Lynn Nuzzo
Director of Children’s Ministry
First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton, IL
Every year our LOGOS program has a big celebration on the last evening of the year. The families and all the volunteers come together for this very special night. Everyone gathers in the Sanctuary to begin the celebration with a time of thanks and praise. Families sit together and watch a video presentation of our year together. Lots of fun pictures are shared and memories are made! After the video, the graduating 8th graders are given a special time of recognition. A slide show of the kids participating over the years is shared as well as a story about each one. The 8th graders are given a gift with lots of encouragement from the families and volunteers.
Next up is a time of thanks. Our pastor shares his insights about our time together, words of thanks for the families and volunteers and then prays for all of us. The directors then take over creatively thanking each group who served during the year. (Gifts were handed out the previous week.) This year the families surprised the directors with big bouquets of flowers!
Next the families share a fun meal together. A crowd-pleasing meal of pizza and ice cream sundaes is served. For a healthier option, the weekly salad bar is also available. Everyone can choose their own seat for the meal, and the only rule is that there needs to be an adult at each table. The fun part is watching the families stay together and join one another in fellowship! Decorations are a big part of the meal. Each year a theme is chosen based on the entertainment. When that has presented challenges, smiley faces have made a great theme for a happy end of year.
After dinner we move on to the gym for a fun time of entertainment together. Each year a new type of entertainment is hired to offer unique and fun experiences. This year a two-person drama team presented The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Previous years included a juggler, magician, an artist, and the youth band from the church. Concluding the year with this special evening gives everyone a chance to celebrate with their faith family in a fun way as we look forward to the next year.
LOGOS has been a part of First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton for 24 years. Each year brings kids K – 8th grade together from the church and the community. The congregation is very supportive of the program giving financial assistance and volunteering as needed. Those who have experienced the program when their kids were younger have become big advocates of LOGOS with fond memories which has led to a natural promotion of the program.
Other GenOn Connect articles: May-June 2019
Denominations Come Together for a Common Purpose
Bridging Gaps Through LOGOS
Parents’ Corner: Bridging Divides
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