INFANTS, TODDLERS, PRESCHOOLERS

Nursery

Who: Newborn through toddler

What: Childcare for infants & toddlers during the entirety of both worship services provided by staff members, Kathleen Paige and Huong Luu

When: 9:00 and 10:30am services--begin in Nursery

Where: Nursery (note: newly refurbished, relocated Nursery coming mid-year)

Preschool

Who: Three- and four-year olds

What: Three- and four-year olds will learn Bible stories introduced through the United Church of Christ's Faith Practices curriculum. Class taught be dedicated rotating teaching teams. (Fall: Giving & Receiving Hospitality and Living Stewardship; December: Advent; Winter: Keeping Sabbath; Spring: Lent; Late Spring: Playing & Living Joyfully)

When: 9:00 and 10:30am services--begin in Preschool classroom

Where: Lower Level Garden Room (note: newly refurbished, relocated Preschool room coming mid-year)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

What: "Temple of Light" Young Children and Worship Model:

• Uses a worship and learning model that provides an exciting format where children experience God while learning about God.
• Helps children worship in a special place apart from the worshipping congregation so they become able to worship meaningfully with the congregation.
• Uses sensorimotor style of storytelling as primary means for encountering God in biblical stories.
• Provides freedom and sacred time for children to continue responding to God by working with story figures, art materials, music and kinesthetic expression.
• Prepares children to tell the stories of God to others.

When: 9:00 and 10:30am services - begin in worship in the Sanctuary

Where: Begin in worship in the Sanctuary, then escorted to the Temple of Light (upper level) for class by their Keepers. Parents pick up children at the end of their class time at 10:00 and 11:30am in the Temple of Light.

3rd, 4th and 5th Grades (and 6th Grade at 9:00am)

What: "Lighting the Way" RotationModel:

• Utilizes the Rotation Model format that teaches major Bible stories and concepts through engaging multimedia workshops: Art, Drama, Games, Computers, Film, Cooking and Bible Exploration.
• Teaches the same Bible story in all of the workshops during three- to six-week units while rotating the kids to a different workshop each week.
• Takes advantage of our students' God-given thirst for multi-modal learning; there are many different learning styles such as auditory, visual, kinesthetic, intrapersonal and interpersonal.
• Recognizes that kids not only love repetition, but they need it to develop a lasting memory and understanding of content.

When: 9:00am (3rd, 4th and 5th/6th grade classes ) and 10:30am (3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes)

Where: Begin in worship in the Sanctuary, then escorted by their Keepers to the Chapel (lower level) for Gathering Time followed by workshops. CHANGE: Parents pick up children OF ALL GRADE LEVELS - 3rd, 4th and 5th - at the end of their class time at 10:00 and 11:30am in Pilgrim Crossing (lower level, next to Pilgrim Hall).

MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE

6th Grade Confirmation (10:30am only)

What: Pilot year of 6th graders joining the Confirmation process as the first year in a three-year Confirmation Program - Year-long archaeological dig delving deeper into the Bible:

• Discovering who wrote the Bible
• Understanding the time line of when it was written
• Questioning why different books were included or excluded
• Embracing the storytelling in context and relevancy to Christian youth of today
• Gathering Time with seventh graders in the Youth Room before splitting into classes
• Participate in worship serving as acolytes in the processional on a rotating basis

When: 10:30am (6th graders attending at 9:00am are welcome to join the 5th graders in our Workshop Rotation Model church school)

Where: Begin in combined Gathering Time with the 7th grade Confirmation class in the Youth Room (lower level). Move to designated class space for 6th grade lesson.

7th Grade Confirmation (10:30am only)

What: Second year in a three-year Confirmation Program - Year of exploration and faith-seeking:

• Learn about stories, texts and traditions that pre-date Christianity
• Deepen familiarity with the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)
• Examine the relationships between the Christian faith story and the stories of other faith traditions

When: 10:30am

Where: Begin in combined Gathering Time with the 6th grade Confirmation class in the Youth Room (lower level). Continue 7th grade lesson in Youth Room following departure of 6th grade.

8th Grade Confirmation (10:30am only)

What: Third and final year in a three-year Confirmation Program - Preparation for church membership:

• Exploring...the Christian story
• Learning...about the United Church of Christ
• Discerning...what do I believe?
• Acknowledging...truths and fears
• Welcoming...new friends and relationships

When: 10:30am

Where: Program year will begin in current Confirmation classroom and then shift to the new classroom space (also on the lower level) during the program year.

HIGH SCHOOL AGE

9th - 12th Grades

What: Continue to explore your faith while serving the children of our church school through:

• Nursery childcare - Sundays
• Nursery childcare - special events
• Preschool teaching team member
• K - 2nd grade Keeper for Temple of Light
• 3rd - 5th grade Keeper for Workshop Rotation Model
• "Buddy" opportunities with students who benefit from one-on-one mentoring during regularly scheduled church school time
• Song Leader - Temple of Light, 3rd - 5th grade Gathering time
• Drama team - present short skits during Gathering Time
• Youth Education Tech Team - Sunday morning support of church school audio-visual needs: set-up, troubleshooting, software prep using laptops, PCs, projectors
• Resourcing assistant - research and gather pictures, books and other resources from within the church for use by church school
• Bulletin Board Creator - apprentice with Cori Elseser to create "teaching" bulletin boards in the hallways surrounding church school classrooms
• Photographer - take photographs using the Christian Education digital camera for use on church web site, photo directories and other publicity and upload onto designated photo-sharing locations
• Family Sunday - children's usher/greeter - welcome and distribute Children's Activity Bulletins

When: 9:00 and 10:30am

Where: Classrooms, Resource Room, Education Office