The LOGOS Ministry Leadership Team

Steve Sawyer, (651) 357-0678

steve@sawyershirts.com

Kirk Breen, (651) 402-7292

kirkibreen@msn.com

The LOGOS Ministry Website:

www.thelogosministry.org

Trinity Website: www.trinitywoodbury.org

Trinity e-mail: info@trinitywoodbury.org

Dates & Times

Wednesdays
5:00 – 7:00 pm (1st - 6th grade)
5:00 – 7:30 pm (7th - 12th grade)

Fall Semester
Sept. 16 – Nov. 18, 2009

Winter Semester
Jan. 6 – Mar. 10, 2010

Year-End Celebration March 10, 2010

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 Our Journey Together
Welcome to the LOGOS Program at Trinity Presbyterian Church. We are so
pleased that you’ve chosen to participate in this system of Christian nurture designed to
help youth, children and adults deepen their relationships with God and with each other.

The LOGOS System of Nurturing Ministry involves the entire congregation.

LOGOS is modeled after the early church as it is described in the book of Acts: They
devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and the prayers. Acts 2:42. The LOGOS Program builds us up as the Body of Christ,
recognizing our individual gifts and abilities in nurturing youth and children into
meaningful relationships and guiding youth and children into faithful discipleship.

IF, as Christians, we believe that a saving relationship with God through Jesus
Christ is more important than anything else in life, THEN nurturing people, especially
youth and children into right relationships of faith with God through Jesus Christ, is the
most important thing the Church ever does. We journey together in this adventure of
faith ─ may God guide our words and our actions as we learn and grow together!

Faithfully, The LOGOS Leadership Team

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 What is the Trinity LOGOS Program?
LOGOS is a program of Christian education and nurture based on a model of
youth ministry developed by Presbyterian Pastor Dr. Dale Milligan more than 40 years
ago. It’s a four-part, mid-week program that includes Bible study, recreational activities,
worship preparation, and a shared meal. The program’s purpose is to give all
participants the chance to experience the joy of Christian relationships as we study,
play, worship and eat together.
LOGOS includes the kinds of activities that are central to a successful summer
camp program, and tries to bring that peak experience into the church on a weekly
basis. As such, LOGOS is neither a substitute for, not a replacement of, such essential
Christian education programs such as Sunday Church School, Vacation Bible School,
mission trips, youth conferences or any other programs or activities in the church.
Rather, LOGOS seeks to support and supplement these ongoing efforts. All church
programs seek to bring us into authentic relationships with God through Jesus Christ ─
LOGOS is one structured, intentional way of teaching and practicing discipleship.

What does LOGOS stand for?

LOGOS is not an acronym. LOGOS literally means “The Word” in Greek. In
John 1:1–18, LOGOS is translated “Word” - “In the beginning was the Word...and the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us….” LOGOS is one way of continuing the
incarnation of Christ as we learn what it means to be a Child of God and practice
treating one another as Children of God.

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Wednesday Four-Part Schedule

Grades 1 - 6
5:00 - 5:30 p.m. Recreation/Play
5:30 - 6:00 p.m. Bible Study
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Family Time
6:30 - 7:00 p.m. Worship Skills

Grades 7 – 12

5:00 - 5:30 p.m. Recreation/Play

5:30 - 6:00 p.m. Bible Study
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Family Time
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Worship Skills

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 Recreation/Play Time

Young people in the Play Time part of LOGOS are taught to play theologically,
respecting the worth, dignity, and preciousness of each other. As everyone learns to live
by the only rule of the LOGOS Program, they experience a quality of relationships with
one another that is not available to them elsewhere.

Play Time activities may cover a broad range of interests and efforts. Some are
cooperative games. Some are craft activities, which may be led by folks in the
congregation with special gifts or interests in a particular area. Participants discover and
celebrate the gifts, talents, and abilities of each individual. Everyone is included and
everyone participates ─ children, youth and adults. Youth and children experience the
fun that Christians can have together, and youth and children believe that it is great fun
to be at church.

Bible Study

The Bible study hour is the core of the entire LOGOS Program. Everything we do
in the other three parts of the program is based on our understanding of what the

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Scriptures tell us about God’s love for us and what it means to live as disciples of Jesus
Christ.

Knowledge of the Scriptures is absolutely essential to any serious effort of

discipleship. In the LOGOS System, young people are taught to put Biblical knowledge
into practice as they live together in Play Time, Worship Skills and Family Time.

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 Family Time

Eating together is an intimate act and a way to show acceptance. Family Time is
not just a time to eat, however. During Family Time, we seek to deepen the experience
of the caring Christian community in the extended family of the church.
Each table will have five-six young people (grades 1-6 of mixed ages, plus Junior
and Senior High tables when feasible) and two adults (table parents) who will stay
together for the whole year. The goal is to create a family group around the table. The
meal provides an arena for bonding relationships to develop. The theme, the meal, the
games and activities allow us to eat, play, talk and grow together. Family Time is a time
to eat, but the primary reason we are together is to build Christian relationships.

