ChRiStIaN EdUcAtIoN FaLl 2017
WeLcOmE To the St. Stephen s family: Welcome to a new programming year! First of all, I want to share with you the new logo for Christian Education at St. Stephen s, found on the opposite page. The four colored circles correspond to the images I shared back in July. The words attached to each of those images are programs or ideas that are associated with the image and certainly, there is overlap between the categories. Ideas in quotes were contributed by parishioners (thanks to all who participated in the process over the summer). Overall, the logo and the infographic are intended to emphasize the comprehensive and holistic nature of Christian Education in our parish. As you can see, there are many ways to get involved. In this booklet, this year s Sunday School programs are highlighted. Even though Sunday School is only one part of the Christian Education program, it is a fundamental one. It is the hope and goal of the Christian Education Committee to see increased involvement in Sunday School across the generations during this upcoming year. Take a look at this year s programs, and join us at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, September 10 to kick off a new year! There are many other things happening at St. Stephen s this fall. Stay tuned to the newsletter and bulletins for more information. Also, on the last page of this booklet is a link to sign-up for a Christian Education email list to receive the most up-to-date information about our programs via email. See you in Sunday school! Faithfully, Jeremy Godwin Director of Education and Programming
YoUtH MiNiStEr LeTtEr Dear Friends and Families of the Youth Program, I am extremely excited for the upcoming program year and eagerly look forward to the new education structure that I sincerely believe will strengthen faith formation for our younger parishioners. Our incredibly talented youngsters have a myriad of gifts and by carving out time to focus on music, those with a musical inclination will have the opportunity to shine brightly. Furthermore, some children may realize that music is one of their many talents or at the very least, an enjoyable hobby. I am also thrilled that Children's Chapel has been a success and that we have received constructive feedback from participants about how to improve during this upcoming programming year. With additional help from the Christian Education Committee and Council of Ministries, we have crafted a service that focuses on helping children learn more about worship in the Episcopal Church. I am excited to serve as officiant for the service, along with music direction from Jihyun, and teaching support from Jeremy and Fr. Stephen. My hope is that some of our older teens may also consider taking a more active role in Children's Chapel as that may serve to peak their interest in church leadership positions. You can find more information about Children s Chapel elsewhere in this booklet. We are always looking for more insight and feedback so we can produce the best programming for this parish. If you would ever like to discuss what you would like to see implemented or incorporated into various faith formation programming, please reach out! I cannot thank enough those that contributed text to the wall of images-your thoughtful responses to the Christian Education images were appreciated and invaluable to our work. Yours faithfully, Stephanie
StArT-Up SuNdAy SEPTEMBER sun mon tue wed thu fri sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Sunday, September 10, 2017 Sunday School resumes for all ages. 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Class locations are located on each program s page. Nursery Care is also available during the Sunday school hour for young children, birth - age 4. The nursery is located in the Purple Room in the Preschool building. The annual Church/Preschool picnic will take place on the playground after the 10:30 a.m. service. The Men s Group is cooking hotdogs. Please bring a side dish to share (preferably in a disposable container) and a lawn chair, if possible.
AdUlT SuNdAy ScHoOl Martin Luther (1592) by Lucas Cranach the Elder When someone mentions the Reformation, you might immediately think of this man, Martin Luther. In fact, this year is considered to be the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, because according to popular legend, he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church on October 31, 1517 in order to spark debate about what he saw as gross injustices in the Church. Henry VIII (1547) by Hans Holbein Or maybe you think of this man. Henry VIII is popularly remembered as the monarch responsible for initiating the English Reformation and separating the Church of England from Rome and papal authority, largely because he wanted a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Much like with Luther, there is a great deal of myth (and oversimplification) mixed in with the history of the Protestant Reformation.
CoNtInUeD However, the Reformation was not a singular moment, especially in England, where the process was well, a bit complicated. Neither was it the result of the actions of only a few people. In fact, in many ways, the idea of reform is central to the whole narrative of the history of the Church. This fall s adult Sunday School class will focus on the idea of Reformation. We ll start at the very beginning in the book of Acts, move to the saga of the Protestant Reformation (especially regarding the Church of England), and finally move to today and consider the ongoing legacies of the Reformation. Along the way, we ll also take a look at how the Reformation has been portrayed in art and music. Finally, we ll examine how the Reformation has shaped and continues to shape how we worship. So, join us on Sunday mornings as we grapple with what it means to be an Episcopalian in the midst of Reformation, past and present. The Adult Sunday School class meets in the Davis Room.
ChIlDrEn AnD YoUtH SuNdAy ScHoOoL This year, the children s Sunday School program (grades K-5) will come from Spark: Activate Faith. We ll be using the rotation model. Kids will stick with one Bible story for two-three weeks, exploring the story from a new angle each week through different workshops. Those workshops might involve art, Bible skills and games, cooking, drama, science, or video. All workshops include a time for reading the Bible and engaging with the stories in an active, ageappropriate way. There will also be units on the Eucharist and baptism. The youth (grades 6-12) will start out the year using The Action Bible, an English Standard Version (ESV) translation in the style of a graphic novel. The accompanying curriculum provides excellent resources for discussion and activities that help connect the text to their lives. Other graphic novels and translations of certain Bible stories like one of the book of James that connects the epistle to events in history will help to provide students with great points of comparison as the youth read and engage with these texts together.
CoNtInUeD Children and youth will also participate in the music program during the Sunday School hour as one of their rotations. They will learn about music in the Episcopal Church, singing, handbells, and prepare for seasonal worship services like the Christmas Pageant. This rotation will be led by Jihyun Park. Because we are following a rotation model, we have adopted a new schedule for the Sunday School program as well (shown below). This new format will allow children and youth to participate in more programs in a way that is reflective of a comprehensive and holistic approach to Christian Education. For the older children and youth, acolyte training and instruction about leading worship in the Episcopal Church will be incorporated into the schedule on occasion. New Schedule Rotation 9:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Sunday School Children, grades K-2 (Green Room) Children, grades 3-5 (Green Room) Youth (Activity Room) Music Children, grades 3-5 (Red Room) Youth (Red Room) Children, grades K-2 (Red Room)
ChIlDrEn S ChApEl Children s Chapel will also return on Sunday, September 10 during the 10:30 service for children Pre-K through 5th grade. Children younger than 4 years old are welcome to attend if accompanied by a parent. Children follow the clergy cross out during the Sequence hymn and return at the Offertory. Children s Chapel focuses on learning about worship in the Episcopal Church. The children will learn hymns, prayers, and responses. We ll discuss the liturgical year and the differences between the Church seasons. The children will also listen to and talk about a story from the Bible. As the year progresses, older children who wish will learn to read from the lectern. Children of all ages will learn the basics of various leadership roles in our worship service. While Children s Chapel is separate and different from Sunday School, it is meant to complement and reinforce what is learned in Sunday School. Each supports the other. From Sunday School to music to Children s Chapel, our hope is that St. Stephen s will be a place where children and their families can grow in faith and find a home in the Episcopal Church.
FoR MoRe InFoRmAtIoN If you have questions or would like more information about any of the programs in this booklet, here are the appropriate contacts: Jeremy T. Godwin Director of Education and Programming jeremy.godwin@ssecdurham.org Stephanie Metzen Youth Minister stephanie.metzen@ssecdurham.org Jihyun Park Children s Music Director ms.kimj@gmail.com Also, for the most up-to-date information about these and other programs throughout the year, please sign up for the Christian Education e-mail list at https://goo.gl/vluims.
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