All Good Gifts We are always on the lookout for dedicated individuals who would like to become Church School teachers. If you find yourself called to this important ministry, please contact anyone on the Church School Team (Michele Duvivier, Kate Gouery, or Heather Robino) and we would be happy to get your started!
Sunday, November 7
The Church School Classes will join together to sing this song as part of their Stewardship presentation. This song is the grand finale of the new musical Zacchaeus, which Andrew is writing for us to perform together for our March Fundraiser.
Audio file (the trumpet plays the melody that the church school sings):
Sheet music:
CHURCH SCHOOL STEWARDSHIP PROJECT -- COMMUNITY DINNERS
Friday, October 29, 4:30 - 6 PM
All Church School students and their families are invited and encouraged to come out and help with Community Dinners on October 29. It will be a meaningful way for the Church School community to become involved in the fall stewardship campaign.
Sunday Morning Church School Classes
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Nursery
Infants to age 2 - Nursery on the main level next to the choir room.
From the back door, follow the first hallway on the left to the end.
All other church school classes are held in classrooms on the lower level beneath the parish hall. From the back entrance by the Bible Herb Garden, go past the choir room and nursery entrance, then down the stairs and follow the signs.
Two and Three Year Olds - Noah's Helpers
A Bible-based story, activity, music and snack appropriate for this age group. At the bottom of the stairs, turn left. Large classroom at the end of the hall.
Four, Five and Six Year Olds - Godly Play
This age group meets in a new classroom this year. At the bottom of the stairs, turn right. Follow the hall to the end, then turn left. Classroom is on the left near the back stairs. (Click on curriculum for details on this program.)
Second thru Fourth Grades - The Apostles
Living the Good News
This age group meets in the big classroom downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs, go left and down the hall. Follow signs. (Click on curriculum for details on this program.)
Fifth and Sixth Grade - The Disciples
Living the Good News
At the bottom of the stairs, turn right. Make an immediate left at the first hallway. Classroom is first door on the right.
(Click on curriculum for details on this program.)
Seventh and Eighth Grades - Rite 13 (Journey to Adulthood)
At the bottom of the stairs, turn right. The classroom is immediately on your right.
(Click on curriculum for details on this program.)
Ninth through Twelfth Grades
Where do you find God and Jesus in your lives at school, athletics, in your relationships with peers and family, and in the current events of the day and hobbies? This group meets in the youth room. To get to the youth room go the bottom of the stairs . Turn right, then turn left down the first hall to the end. Follow signs.
(Click on curriculum for details on the high school program.)
Church School Teacher Testimonial...
Michele Duvivier
Church School Curriculum
Godly Play
In the words of its creators, this is a description of why we use the Godly Play curriculum:
The objectives which are the heart of Godly Play are:
This is done by:
Living the Good News
This is an Episcopal lectionary-based curriculum for all ages. 'Lectionary-based' means that it follows the readings for each Sunday. The children learn and talk about how the readings are relevant in their own lives the same way the adults are learning the same readings and hearing how the stories and parables are relevant in their own life. Many of the Godly Play values are also used in the Living the Good News classrooms. The goals are the same - safety, using religious language through story telling and activities, creating a sense of wonder in making the stories real for today, entering the language rather than merely repeating it or talking about it, and building community are all part of the church school experience.
Journey to Adulthood
Journey to Adulthood is not a new program within the Episcopal Church, but it is being revived here at Holy Trinity. It is being offered to children turning 13 years old within the next two years. The Journey to Adulthood program is a six-year program separated into three 2-year segments: Rite 13, J2A, and YAC. The program balances Bible study, prayer, and both serious and playful activities to nurture the whole person during the tumultuous passage from childhood to adulthood. Please click on Journey to Adulthood for more detailed information.
Communion and Confirmation
In the Episcopal Church, baptism is full initiation into Christ's body, the church. Consequently, all children are welcome and encouraged to begin receiving communion at their baptism. It is a noble goal for all the baptized to never know a time in their life where they were not fully welcomed at the Lord's Table to partake in the mysteries of Christ's Body and Blood. In the midst of our weekly routine of Eucharist we will also be offering classes to help children and adults more fully understand the feast to which we all are invited. The Episcopal Church now recommends that children not be confirmed until they are 15 or 16 years of age. Making a decision about confirmation is part of the Journey to Adulthood program. If you would like more information about this, or would like to talk to Pastor Pat about this, please feel free to call her at 610-696-4640 or email for an appointment.
