Christian Education
Our Sunday School begins the new program year on September 16, 2018
A Christian Education Registration Form for 2018-2019 may be download and printed here:
At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings, everyone is invited to Nazareth Hall for our FIRST Kids Gathering. This is a child-centered time of worship and community sharing through expressions of joys and concerns, singing songs, offering gifts, and celebrating God's inclusive love for all ages.
At 9:50 a.m., everyone proceeds to the Sanctuary for the first part of Worship Service. Following the Children's Message during the service, teachers and students return downstairs to their classrooms at approximately 10:15 a.m.
Classes are then held by grade span groupings as follows: Preschool, Kindergarten through Grade 2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6-8. Sunday School concludes at the same time as the Worship Service, and the entire Church Family gathers in Fellowship Hall for food and conversation.
Our Preschool classroom functions as a fully-staffed childcare room and is available each Sunday from 9:00 a.m. until the end of the Worship Service. A Pre-K curriculum has been carefully crafted to allow the youngest children in our care to experience stories of Jesus through engaging activities.
ALL GOD'S CHILDREN ARE WELCOME HERE.......
Christian Education at First Parish Church provides a safe and loving environment to nurture all children given to us by God. If you are curious about the biblical foundation on which our curricula rest, perhaps the best symbol for this foundation is the comma, which is universally promoted by the United Church of Christ. This comma symbolizes our belief that “God is still speaking...” Who are we to put a period on God’s word?
No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here!
From www.ucc.org:
Today, under one collective identity, we can enthusiastically lift up that the UCC is a welcoming, justice-minded Christian community. At a time when religion is too often portrayed as narrow-minded and exclusive, many are raising their VOICES for an alternate vision:
- Where God is all-loving and inclusive
- Where the Church of Jesus Christ welcomes and accepts everyone as they are
- Where your mind is nourished as much as your soul
- Where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary
- Where together we grow a just and peaceful world
Our teachers are passionate about this call and several have been leaders in our teaching ministry for many years.
A variety of Bible-based curricula move each child through the stages of their faith development. We currently are using Seasons of the Spirit, created by Wood Lake Publishing, as a core curriculum guide. Our teachers supplement this curriculum with Whirl videos, children’s bulletins, art-based activities, and rotational workshops run by other volunteers from the congregation.
Preschool Bethany Gould and Brad Gould assisted by Sonya Endrizzi and Ashley Gould
K – 2nd Grade Erica Helm and Sara Stewart assisted by Katelyn Gould
3rd – 5th Grade Amy Bennington, Cindy Chase, and Beth Setear
6th – 8th Grade Allison Friend-Gray and Lesley Hocking assisted by Lance Dion and Jack Leggett
An integral part of our Sunday School program is a seasonal mission focus so that children can help those less fortunate in a variety of tangible ways. We strive to make service to others a central part of all we do in Christian Education.
Examples of mission projects our kids support:
Confirmation Class
Our Senior Pastor leads the confirmation class with assistance of the Director of Faith Programming and the Board of Deacons. Confirmands work with adult mentors and one another to learn what it means to grow into adulthood as a Christian and be a member of our congregation. Once the confirmation class ends, each individual confirmand is free to decide if they want to become an official member of First Parish Church.
Adult Education
We ALL are Children of God! Learning about our Faith should not end with confirmation, so we offer educational opportunities for adults as well. Our Adult Ed Class is held each Sunday from 8:50 - 9:40 a.m. and is led by lay leaders from the church. No need to register for Adult Ed - just show up!
Our Director of Faith Programming is Matt Endrizzi and he can be contacted at 742-5664 x 13 or matt.endrizzi@gmail.com.
At 9:50 a.m., everyone proceeds to the Sanctuary for the first part of Worship Service. Following the Children's Message during the service, teachers and students return downstairs to their classrooms at approximately 10:15 a.m.
Classes are then held by grade span groupings as follows: Preschool, Kindergarten through Grade 2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6-8. Sunday School concludes at the same time as the Worship Service, and the entire Church Family gathers in Fellowship Hall for food and conversation.
Our Preschool classroom functions as a fully-staffed childcare room and is available each Sunday from 9:00 a.m. until the end of the Worship Service. A Pre-K curriculum has been carefully crafted to allow the youngest children in our care to experience stories of Jesus through engaging activities.
ALL GOD'S CHILDREN ARE WELCOME HERE.......
Christian Education at First Parish Church provides a safe and loving environment to nurture all children given to us by God. If you are curious about the biblical foundation on which our curricula rest, perhaps the best symbol for this foundation is the comma, which is universally promoted by the United Church of Christ. This comma symbolizes our belief that “God is still speaking...” Who are we to put a period on God’s word?
No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here!
From www.ucc.org:
Today, under one collective identity, we can enthusiastically lift up that the UCC is a welcoming, justice-minded Christian community. At a time when religion is too often portrayed as narrow-minded and exclusive, many are raising their VOICES for an alternate vision:
- Where God is all-loving and inclusive
- Where the Church of Jesus Christ welcomes and accepts everyone as they are
- Where your mind is nourished as much as your soul
- Where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary
- Where together we grow a just and peaceful world
Our teachers are passionate about this call and several have been leaders in our teaching ministry for many years.
A variety of Bible-based curricula move each child through the stages of their faith development. We currently are using Seasons of the Spirit, created by Wood Lake Publishing, as a core curriculum guide. Our teachers supplement this curriculum with Whirl videos, children’s bulletins, art-based activities, and rotational workshops run by other volunteers from the congregation.
Preschool Bethany Gould and Brad Gould assisted by Sonya Endrizzi and Ashley Gould
K – 2nd Grade Erica Helm and Sara Stewart assisted by Katelyn Gould
3rd – 5th Grade Amy Bennington, Cindy Chase, and Beth Setear
6th – 8th Grade Allison Friend-Gray and Lesley Hocking assisted by Lance Dion and Jack Leggett
An integral part of our Sunday School program is a seasonal mission focus so that children can help those less fortunate in a variety of tangible ways. We strive to make service to others a central part of all we do in Christian Education.
Examples of mission projects our kids support:
- End 68 Hours of Hunger
- Heifer International
- Cocheco Valley Humane Society
- Dover Food Pantry
- Neighbors Helping Newborns
- Community Action Partnership of Strafford County
- Christmas and Thanksgiving Meal Baskets
- Christmas Gift Boxes
Confirmation Class
Our Senior Pastor leads the confirmation class with assistance of the Director of Faith Programming and the Board of Deacons. Confirmands work with adult mentors and one another to learn what it means to grow into adulthood as a Christian and be a member of our congregation. Once the confirmation class ends, each individual confirmand is free to decide if they want to become an official member of First Parish Church.
Adult Education
We ALL are Children of God! Learning about our Faith should not end with confirmation, so we offer educational opportunities for adults as well. Our Adult Ed Class is held each Sunday from 8:50 - 9:40 a.m. and is led by lay leaders from the church. No need to register for Adult Ed - just show up!
Our Director of Faith Programming is Matt Endrizzi and he can be contacted at 742-5664 x 13 or matt.endrizzi@gmail.com.
A Christian Education Registration Form for 2018-2019 may be download and printed here:
