Pentecost Kids

Holy Family delivered Pentecost bags to the families with children to celebrate the birthday of the church. The bags included a red pinwheel, red candle, bubble wands for each child in the household, and a set of activities for how to explore the different ways that the Holy Spirit is often represented in scripture. Please send photos or videos of your child or family participating in Pentecost activities to Jolene Johnston at jjohnston@hfec.org.
 
 


Stations of the Cross Experience

 
On Palm Sunday, students in PreK-12th grade, adult mentors, and parents participated in a Stations of the Cross experience. During the weeks of Lent, students in grades 2-6 painted wooden crosses to mark the stations and were given an opportunity on Palm Sunday to describe the meaning behind their artwork. Participants walked the path of Jesus and joined activities that marked events along the way such as wearing a purple cloak or crown of thorns, tasting sour wine, and wrapping a small crucifix in white linen to place in a tomb. All participants carried their own personal crosses on the journey and were encouraged to take them home to hold during other Holy Week services. For more information about Children’s Ministry worship, please contact Director Jolene Johnston. jjohnston@hfec.org
 

View photos from Stations of the Cross experience HERE.



Child of God – Lifted in Prayer

 
Students from HFEC Sunday school classes in grades 2-12 gathered this past week to work together and construct a supportive model of the child of God. The “child of God” was a clear glass full of Christmas candy.  Other materials included three clear glasses labeled as faith, community, and love. There were also three butter knives each labeled as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The students were challenged to have all materials touching to elevate and support the child of God with the widest footprint possible which represented community outreach.  The group worked through several variations before suspending the child of God glass successfully by the knives on top of a marble table top. Following the activity, the students enjoyed a candy treat and discussed the connections from this challenge to their own lives. For more information about teambuilding activities at Holy Family, please contact Youth Director Marty Blake. mblake@hfec.org
 
 
 


Confirmation: December 2018

 
On Sunday, December 16th, The Rt. Reverend Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis, visited Holy Family. Bishop Jennifer celebrated both morning worship services, led an open discussion with congregation members during Christian formation hour, and shared fellowship during a reception following the services. Bishop Jennifer also confirmed or received three members of Holy Family during the 10 AM worship service. Bishop Jennifer spent time meeting with the vestry and finished her visit by contributing to Holy Family’s new podcast called Shortcut to Sunday. It was a busy and joy-filled day for all who attended. For more information about being confirmed in or received to the Episcopal church, please contact Deacon Cathy Scott or Father Bruce Gray.
 
For more photos from Confirmation and Bishop Jennifer’s visit, please click HERE.


Gospel at Hogwarts 2018

 
Holy Family invited children of all ages to enjoy an adventure of discipleship to uncover the Gospel at Hogwarts. Scripture passages included The Wedding Feast at Cana, The Parable of the Sower, and the Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy. This multigenerational adventure took place on November 17, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Led by House prefects, guests attended a variety of classes at Hogwarts including Herbology and Potions, played a rousing game of Quidditch, and shared fellowship with treats in the Great Hall.

View photos from the 2018 Gospel at Hogwarts HERE.

This was the second annual Hogwarts event at Holy Family. View photos from Holy Family’s 2017 Gospel at Hogwarts by clicking HERE. Contact Children’s Ministry Director Jolene Johnston for more information. jjohnston@hfec.org


Education Sunday 2018

 
Holy family kicked off the Christian Formation year with a multi-generational formation festival.  Participants from all levels of Sunday school, youth group, and adult formation engaged in interactive team building activities centered around a farm theme.  Participants spent ten minutes learning about each other by separating into groups such as “sweet” or “salty” and “hand-held Bible” or “electronic app” before breaking into smaller groups for continued work together.  Participants were required to utilize effective coordination, communication, and trust to achieve a common goal.  Finally, the larger group was broken into their appropriate formation age groups to discuss upcoming curriculum in their classes.  For more information about Christian formation at Holy Family, please contact the following leaders:
 
Children’s Ministry: Jolene Johnston jjohnston@hfec.org
Youth Ministry: Marty Blake mblake@hfec.org
Adult Formation: The Reverend Bruce W. Gray bgray@hfec.org
 

For more photos from Education Sunday at Holy Family, please click HERE.



Confirmation Celebration 2018

 
On Sunday, July 1st, Holy Family recognized its 2018 Confirmands with a blessing during the 10 AM worship service. The blessing was given by Holy Family’s rector, the Reverend Bruce W. Gray. Additional information about the sacrament of Confirmation was presented by Holy Family’s Deacon, The Reverend Cathy Scott, and Confirmation teacher, Bob Murray (pictured above).
 
 
Following the service, a reception was held in their honor. Each Confirmand was presented with a certificate and Book of Common Prayer signed by The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis. For more information about being Confirmed in, Received in, or Reaffirmed to the Episcopal Church, please contact Father Bruce. bgray@hfec.org
 
 
2018 Confirmands (from left to right)::
Sarah Cleaver, Shannon Luce,
Chris Brown, Eliza Wilson, and Thomas Canter


Pentecost Celebration 2018

 
On Sunday, May 20th, Holy Family celebrated the Feast of Pentecost at its 8 and 10 AM services. Many congregation members wore the color red which is the liturgical color for the day. During the 10 AM service, Father Bruce recognized and blessed Sunday school teachers as well as Confirmation and Adult Forum leaders. Finally, Father Bruce recognized graduating senior Ethan Everett. Jeff Waddell and Carly Roth, also graduating seniors, were not able to attend this blessing. Following the service, congregation members and guests enjoyed a pitch-in picnic with entrees grilled by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. More photos from Holy Family’s Pentecost Celebration are available by clicking HERE.


Earth Day 2018

 
On Earth Day, April 22nd, Holy Family celebrated Earth Day in a variety of ways. During 9 AM Adult Forum, The Reverend Cathy Gray offered reflections on the holiday with those in attendance. Following the 10 AM service, everyone walked outdoors with Father Bruce to bless the Holy Family Community Garden plots as well as seeds and plants brought by worshipers. Finally, adults and children scattered native Indiana wildflower seeds along the treeline to enhance the outdoor chapel. It will be interesting to watch and see what Mother Nature provides! For more information about special events or the Community Garden at Holy Family, please contact Jolene Johnston. jjohnston@hfec.org
 

CLICK HERE for more photos of Earth Day at Holy Family.



Gospel at Hogwarts

 
The four Houses of Hogwarts, accompanied by their House Prefects and Professors, participated in a search for Gospel passages hidden within Hogwarts. Once the Gospel passages were discovered by each House, House members acted out the passage, in front of all the Houses, in the Great Hall and discussed how that passage was similar to a clip from a Harry Potter movie. House members learned about the compassion and generosity of Jesus and made connections to their own lives. All, from the youngest to the oldest, discovered their call to discipleship is both a covenant with God and an adventure that is never-ending. 
 

View photos from our special Children and Youth Ministry
Gospel at Hogwarts by clicking HERE.

 
Contact Children’s MInistry Director Jolene Johnston for more information. jjohnston@hfec.org