God told Moses to prepare the children of Israel, and to tell them to place the blood of a freshly killed lamb over the doorpost of their homes. When God’s angel of death saw the blood, he would pass over that house. This is the event that Jews continue to celebrate each spring until this day. It resulted in Pharaoh telling the children of Israel to get out of Egypt, and the Egyptian people giving them gold and silver and other riches to get rid of them. They had all seen enough of God’s power!

We will talk Sunday about the Passover Seder, and how it helps Jews today remember how God brought them out of slavery to the land He had promised them, with a strong and mightly arm.

You’ll want to join us and share some Matzoh as we learn more about this great event in history. Bring a friend along!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The gifts were expensive and significant. Gold was a present for a king. Frankincense was a present for a priest. And myrrh, used to anoint a dead body, foretold Jesus’ sacrifice.

We will take a look at some real gold, frankincense, and myrrh Sunday, and make our own video of the Wise Men’s visit. You’ll want to be there to join with us…and bring along a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Tom and Sydney Cook
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God had promised from the beginning to bless the world through His people, Israel. Prophets like Isaiah and Micah had foretold where the Messiah would be born and what He would be like. Many other prophecies in the Old Testament had prepared the world for the coming of the Messiah, the “Anointed One,” who would save His people from their sins. Now it was finally the time for the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, known as “Immanuel’ (which means God with us.)

Join us this Sunday as we begin our celebration of Jesus’ birth. Bring a friend to join the fun!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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God proceeded to show Pharoah and the Egyptians who the One True God really is, as He brought plague after plague to punish them. Moses gave Pharoah every chance to repent and obey God, but Pharoah’s heart was hardened. Through blood, boils, frogs, gnats, lice, hail, darkness, disease, and locusts, Pharoah continued to say “no.”

Join us Sunday as we learn more about the Egyptian plagues God used to rescue His people, the Israelites, from slavery. Invite a friend to join us!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Pharaoh is afraid of the Israelites; although they are slaves, there are so many of them that they could form an army and threaten his kingdom. He plots against them, finally ordering every Israelite boy to be thrown into the Nile.

One family, Amram and Jochobed, defy the order and hide their newborn son for three months. When he became too big to hide, Jochobed and big sister Miriam place the baby in a waterproof basket and leave him floating in the Nile where Pharaoh’s daughter might find him. God blesses their plan, and the baby is found by Pharaoh’s daughter and brought up as her own son. She names him “Moses.”

Moses knows his heritage, however, and as a 40-year-old man he kills an Egyptian for beating an Israelite slave. Moses escapes into the Midian desert to the east of Egypt, where he marries and becomes a shepherd. Another 40 years pass.

One day while keeping the sheep, Moses noticed a strage sight on Mount Sinai…a bush which was on fire, but not burning up. God speaks to Moses from the bush, and charges him with delivering the Israelites from Egyptian captivity and leading them back to the land God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Reluctantly, Moses sets out with help from his brother Aaron to accomplish this mission.

Join us this Sunday, and bring a friend! It would be great to see you!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The family of Jacob needs food, and Egypt is the only place to find it. Ten of the brothers head to Egypt, leaving Benjamin, the youngest, with their father.

When they arrive in Egypt, they meet with Joseph, although they do not recognize him. Joseph knows them, however, and decides to test them to see if they have changed since selling him into slavery. He finally sends them home with the food they need, but keeps Simeon as a hostage.

Jacob is distressed at losing another son, and refuses to allow the nine boys to return to Egypt for more food until they are close to starvation. They tell Jacob that they must take Benjamin with them this time, since Joseph had demanded it.

Finally arriving in Egypt again, Joseph greets them royally and feasts with them, finally revealing himself as their long-lost brother. Pharoah is happy that Joseph is reunited with his family, and sends for Jacob and the rest of the camp. Now they are all in Egypt, where they will remain until they are later taken into slavery and are finally led back to the promised land by Moses.

Joseph points out to his brothers that, while they meant evil in selling him into slavery, God meant it for good and used the events to save Jacob, his family, and many others from starvation.

Join us this week, and invite a friend! You won’t want to miss it.