Ministry to Grades 6-12
In addition to Sunday morning church school, there will be activities for the children who are in grades 6-12. The activities will be designed by the children and the goal will be to build community through fellowship, service, worship and intergenerational activities.
WHY DO WE NEED A SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR OUR TEENAGE CHILDREN?
The church can play a real role in the face of so many risk factors that our children face as teenagers. Data gathered on 46,000 youth in public schools indicate that the church can play a positive role in the lives of young people who are active participants in the life of a parish. Active youth who attend religious services at least once or twice a month are nearly half as likely to engage in any of the at-risk behaviors as those who rarely or never attend religious services. This finding holds true for all ages and for both males and females. Religious values, along with family and social values, affect responsible decision making. Congregations are one of the few settings where young people can interact with a wide variety of age groups, thereby getting a broader perspective than is otherwise available to them. Plus, an individual has the opportunity to be exposed to this same community over a span of years, thereby having a potentially powerful influence on a person's life.
UNLESS THE CHURCH DEALS WITH ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE AND RELEVANCE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE MAY SEE THE CHURCH AS IRRELEVANT.
Journey to Adulthood addresses 4 areas: Spirituality, Self, Sexuality and Society. The challenge and the opportunity for the church are to raise these issues from a faith perspective. Young people often know the facts ('We already learned that in school'). What is missing in other settings is the opportunity to look at issues as they relate to faith and experience. Such an approach, which goes deeper than a 'just say no' simplicity, needs the strong support of both clergy and lay leaders in order to succeed.
YES, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE NEED YOU!
Think back to your teenage years. Can you think of one adult who made a positive difference in your life? Someone other than a parent? What did that adult do that helped you? Think about that for a few moments. Whenever that question is asked in groups of adults, people say things like:
There are protective factors that help children move through adolescence that the congregation can provide:
ALL OF THIS BRINGS US BACK TO OUR BAPTISMAL COVENANT.
As adults in our congregation, it is only in respecting the dignity of all our children and seeking to serve the Christ in them, that we will be able to acknowledge and empower their own ministries within the church and beyond it.
Church School Calendar
As my journey in faith continues, I have found that whenever I least expect it, a
Sept - Jan, 2011
Sept. 12
9:00 Parish Breakfast & Church School Registration
9:30 Music: All Classes
Sept. 19
9:30 Church School Begins
10:00 Music: All Classes
10:30 Children sing in church with choir
Sept. 26
9:30 Church School
Oct. 1
5:00 PM Community Dinners - Church School
Oct. 3
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Noah's Helpers
Blessing of the Animals
Oct. 10
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Godly Play
Oct. 17
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Apostles
Grades 1 & 2 - music
Oct. 24
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Desciples
10:30 Rite 13 Celebration in Church
Oct. 31
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Noah's Helpers
Nov. 6
Rite 13 overnight
Nov. 7
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: All Classes(Stewardship presentation)
Nov. 14
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Godly Play
Nov. 21
9:30 Church School
10:00 Music: Apostles and Disciples
Nov. 28
No Church School
Dec. 5
9:30 Church School
10:00 Pageant rehearsal (instead of Church School Music)
Dec. 12
9:30 Church School
10:00 Pageant rehearsal (instead of Church School Music)
Dec. 19
9:30 Church School
After 10:30 Service:Pageant rehearsal
Dec. 24
5:00 PM Christmas Eve Service
Christmas Pageant
Jan. 2
No Church School
door opens. When I enter through the door (usually pushed or pulled by someone else)
a totally unexpected experience occurs. This is what happened to me with Church School.
I started coming to Holy Trinity about 5 years ago just before my daughter turned 3.
She began attending Church School and I would accompany her and help the teacher in
the classroom if needed. I never felt a calling to become a Sunday school teacher; in
fact the thought intimidated me. There were others who have the gift to teach especially
about faith and I was not one of them! How could I possibly answer questions about God
and the Bible in terms they could understand? But there was a need for teachers and I
was happy to sign up for a 'doorkeeper' role. It is so important to me that our children
have the best possible spiritual foundation to help them grow and develop. I could assist,
but someone else would have to teach! By the fall of that year, the schedule had changed and
the next thing I knew, I'm teaching using the Godly Play curriculum to our 4 and 5 year olds.
It has been a WONDERFUL experience!! The children are incredible, the curriculum and training
make it easy to follow and it's something I look forward to every week. I'm learning along
with the children and growing in my faith. I love seeing them grow and develop! The children
are engaged and we have a wonderful community downstairs. Seeing children in church always
makes me smile, but when you come downstairs and spend an hour with them it's even better!!