Wednesday Night Alive!
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord...
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Communities grow
strong by spending quality time together:
learning, laughing,
listening
together and to each other.
This weekly congregational event spans all generations
and walks of life: infants, kids, youth, singers, musicians,
life-long learners, writers of life stories, those who study,
those who pray, those who cook, those who clean and those
who serve. All meet together in one place to enjoy a night
of fellowship.
Programs by Age Groups
Opening devotion for all ages
5:45 - 5:55 p.m. in the narthex. Parents take their children to the classrooms by 6:00 p.m.
Adults
- Volunteer opportunities with the children’s
programs, in the kitchen, as a greeter- Choir, Chorus and Brass Choir
- Writing Life Stories
- Lectio Divina prayer group
- Baptized into Christ - Theology Class
High School and Middle School Youth
- Homework
- Volunteer opportunities with the
children’s programs, in the nursery, in the kitchen
- Confirmation class
- Choristers choir is open to 6th grade kids.
Upper Elementary School (Grades 4-6)
- Choristers choir
- Godly Play
- Homework
- Kids Club
- World Explorers
Lower Elementary School (Grades 1-3)
- Jr. Choristers choir
- Godly Play
- World Explorers - Movies or nursery time (after end of programs)
Kindergarten & Preschoolers (4-6 yrs.)
- Music Explorers
- Godly Play
- Nursery for movies (after end of programs)
Toddlers (2-3 yrs.)
- Jr. Music Explorers
- Story time
- Nursery for movies
Infants (0-1 yr.)
- Infant Music Explorers, parent/child time, nursery
Registration is $25 per child with a limit of $50 per family. Scholarships are available.
Dinner is $ 5.00 per adult, $ 3.00 per child. Pizza is $1.50 a slice.
We invite you to consider helping to support our scholarships by donating an additional amount during registration. Please mark "WNA scholarship fund" in the memo line on your check and write a separate check to your registration fee. Thank you for considering this contribution.
Description of Programs Back
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Food
Meal Time – All Ages/5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Homemade dinners are lovingly prepared by our food service ministry team. Instead of cooking on Wednesday evenings, swing by the parish hall and eat-in with friends and family, or take-out a delicious and inexpensive meal. The kitchen window closes at 7:00 p.m.
Adult plates are $5.00; children's plates are $3.00. Meals will usually include an entrée, side dish or salad, bread and beverage. We will continue to provide pizza for $ 1.50 a slice.
For those interested in volunteering with meal preparation, serving or clean up (no experience necessary), the food team will be happy to give you a kitchen tour and to share with you all the fun they've had developing this ministry. Contact Beverly Davis for more information (
Music
Infant Music Explorers – 0 months to 24 months/5:45 - 6:15 p.m.
Jr. Music Explorers – 2 to 3 year olds/ 6:15 – 6:45 p.m.
Music Explorers – 4 to 6 year olds/7:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Debbie Whitmire leads our Explorers program, based on Baby Dance and Musikgarten, nationally recognized early childhood music and movement curricula. The primary goal of Musikgarten is for children to experience the joy of making music with others by singing, dancing and playing simple instruments. These activities help the child fulfill his or her music potential and provide a foundation for future musical learning. Parents are expected to attend class with the child.
Jr. Choristers – Grades 1-3 / 6:45 - 7:30 p.m.
Children praise God through music and song, including age-appropriate instruments and movement activities. The children will participate in the worship services a few times during the year. The playing on Orff instruments is taught as appropriate. Kirsten Jordon is the instructor.
Choristers – Grades 3-6/ 6:00 - 6:45 p.m.
Choristers praise God through music and song, including recorder and Orff instruments. The children will participate in the worship services a few times during the year. Kirsten Jordon is the instructor.
Chorus – Adults/ 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Chorus enjoys all varieties of music, from classical to international, and sings weekly at the 8:30 a.m. Sunday liturgy. All singers are welcome; there are no auditions. Kirsten Jordon is the director.
Church Choir – Adults/ 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Choir prepares music from the traditional/classical repertoire and sings weekly at the 10:50 a.m. Sunday liturgy. All singers are welcome; there are no auditions. Albert LeDoux is the director.
Brass Choir – Adults/ 6:15 – 7:30 p.m.
