St. Nicholas Day!

Advent is here! Join us on St. Nicholas Day for holiday fun!

On Monday, December 6th at 11:00 am, the playgroup will meet in the nursery suite at church for holiday crafts and music. Please bring a lunch for your child(ren). We will have special snacks for the moms to enjoy.

Please let us know you plan to attend by checking the "Hope to be there" box below or email/call Melissa. And please pass the word to anyone who may be interested in joining us! The more - the merrier!

Wishing your family a blessed Advent season!

Come to Storytime at Emmet O'Neal and Ruffner Mountain

Now who doesn't love storytime? Make plans to meet the playgroup for the following:

TUESDAY, October 26 at 9:30 am at Emmet O'Neal Library in Crestline Village

The theme for storytime is H is for Halloween. No registration is required...just come ready for fun! We may walk over to the Tot Lot for some playground time afterward.

MONDAY, November 1 at 10:00 am at Ruffner Mountain Nature Center

Children's Story Time at Ruffner Mountain is held on the first Monday of each month. It includes a story with a nature theme and a short activity. The cost is $3/child and includes a tour of the exhibits in the Tree Top Visitor Center (lots of local critters to see!) It starts at 10 am so allow driving time. We might bring a snack or lunch to enjoy outside before going home...


Hope to see you at one or both of these fun story times!

October Playdates

FALL is here! I hope everyone has been outside enjoying the cooler temperatures...

First of all, I hope many of you have made plans to attend the Women's Ministries Fall Coffee on Thursday, October 14. There are 2 options: 7:00 am at Advent Park and 9:30 am in Clingman Commons. Sand Price is the speaker and I'm sure she has something timely and meaningful to share with us....Childcare is available at 9:30. Please contact Laura for more information.

Now for the rest of October.....Mark your calendar for the following playdates!


Tuesday, October 12 at 10:00 am
Join us at the new Railroad Park on 1st Ave. South. Come and explore this new park with friends! Picnic lunch optional. Raindate: Oct. 19






Tuesday, October 26 at 9:30 am
Join us for "Together Time" at the Emmet O'Neal Library. The theme is "H" is for Halloween. No registration is necessary for this storytime. We might play at the Tot Lot for a bit afterward...

Hope to see you in October!

September is here!

September always seems to sneak up on me!

Here are some dates for you to put on your calendar:


Sunday, September 12 is RALLY DAY!
Rally Day is so much fun! 3K and older get to watch the sermon skit before going to Sunday school to meet their new teachers.
AND the Old Fashioned Picnic at the Birmingham Children's Zoo is Not To Be Missed! The picnic starts at 5 pm.
Full Moon BBQ, Carousel Rides, BINGO, Animal Demonstrations and More. If the kids want to play in the water, remember their towels and suits. $8/adults $5/children



Tuesday, September 21 at 10:00 am
Please join us to play at the Splash Pad at Celebration Park in Gardendale. It is located at 2191 Fieldstown Road. The water turns on at 10:00 am and if we get there a little early there is a great playground next to the Splash Pad. Picnic lunch is optional. Raindate is Tuesday, September 28...


Hope to see you in September!

Tuesday at Southern Museum of Flight!

We hope to see you on Tuesday, August 17th at the Southern Museum of Flight!

The website says they have over 75 aircraft! We will meet at 10am to tour the museum, and depending on interest, will then eat lunch at VJ's on the Runway (a meat and three cafeteria). It should be lots of fun!

Here are directions:



Take I-20/59 to Exit 129.
Go left at the light (toward the airport) on Messer Airport Hwy.
Look for signs to the museum and for airplanes taking off (you'll be driving beside the runway!)

View Larger Map

August Playdates

We hope to see you in August! Please mark your calendars for our upcoming playdates:

Tuesday, August 3rd

at 10:00 am at the Pink House

Please join us for a MUSICAL playdate at the Pink House! Known for it's interative and FUN Kindermusik programs, the Pink House is located in downtown Forest Park. Snacks will follow our fun! To help us plan, please comment on the blog post (or send me an email) if you can attend.

Tuesday, August 17th

at 10:00 am at the

Southern Museum of Flight!

Let's celebrate National Aviation Day (there's a day for everything!) at the Southern Museum of Flight. Admission is free on this day (and throughout the week of the 17th). If you are interested, we can follow up our visit with lunch at VJ's on the Runway(a meat and veggie cafeteria).

Hope to see you in August!

Advent Women's Retreat

Have you heard about the women's retreat yet? Keep checking the Adventurer and purple sheet for information about registration but for now, hopefully, the information below (from a flyer received at the Thursday women's study) will encourage you to save the date! It would be great to have many of you there!


Have you ever longed for a "closer walk with God?" Have you ever wanted to draw nearer to Jesus? Do you hope for a sense of that "peace which passes all understanding?" If so, this retreat might be for you. The focus of the weekend will be engaging with the word of God in Holy Scripture and engaging with the Word of God, Jesus, in prayer.

