Our classes are using the Episcopal Children's Curriculum, a thematic Sunday school curriculum developed by the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary. Our three classrooms are currently working on Unit I of the "Shell" year. You can read more detail about the curriculum here.
Classrooms are divided by age. The Preschool classroom is for children ages 3-4. The Primary classroom is where children K-grade 2 gather. Children in grades 3-6 are in the Intermediate classroom. Parents should know that 6th graders are also invited to be a part of the Rite 13 youth group, which meets twice a month after church.
Happening now: Shell Year, Unit II (Nov. 27 - February 12, 2017)
Each week during Advent all of the classes will begin by lighting a candle on the Advent wreath we all made together. December 11, Session 3 Preschool Class - JESUS, SON OF GOD: "Joseph waited for Jesus." Scripture: Matthew 1:24. Joseph did what God wanted him to do by taking care of Mary. Discussion topic: The journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. When you take a trip, how do you usually travel? Did it take a long time? What is the furthest you have ever walked?. Primary Class - JESUS, HEALER: "Mary and Joseph". Luke 1:26-28 This lesson explains the role John played in preparing the way for Jesus. Everyone thought their baby would be named after it's father, Zechariah, but when he wrote the baby's name "John", Zechariah regained his speech and explained how this baby would prepare the way for the Messiah. Word for the day "MAGNIFICAT". Discussion topic: The traditional color for Mary is blue. Look around our church and maybe outside others; do you see any representations of Mary? Is she wearing this blue (it is called "sarum" blue)? At dinner time start a story "One day when Mary was in the garden.... " and imagine what else Mary and the angel talked about. What other things might they have said? Intermediate Class - MIRACLES: In this Advent season we seek to help the children gain insight into the relationships between the Old Testament prophets' visions and the events surrounding Jesus' birth. Today our lesson was "Gabriel speaks of visions fulfilled." Luke 1:26-38 . When the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he announced that she would bear a son who would fulfill the prophet's vision of a Messiah for the people of God. In him the New Covenant and salvation would be made known. Word for the day: "ANNUNCIATION". Discussion topic: When Mary asked the Angel Gabriel 'how could this be?' he told her that nothing is impossible for God. What are some personal situations or relationships that seem very hard to handle right now? Does anything seem just impossible? Where can you turn for help?
December 4, Session 2 Preschool Class - JESUS, SON OF GOD: "Mary is the mother of Jesus." Mary waited for Jesus to be born. Discussion topic: Talk about the ways a mother prepares for a baby to be born and how Mary felt as she waited. Luke 1:46-47 Primary Class - JESUS, HEALER: "John the Baptist is born". This lesson explains the role John played in preparing the way for Jesus. Everyone thought their baby would be named after it's father, Zechariah, but when he wrote the baby's name "John", Zechariah regained his speech and explained how this baby would prepare the way for the Messiah. Discussion topic; Wonder about what happened next in this story? There is no "right" answer; encourage the children to imagine a "next chapter" for John the Baptist, before he began his ministry. Luke 1:57-79 Intermediate Class - MIRACLES: We continue to focus on the prophets' vision fulfilled. Jesus would establish a new Covenant written on the hearts of God's people. "Isaiah's Vision: Salvation" concentrates on the vision in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 35:1-6 . We read a dramatic description of two angels appearing to Isaiah in the Temple from the Illustrated Family Bible. One of the angels picked up a burning hot coal and put it to Isaiah's lips! We talked about what such an experience would feel like. Would we believe the angel? Discussion topic: What would it feel like to be a prophet? Are there any prophets, or people who act like prophets in our world today?
November 27, Session 1 Preschool Class - JESUS, SON OF GOD: "Jesus had a family" told the story of how Mary heard that Jesus would be her son from Gabriel, one of God's angels. Discussion topic: Your family/ different kinds of families, and things you like to do together. Luke 1:31 Primary Class - JESUS: HEALER: "Elizabeth and Zechariah" - the parents of Jesus' cousin, John [the Baptist]. This story is about waiting and preparing. They were an older couple told they would have a baby, who would prepare the way for the messiah. When Zecharaiah questioned the Angel Gabriel, he could not speak again until the baby was born! Discussion topic: WAITING: In lines, at school.... what are some examples of things/ ways we sometimes have to wait? Luke 1:5-25. Intermediate Class - MIRACLES: The first sessions of this unit will be focused on the prophets' vision fulfilled. Jesus would establish a new Covenant written on the hearts of God's people. "Prophets' vision - a new Covenant" . In this session we talked about the two-fold character of the Advent season. We prepare for the celebration of the Nativity, and we declare our belief in the return of the Lord. We discussed the idea that God's promise of a new Covenant was foretold over a period of 500 years, and that Christians believe that Jesus is the embodiment of the new Covenant. Jeremiah, Micah, and Ezekiel were the prophets we talked about. We found the relevant books in our Bibles (Micah 5:1-5, Jeremiah 31:31-34 and 33:14-16, Ezekiel 37:24-28) and talked about each prophet speaking to a different audience. Discussion topic: Jeremiah was called by God when he was still a teenager. Think about times when you have been asked to do something you weren't sure about - school, sports, drama or music. How did it feel? Were you afraid? Where can you go for help when you feel you need it? Are challenges good? How do you know if a challenge is something that might not be good for you?