The Sunday Church School of St. John’s Lutheran Church in the Heights in Jim Thorpe kicked off the beginning of a new Sunday school year with Rally Day festivities on Sept. 11.

Irene Remmel and Laura McArdle gave a presentation on world hunger and focused on the local food pantry at Memorial Hall. The children received their piggy banks to make donations to the world hunger drive of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

Those students who received personalized bibles as gifts from the Sunday school were Emaly Clay, Wyatt McAnulty, Teagan Perry, Carter Reis, Benjamin Remmel and Kylie Steward.

During the 10:30 a.m. worship service the teaching staff was installed.

Recognition was given to two teachers who achieved volunteer teaching milestones.

Bonnie Hoffman has served 25 years and Fay Schlenner has served 50 years and both were presented with framed certificates from the State Sunday School Association in Harrisburg, as well as gifts from the Sunday school.

An excerpt from the association regarding 50-year milestones was shared, “Each year it seems to get harder and harder to find people who have given this amount of service through the Sunday school; it’s something that most people just aren’t willing to do anymore. We believe that this makes the award even more special and these people even more deserving of our recognition, praise and thanks.”