  For the wondering questions remember you do not need to have the answers, nor do your children.  It is all about THINKING.
 
PreK-K – Jesus and the Children
attachments:
Step-by-step godly play: Outline of how we “get ready” to listen to God’s lesson for that day and how we pray afterwards.  You can use it if you choose to create a mood and “holy” space for the lesson and have a way to wrap up with prayer afterwards.
Jesus and the Children:  This is the lesson.  It is from Young Children and Worship.  At the bottom of page 2 is a list of the materials.  Use paper or fabric, find Little People or Playmobiles or cut out people from paper, make Jerusalem out of a box…be creative.  You and your children can make this lesson unique to you 🙂
 
1st-3rd – The Faces of Easter I, II & III & IV
(first half this week, Faces of Easter V, VI & VII next week)
attachments:
Step-by-step godly play: Outline of how we “get ready” to listen to God’s lesson for that day and how we pray afterwards.  You can use it if you choose to create a mood and “holy” space for the lesson and have a way to wrap up with prayer afterwards.
Faces of Easter I, II, ,III, IV: This is the lesson.  Because it is really 4 lessons it is quite long, but they build on each other telling the story of Jesus’s life.  Godly Play does a great job of guiding the teacher on how to use the lesson material while saying each of the words.  Each lesson lists materials used.  
Faces of Easter I, II, ,III, IV plaques – mini:  Last year in class we actually made this lesson using small plaques and taping the words to the back of each so some of you may have it at home.  The lesson uses a purple underlay if you have purple paper or felt handy, or you can just tell the lesson in sequence without the underlay.  Note: if you really want the full size version let me know and I’ll scan the big plaques to you.
 
4th-6th grade – Eyes Open to Jesus
As I said last week there are TONS of material for the 4th-6th grade.  We use the Living the Good News curriculum.  The teachers tend to use page 2 from the leader guide and a Bible then work with the activity suggested, but I leave it up to them to do any part of the lesson.  This week focuses on the Old Testament reading, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, but page 3 has a lesson that can be used with the Gospel, John 9:1-41.  Whatever speaks to you, go with it.  Expanding a bit on Godly Play there are open questions in many of the Living the Good News lessons.  You do not need to have the answers, nor do your children.  It is all about THINKING.
attachments:
3-22-2020 readings: Lectionary page for Sunday.  If you don’t have a Bible handy all the lessons are here.  I do think it is nice for the children to try to FIND the the lesson in the Bible as it familiarizes them with this important book.
3-22-2020 RCL-IN-Leader-Guide-Spring-Lent-4-A: All the information for the lesson and LOTS more is here.  You do NOT need to go nuts printing everything!  
 
Hoping lessons for all three classes will send in one email so you can investigate another lesson if you or your child would like.  Please give me feedback on how this all goes and what works for each of you.  I’d love more pictures of how YOU do Sunday School in your house this week.  If I’ve left anything out or you have any questions or need me for ANYTHING please don’t hesitate to reach out!If you don’t have my telephone number, please email me at
 
I am praying for all my Sunday School children and their families.  And I miss you.
Love, Peace, Faith, Courage and Good Health to you all!
Dana
 
 

For March 15, 2020, The Third Sunday in Lent

Well here we are, in uncharted territory.  I encourage you during this time of uncertainty to not ignore your spiritual well being, nor the spiritual well being of your children.  This is actually an opportunity to practice your faith with even more intent.  To grow in God’s grace together as a family.
 
This page contains this week’s lessons for Sunday School.  I invite (actually, I urge) you to take 30 or 40 minutes on Sunday to sit with your children and explore the lesson.  Teach each other and learn from each other.  It will be a special time for both parent and child.
 
This page contains materials for all classes, as I  thought some of you might want to see what the other class is doing.  The older children might want to go back to their Godly Play roots and the younger children might be interested in some of the information from Living the Good News.
 
Please give me feedback on how this all goes and what works for each of you.  I’d love pictures of how YOU do Sunday School in your house this week.  If you have any questions or need me for ANYTHING please don’t hesitate to reach out! If you don’t have my telephone number, please email me at
 
I will be praying for all my Sunday School children and their families.  And I will miss you tomorrow.
 
Love, Peace, Faith, Courage and Good Health to you all!
Dana
 
PreK-K and 1st-3rd – The Mystery of Easter
I can’t give you all the instructions here, needless to say, so read through the lesson and how Godly Play works.  For older children maybe encourage them to be the teacher!  For the wondering questions remember you do not need to have the answers, nor do your children.  It is all about THINKING.
 
Step-by-step Godly Play: Outline of how we “get ready” to listen to God’s lesson for that day and how we pray afterwards.  You can use it if you choose to create a mood and “holy” space for the lesson and have a way to wrap up with prayer afterwards.
 
The Mystery of Easter-aid: We were going to use this as a craft for after the lesson, but you can use it as the lesson itself.  Print it then have your child color one side purple and cut out the 6 pieces.
 
The Mystery of Easter: This is the lesson. Godly Play does a great job of guiding the teacher on how to use the lesson material while saying each of the words.  Each lesson lists materials used.  This week the only thing you need besides The Mystery of Easter – aid is a bag.  You can probably use a lunch bag or similar.
 
4th-6th grade – Water of Life
There are TONS of material for the 4th-6th grade.  We use the “Living the Good News” curriculum.  The teachers tend to use page 2 from the leader guide and a Bible then work with the activity suggested, but I leave it up to them to do any part of the lesson.  This week focuses on the Old Testament reading, Exodus 17:3-7, but page 3 has a lesson that can be used for a portion of the Gospel, John 4:4-15.  Whatever speaks to you, go with it.  Expanding a bit on Godly Play there are open questions in many of the Living the Good News lessons.  You do not need to have the answers, nor do your children.  It is all about THINKING.
 
March 15, 2020 readings: If you don’t have a Bible handy, all the lessons are here.  I do think it is nice for the children to try to FIND the the lesson in the Bible as it familiarizes them with this important book.
 
3-15-2020 Leader’s Guide: All the information for the lesson and LOTS more is here.  You do NOT need to go nuts printing everything!