Rally Day will be held in conjunction with our Open House at Honey Tree Early Childhood Center, an outreach program of Holy Trinity Church.

Please check this website later for full details or call the church office at 805-492-1234.

Honey Tree begins its 34th year under leadership of a new director, Calla Chevalier. Classes range from 3 year old through kindergarten. Honey Tree Open House will take place from 1:00 until 4:00PM. All are welcome.

Sunday School registration begins in the courtyard at 9:30AM and continues through the Ice Cream Social event, which will include a hot dog lunch for $2 each, an ice cream sundae buffet for $1 each, and free crafts, games, water play, and a jolly jumper. The Ice Cream Social will begin at 11:00AM and last until 4:00PM. Dress comfortably, and bring your sunscreen!

Village Sunday school’s education theme will center on “Living Wet”, a reflection and celebration of baptismal living. New families are encouraged to come join the fun and ask questions at the registration desk.

“Holy Trinity’s Village Sunday School program features a different theme each year,” says Rose Egertson, Director of Children’s Ministry. “Our new theme of “Living Wet” will lend itself well to teaching children about familiar Bible stories and relating them to their lives in fun and meaningful ways.” And as always, each class session will be a fun experience with story time, discussion, crafts, snacks, and songs.

Village Sunday School was named based on the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, and HTLC encourages families and congregations to participate in a variety of ways. Classes are from ages 4 years to 6th grade.

Honey Tree Early Childhood Center is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. NAEYC is the nation’s largest organization of early childhood educators. Accredited schools have complied with the Academy’s criteria for high quality early childhood programs through a comprehensive process of internal self-study and external professional review.
Honey Tree registration for fall 2006 is almost complete. There are a few openings in some classes. You may visit Honey Tree’s website at: www.myhoneytree.com.

Congregational Life Schedule for 2005

• April 16: Hobo Party—The day after tax day, when we’re all broke…
• June 18: Dads and Kids Dinner. Why should Mom have all the fun?
• August 14: Ice Cream Social. With a new theme. What will it be?
• October 30: Halloweenie Roast. How do we top the Reptile Family?
• Theater nights — as appropriate and available.
• Sporting events — as available (and cheap), but probably no hockey (phooey).

So … pencil in the CL (that’s Congregational Life, but I’m too lazy to type all those letters) events on your calendar, and if you’d like to give us a hand with any event, we’d be ecstatic to have you and can sure use the help.

As we Irish like to say: “God Bless All Here” and have a happy and blessed New Year! — Randall & Dona Pugh

As we come to the 228th celebration of our nation’s founding, I am struck by our need to remember. To remember the sacrifices made by thousands, to remember the promise of this land outlined so wonderfully by our fore-parents so long ago. I am also struck by the fact that we need to regularly rededicate ourselves to the principles by which we live. The need to follow and to move along in the pursuit of life for all people, liberty and freedom for all people, and the pursuit of happiness, is paramount in our definition of who we are.

To accomplish this we must always remind ourselves that we have this freedom, but with every freedom comes a corresponding responsibility. It might mean serving in the military or in a position in government. It might mean being diligent in our use of our vote or in helping to solve community problems. It might mean cooking a meal or washing the sheets for a homeless program and we could go on and on. But it does mean that we do not take for granted what we have, but we work to ever strengthen those principles.

We live in the most free, and prosperous country the world has ever known. Give thanks to God for that. But, I also know God asks much from those He has given much to. I believe that would be the United States of America. May God help us to fulfill the dream of those who begin this noble adventure so long ago.

Come celebrate our independence on July 4th, and later in the month join us for an old fashion Ice Cream Social.

See you in church, Pastor Frank.