Tom and Sydney Cook
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In Egypt Joseph had many adventures, winding up in an Egyptian jail. Even there God blessed him as Joseph did his best to follow God and show himself honest, faithful, and hard-working. Finally his God-given ability to interpret dreams paid off as Pharoah was troubled with dreams no one else could interpet. Joseph described how God would send seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

Pharoah was impressed with Joseph so much that Joseph was made second-in-command of Egypt, in charge of managing the food supply for the next forteen years.

Come be with us this Sunday as we learn more about the exciting story of Joseph. Also, remember this is the Sunday we need all of our decorated Thanksgiving bags returned, preferably with food to be shared with needy families for their Thanksgiving meal. You’ll want to be there—along with a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Jacob packed up all his family and possessions and headed south to Canaan. He was afraid that Esau might still be mad at him, so he sent many gifts of livestock ahead to his brother. He divided his family and possessions into two groups, in case something happened to one of them.

As Jacob slept alone north of the Jabbock River, an angel from heaven appeared and began to wrestle with him. After the wrestling match, the angel told him God had changed his name to Israel. Along with the name change came a change of Jacob’s heart, as he never acted deceitfully again as far as we know.

Esau met Jacob and hugged him, and the two brothers were no longer enemies. Jacob set up his home in Shechem, in the land God had promised to give him.

We’d love to see you in our class Sunday as we take a closer look at this great story. It would be a great week to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The older twin was named “Esau,” because he was born covered with red hair. The second was named “Jacob,” which means “grasper” or “deceiver.” God told Rebekah that Jacob would be the child to inherit the promise of Abraham and Isaac, even though Esau was older.

Jacob tricked Esau into selling him the birthright, which normally went to the oldest child. Esau thought that a meal of lentil stew when he was hungry was more important than blessings after Isaac had died.

Later, when Isaac was old and his vision was weak, Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing that Isaac intended for Esau. This upset Esau so much that he vowed to kill his brother after their father died.

Join us Sunday to fill in the rest of the story. It would be a great day to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Although Esau was the older son, God told Rebekah that the promise would continue through Jacob, the younger son. The two brothers were very different, and at first Jacob did not seem to follow God. Jacob tricked the birthright away from his brother, and then tricked his father Isaac into giving the blessing which Isaac meant for Esau to Jacob instead. Esau was angry to the point of promising to kill Jacob, so Jacob left home to return to the area of Haran, where there still lived relatives of Abraham and Rebekah.

On the journey north, Jacob had a dream in which he saw angels on a stairway which reached to heaven. God again made the covenant promise to Jacob. Jacob took the rock he had used as a pillow and anointed it with oil, naming the place “Bethel.”

Join us this Sunday for the rest of the story…and invite a friend to join us!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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On Mount Moriah, Abraham tied Isaac and placed him on top of the wood on the altar. As he was about to kill his son, an angel of the Lord stopped him and told him not to hurt Isaac. God wanted Abraham to be willing to sacrifice his son, not to actually do it. The angel indicated a ram caught in a thicket nearby, and this became the sacrifice.

Abraham trusted and obeyed God even when he didn’t understand God’s command. He knew that God had promised him many descendants, and (as we read in Hebrews) believed that God could even raise Isaac from the dead if necessary.

We need to know we can trust God to keep His promises, and that God can do anything it takes to bring about His plan.

Join us this Sunday as we learn about this story, and also as we prepare Thanksgiving bags to collect food for needy families to be delivered before Thanksgiving. You’ll want to be there, and to bring along a friend.

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old, God visited him and Sarah and told him that they would have a son in one year. Isaac was born, and Abraham knew that God had kept His promise.

You won’t want to miss this Sunday, as we learn about the birth of Isaac and also have our Bug Party, with games, special refreshments, and fun. This is a perfect week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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God has chosen Abraham to be part of God’s plan to send Jesus to earth to bring us salvation. God made a covenant (or promise) to Abraham to give him many descendants, to give him a land to live in, and to bless him and his descendants and to bless the whole world through them.

Join us this Sunday as we learn how Abraham trusted God do do what He promised, and how God began to keep His covenant with Abraham.

This would be a great week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Job was a wealthy and influential man, living in the land of Uz (west of Israel and Babylon). He was quite wealthy, with thousands of sheep, camels, and cattle. He had ten children and prayed for them every day with sacrifices to God. Job was a righteous man.

