Our Christian Education Ministry for Children and Youth 2016-2017 Creating Faith-filled Disciples Centered in God s Love. Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ I Worthen Street P.O. Box 339 Chelmsford, Massachusetts 01824 978-256-5931 ccc-linn-admin@verizon.net www.cccchelmsford.org
A Message from the Co-Chairs of the Christian Education Committee Welcome to the 2016/2017 Sunday School year at Central Congregational Church! All of us on the Christian Education (CE) Committee, as well as our teachers and assistants, are excited to start a new year learning about God together. We are blessed to have DJ Cassidy as our Nursery Coordinator and Bridget Roy as our Special Needs Ministry Coordinator. As always we maintain an open door policy both literally and figuratively. Please feel free to approach any members of the Christian Education Committee with any questions/concerns or if you ever wish to be involved in any way and for any length of time. God s Peace to you all! Mary-Ann Hussey and Lisa Zachert Christian Education Committee Co-Chairs From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4:16) Christian Education Committee Mary-Ann Hussey and Lisa Zachert Co-Chairs Gayle Barooshian, Rod Cleaves, Steve Hartigan, Elmer Lyons, Bonnie McGrath, Christine McNamara, Sarah Morin, Kristin Strobel, and Jen Stuart Pastor Rich Knight If you have ideas, comments, concerns or want to volunteer, please feel free to get in touch with any member of the Christian Education Committee. Page 2
Central Congregational Church, UCC, is a Safe Church Your children are very precious to us and we consider it a privilege to be your partner in their Christian Education. Because we take this privilege very seriously, the Church Council voted in May 2003 to adopt a Safe Church Policy. This policy was updated and approved by Council in June 2013. This policy is a living document which will be reviewed periodically so as to maintain safety and allow for ministry to happen. The Policy is available in the Church Office, in the Pastor s office, and in the CE Storeroom on the third floor. The Youth Protection Guidelines are distributed to renters and are given to teachers and all who work with children and youth. The most significant part of the Policy is that no adult will be alone with a child or youth, which is summarized in the Two Adult Rule as follows: Safe Church Policy D.3.1 Two-Adult rule (Approved by Council 06/12/13) The two-adult rule requires that two adults, not married to each other, must be present with any child or children less than 18 years of age. No adult will be alone in the Church, or at a churchapproved activity, with a child or children, with the following exceptions: The child is a relative. The adult is in a caregiver position for the child outside of church-related duties. It is mutually agreed upon by both the child s parent and the adult. Should only one adult be present, or the assistant is younger than 18 or from the same family as the supervisor, the room s door shall be left open. When using an open door, there must be adults in the vicinity who are aware that the class has only one adult and is leaving the door open. If these criteria cannot be met, the class or activity will be canceled and the children will be returned to their parent(s) or guardian(s). On a field trip, it is permissible to have one adult per vehicle while transporting youth. Every Sunday, a CE member or designate will float the halls making sure to check in all classrooms using the Open Door. Teachers will count on Floaters, often the Special Needs Coordinator, to help whenever there is a need (such as checking on older children using the restroom or extra help in case of behavioral needs). Floaters will see to the general safety of the students and the teachers. In addition to this, the Special Needs Coordinator will take attendance and collect and deposit Sunday School offerings. All Youth Group participants will need to have a medical release on file at the church. The medical release forms can be obtained from the youth group leaders, in the church office, or on our church website. Permission slips will be a must for all youth group activities that occur off church grounds and for Sunday School field trips. Background (CORI) checks will be conducted on all paid staff involved in Ministry for Children and Youth, all Youth Group leaders, and overnight chaperones. In order to make arranging for chaperones easier we would appreciate it if any parent who thinks he or she might volunteer to chaperone complete a CORI authorization at the beginning of the year. This doesn t obligate anyone to be a chaperone. Please email the office for a CORI form or speak to the Safe Church Coordinator, Jennifer Delikat. A fire drill will be held at least twice a year with one being on the first day back in September. In the event of an actual emergency, parents will meet their child in the parking lot of the Dentist s Office (red brick building on the Carson Park side of the church). The hallway with classrooms on the first floor is a designated Nut Free Zone. Page 3