Where: Children's Harbor Retreat Center on Lake Martin

When: 5:00 pm August 20th to 11:00 am August 22nd

What: We will have three retreat addresses, small group time, opportunity for private prayer and counsel, and social gathering time. We will end with Holy Communion on Sunday.

Cost: $100

July Playdates!

Welcome summer!

It is hot and sticky out there, but we have the solution... a cool evening outing... water fun one morning... and a playday at the lake! And the added bonus is adult conversation for the moms. Hope to see many of you soon!

Mark these dates on your calendar and join us when you can:

THURSDAY, July 1st at 7:00p.m. Patriotic Carillon Concert

Join us to hear the bells of Samford! Fellow Adventer and Samford's carilloneur, Steven Knight, will be performing again on the Rushton Memorial Carillon (bells played via keyboard and foot pedals). The children so enjoyed running and playing on the beautiful lawn of the library during the last concert (see the picture of the children with Mr. Steven Knight and the bells in the background. ) Program will include entirely patriotic selections (Star Spangled Banner, Yankee Doodle, America...) Park in the circle drive with the flag pole at the front gate of Samford and walk up the steps to the library lawn. Pack a picnic dessert, blanket, and a frisbee! Oh, and don't forget to bring your American flags to wave!

WEDNESDAY, July 7 at 9:30 am Water FUN! (Note the date change!)

Join us at the Franklin's home (711 Comer Drive) for some water play and watermelon! Sprinklers, watering cans, a baby pool, a fort/playset...Come burn off some kid energy before it gets too hot and be prepared to get WET! Please see our contact information to the left or email franklinHQ@yahoo.com, if you need specific directions.

FRIDAY, July 16th All day! (9 to 5) Playday at Lake Martin - Poplar Cove

Take a dip in the lake, swing in the hammock, churn homemade icecream, rock in a rocking chair, or paddle a canoe! Too many good choices! And yes, there should be plenty of space for little ones to nap... Please e-mail Eleanor @ aems0524@gmail.com to RSVP and receive directions (yes, we do need a fairly accurate head count in order to prepare for lunch and snacks please) . Please bring your child's life preserver, swim vest, towels, and any other necessary "water gear" with you! We have some to share, but probably not enough to cover the whole group! Hope to see you there!

ATTENTION! CORRECTION! EVENING CONCERT!

When? Thursday June 24th @ 7:00 p.m. (CORRECTION FROM EARLIER POST)

Where? Samford University (Lawn in front of Harwell Goodwin Davis Library, walk up the steps from the front center circle where the flagpole is located)

What? Please join us at 7:00 p.m. sharp for a Carillon concert

Fellow Adventer and Samford's carilloneur, Steven Knight, will be performing on the Rushton Memorial Carillon (bells played via keyboard and foot pedals)

Bring a picnic dinner or maybe even just a picnic dessert, a picnic blanket, and maybe a ball or frisbee for the children to toss around while we enjoy listening to selections from composers including Bach and Mozart to name a few...

Childcare Provided!

"Childcare provided" I don't know about you, but I really appreciate those two words... We all love to spend time with our children, but it is also important for us to have time to "fill our cups!" AND our children have the benefit of observing how we prioritize our spiritual growth.

Don't forget to make childcare reservations for these upcoming events:

June 25 Noon to 1pm Missions Luncheon...childcare and a delicious meal provided. Contact Becky Rone (226-3512) by June 22

EACH Thursday 11:30 to 12:30 Heidi's Thursday study is continuing for the summer! Below you will find a schedule of guest teachers and their topics. Coffee and tea are provided. Bring your lunch if you would like. Contact Leslie Housman (443-8552) to make LUNCH BUNCH reservations for your children, preferably by Monday of the week of the study you will attend (I just told her which Thursdays we will not be attending since we plan to be at most).

NEW!!! COME AT 11:00 am each Thursday (before Heidi's study) for prayer and fellowship! Childcare begins at 11 am so please join us--there is no excuse :) We will be in the Living Room for prayer(just across Clingman Commons) and then will move to the Chapter Room for the study. Hope to see YOU there soon!

Thursday Ladies' Study Schedule:
June 24 -Marilyn Dixon, The Spiritual Disciplines
July 1 - Sand Price, The Psalms-Navigating the Storms of Life
July 8 - Sand Price, The Psalms-Walking by Faith
July 15, 22 & 29 - Leslie Housman and Heidi Kinner, Gospel Themes in Children's Books and Movies
August 5 - Linda Moon, Prayer as Relationship
August 12 - Linda Moon, Prayer as Reconciliation
August 19 & 26 - Heidi Kinner, Study of Matthew

This summer, may we allow the Good Shepherd to fill our cups to overflowing...

Hope to see many of you soon!