The book of Job tells about a meeting in heaven, where Satan comes to challenge God about Job. Satan says that the only reason Job loves God is that God has given him so much. God knows better, but to prove it to Satan He allows Satan to take away Job’s riches, and finally his health. Job loses his flocks and herds and even his children are killed. He breaks out in painful boils. Even after all this, Job still loves God and says “The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

Four of Jobs friends come to comfort him, and sit with him in silence for seven days. They then take turns speaking, and tell Job he must have sinned greatly for such to happen to him. In spite of their accusations and even in spite of his own wife, who tells Job to “curse God and die,” Job continues to say he has done nothing wrong and wonders why God is punishing him.

Finally God speaks to Job from a whirlwind and points out that Job and his friends really have no idea what God is really like, but should know that God can do nothing wrong. God rebukes Job’s friends and tells them to ask Job to make sacrifices for them, and He restores all of Job’s wealth with twice as many animals and ten new children.

A famous quote from Job is “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job was not really patient, but He did always trust God.

Join us Sunday with a friend to learn more about this interesting story from the Bible.

Tom and Sydney Cook
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One of Noah’s grandsons, Nimrod, led some people to the plains of Shinar (where Iraq is today). They decided they would stay together there instead of spreading out as God had directed. They built a city, Babylon. In their pride, they decided to build a tall tower that would stretch to the sky..so they could be as high as God. Not a smart idea.

God was not pleased with their pride and disobedience. He knew that His plan for people was best, and God’s plan always comes true in the end. God changed the languages of the people in Babylon, so that they could no longer understand one another. They were not able to continue their building project, so they finally were forced to do what God had commanded and spread across the earth.

Join us this Sunday as we learn about the Tower of Babel…and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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But one man, Noah, tried his best to obey God. The Bible says Noah “walked with God.” God spoke to Noah and gave him instructions on building a large vessel, the ark, which would save Noah and his family (eight people) as well as two each of all the kinds of animals on earth.

Join us Sunday as we look at what the Bible says about the size of the ark, how all the animals fit into it, and the record of its voyage as rains for 40 days covered the whole earth, even the peaks of the mountains. It’s an exciting story, and one which teaches us two things about God: (1) God hates sin and must punish it because He is holy and just; and (2) God loves people and will rescue those who trust in Him.

Invite a friend with you to enjoy our study with us!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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We call it the “Fall,” as Adam and Eve fell from the grace of God to doing their own thing. We will learn Sunday about the many different problems that resulted from their action, which still affects us today. For instance, things like hurricanes and tornadoes, wars, disease and hunger, and many other problems in the world around us are the direct result of Adam and Eve’s choice.

The good news is that God had a “rescue plan” to put things back together again. That’s what the rest of the Bible is about…getting ready for God’s Son, Jesus, to enter the world and begin to make things right.

Join us Sunday for this interesting study—and invite a friend to come with you!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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We are beginning a brand new curriculum called “The Gospel Project” from LifeWay Christian Resources. It will bring us a three-year survey of the entire Bible, which will give us time to cover more Bible stories and spend more time on each one.

As you might guess, we will begin this survey next Sunday with the first book of the Bible, Genesis. It makes a lot of sense to start here, since our story will be God’s Creation of the heavens and the earth. We will look af the first chapter of Genesis and marvel at all the different things that God has created.

Each week we will have a “Big Question” to help us focus in on the most important part of the story. Our first “Big Question” is: Who created everything? We go to the Bible to answer our questions each week. We will find that the answer is: God created the world and people to bring Him glory.

You won’t want to miss this very first lesson from The Gospel Project…and it would be a great Sunday to invite a friend to come with you!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Paul faced many difficullties in his travels, including being stoned, shipwrecked, beaten, and put in prison (several times). But he always trusted in God to take care of him, and he was never disappointed. Paul was always ready to tell about how he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus.

Next Sunday we will learn about Paul’s trip to Philippi, where he met Lydia, a wealthy woman who had become a Jew and was happy to hear that the Messiah had come. She believed in Jesus and was baptized.

