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CHILDREN AND WORSHIP
Participation in
worship is one of the important ways children learn and
grow in faith and is an integral part of the whole Sunday
School program.
In worship we learn to live
with gratitude for the past goodness of God, in joy as we
recognize God’s continuing presence, and in hope for a
future which will bring God’s purposes to fulfillment.
We learn by belonging and
participating.
Children need opportunities
before they become adults to learn not only how we
worship, but also to find out what it really means for
them.
During the school
year, children, Kindergarten age and older, attend the
first part of the Sunday worship service with their
families.
They are present for hymn
singing and special music, prayers, scripture readings,
our two sacraments—baptism and communion, and a brief
children’s sermon.
After the children’s message
they are dismissed to their Sunday School classrooms.
Children
participate in the entire service during intergenerational
worship Sundays.
These include the 5:00
Christmas Eve Pageant, the Sunday after Christmas service,
Easter Sunday, and Children’s Celebration Sunday at the
end of the school year.
A nursery is provided for
children under the age of four.
On the last Sunday of some months, children in grades K-6
participate and take leadership in their own Children’s
Worship Service in Fellowship Hall.
On these mornings, children go directly to their
classroom at 10:30, instead of to worship, where they
prepare for their leadership responsibility in the service
before coming to Fellowship Hall at 10:45 with their
teachers. This year Children’s’ Worship Sundays will take
place on October 25th, January 31st,
February 28th and June 13th
(Children’s Celebration Sunday).
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday School for all our children is
primarily relational – the curriculum is just one of the
many “tools” teachers use to help their students develop a
closer relationship with God as faithful disciples of
Jesus Christ through their relationship with one another:
parents, leaders and children.
“Faith is caught, not taught.”
During the fall, our Bible-based curriculum focuses
on Old Testament stories, while winter and spring sessions
are devoted to the New Testament. The Seasons of the Church Year are also emphasized and
celebrated.
SAFETY
As in all loving families, one of our priorities is to
make sure each
child is well cared for and safe.
In compliance with our Safe Church Policy, church school teachers and other children/youth ministry
volunteers must submit a CORI application.
We also require at least two adults to be in each
classroom when children are present.
In addition, our class sizes necessitate we pay
special attention to a few details concerning arrival and
dismissal policies to ensure the children’s safety and
parental peace of mind.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
Nursery and Pre-Kindergarten begin the 10:30 worship hour
in their
classroom.
Kindergarten thru High School children begin the hour in
worship, going to their Sunday School class with their
teacher at approximately 10:45, right after the children’s
message .
Sunday
School usually lasts until 11:45. Only the children in Grades 4-12 are dismissed from their
classrooms at 11:45 without their parents present. Young children in Nursery – Grade 3 should be picked up by
a parent or authorized person, promptly at the close of
worship.
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So that children will be in the same
grade in church school as in public/private school, we ask
that parents use September 1st as the date for determining
grade level, beginning with the Preschool class (ages
3-5).
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NURSERY (Birth to 3 yrs. old)
Nursery care is available
for children up to 3 years old and is staffed by our nursery
caregiver, Suzanne Bonelli.
Parents and volunteers from the
congregation take turns assisting in the nursery each week, as
well.
Suzanne, along with our many
volunteers, do their very best to ensure a loving environment
for our youngest members.
Our volunteer nursery coordinators
recruit parents and other members of the congregation to staff
the nursery each week.
In addition to registering their
child for the nursery, parents are encouraged to complete an
information sheet yearly so that our staff and volunteers will
know how to best care for their little one.
- Nursery – Preschool aged children
are expected to arrive and depart the classroom attended by
a parent or responsible adult or sibling.
- The child’s name, parents’ name,
and the location where they usually sit in the sanctuary are
written in the “Sign-in Book.”
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A beeper system is available in the nursery for parents who
are concerned about their child’s separation anxiety, health
issues or other worries.
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Children must be picked up immediately after worship.
When picking up a child, the responsible person
initials their name in the “Sign-In Book.”
PRESCHOOL –
GRADE 6
Rock
Solid: Building a Heart of Faith.
The curriculum covers the major
Bible stories over a three year period so children experience
the stories and messages in ways appropriate to their increasing
maturity. Multiple
learning styles and hands-on activities are employed, making
connections to life issues and incorporating worship experiences
into each lesson.
Church/Home connections and Bible memory verses are also
provided and encouraged.
We hope all our parents will share in their child’s
religious education by helping in the classrooms, reading the
take-home leaflets, and discussing what was learned.
At the beginning of each season, parents will receive
information about the themes and stories covered in Sunday
School along with ideas for faith nurturing in the home.
