Milestone Celebration for Faith Group (4 year old) – September 29

We invite 4 year olds and their parents to join us in the Sanctuary on September 29 at 9:45 a.m. for a Milestone Celebration that welcomes our 4 year olds into our corporate time of worship. Children and their parents will explore the sanctuary and be provided with concrete ways that help young children appreciate and participate in worship at First Presbyterian Church.

Families are invited to then worship together at the 11:00 service in the Sanctuary where each of our 4 year olds will be presented with their own hymnal – “Sing to God.”

 

Saving You a Seat

Week 1 – Saving you a seat – Crosses

Week 2 – Saving you a seat – The Light

Week 3 – Saving you a seat – Music

Week 4 – Saving you a seat – what do you see

We’re Saving you a Seat in Worship!

Dear parents of a four (turning 5) year-old,

As your child has aged out of our Sunday morning nursery, we want to help you welcome your child to our worship spaces.

Over the next eight weeks we are offering you a new tool called Saving you a Seat. Each week a new page of Saving you a seat will be posted on our website for you to print and bring to worship with you. It is a tool for your child, introducing him/her to elements of worship and our worship spaces. There will also be parent tips provided.  We hope this page will give you and your child something to talk about and be another resource for you as you welcome your child to worship with you.

Click Here for the Worship Page

First Presbyterian Church places great value on having children in worship.  The presence of children in worship is a gift to the church. We encourage you to jump into this adventure with your child and know that we are partnering with you during this new chapter in your family’s life.

Children learn best by doing. It’s always a good place to start to think how your child can participate in worship in meaningful ways.  This might include, but is not limited to, the following ideas:

  • Stand when the congregation stands;
  • Sing the repeated refrain of a song;
  • Sit quietly during the prayers;
  • Watch the musicians;
  • Put the offering in the offering plate as it is passed;
  • Follow along with the order of worship in the Children’s Worship bulletin
  • Participate in the sacrament of Communion
  • Go forward to listen to the Time for Children.

Consider where you will sit in your worship space. Where will your child be able to see what is happening? Yes, it is usually the front seats. That’s okay. Seeing what is going on helps them engage in more of the parts of worship.

It’s okay to use your “worship voice” (quiet whispering) to give cues to your child about what is coming next in worship and for them to ask questions or to express a need they have.

If you attend The Table, invite your child to shake hands with those around you as the body of Christ passes the peace.

 

Some tools are provided to help your child engage with their whole body during worship.

Worship bags:   are cloth bags filled with things to quietly engage children (crayons, scratch pad, and a chart of the church seasons and colors.)

The Table offers worship materials to keep little hands busy while they listen.

Children are welcome to participate in Young Children and Worship. Young Children and Worship is for children ages 4-6 (not in first grade). Children sit with parents at the beginning of worship, then may exit to join Mr. Mickey (8:30 worship hour) or Ms. Deb (11:00 worship hour.)  It is a time to learn about worship to help them transition into participation in the full hour of worship.

 

Summer Learning Groups and Worship

During the summer months, our Sunday School learning groups combine into multi-age clusters in a relaxed, fun format.   Kick-off for the new season is August 18, 2019.

Summer Sunday School
Now until August 11 | 9:45 – 10:45 AM

Parents are invited to join their children in Sunday School over the summer.

Rooms & Age Groups: 
Ages 4, 5, 6 (age by Aug. 15, 2019, Pre-1st) | CW 114
Entering Grades 1st – 6th in the Fall | Grundy Hall

Worship Services

Sundays | Sanctuary | 8:30 and 11:00 | The Gathering Place | 11:00 AM
This summer The Five Thirty service meets on Sundays at 11:00 A.M. in The Gathering Place. We are calling it The Table—a relaxed worship service rooted in the Reformed Tradition.
All are welcome to worship!
Nursery Care and Young Children & Worship are available for this service too!

March 10 and 17 are special days in Sunday School

March 10 will be our second Buddy Sunday in this school year. Buddy Sunday is a time when older and younger children get to meet each other and begin to build recognition and  community through prayer and sharing a Bible story together. Our goal for this day is for older children to act as mentors to the younger children and for younger children to meet older children to include in their faith community.