Paul was traveling with Silas on this journey, and was beaten and thrown into prison after a disturbance caused by Jews who did not like Paul’s telling about Jesus. An earthquake shook the jail, freeing Paul and Silas from their chains. The Philippian jailer, seeing that the cell doors had opened, was about to kill himself rather than face the penalty for letting his prisoners escape.

Paul called out to the jailer not to harm himself, since the prisoners were all still there. At this, the jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul’s answer was “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

This is a great story to share with others! Why jnot invite a friend this week?

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Although Peter knew he was to be killed the next day, he slept soundly. Suddenly an angel appeared, woke Peter, and told him to put on his sandals and robe. The angel led Peter through the locked cell door, past the sleeping guards, and through the locked outer gate to the street. There the angel left Peter, and he realized this was not a dream…he ws really free!

Peter went to the house where he knew the believers were gathered to pray and knocked on the door. What happened next is the fun part of the story…join us Sunday to find out what happened when Peter knocked. Bring along a friend as well!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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God was also preparing Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, who was told by an angel to send for Peter. Cornelius did so, and invited many friends and family to hear what Peter had to say. Peter came into Cornelius’ house (which a Jew was not supposed to do) and preached about Jesus. Cornelius and his guests believed in Jesus, received the Holy Spirit, and were baptized by Peter. They did not first become Jewish converts.

God showed Peter that He did not have favorites, but that anyone of any race, nation, or background who believed in Jesus would be saved. This is good news for us, many of whom are Gentiles.

Come join us Sunday for a special study of this important story. It would be a great time to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The Sanhedrin asked Stephen if this was true. He began with Abraham and reminded them how the Israelites had never completely obeyed God, although some were always faithful. He told them how God had always been faithful to His promises, including sending Jesus as the Messiah. When Stephen said that he had a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God, the reliegious leaders became very angry, shouting and dragging Stephen out of the Temple. There they threw stones at him until he died. Just before he died, Stephen asked God to forgive the people who were stoning him.

When we tell others about Jesus today, we might be laughed at or ignored. In this country we would not expect to be killed, but in some places in the world Christians are killed even today for being faithful to Jesus. God wants us to tell others about Jesus, and He will give us strength and courage to do so. Who can you tell about Jesus this week?

One great way to tell others about Jesus is to invite them to come with you to Sunday School. This would be a perfect week to do that!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The first parable was about a shepherd who lost one of his 100 sheep. He left the 99 and searched for the lost one, then brought that one back and cared for him. The shepherd told his friends about finding the sheep and rejoiced with them,

The second parable was about a woman who lost one of her ten coins. She carefully swept and searched her house until she found it. Then she called her friends to celebrate with her.

The third parable was about one of two sons who asked for his inheritance and left home, only to waste it all and wind up with no money and no friends. He wound up feeding pigs in a far country, until he realized that even his father’s servants had better lives than he did. He returned home planning to ask for a job as a servant. But his father was waiting for him, ran to meet him, and threw a homecoming party , rejoicing that his son had come home.

God cares for each of us in the same way. He rejoices, with all of heaven, when anyone turns to Him in faith. We can always trust God’s caring love.

Join us this week, and invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The people Jesus taught would have been very familiar with the sowing of seeds. As Jesus described the different kinds of ground the seed might have fallen on, they would remember seeing that very thing happen in their own gardens or in their neighbors’. Some seed feel into hard ground, where birds would come and eat the seed before it could grow. Some fell into rocky ground, where the seed might sprout but could not send its roots into the soil. Some fell near the edge of the field, where it could grow but would then be crowded out by weeds. Some would fall into the carefully prepared soil of the field, where it could take root and grow into a fine crop.

Jesus explained to his disciples what each type of seed really meant. The seed represents God’s Word, which can grow into saving faith in Jesus when it is planted in our hearts. But other things can keep it from growing, and then it cannot grow into faith in the person’s heart. Some refuse to hear God’s Word at all; others hear it but pay no attention; others let other things crowd out the message of God’s love.

Our prayer for you is that you will prepare your heart to gladly receive God’s Word and let it grow to saving faith in your heart, so that you may reap the harvest of everlasting, abundant life that Jesus brings.