This fall children will
hear the classic stories from Genesis and Exodus of Joseph,
Moses and Joshua as they explore what it means to be in
relationship with God and one another.
They will begin to see that the heroes and heroines we
encounter in the bible are often just like us.
They make good and bad decisions as they strive to live
their life together in peace as God’s people.
Special topics, projects and celebrations
take place, as well. A celebration party is held at the
beginning of the school year for all our
Preschool/Pre-K
children. Those
new to the church or graduating from the nursery, will be
presented with a Beginners’ Bible to be enjoyed and shared at
home.
In the fall,
Kindergarteners will
learn about and participate in Baptism and Communion during
worship and in the classroom.
Among other things, they enjoy baptizing their favorite
stuffed animal and baking communion bread.
First Graders
spend much of the Lenten season learning about prayer and
memorizing The Lord’s
Prayer. In
celebration of their entrance into the wonderful world of
reading, First Graders are each given a
Read and Learn Bible at the conclusion of the unit.
Third Graders
are presented with “grown-up” NRSV bibles in worship and
5th/6th
Graders serve as Acolytes (information follows).
GRADES 7 & 8
Our 7th/8th
grade teachers are excited about sharing their faith and passion
for teaching with this particular age group. They consult with
the church staff to locate biblically based resources that match
the maturity level and interests of their students. Inspiring
curriculum is important, yet not as important as the
relationships that are formed in the classroom. Teachers
emphasize the Holy Spirit working through people and their
lives, not the curriculum.
HIGH SCHOOL
High school youth can opt to join their own
class for thought provoking discussion about their Christian
faith and its relationship to their lives.
They are also encouraged to attend
worship and take leadership in the service in a variety of ways.
Opportunities include greeting and
ushering, liturgical readings, prayers, children’s messages,
drama, storytelling, and special musical offerings.
Some join the hand bell and/or
Sanctuary Choir, while a few even teach Sunday School!
THE GRAND CONNECTION
Sunday school children and youth will continue the “Grand
Connection” for the 10th year and are blessed by
caring relationships with our elderly members who say they are
equally blessed through this connection.
Each class has been paired up with one or more of our
members, with the “Grands” continuing their relationship
one-year-to-the-next with the same group of children as they
progress.
THIRD GRADE BIBLE PRESENTATION
A long-standing tradition at South Church
is the presentation to each third grader of a Bible imprinted
with her/his name.
This will take place during
the
November 15th
worship service.
To make this gift more meaningful
for the children, we ask 3rd graders to bring their Bible to
Sunday School each week. Information will be mailed to parents
of 3rd graders in September.
CHILDREN’S STEWARDSHIP
One of our objectives in the Christian Education program is to
encourage our children to know the blessing of service and
giving by introducing stewardship as part of our response to
God’s love.
Children can experience this in a
variety of ways.
In Sunday School a special time is
set aside each week for prayer, thanking God for our many
blessings and remembering those in need.
The children are encouraged to
contribute an offering that they themselves have earned or
collected.
Offerings have enabled us to
purchase numerous animals through Heifer Project International
and a trained service dog for one of our members through the
NEADS program. Other recipients include UNICEF, Neighbors in
Need (NIN), local children’s programs and World Vision
sponsorship of four children.
This year we will focus on
environmental issues and needs.
An All Church Environmental Retreat
is planned for Sept. 26-28.
ACOLYTES
All children in the fifth
and sixth grades are eligible to serve as church acolytes. The
office of the acolytes was established early in Christian
history, around 250 AD.
Samuel is considered to have been
the first acolyte.
Acolytes in South Church bring
Christ’s light in the sanctuary to remind us of God’s presence
by lighting the altar candles for worship and extinguishing them
to bring the light out in the world.
Coordinator: TBA -
Contact the office if interested
SUMMER SUNDAY
SCHOOL
Worship
and Sunday School begin an hour earlier at 9:30 am.
A nursery is provided for the youngest
children.
Elementary aged children attend the
first part of worship, as usual, but instead of moving to
separate classes, all meet together in Fellowship Hall or
outdoors for a special new program each summer.
This past summer the children
enjoyed storytelling that centered on reverence for God’s
glorious creation and our responsibility as co-creators in
partnership with God.
Outdoor gardening and games were
also a real hit!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Each summer South Church, in partnership with area churches,
provides a week long ecumenical program as an outreach to the
community and enrichment for our own children’s faith.
This past summer Christ Church and West Parish joined us
for a summer evening faith event for all ages that began with a
simple supper and break-out groups for various ages.
Next
summer’s fun-filled week takes place July 26th – 29th.
Special programs for children and families also take place
during the Advent/Christmas season, Lenten season and other
times during the year.
Watch the 5 Minutes
Newsletter for details.
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