Registration Each family must register their child. Special attention is given to your responses in these areas: Special concerns or needs, allergies, and photos. Special Concern or Needs any information you can share with us that will aid us in providing the best possible experience for your child. This should include but is not limited to any specific educational or behavioral needs your child might have. If your child has an IEP in school, it is helpful for you to share some of that with us. Allergies On occasion, an activity may include food. If your child has food allergies, teachers will discuss the plan with you so your child can be included or another option available. Photos All photos used in class or on printed material will be void of names. If you do not want your child s photo used, you may simply check the box on the form. You may change your choice at any time. Nametags Nametags are more than simply a hospitality practice. In a large group where many adults do not know all the children, it is helpful for adults to be able to address children by name. Please be sure to make it a family practice to head for the Nametag board in Fellowship Hall before going to worship or class. Worship and Sunday School We are all pencils in the hand of God. ~ Mother Teresa Worship is at 10:00 a.m. from Welcome Sunday in September (usually the Sunday after Labor Day) until the end of June. Summer worship services are at 9:30 a.m. from July through Labor Day. Nursery (ages newborn up to age 3) Infant and Toddler Care provided in the Loving Arms Nursery in Room 207 on the second floor from 9:50 a.m. to the end of worship. Pagers are available for parents. Sunday School for Preschool Grade 12 Typical Sundays Children and Youth attend worship with their parents until the Sunday School recessional. Classes end at 11:15 a.m. Communion Sundays (the first Sunday of every month) Children in grades 4-6 will be escorted to the sanctuary partway through the service to participate in communion with their families. On Communion Sundays, there will be no Youth classes for grades 7-12 unless you hear from your teachers. Youth are encouraged to worship with their families or to speak to Pastor Rich about assisting in a classroom (arrangements must be made in advance of Sunday). Family Sundays Children are invited to worship with their families on Family Sundays which will be on holiday and the first Sunday of a vacation week. The sermons will be family friendly. We encourage your children to pick up an activity bag in the Narthex or bring drawing material. Many children listen best while their hands are busy! Your children are always welcome in our service and indeed many children already choose to do this regularly. Page 4
Curriculum The Pre-K / K class and Grades 1-3 class will be using the Buzz curriculum from Group Publishing. The class for Grades 4-6 will use the multi-age version of Feasting on the Word. This is a lectionary-based curriculum that focuses on the stories of the Bible, mission and service, prayer and worship all while having fun and making friends. The teachers also have curriculum resources for full exploration of Christian topics such as the Ten Commandments, the Lord s Prayer, the Beatitudes, etc. Our Middle School class (grades 7-8), The Holy Cows, will be using Talk Sheets. Sarah Morin and Bonnie McGrath are the youth leaders for this group. If you are interested in mission and fun and want to help her provide activities outside of class, please speak to them. The God Squad is our group for High School age teens who are firm in their faith, as well as those who have questions and doubts. We address the obstacles that pull teens away from God as we explore God at work in the world and in their lives. We help youth understand that being a Christ follower requires a conscious decision on their part to turn away from the negative influences in their lives. It s never easy, but always worth it! The Sunday morning classes are led by Steve Hartigan and Will Hargett. Please feel welcome to ask the teachers or a member of the Christian Education Committee if any questions you may have about our curriculum. Feel welcome to contact Steve Hartigan or Will Hargett for questions about The God Squad. Communion Pastor Rich will offer a class for the fourth graders and their families (as well as older youth who have not been in this class before) designed to provide an understanding of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This class enables our young people to approach the Lord s Table with reverence and understanding. The class will be held on a Saturday morning in the fall from 9:00-11:00 a.m. with the young people receiving Communion on an upcoming Sunday. Families will receive notification in September. Although our Communion class is for fourth graders, any child, regardless of age, may receive Communion. This is a decision that the child s parents may make. Just as we would not turn three-year-old Anna away from the dinner table because she doesn t understand the nutritional qualities of the food, we do not turn away three-year-old Sam from the Communion table just because he doesn t understand the theological basis for Communion. If your child happens to be in worship when Communion is served, you could explain to him or her that this food and drink helps us remember and be closer to Jesus and also brings us closer to others who seek to know and follow him. Deeper understanding will come later. Page 5
