It was the beginning of Passover, and the city of Jerusalem was full of people. Word had spread quickly: Jesus is coming! The man who healed the sick, fed thousands, and even raised Lazarus from the dead—He’s on His way!

As Jesus approached the city, the crowd grew larger and louder. People rushed to cut palm branches from nearby trees—symbols of celebration and hope. Some waved them high, others laid them on the dusty road ahead of Him. Children ran forward, placing their branches gently before Him, so the donkey carrying Jesus could walk on a path made of palms.

And as Jesus rode into the city on a young donkey, the people shouted with joy:

“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!” (John 12:13)

But Jesus wasn’t the kind of king they expected. He didn’t come riding a warhorse or dressed in royal robes. He came humbly, peacefully—riding on a donkey, just as Scripture had promised:

“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (John 12:15)

This King didn’t come to conquer. He came to love. And the path He chose would lead not to a palace, but to a cross—and then to a miracle.

What We Learned

✔ Palm Sunday tells the story of Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem with celebration and praise.
✔ The people and children laid palm branches on the road to honor Him as King.
✔ Jesus rode a donkey to show He came in peace and humility, not in power or pride.
✔ We are invited to follow His example by choosing kindness, peace, and love.

This Sunday, our kids helped bring the story to life—shouting Hosanna! and laying their branches before our King. It was beautiful to see!

And now… we’re getting ready for Easter!

🐣 The Easter Egg Hunt starts at 10:00 AM this Sunday—don’t be late!

This Sunday, we talked about prayer—and the story we heard was full of emotion, honesty, and love. It took place in one of the most important places in Jesus’s life: the Garden of Gethsemane.

After sharing the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus knew that His time on earth was almost over. He went to the garden to pray, and He took Peter, James, and John with Him. Jesus didn’t try to hide His feelings—He told His friends that He was sad and troubled, and He asked them to stay awake and pray with Him.

But something surprising happened. Even though Jesus was full of emotion and needed their support, the disciples kept falling asleep. Not once, not twice, but three times. Every time Jesus returned, they were sleeping.

Still, Jesus didn’t get angry. He just kept doing what He came to do: He prayed. He asked God to take away the suffering He was about to face, but in the end, He said something really powerful:

“Not what I want, but what You want.” (Luke 22:42)

This story shows us a lot about who Jesus is. He didn’t pretend to be okay. He didn’t pretend not to be scared. But He still turned to God and trusted that He wouldn’t be alone.

What We Learned

✔ Jesus prayed even when He was scared or sad—He showed us that it’s okay to bring all our feelings to God.

✔ His prayer wasn’t answered the way He asked—but He still trusted God’s plan.

✔ We may not always feel strong, but we can always choose to pray and trust that God hears us.

✔ We want to be like Jesus—honest in our emotions, but faithful in our trust.

This week, we had 10 amazing kids in class, and we celebrated something beautiful—the baptisms of Jade, Remy, and Erik! What a meaningful moment as we prepare for Easter.

Julie Ann helped sort and match eggs from last year (we now have a full basket of empty eggs!). Nan and I went shopping, and thanks to some generous helpers, we’ve got plenty of treats to fill them. And yes—the Easter Bunny confirms there will be lots of eggs and two golden eggs!

Don’t forget—our Easter Egg Hunt is this Sunday at 10:00 AM sharp, so be sure to arrive a little early! All of the eggs will have a treat inside—not just candy—and we’ll have two golden eggs hidden with special surprises. After the hunt, the kids will enjoy a fun Easter movie with popcorn and drinks while parents head into worship. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

This week, we learned about a surprising conversation Jesus had at a well—and how it teaches us about kindness, courage, and God’s love for everyone.

Jesus and his disciples had been walking for a long time and were hot and tired. Around noon, they stopped near a well in Samaria. While the disciples went to find food, Jesus sat by the well to rest (John 4:6–8). That’s when a Samaritan woman came to get water.

Jesus surprised her by saying, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7). This might sound simple, but back then, Jewish people didn’t usually speak to Samaritans, and men didn’t talk to women they didn’t know. The woman was shocked and asked, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (John 4:9).

But Jesus didn’t care about those social rules—He cared about her heart. He replied, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10).

They talked more, and Jesus explained that the water from the well would only quench thirst for a little while, but “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14).

Jesus showed the woman that she mattered—that God saw, knew, and loved her. He even told her something He hadn’t revealed to many others: “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:26), meaning He is the promised Savior.

This story reminds us that Jesus welcomed everyone. He didn’t follow unfair rules that kept people apart—He broke through those walls with compassion. And He calls us to do the same.

What We Learned:
• Jesus showed kindness and respect to someone others ignored.
• God’s “living water” is His love and grace—and it never runs out.
• Jesus teaches us to love others the way He does: fully and without limits.

Hope to see you in church this Sunday! Everyone is welcome—just like the woman at the well.

This Sunday, we learned about Zacchaeus! Do you remember the song about him? Vickie and I sure did, and we sang it with the kids!

But Zacchaeus wasn’t just a fun song—he was a real person with a big problem. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, which meant he collected money from people to give to the Roman government. But in those days, tax collectors were allowed to take extra money for themselves, and many of them did—including Zacchaeus. Because of this, most people didn’t like him.

One day, Jesus came to Zacchaeus’ town. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but there was a problem—he was too short to see over the crowd! So he did something unusual for a grown man—he ran ahead and climbed a tree. In those times, it wasn’t considered very dignified for an important man like Zacchaeus to run or climb trees, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to see Jesus!

Then something amazing happened. When Jesus reached the tree, He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down right now. I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5) Everyone was shocked! Why would Jesus want to visit a tax collector?

But Jesus’ kindness changed Zacchaeus’ heart. Zacchaeus promised to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repay anyone he had cheated—four times what he had taken!

At first, Zacchaeus seemed like the story’s hero because he made things right. But the real hero is Jesus. Jesus saw Zacchaeus for who he could be, not just who he had been. He reminded everyone that God’s love is for everyone—even those who have made mistakes.

What We Learned

• Jesus loves and accepts everyone, no matter their past.
• When we truly follow Jesus, it changes us for the better.
• We should treat others with kindness and fairness.

Challenge for the Week: Find a way to show kindness to someone who may feel left out, just like Jesus did with Zacchaeus!

See you in church on Sunday!