Join us this Sunday, and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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This week we will look at the only miracle that is recorded in all four Gospels, as Jesus used five loaves and two fish from a little boy’s lunch to feed 5000 men and their families.

The people had been listening to Jesus preach all day, and they had followed Him across the Sea of Galilee and were far from their homes. Jesus knew they were hungry, and asked His disciples if anyone had any food to feed them. Andrew found a little boy who was willing to share the lunch his mother had packed. Jesus took the lunch, blessed it, and told the disciples to divide it up among the 5000 people in the crowd. The miracle was not only that all the people had plenty to eat, but also that there were twelve baskets of food left over.

We can trust Jesus to provide the things we need, and even some of the things we want. God loves us and is able to provide anything we need, and He wants to give us good gifts if only we ask in faith.

Join us Sunday as we look more closely at this miracle. It would be a great week to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The terrified disciples called to Jesus, saying “Master! Don’t you care that we are dying?” Jesus got up and simply said to the storm and wind, “Peace! Be still.”

The wind and waves immediately stopped and the sea became calm. The disciples were still afraid, but now they were afraid of Jesus—“What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the waves obey Him?”

We serve that kind of Savior—with all power over His creation. We can trust Him to take care of us just as He took care of the disciples. God loves us, and is certainly able to do what we need.

Join us Sunday as we celebrate F.R.O.G. Day (“Fully Rely On God” ) as we learn about this important story in the Bible. Don’t forget to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Jesus’ call to the disciples was simply “Follow Me.” He asked them to come with Him and see what God was doing. After three years of walking up and down Israel, from Galilee to Judea and back, they came to understand—as Peter was able to confess—“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Being a disciple of Jesus today is much the same. The main thing we have to do is to follow Jesus…do the things He did, follow His commands, try our best with God’s help to live like Jesus. Often it may not be easy, but it will always result in our living the best lives, lives pleasing to God.

Join us this Sunday as we learn more about what it means to follow Jesus and to be one of His disciples. This would be an especially good Sunday to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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After 40 days with no food, Satan appeared to tempt Jesus. Three temptations are recorded, dealing with physical needs (“Command these stones to become bread.” ), with taking the easy road in His ministry (“Cast yourself down from the temple so all can see God saving you.” ), and running ahead of God’s timing (“I can give you all the world if you fall down and worhsip me.” )

Each time Jesus turned down the temptation, each time quoting scripture from the book of Deuteronomy. Then Satan left Him for a time.

Jesus knew what it was to be tempted, and He knew the best way to overcome temptation—by knowing the scripture and knowing how to use it.

Join us this week as we learn more about how to use the Bible to deal with issues that children might face in their lives today. Bring along a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Jesus came to the place in the River Jordan where John was baptizing many people who had come out to see and hear him. Jesus asked John to baptize Him, because it was the right thing to do. One reason Jesus did this was an example to us.

Baptism does not wash our sins away, but rather is a sign that our sins have already been forgiven and forgotten by God because we have made the decision to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord. Baptism is a witness to others who observe it that we have decided to follow Jesus.

We’ll talk more about John the Baptist and about baptism this Sunday. Please plan to be with us this week, and bring along a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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We have only a single glimpse of Jesus between His birth and the beginning of His ministry at age 30. The Gospel of Luke tells us about one time when Jesus was twelve years old, the age when Jewish boys became bar mizpah (son of the law). That year Jesus and his parents, Mary and Joseph, traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem to observe the Passover celebration.

After the Passover was over, Mary and Joseph started to walk back to Nazareth with the group they had come with. After a day’s travel, they realize that Jesus wasn’t with them! They hurried back to Jerusalem and, after searching for another whole day, finally found Jesus in the temple discussing with the scribes and priests.

Mary told Jesus that they had been worried about Him, but Jesus was surprised at this and told her “I must be about my Father’s business.” Even at age 12 He understood His special relationship to God and His ministry.

But Jesus obediently returned with Mary and Joseph, and continued to grow as He prepared to begin His ministry.

Join us this Sunday as we take a closer look at this interesting event…and don’t forget to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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At the end of this period, it was time for Jesus to turn His work over to His disciples and return to heaven. He gathered the disciples together and gave them what we know as the Great Commission. It applies just as much to us today as it did to the original disciples. We are to go into all the world, starting where we are, and tell others about Jesus…of His love for them, of His dying for their sins, and of His offer of forgiveness and eternal life—abundant life.