Confirmation Program Confirmation is for anyone in the 9 th grade or above who has not already been confirmed. Pastor Rich and other adults will lead the classes. Confirmation is an important part of the growth as Christians for our young people and the Candidate for Confirmation is expected to participate in all meetings and trips. If an absence is unavoidable, confirmands may request an alternative lesson. If church is cancelled because of weather on a day we are scheduled to meet, we will reschedule that class. Besides participating in class, Candidates are expected to take part in service projects, attend God Squad Sunday morning classes, and attend Sunday worship whenever their Sunday School class is not meeting. More details will be available and questions answered at a Confirmation Orientation for candidates and parents. Youth Groups at CCC Holy Cows The Holy Cows (grades 7-8) will meet for activities outside of Sunday School classes with their youth leader, Sarah Morin. The God Squad - High School Youth Group This exciting high school group shares fun, fellowship, and mission while experiencing God in the world. The God Squad meets twice a month as a youth group, often on the second and fourth Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m., but also on Saturdays or weekends for overnight lock-ins. From mission retreats to mountain climbing to laser tag, these teens find new ways to have fun together through service and fellowship while growing closer to God and to each other. The group is led by Steve Hartigan and Will Hargett. The welcome help especially when planning off-sties events. Please contact Steve and Will if that is a gift you could bring to the group. Events in Our Sunday School Bible Sunday Children in grade three will be presented with an age appropriate Bible during worship in late October. The Beginner s Bible storybook will be presented to each Preschooler (who did not receive one last year) in their preschool classroom after the worship service on the same day. First Communion Children in the fourth grade will receive their first communion during the Communion Service in November. Christmas Lessons and Carols Pageant The Christmas Lessons and Carols Pageant will take place during the service one Sunday in December. This is always a very special time for the children and adults of CCC. Graduation Sunday High school graduates will be honored with the support of the community during this service held on the first Sunday in June. All graduates of degree programs will also be recognized. Youth Sunday Youth Sunday will be in June. The children and youth will lead worship and share what they have learned during the year. Page 6
Parental Involvement We encourage you to participate in any way you wish. We would love to gather together a group of parents who will help run the fellowship events such as the Advent Festival, Egg Hunt, and Picnic. We would also love to have parents help with the Teacher Appreciation luncheon in late January. These are simple ways you can help. If you would like to be a part of such a group, please let a member of the Christian Education Committee know and you will be connected together. We often have need of teachers, aids, subs, and nursery helpers. Our Missions and Ministries Lamb Ministry Children can be wonderfully empathetic and their desire to comfort others is strong. Just as adults sometimes want to comfort an ill, grieving, or distraught friend, neighbor, or family member with a tangible expression such as bringing food or a prayer shawl, children should also be given this opportunity. We have available stuffed toy lambs wearing different colored ribbons and tags that say God Loves You. The lambs usually reside in a basket in the sanctuary. If your child would like to give a friend, family member, etc., who needs comforting a lamb, please let Pastor Rich know and we will help your child to select a lamb and say a prayer together. A donation bag is attached to the basket if anyone would like to contribute to the Lamb Ministry. Souper Bowl Sunday Souper Bowl Sunday is an annual mission that is undertaken in many churches in the United States. It is held on the date of the National Football League Super Bowl. While advertisers spend millions of dollars on commercials during the televised Super Bowl, the athletes make millions of dollars, and households around the country have parties with incredible amounts of food, the Souper Bowl Sunday collection remembers those who lack the funds to eat nutritious food, let alone throw a Super Bowl party at their home (if they have a home). We will collect for The Open Pantry of Lowell on the first Sunday in February (and again on Youth Sunday). Stewardship The children at CCC are an integral part of our church community. As part of their Christian Education, they will learn about their church and how they too can be God s stewards. Two specific ways include: A church offering received in their Sunday School class. Offering envelope boxes will be given to each family. They are not dated so all children in the family can choose one from the box. When your box is empty, please ask a member of the Christian Education Committee for a replacement. Envelopes are NOT needed for the child to put his or her offering into the collection during Sunday School. Your child(ren) is encouraged to bring in a non-perishable food donation each week for The Open Pantry of Lowell. A donation box is located where you pick up your nametag and is emptied and delivered by CCC members during the week. The donations to the Open Pantry fulfill a community need on an ongoing basis. Page 7