Brass Choir prepares festive music that is often performed from the bell tower. The Brass Choir also joins Church Choir on certain occasions. Robert Walp is the director.
Bible Study, Confirmation Class, Stories, and Godly Play
Opening Devotion – all ages/ 5:45 – 5:55 p.m. in the narthex
All children and adults who have finished eating are invited to a 10-minute Opening Devotion. At 5:55, parents should meet their children and take them to class. Parents and other adults are welcome to attend.
Lectio Divina prayer group - Adults/ 6:45 - 7:30 p.m.
Lectio Divina meets to read, meditate and pray over the Holy Scriptures. This ancient form of prayer is translated “Divine Reading,” and has been part of the spiritual practice in the church since ancient times. All are invited to participate. Leader is Velma Rice.
Writing Life Stories - Adults/ 5:00 - 6:45 p.m.
This Fall we will begin exploring various aspects of storytelling including the ways in which they affect our lives and the lives of others. Resource materials for the Fall workshops will include Christina Baldwin's Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story, and Mary Pfifer's Writing to Change the World.
All those interested in writing their memoirs or in having an opportunity to explore various forms of storytelling and writing are invited to join us. We are a very informal and sharing group. For more information contact Anna Fay Williams.
Baptized into Christ - Theology Class – Adults/ 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
The class “Baptized into Christ” is intended to deepen the Lutheran understanding of some basic tenets of our faith and give insight into biblical interpretation from the grounds of Reformation theology. Martin Luther's Small Catechism will serve as a text. The class is taught by Pr. Moore and open to all.
Godly Play – Pre-K - 6th grade/6:00 - 6:45 p.m.
Children meet to explore the stories of our faith using Godly Play resources. Godly Play always concludes with the feast, the simple sharing of prayer, snack and beverage. Contact Marie Monroe or Pr. Liebster to help.
Confirmation Class – Grade 7/ 6:15 – 7:30 p.m.
The format of Confirmation instruction is a two year curriculum. The first year focuses on Bible study and the second year on Luther’s Small Catechism and related themes. The Catechism is memorized and put in the context of faith and ethics as it applies to our time. 2007-2008 is “catechism year.” The class is taught by Pr. Liebster and Tim Lenz.
Story Time – 3 months and up/ 6:00 - 6:15 p.m.
Our toddlers (and infants with their parents) are invited to listen and learn through stories. Parents are encouraged to take a turn telling stories or helping the storytellers. Parents are invited to help choose books for this special time as well. Contact Pr. Liebster to help
Active Play, Exploration, Fellowship Back
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World Explorers - Grades 1-6/ 6:00 - 645 p.m.
Children are invited to explore God's world through science, crafts, photography, history and other adventures. In past classes, the group has made a quilt, learned about rocks and dinosaurs with real geologists, made Christmas ornaments and conducted science experiments. Coordinator and leader is Irmi Willcockson.
Kids Club – Grades 3-6/ 6:45 – 7:30 p.m. & 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Our Kids Club is a place for upper elementary age children and sixth graders to have fellowship, play games and talk. Leader is Tim Lenz.
Luther League – Middle and High School/7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Middle and High School students are invited to hang out in the Youth Room for homework and fellowship. Youth are encouraged to volunteer to assist with Godly Play, story time, music classes, World Explorers or kitchen crew, nursery at least once a month.
We have many opportunities for adults and youth to get involved in during Wednesday Night Alive! Volunteers may work as little or as often as their busy lives permit.
If you have one hour per month and like to be with little children, you may enjoy telling a story, be a greeter and assistant in a Godly Play classroom, assist with the Music Explorer classes, or be a mentor in the Homework Haven.
If you have two to three hours per month, want to work with kids and will undertake a bit of training or lesson preparation, you may consider teaching Godly Play or a World Explorers class. Our World Explorers group exposes children to a wide range of interests. Often, teachers lead a class in an area of interest to them or in a hobby they enjoy, such as photography, arts and crafts, science experiments or dance. The subject matter is endless with this group of eager-to-learn children.
If you prefer adult company while fulfilling your volunteer work, you may enjoy being a greeter or joining the kitchen staff. Or you may simply become a participant in the various offering for adults.
