Elementary

Kindergarten - 5th Grade

Church school for our Kindergarten – 5th grade students

is offered during:

  • Summer single worship service at 10:00 am  time from mid-May through June.
  • During the 10:00 am worship service during the program year from mid-August to mid-May.

Children begin in worship with their families.  Activity Tote Bags and children’s library books are offered at the back of the Sanctuary in the Narthex and there are children’s story bibles in the pew racks for the kids while they join us in worship.

The minister will announce when the children will depart from worship with church staff and volunteers and go upstairs for church school.  Most Sundays parents will pick up their children from the classroom indicated in that morning’s bulletin.  On most Communion Sundays (typically the first Sunday of the month), students will be returned to their families so that they may participate in Communion with the congregation. Please register your child here and contact Catherine Curtis, (630.469.3096 X 23) Director of Christian Education to schedule a tour or for more details.

Young Children and Worship

The Young Children and Worship model which is based upon the tenet of “Godly play.”   This approach integrates religious education with a child-friendly worship model.  This provides an exciting format where children are able to experience God’s presence while learning about God.  This model uses a sensorimotor style of storytelling as the primary means for encountering God in biblical stories. This model provides freedom and sacred time for children to continue responding to God by working with story figures, art materials, music and kinesthetic expression. Please see our church YouTube channel for examples and lessons.

“Lighting the Way” based on the Workshop Rotation Model

This program utilizes the Rotation Model format that teaches major Bible stories and concepts through a combined-grade gathering time and these engaging multimedia workshops:  art, drama, games, computers, film, cooking and Bible exploration. This format takes advantage of our students’ God-given thirst for multi-modal learning, recognizing that there are many different learning styles, including auditory, visual, kinesthetic, intrapersonal and interpersonal. 4th graders are given a bible in worship in the spring of that year, engraved with their name inside.

345 Fellowship

This youth group is for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.  It will typically take place on Sunday mornings roughly once a month with some special events sprinkled in during the program year.  Older elementary youth will have the chance to build relationships and explore their faith through activities led by Director of Youth Ministries, Tanner Spears, who you may contact with questions or if you’d like to volunteer.  Stay tuned for schedule.

 

Safe Sanctuary Policy

First Congregational Church takes seriously its responsibility to provide Christian Education and Youth Ministries for its members in a safe environment. In order to maintain a safe environment, it is our policy to provide adequate supervision of all children and youth activities. Click here to view the policy.