CCC Library Our extensive children s library has been moved to room 302. Please stop by with your child. If you find a book, magazine, or video that you would like to take home, please return it promptly so others can enjoy it and teachers will have it available for use in the classroom. There is a huge selection of great VHS videos for the whole family, so if you still harbor a player at your house, please make use of them before we give way to DVD s. Mary-Ann Hussey is our children s librarian. If you are looking for a book to fill a specific need (i.e. death, or disabilities), please speak to Pastor Rich. The adult church library is located in the hallway outside of the Loving Arms Nursery on the second floor. Family Ministry Library Our Family Ministry Library has over 100 books and videos on topics such as Adult Matters, Books for Children, Books for Teens, Peace and Justice, Healing, Wellness and End of Life, Family Matters and Prayer, Spirituality and Bible Study. The Family Ministry library is now located in room 307. If you wish to take out a book or video from the Family Ministry library, simply sign your name in the binder. If you have an idea for something, please share it with Mary-Ann Hussey who coordinates this ministry. Page 8
Child Guidance Safety Information Christian Educators at CCC seek to maintain a safe and happy Christian atmosphere in its classrooms. Recognizing the difficulty children have with rotating teachers, we will attempt to maintain the same policy throughout our classrooms. Careful attention to lesson preparation, classroom set up and the individual needs of students should help to minimize problem areas. Overall plan: Limit setting is directed toward maximizing the growth and development of the children and for protecting the group and the individuals within it. Positive reinforcement is the major tool of appropriate disciplining. Volunteers will verbalize to the child when s/he is behaving in an appropriate manner. S/he will redirect a child who appears to be having trouble participating. If a child is repeatedly displaying inappropriate behavior, and redirecting has not worked, the teacher will call for the Floater to help with the child. If necessary, teachers may retrieve parent/guardian from the sanctuary. Specific plan: Although responses should be individualized, there should be consistency overall. Since no one technique will work for every child in every situation, an attempt will be made to match one's response to the situation and the child. The teacher will be an astute observer. S/he will decide whether the children can handle the situation on their own. S/he will not wait for things to get out of control before s/he intervenes, however. S/he will offer help before things escalate and will take clues from the children that they need help. Rather than shouting across the classroom, the teacher will move to the child, on his/her level, make eye contact, and speak clearly and firmly. Choices may be offered when appropriate. We try to allow the children to extricate themselves and to save face after an incident. We avoid identifying, labeling, or scapegoating children; we might interpret and explain their behavior to the other children in observable, understandable ways. Teachers try to model correct behavior. Rather than demonstrate something they want stopped, they will explain why it is unacceptable and illustrate what the child should do. They will state things positively whenever possible and instruct the children on what to do, rather than emphasizing the misbehavior. Teachers will avoid responding only to negative behavior. The teachers assess the underlying causes of behavior and guide the children toward understanding and controlling their own feelings and responses. Teachers will model, guide, redirect toward acceptable behavior, explain, and patiently remind the children of the rules and their rationale. When resolving conflicts, they will help the children to "use words" and to verbalize needs and feelings. Page 9
Sunday School Calendar September 2016 through June 2016 September 11 Welcome Sunday October 9 NO CLASSES Columbus Day Family Sunday October 30 Bible Sunday (families may take pictures after worship) November 5 Grade Four Communion Class 9-11:00 a.m. November 6 First Communion (families may take pictures after worship) November 27 NO CLASSES Thanksgiving weekend Family Sunday December 4* *Advent Festival Parent Group December 18 Lessons and Carols rehearsal before worship December 25 NO CLASSES Christmas Break Family Sunday January 1 NO CLASSES New Year s Day Family Sunday January 15 NO CLASSES MLK. Jr. Family Sunday January 22* *Teacher Appreciation Luncheon (with help from CE) February 19 NO CLASSES 1 st Sunday of vacation Presidents Day Family Sunday April 9* Palm Sunday *Egg Hunt Parent Group or SS class April 16 NO CLASSES Easter Family Service at 10 a.m. May 28 NO CLASSES Memorial Day Family Sunday June 4 Graduation Sunday June 11* NO CLASSES Youth Sunday *Picnic Parent Group * These non-ce events held after class and led by parents are subject to change. Page 10