CHILDREN'S CHRISTIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Contact: Laura Dolch, Children's Ministries Coordinator, 273-5971, lauradolch@stpaulsithaca.org
"Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." Matthew 19:14
INFANTS AND TODDLERS
Infants and toddlers are welcome in the Sunday morning worship service, and in age-specific childcare rooms. Childcare is available from 9:30-12:00. Infants are in the room near the restrooms, 1-2 year olds are in the first room to the left after passing the kitchen area.
FAITH DISCOVERY GROUP (ages 3-4)
The Faith Discovery Group class explores Bible stories in the context of some weekly routines that provide a safe, predictable setting for preschoolers. In addition to a Teacher, who is with the class from week to week, the class is visited by a Storyteller who brings the specific story for a given Sunday. Bible stories are presented with hands-on activities that engage the children using a variety of learning styles.
FAITH EXPLORERS (grades K-6)
Faith Explorers is the exciting Christian Education program that uses a variety of learning paths to help reinforce Bible stories for our children. They hear storytelling in the Caravan Camp, create art projects in the Carpenter’s Workshop, and view videos in the Oasis Theater. They also visit the Temple, the Mission Well, the Promised Land, and the Our Daily Bread Café for music, drama, nature, and cooking projects that enable them to experience Bible Stories using all of their senses.
This fall, the children are learning about the anointing of David in a unit called David: God's Chosen King. Workshops include storytelling, making pop-up puppets to show that God sees what it inside when others just see the outside, playing games, writing poetry similar to the Psalms that David wrote, and reenacting the anointing of David in the drama class.
When: Sunday mornings during the 10:30 worship service. Children go to worship with their families, leaving for their classes after the Time with Young Christians (~10:45). On Family Worship Sundays (about every 6 weeks) children remain in the worship service allowing intergenerational worship as a community. Faith Explorers classes end at about 11:45 and the children will be reunited with their parents in the Memorial Rooms, or parents can find their children outside their workshop space in the Bible Village.
Faith Explorers and Faith Discovery Group
2009-2010 Unit Topics
Unit 1: Adam & Eve
September 6 – Family Worship Sunday (Labor Day)
September 13 – Session 1
September 20 – Session 2
September 27 – Session 3
October 4 – Session 4
October 11 – Family Worship Sunday (Columbus Day)
October 18 – Session 5
Unit 2: Jonah
October 25 – Session 1
November 1 – Session 2
November 8 – Session 3
November 15 – Session 4
November 22 – Session 5
November 29 – Family Worship Sunday (Thanksgiving)
Unit 3: Mini Christmas/Advent Unit
December 6 – Session 1
December 13 – Session 2
December 20 – Session 3
December 27 – Family Worship Sunday (Christmas)
January 3 – Family Worship Sunday (New Years)
Unit 4: Parables – The Prodigal Son
January 10 – Session 1
January 17 – Session 2
January 24 – Session 3
January 31 – Session 4
February 7 – Session 5
February 14 – Family Worship Sunday
Unit 5: Daniel (and Bible Voyagers)
FDG: Easter Unit
February 21 – Session 1
February 28 – Session 2
March 7 – Session 3
March 14 – Session 4
March 21 – Session 5
March 28 – TBA
April 4 – Family Worship (Easter Sunday)
April 11 – Family Worship Sunday
Unit 6: Stewardship – Habitat for Humanity
April 18 – Session 1
April 25 – Session 2
May 2 – Family Worship - Confirmation
Unit 7: Pentecost/Early Church
May 9 – Session 1
May 16 – Session 2
May 23 – Session 3
May 30 – Family Worship Sunday (Memorial Day)
June 6 – Session 4
June 13 – Session 5 and Educator Appreciation Sunday
Summer Schedule for Children
Children entering Grades 1-6: Backyard Bible Club
(except July 4 and September 5 will be Family Worship Sundays)
Childcare will be provided for children entering Kindergarten and younger.