Children & Youth News early July 2021

Dear FUMC Melrose parents and friends,
Summer is officially here. Perhaps you are taking some time to relax, or perhaps you are busier than ever, catching up on long-delayed visits and gatherings. However you find yourself these days, know that you have a place in this community.

In the spirit of community building, we have planned a social gathering for children, youth, and families for Saturday, July 24, beginning at 6:30 pm. We plan to meet in the backyard of the parsonage (260 Porter Street in Melrose) for s’mores, games, and more.

Since this is an open-ended, casual event, you may feel free to come when you can and leave when you need to (we will probably keep the space available until 8:30 or so, which will be just after sunset). Bring your favorite outdoor games to share. We will provide the ingredients for s’mores as well as some water and juice. If you want other types of snacks, for your family and/or to share, feel free to bring them! Blankets and lawn chairs are good to have as well.

Please RSVP no later than Wednesday, July 21, if you plan to attend.You can email Jayleigh (jennifer.jayleigh.lewis@gmail.com), or call or text (609-721-1738). This is helpful in planning for the food and drinks, and also important in case we unexpectedly need to change the date or location.
Hope to see many of you there!

A Note about Sunday School:

Although we will continue to offer Children’s Time on Sunday mornings throughout the summer for any children who attend in-person worship, we are looking to the fall for a full restart of Sunday School and youth activities. Please be thinking about your children returning to participate. Later in the summer, we will compile a list of those in Sunday School (younger children; likely Godly Play-based), middle school, and high school, so that we can plan and prepare. We will need to schedule teachers and activities, and the sooner we know how many children to plan for, the sooner that will be possible. There is plenty of room for creativity in what we do, as long as it serves the needs of children and families. So, be thinking about what you would like to do, and watch for further emails about how to sign up. (If you have any questions, please contact Jayleigh!)