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SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 We are all Children of God, but we at Peace United Church of Christ believe our “little
ones” need special attention and nurture.
More
about our Children’s Ministries
Sunday School – What’s Up??
2009- 2010 schedule :
From
all of us on the Sunday school team ~ Have a wonderful and safe
summer. Continue to read the Bible
as a family and share God’s love with one another.
CALLING  OF
ALL AGES!
ONE TO 92
We had such a great time in ASpril that we are
doing it again!!!
What: Peace UCC Game Night / Potluck
When: Friday, June 18 5:30 – 8:00pm
Where: Peace Church, meet
in Great Room
Why: Just because our Peace Church family loves to have fun
together!
Please
bring a dish to pass and your favorite board game to play. Beverages will
be provided.
Communion Education
One of the things our Board for Christian
Education has been discussing is Children at the Communion table. This can be a touchy subject in the
church.
Some people believe strongly that children should not come to the communion table
until they have been confirmed.
There are many and varied reasons for this. Others believe that this is an inclusive
table and since Jesus welcomes children we should include children. Our denomination encourages that practice.
Knowing the diversity around the issue in this church, I simply
announce that that our communion table is an open table and let you decide
who shall commune.
We had our first conversation on the
meaning of communion at our Moon
Beach All-generations
Retreat. At our Retreat, I asked two questions: What do you
see, feel or hear when communion is served?
And what is communion for you?
There were almost as many answers to those questions as there were
persons having the conversation.
Communion is different things to
different people. Here is the list
we made that day. Communion is:
A family meal where the body of Christ
gathers; A place to be filled; Where we receive the Holy Spirit; Where we
receive forgiveness; A meal of the kingdom – reminding us that Jesus
came proclaiming the kingdom and inviting us to participate in it now; A
meal where Jesus is the host; A place where we receive God’s grace
and the power to transform our lives toward the life God wants us to live;
It is a place of renewal; It is a remembrance of what Jesus has done and
can do for us; It is a witness to the inclusive nature of the body of
Christ – a place where even strangers are welcome; It is a place of
seeking and of finding; Communion is about making things new.
If I had to summarize the meaning of
communion in one word, that word would be MYSTERY. Things happen at the Lord’s table;
things we can experience but never fully understand.
Our
conversation is continuing. Future
conversations to be scheduled.
Our Board for Christian Education made a decision for
the 2008 -2009 Sunday school year.
They decided that 10% of all the money collected through the Sunday
school would go to mission.
Tithing will continue for the 2009 – 2010 church
school year.
Sunday
School – regular meeting times
10:15
– 11:15 a.m. Sunday mornings – September through May
Music practice for selected age groups is
11:15 to 11:30
Songs learned during this time will be
sung by the children at worship services throughout the year.
Children
should go directly to their classrooms.
Parents not participating in regular classroom activities (you are
always welcome) should wait in the Library for their children to be
dismissed.
This
year we will be using Seasons of the Spirit as our regular curriculum. Seasons allows us to coordinate our
Sunday school lessons with the lessons read in worship on Sunday
morning. Our goal is to nurture the
faith of our kids – and their leaders within a caring community. We
want to instill knowledge and also encourage kids to respond with their
hearts and lives.
Chapel Time –
children 5 through grade 7
Chapel worship for children age 5 through
7th grades will be from 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
How it works:
- Settle in and Prayer of invocation
- Theme for the week (3-5 min)
- Dedicating and blessing our offerings (2-3 min.) - One child from
each class will come forward with that classes offering.
- Song or reading from our Faith at Home lessons.
- Children will be dismissed to their classrooms to get their
things.
Sunday School offering and mission giving
Our Board for Christian Education made a
decision 2008. They decided that 10%
of all the money collected through the Sunday school would go to
mission. 10% is a traditional tithe. It is the amount Abraham gives to
Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of the Most High God, as a thank offering after God has
delivered Abraham from his enemies.
(Genesis 14:19-29) It is the
amount that God expects the
people of Israel
to give in thanksgiving for God’s goodness to them and for the
welfare of those in need.
The missions to which our children will
give ten percent of their offerings will vary throughout the year. The Sunday school is modeling for us one
gracious way of giving thanks for God’s generous grace – one
gracious way of sharing God’s grace.
Faith-at-Home Program
PARENT DIRECTED MEMORY WORK FOR
Peace United Church of Christ Sunday school
2009 – 20010
3 AND 4 YEAR OLDS
Psalm 23 and Psalm 100
5 YEAR OLDS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD
The Lord’s prayer
KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE
Books of the New Testament
SECOND AND THIRD GRADE
Beatitudes
FOURTH GRADE (and FIFTH)
10 commandments
Great commandment
SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH
Books of the Old Testament and UCC
Statement of Faith
Faith at Home packets have been
distributed to parents for each of their children. Packets are available upon request for
other interested parties.
Nursery
While children
are welcome and encouraged to participate each Sunday during worship, we
recognize that it is often difficult for little ones to stay still and pay
attention for long periods of time.
Therefore we provide for your convenience a nursery.
The
“nursery” is located on the North side of the sanctuary (left
if you enter through the main doors.)
The two room area has been decorated and equipped to make them a
welcoming and hospitable place for the children of our members and children
of those who visit with us. There is an infant area with portable cribs, a
changing table and age appropriate toys.
There is another area for toddlers with play space, learning
resources, and a craft table. The
nursery is open during worship for infants through age 5. Trained
volunteers staff the nursery each Sunday.
Children’s
times during worship
Each week during worship a special time is set aside to talk with the
children. The message during
children’s time is designed to welcome and include as well as
introduce the children to the theme of the worship at a level they can
understand. Many adults find these
messages fun and instructive, but they are not designed for adult
entertainment. The focus is on the
children and their growth in faith and understanding.
Children
in Worship
Children are
welcome in worship and encouraged to attend. Though young children may not understand
everything that happens during a service of worship, they do understand
that this is time set aside for God.
Taking your children to worship reinforces their understanding that
God is important to you.
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