We invite  the children to pray for each other during the week following Buddy Sunday. Children will bring home a Buddy Book which names their new church friend.

March 17 will be a Day of Service. Children will gather in age-level groups to learn what the Kingdom of Heaven is like and do service projects for others.

  • Faith, Love and Grace will meet together in CW 115
  • Grades 1-3 will meet in Grundy Hall
  • Grades 4-6 will gather in Courtenay Lounge for Donuts and Dialogue with the Confirmation journey leaders then do their service project

Milestone sessions on Generosity continue in November

The Faith group continues their Milestone year learning about worship with a study on generosity as our response to worship. On November 11 and 18 they will do acts of loving and sharing during the Sunday school hour to help them practice what they hear in the Bible stories.

On November 11, the children will bring home a generosity kit which contains a bank to help them make choices about spending, saving, and giving along with church offering envelopes.

Buddy Sunday Nov. 4

Nov 4 is Buddy Sunday; a time when older and younger children get to meet each other and begin to build recognition and  community through prayer and sharing a Bible story together. Our goal for this day is for older children to act as mentors to the younger children and for younger children to meet older children to include in their faith community.

The Faith Group (4 year olds) will meet with the Colossians (third graders) during Sunday School.

We invite  the children to pray for each other during the week. Children will bring home a Buddy Book which names their new church friend.

Children’s Sunday School Kick-Off

Sunday, August 19, will begin another 10-month season of Sunday School, a community of belonging for our children.  Prior to the 19th, you will receive an e-mail with details about your child(ren)’s leader, small group & room assignment, etc.   Leaders are already praying for your child(ren)!   We encourage you to escort your child(ren) to their rooms and greet their leaders.

Once your child(ren) are settled, parents are invited to Courtenay Hall where a breakfast will be hosted by Pastor Josh Rodriguez.   A great time for fellowship, food, and some spiritual uplifting through Josh’s message.

Questions about the start of the new season?    Contact Deb O’Brien

October 15 to be a Day of Service during the Sunday School hour

On Sunday, October 15, Sunday School groups will meet together to work on age appropriate service projects. One group will assemble our hygiene kits for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Other groups will have other service projects for the community and our church including helping with preparations for our family Advent Devotions. Join us on this day as we service the Lord with joy-filled hearts.

Moon, Faith, Love and Grace (ages 3-6) will meet in CW 111

Grades 1-3 will meet in The Computer Lab- CC 140

Grades 4-6 will meet in Grundy Hall.

YC&W for 4 Year Olds

YC&W starts a new year of worship preparation.

A new season of Young Children and Worship has begun and there’s still time to join.  This ministry is offered during both 8:30 and 11:00 worship services and meets in Room CW-110 which is located in the Children’s Ministry Wing.  Mickey Fitts and Deb O’Brien serve as YC&W worship leaders each week.  The groups begin worship in the Sanctuary and dismiss to YC&W after the “Time with Children” or Baptism.  Groups will meet weekly through August 2018.

Click here to register your child!  If you or your child have been participating with us, we ask that you please re-register.

Young Children and Worship (YC&W) is a ministry of worship preparation for young children and their parents.  Parents and their children who are ages 4, 5, or 6 and not entering 1st grade this fall (Faith, Love, and Grace Sunday School classes) are invited to participate.  It provides a transition time from the church nursery to the hour-long worship service in the Sanctuary, in which our 1st graders fully participate.

Participation in YC&W  is optional (parent’s choice) as a support to families.  Young children are always welcome to attend the entire Sanctuary worship service at any time parents feel they are ready to participate fully.  We know, however, that it is helpful for some children to have a child-friendly introduction to the traditions, the order of worship, and the elements of worship.

Parents whose children participate in YC&W are also asked to be “helpers” at least one Sunday per month.  This helps equip parents as they guide their child in worship, and also helps parents meet their child’s peer group “community of belonging.”  When you register your child, there will be an opportunity to select your preferences.  A schedule of helpers will be created and communicated by the end of August and will begin in September.

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