SUNDAY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

SUNDAY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

FALL 2024

Sunday Morning Classes

Children’s Education & Childcare

Sundays during the Service

Plan Your Visit: Sunday Morning Classes

We can’t wait to welcome your family to our Sunday morning classes! Here’s what you can look forward to:

Nursery/Crib Room

Join us every Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Nursery, where little ones aged 0-2 years can explore, play, and grow in a safe and nurturing environment.

  • Our caring staff provides lots of love and attention, guiding children through a fun curriculum filled with engaging lessons and exciting crafts. Each activity is designed to support their understanding of God’s love while sparking creativity. It’s the perfect place for your tiny tots to make new friends and thrive! We can’t wait to see them shine!

Children’s Message

Get ready for some fun during our weekly Children’s Message! Each Sunday, all kids are invited to gather at the steps of the Chancel (right at the front of the Sanctuary) for a special time just for them. Here’s what to expect:

  • Exciting Stories: Dive into fun Bible stories that spark imagination and teach important lessons about God’s love!
  • Interactive Fun: Join in with questions, answers, and maybe even some silly surprises along the way!
  • Joyful Laughter: Share laughs and smiles as we learn together, making it a highlight of the service.
  • Special Moments: Connect with friends and share what you’re discovering about God!

Children’s Worship Time

During Children’s Worship Time, children ages 3-10 will participate in a fun and engaging environment designed to teach them about God’s love. Here’s what they can look forward to:

  • Interactive Lessons: Age-appropriate Bible stories and teachings that encourage participation and curiosity.
  • Delicious Snacks: Enjoy tasty treats while learning—snack time is a great way to bond and have fun!
  • Crafts and Activities: Creative projects that reinforce the week’s lesson, allowing children to express themselves.
  • Friendship and Community: An opportunity to make new friends and grow in faith together.

Right after the Children’s Moment, kids will be led into the Blue Room for their lesson. Parents are kindly reminded to pick up their children after the service.

Sunday School

Sundays after the Service

Sunday School runs every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in 3rd Floor West Room through the end of the school year, providing a wonderful opportunity for children to learn and grow in their faith.

Your child can look forward to engaging lessons, fun activities, and community with peers in the Blue Room. Here’s what parents can expect:

  • Age-Appropriate Learning: Lessons tailored for various age groups, ensuring each child receives instruction suited to their understanding.
  • Bible Stories: Engaging storytelling that brings the Bible to life and highlights its relevance.
  • Yummy Snacks: We’ll enjoy tasty treats together, making learning even more enjoyable!
  • Music Lessons: Exciting sessions to prepare kids for the Children’s Choir, helping them explore their musical talents while praising God.
  • Group Activities: Collaborative games and activities that foster teamwork and social skills.
  • Safe and Caring Atmosphere: Our dedicated staff prioritizes safety and creates a loving space where children feel valued.

Calling All Older Kids!

We invite students ages 11-18 to get involved as volunteers in both Children’s Worship and Sunday School! Your support and enthusiasm can make a big difference in the lives of younger children. Whether helping with lessons, leading activities, or assisting during snack time, your presence is invaluable.

Not only will you inspire the younger children, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity to grow in your own faith and make lasting connections within our church community. We’re excited to partner with you in fostering spiritual growth and can’t wait to see you all in action!

Please note; class schedules can change during holiday periods or based on other schedule conflicts or other unforeseen events.

Adult Education

Sundays at 11 a.m.

THE PRESENT WORD

Facilitated by Sonia Bodi, Clark Robinson. and Oakley Smith.

The Present Word is an examination of the biblical truths that inform and instruct believers about what they should believe and how they should live. The class meets in the Parlor on the 2nd Floor and is open to all adults!

The Present Word is an in-depth Bible study for adults (made available through the PC(USA) Store) that dives deep into God’s Word. It’s part of a larger program (also called “The Present Word”) studying the Bible over a six-year period and focusing on a specific theme each quarter. Adults read the Participant Book lesson during the week and a no-prep Leader’s Guide provides instructions to lead a 45- minute session. Worship leaflets are also available to wrap the session in prayer and song. Designed by an ecumenical collaborative so that participants in multiple denominations are studying the same passages together, the goals of The Present Word curriculum are to engage in a serious study of Scripture in order to discover its deeper meaning and how it is relevant to our world today.
Each session follows the structure below.
1. Opening Worship—gathering time and prayer. 2. Scripture and Bible Study—reading the Scripture, background information, and reflections on the text. 3. Stepping into the World—reflection on the relevance of the Scripture to today. 4. Closing Worship—closing prayer.
The Winter Quarter
The winter quarter, “A King Forever and Ever,” explores the broad sweep of biblical teaching about God’s reign and connects to Jesus as the earthly exhibition of the divine Kingdom. Beginning with key moments in the history of David’s ancestors, Unit I highlights Jesus’s birth as the “Son of David.” Unit II is a four-week study of psalms that extol the reign of God, while Unit III gives a New Testament look at Jesus’s teaching on “Life in God’s Kingdom.”
Unit I, “Jesus, the Heir of David”
Unit II, “Our God Reigns”
Unit III, “Life in God’s Kingdom”

C.S. LEWIS’S “THE GREAT DIVORCE”

Facilitated by Richard Bell

C.S. Lewis’s 1945 novel The Great Divorce will be the foundation for a discussion group. This Adult Education class will meet weekly (with some exceptions) in Room 213. Richard Bell will serve as the class’s facilitator.

“The Great Divorce arose out of Lewis’ interest in the nature of spiritual choices. The idea for
allowing damned spirits a “holiday” in Heaven was suggested to him by his reading of the
seventeenth century Anglican divine Jeremy Taylor, who introduced him to the ancient Catholic
notion of Refrigerium – that the damned are given occasional repose from the torments of Hell by
being granted “days off” in other places. The title of the book was a play on William Blake’s’ The
Marriage of Heaven and Hell – Lewis implying that no such marriage is possible.”*

*Excerpt from Study Guide of The Great Divorce found on cslewis.org.