I’m still not sure how it is that I’m writing the last newsletter of 2017, but here goes!

First, I want to take a moment to share some thoughts from my heart. I’d like to publicly thank everyone at Saint John’s for the wonderful support you have shown for this little preschool. I know it was a “leap of faith” to pursue the Preschool back in 2014 when we only had seven children, but it’s been so exciting to see it grow to thirty kiddos—with a waiting list—in less than four years! It couldn’t have been done without the faith, support and hard work of so many people in the church, as well as our families who love and believe in this program. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I have been personally by the families and their precious children who have crossed our threshold. The joy I get from working with all of these people has been much more than I expected. I surprised myself at how much I would enjoy working with not only the kiddos, but the families. It’s an honor and blessing to share in their times of excitement, as well as hug them through times when they just need an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. Watching the parents form new friendships along with the kiddos is a bonus! I love it when I hear the parents planning lunch dates after class or other ways to spend time together. The greatest compliment to Open Arms comes when the parent tells me that their child cries because it’s “not her day to come to school.” I just wanted to take this chance to thank you all for the opportunity to grow this preschool back up into a beautiful ministry as well as a chance to prepare little ones for “big school.”

As for what’s happening at Open Arms, our Thanksgiving Feast was a big hit! The kiddos performed three songs for their families, one of which was new from our Music Mondays with Kids in Harmony! The food was good and plentiful, and the fellowship among the families was even better.

We have a busy month coming up in December! I want to invite you all to our Preschool Program on December 14 at 6:30 PM in the Large Fellowship Hall. Like I said last month, this is a great way to get in the Christmas Spirit! I hope you all can stop in if you’re free that evening. The following day, December 15, our Pre-K class will meet at Brookdale Senior Living at 9:30 AM. The kiddos will be making handmade ornaments they will put in goody bags to personally hand out to each resident in the assisted living building after we perform a few of our program songs. We usually also perform for the two memory care units right after that. We invite you all to join us if you can! This is always guaranteed to warm hearts all around! We also have our Bake Sale fundraiser on Sunday, December 17, in the Large Fellowship Hall after the morning service. Come see what homemade goodies you want to take home! We will finish off December with our Polar Express Pajama Party! This is a day that even the parents want to stick around for! We have more fun than we can stand on that day before we send families off to enjoy their Christmas break. It’s all about popcorn, hot cocoa, a Gingerbread Man scavenger hunt all through the church, punching our “golden ticket” to board the train with snacks in hand to watch a classic short Christmas movie, all while wearing our pajamas!

We will enjoy our Christmas season with all of the fun things, all while learning what Christmas is really,/em> about. Our Bible stories will be spent talking about how Mary heard the good news from the angel, Jesus’ birth, the angels telling the shepherds the great news and how the Wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus. We will put all of these Bible stories together in our Christmas Program as we perform the Nativity.

All of us at Open Arms Preschool wish you a blessed, safe and happy Christmas season with your family and friends, along with best wishes for a happy and healthy 2018. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Kandy Wise is the Director of Open Arms Preschool, a ministry of Saint John’s Lutheran Church. You may reach her at 482-1357 or OpenArms@StJohnsFC.org with any questions about the Preschool.