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 Worship Skills

Some ways that we may accomplish this goal are: vocal choir, dramatized
scripture, dance, puppetry, choral readings, ushering, acolytes and caring for our
sanctuary -to name just a few. Respect, reverence, faithfulness, stewardship and an
understanding of worship are developed through regular participation in worship. In
Worship Skills young people give themselves wholeheartedly to a group endeavor,
which requires regularity, loyalty, dependability, and idealism. These are all
fundamentals of church leadership in worship and in the life of the church.

What it all means

These four parts characterize the activities in which the early Christians
participated as they formed the first Christian communities. Every church includes these
activities to some extent. In LOGOS we experience these combined elements every
time we meet so that we get regular and meaningful practice in the art of building
Christian relationships.

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 Policies & Procedures
Attendance and Absences
All youth and children are asked to sign in at the greeter’s table when they arrive.
Greeters are folks who are here specifically to welcome the youth and children to
LOGOS, sign them in, check in guests and develop relationships with our young people
and our adults. All of our youth and children are expected to participate in all four parts
of LOGOS with their group throughout the afternoon and evening. The LOGOS staff
assumes responsibility for the safety of our youth during program hours. Please call the
church if your student is going to be absent from all or part of LOGOS. If we don’t hear
from you and your child doesn’t show up, we will call you! And please be courteous to
staff by picking up your child promptly at 7:00 p.m. (grades 1 – 6) and 7:30 p.m. (grades
7 – 12).

School Activities
Bringing our children into a committed Christian relationship with God is our most
important parental responsibility, and a promise we as a congregation make at every
child’s baptism. The LOGOS Leadership Team is aware that sometimes school
activities overlap LOGOS on Wednesdays. We ask that you make LOGOS a priority by
making every effort to get your student here immediately following an after-school
activity. Please schedule music lessons, dental appointments, etc. on other days of the
week.

Inclement Weather
If schools are closed for the entire day or for the afternoon, LOGOS also will be
canceled. If in doubt, call the church office at 738-0045.

Visitors
Visitors are always welcome at LOGOS. To assure that we are adequately
prepared, please call the church office by noon the Tuesday before LOGOS to register
your visitor. Your visitor’s meal will cost $3, and we ask that you pay for the meal.
(Please give the money to the record keeper when you check in.)
Your visitor is expected to stay with your child and participate fully in all four
parts. If, after visiting, your visitor wishes to join LOGOS for the remainder of the year,
please contact someone on the Leadership Team.

Non-Members of Trinity
LOGOS students whose families are not members of Trinity are always welcome!
The expectation is that they, too, will participate in Sunday morning worship and that
parents will fulfill their parent commitment. If parents are unable to fulfill the parent
commitment, spiritual parents will be sought to build a relationship with the child and
fulfill the parent commitment. Examples of Parent Commitment include: kitchen clean-
up, child care, carpooling or dessert baking. A parent commitment lasts for five weeks
(per active parent) during the school year.

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 Child Care
Child care is available for parents and other LOGOS staff while they are serving
in their ministry positions in the LOGOS program. The Child Care area is a very
important part of the ministry of the LOGOS. Because LOGOS takes a congregational
approach, we often have LOGOS staff members with children who are not yet old
enough to participate in the four parts of LOGOS. We are committed to providing child
care that models the love of Jesus Christ to all of our young children.

Fees
LOGOS is designed to be self-supporting through fees paid by participating
families. The fee is kept to a minimum and covers the basics of the program. NO ONE
IS EVER TURNED AWAY FROM LOGOS BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL NEED. Full or
partial scholarship funds are available by speaking to Joe Pendal or Kirk Breen . This
request is kept strictly confidential. Scholarship request forms are available in your
LOGOS folder.

The fee breakdown is as follows:

$ 60.00 Meals ($3 per meal x 20 weeks)

12.00 Bible Study materials
(students will get to keep their books if their teacher uses
student books.)
7.00 Craft Supplies
5.00 Family Time Supplies
6.00 Mission Membership
20.00 Paid Child Care Support
$110.00

A family maximum of $250 has been established for the 2009–2010 program year.

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 Parent Participation
Parents’ participation, one of the bones that make up the LOGOS structure, is an
essential part of LOGOS for several reasons. When our children see us giving our time
and concerted efforts for a program devoted to them, they thrive and intuitively
understand that it is very important. Children are proud to have their parents helping in
such a significant way. Also, parental help is essential in making the program run
smoothly. It takes many people to build relationships, accomplish necessary tasks, and to
care for each other the way Christ would have us care. Breaking the tasks into small jobs
where no one is overburdened is one way we treat each other as Children of God. Asking
parents to participate in serving the youth and children and teaching them the way of
discipleship is one way we demonstrate discipleship and spread the Gospel through our
actions as well as our words.

Opportunities for parent participation include:

 Kitchen assistants: cook-team members or clean-up crew

 Baking desserts
 Worship Skills assistants on Wednesdays & Sundays
 Bible Study assistants
 Recreation/Play assistants and Special Recreation module leaders
 Car Pool drivers
 Child Care Assistants

As parents, you are in the best position to know exactly what your schedule is and
where your gifts might best be used. This year we ask for a total of 10 weeks of
participation (five weeks from each parent or five weeks for single parents) in one of the
areas listed above. Please sign up at the parent meeting. If you need a sub, it is helpful if
you arrange your own. If necessary, call someone on the Leadership Team (listed on the
back of the front cover), and we will help you with names.

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