In the book of Acts, Luke tells of how the disciples saw Jesus rising into the heavens until the clouds hid Him from their sight. Two angels appeared and promised that Jesus would return to earth again, just as He left. In the meantime, His followers have been given a task…to tell all the world about Jesus.

Join us this Sunday as we take a closer look at Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and how we can confidently look forward to His re-appearing. Don’t forget to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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For some reason, the disciple Thomas was not present with them. When the other disciples excitedly told him that they had actually seen the risen Lord, Thomas did not believe them. He would not believe until he saw for himself.

The next Sunday Thomas was with the other disciples, again in the locked room. Sure enough, Jesus appeared again, with a special message for Thomas. Jesus told him he could put his fingers into the nail wounds in Jesus’ hands and into His spear-wounded side. The Bible doesn’t say whether Thomas actually did so or not…but in any case Thomas fell to his knees and cried out to Jesus “My Lord and my God!”.

Jesus pointed out that Thomas believed because he had seen, but that many who had not seen also believed and were blessed. That includes us, who were not alive when Jesus was on the earth, but believe in Him through our faith and the account in the Bible record.

Join us this Sunday as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ rising from the dead and living today! Bring a friend.

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Two disciples, one named Cleopas, were travelling on the road to Emmaeus (close to Jerusalem) when they were met by an unknown stranger. He asked them what they were discussing, and they told him about Jesus’ death and the reports of His resurrection. The stranger began to explain to them what the Old Testament taught about the promised Messiah. When they reached their destination, the disciples finally recognized that the stranger was Jesus, as He was breaking bread with them.

They ran all the way back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples that Jesus was really alive, as they had seen Him for themselves!

Jesus remained on earth for some 40 days after He rose from the dead, and appeared to a great many disciples at various times (Paul tells of His appearance to over 500 people on one occasion). We can say with assurance, “Jesus is alive!”

Come be part of our class for this exciting study, and bring a friend along!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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This was the greeting and response used by the early Christians on Easter Sunday to celebrate and to encourage one another. It’s a good greeting for us today, as we celebrate the central event of all history. God became man in the form of Jesus so that He could live a life of perfect obedience to God and then freely give up His life in payment for our sins. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Join us this Sunday as we worship with Easter songs, celebrate with videos about the wondrous events of Easter, and have fun with some games to help us remember the facts about the resurrection. This would be an excellent Sunday to bring a friend to join us!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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This celebration was foretold by Old Testament prophets, who told of the Messiah coming in majesty and power, riding on a donkey. The people shouted “Hosannah to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

We will learn about praise—why and how we can praise Jesus today, much as the people of Jerusalem did on that first Palm Sunday. Jesus told the temple officials that if the people, including the children, did not praise Him, then the very stones would cry out in praise. Jesus deserves our worship and praise.

Come join in this great celebration with us! It would be a perfect Sunday to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Jonah was sent by God to preach to the wicked city of Ninevah and warn them to turn away from their sin. Jonah actually seemed to want Ninevah to keep on sinning so that God would punish them, rather than repenting. After Jonah’s attempt to run away from God in the opposite direction from Ninevah being thrown into the sea and swallowed by a big fish, and praying in the belly of the fish for three days, he finally did go to Ninevah and preached God’s message. The end of the story finds Jonah upset that Ninevah actually listened to his message and repented, still arguing with God.

Come join us Sunday and bring a friend as we study this exciting story.

Ton and Sydney Cook
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God consistently honored Daniel’s choices and his faithfulness, and used Daniel to reveal Himself to a great nation.

Join us Sunday for some great fun learning about Daniel. Don’t forget…invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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We will also talk about how we can use the talents, gifts, and opportunities God has given us to help other people. Join us as we learn about one of the most interesting people in the Old Testament!

And, of course, invite a friend to come with you.

Tom and Sydney Cook
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King Ahab, one of the worst kings of Israel, and his wicked wife Jezebel, had led the Israelites to worship the false Gods Ba’al and Asheroth. God had told Elijah that He would cause a drought for three years (since Ba’al was supposedly the god of rain and harvest). At the end of the three years, Elijah challenged Ahab to a showdown between the 450 prophets of Ba’al and Elijah, the single prophet of the One True God.