Volunteer Jobs
Greeter
These volunteers are friendly, outgoing types who welcome members and visitors to Wednesday Night Alive! This is the best way to meet new people! They arrive at 5:30 p.m. to help sell pizza and meal tickets. They hand out maps and redirect lost children (and grown-ups too!). They also inform newcomers about events and classes. Please contact Martha Winston to sign up.
Chef and Assistant Cooks
The lead chef coordinates the logistics of the meal, the volunteers, the purchasing and preparation of the food along with other details. This position generally requires a half- or full-day commitment on the day of the meal. Chefs must be approved to use our church kitchen and must coordinate with Beverly Davis regarding menus and other matters. Assistant cooks help to stir, chop, braise, bake and are available to help the chef while learning new cooking tricks of the trade!
Kitchen Staff (Servers and Clean-Up)
These cheerful and handy (but not necessarily trained) volunteers generally tend shop in the kitchen. They get to use the very entertaining dishwasher, wear nifty aprons and may drink a glass of wine if they so desire. Kitchen staffers greet hungry people and make everyone happy by serving delicious food. Volunteers range in age from 13 to 100 and have the most fun of all the groups. Please contact Beverly Davis
Godly Play Leaders and Greeters
These volunteers are trained to either greet students as they prepare for class or to lead a lesson. There are two Godly Play classes on Wednesday nights at 6:00 - 6:45. The 4-6 year olds hear the Sunday story again and respond with art work, or finish previously begun projects. The kids in grades 1-6 will hear new stories or be given a short thematic focus for the lesson to which they can respond in a longer art and work phase. Godly Play always concludes with the feast, the simple sharing of prayer, snack and beverage.
If you are interested in learning about Godly Play, contact Marie Monroe or Pastor Karin Liebster to observe a class and sign up for the next training session.
Storyteller
Our littlest children love to sit on laps and listen to God's Word in the form of stories read by other members. Story time gives children a chance to learn that they are part of a larger, caring community of church friends who love them by sharing stories. No training required! Stories are read from 6:00-6:15 p.m. Please contact Pr. Liebster to volunteer and coordinate reading materials.
Assistants in Music Classes
Debbie Whitmire teaches all music explorer classes from infant age through pre-Kindergarten. The method of teaching requires a companion for every child. Debbie would be delighted to welcome youth or adults as such companions in cases when there are more children than grown ups in the room. Please contact Debbie Whitmire.
Teacher for World Explorers
Scientists, artists, photographers, historians, genealogists, quilt makers and others take turns leading hands-on exploration activities for elementary aged children. Irmi Willcockson coordinates these activities for 5 to 10 kids of various ages each week. Some of our past projects: creating a Noah's Ark-theme quilt for our nursery, painting furniture, conducting science -experiments that teach about God's world through rocks and fossils and making Christmas ornaments. The possibilities are endless as the children explore the tangible ways God's creation manifests in the works of their hands and in the world today. If you have a special interest, such as photography, space, history or archeology, you can commit to one session or many to share your passion with our young explorers. Please contact Irmi Willcockson.
Kids Club Sponsor
Tim Lenz is the appointed staff person to work with the upper elementary age group. The activities for Kids Club include games, reading and talking together. Homework is separated out to the library with the option for the children to join or return to the Kids Club when homework is finished. Tim would like adult sponsors to join him in helping shape friendship among the kids. Please contact Tim Lenz.
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August 2007 -
May 2008 |
Wednesday Night Alive events are 5:30 - 9:00 unless noted otherwise in the calendar. |
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August 29 |
Dinner and orientation for Wednesday Night Alive volunteers |
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September 5 |
First semester begins: Registration and first night of programs |
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November 21 |
NO Wednesday Night Alive (Thanksgiving break) |
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December 5 |
LAST Wednesday Night Alive before Christmas. |
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December 12 |
Christmas break for programs. Brass, chorus and choir meet. |
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December 19 |
Christmas break for programs. Brass, chorus and choir meet. |
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December 26 |
Merry Christmas to all. No programs |
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January 2 |
NO Wednesday Night Alive programs. Brass, chorus, choir meet. |
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January 9 |
Second semester begins: Registration and first night of programs |
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February 6 |
Ash Wednesday services, NO Wednesday Night Alive programs |
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March 19 |
Holy Week and spring break; NO Wednesday Night Alive programs |
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May 7 |
END OF YEAR celebration |
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