We will see how the prophets of Ba’al tried all day to get Ba’al to answer their prayers, with no response. Then it was Elijah’s turn—and he dramatically showed by God’s immediate response that Yahweh was truely the God of Israel.

You’ll want to be with us for this session…and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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David came to be known as a “man after God’s own heart.” Not that he didn’t sin—he committed worse sins than Saul had done. But David was quick to repent and ask God for forgiveness, which made all the difference. David still had to face the consequences of his sin, but God continued to bless David. In fact, God promised David that the kingdom of Israel would have a king from David’s line…forever. This promise was ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus, born from David’s line, who will rule forever.

David used the talents and abilities that God had given him to serve God and to serve his nation. This Sunday, We will talk about how we can use the talents God has given us to serve Him in a similar way today.

This would be a perfect week to invite a friend to come with you to Sunday School!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Saul started well with popular approval (he was tall!) and victory in battles with the Philistines. However, he turned out to be pretty casual about obeying God, taking Samuel’s office on himself and not following God’s command to destroy everything after battling the Amalekites. Samuel told Saul that God had rejected him from being king, and that the office would go to another family.

Since this is Valentine’s week, we will have a Valentine theme in this week’s class. Join us for snacks, fun, and games. This is an especially good week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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His mother, Hannah, dedicated Samuel to the Lord, and he grew up in the tabernacle as an assistant to High Priest Eli. From the time God called Samuel by name at night, giving him a message for Eli, God continued to speak to Samuel with messages for the people of Israel. Two important messages led Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel and later David as the second king.

Join us this Sunday as we learn about this important person in Israel’s history. It would be a great week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Samson was really a crude fellow who disobeyed God over and over again. He did fight against the Philistines, but finally was betrayed by his Philistine wife, Delilah, and lost his strength when the Philistines cut off his hair.

But Samson learned from his disobedience and asked God for forgiveness. Although he had been blinded and put in prison, his hair grew out again and he was able to deal a harsh blow to the Philistines by destroying their temple to their god Dagon, killing himself and 3000 Philistines as the temple collapsed.

Although we usually will have to suffer the consequences of our disobedience, God is always willing to forgive us when we repent and turn to Him, and to use us in His service.

Join us this Sunday as we finish our study of the book of Judges…a great week to bring a friend.

Tom and Sydney Cook
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This Sunday we will learn about how Gideon followed God’s strange battle strategy to defeat the Midianite army with only 300 men. We can always trust God when we follow His commands.

Join us and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Over and over again, God punished the Israelites by removing His protection and allowing another nation to enslave them. Eventually the people repented and cried out to God, and He raised up a leader called a “judge” to lead Israel back to freedom. They followed God for a while, but every time turned back to worshiping other gods.

Depending on how you count them, there were some twelve judges whose stories are told in the book of Judges. We will study three of them.

The first judge we will learn about is Deborah, the only woman judge and perhaps the best of the judges. Her story is interesting and exciting, and we will study it this coming Sunday. Join us as we learn how Deborah joined Barak, the military leader, to win freedom from the Canaanite king Jabin.

This would be a great week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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We learn about the crossing of the flooded Jordan River, which showed the new generation of Israelites that God has vast power and affirmed the leadership of Joshua. This Sunday we will learn about the first conquest in Canaan, the walled city of Jericho. Again God will show His power, based on the obedience of Joshua and the Israelites to His instructions. After marching around the city in silence each day for six days, the Israelites marched seven times around the city on the seventh day, finally breaking their silence with a great shout as the walls of the city fell down. The city was easily taken, according to God’s plan.

We will look to Joshua and the Israelites as an example of how we should obey God’s commands today, and how we can expect His blessing when we do. Join us for fun, fellowship, and learning as we study this exciting story.

Don’f forget to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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• Crossing the Red Sea
• The Passover
• Wise Men from the East
• Happy Birthday, Jesus!
• Angels Everywhere!
• Let My People Go!
• Moses Birth and Calling
• Joseph Part 2
• Joseph, Part 1
• Jacob's Name Changed

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