Christian Formation
Fall 2019
Christian Formation (or Sunday School) Classes are offered every Sunday at 9:30AM for Adults and 10:15AM for Children.
Children’s Programs Episcopal Church of the Annunciation
Sunday School: WorkshopCycles
Age 3 – 5th Grade
Sunday mornings
10:15AM
The children of ECA will be using a very exciting curriculum this school year called WorkshopCycles. This program is created and distributed by LeaderResources, a publishing company dedicated to the education, formation, and spiritual journeys of Episcopalians. WorkshopCycles is an innovative way to experience Sunday School that takes seriously the spiritual development of children while providing exciting activities to engage a new level of learning and retention. “Rotation model” means that children work on the same story or concept for several weeks, using different learning approaches in each workshop room they visit.
Please join us on Sunday mornings in the basement of the Swift Building.
What Makes My Church Special?
Children are an important part of our church family and it is important that they feel connected and involved. If we can foster feelings of family and community, children will begin to feel like “this is MY church” which can lead to greater participation in worship, as well as parish event.
Activities in the Unit will include making stained glass windows; learning about our church campus through a scavenger hunt; making the bread that we use in Holy Communion; and meeting (and perhaps, singing with) our choir!
The Moses Chronicles
Moses is one of the most well-known characters in the Old Testament, and his story provides a rich background from which to learn. This unit is filled with information and activities covering much of Moses’ life – from the baby in the bulrushes to the young man who encountered the burning bush and then went to deliver God’s message to Pharaoh. Children will learn about God calling Moses and talk about what it means to be called by God. They will also learn about the plagues, the Passover, and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, as well as the Ten Commandments.
Emmanuel, God with Us
This unit is about the birth of Jesus and the amazing ways in which that Gift changed everything for all of us. Most of live busy, overscheduled lives. For many people the holiday season becomes an ever more frenzied schedule of shopping, errands, p arties, and family gatherings.
In the midst of all this joyous chaos, our church calendar calls us to be somewhat counter-cultural; against the backdrop of noisy malls and blaring Christmas carols, our church calls us into the quiet, holy bleakness of Advent. The season of Advent is about much more than a countdown to Christmas Day. Advent is about waiting . . . preparing . . . being silent . . . being ready.
Activities in the Unit include: creating wrapping paper and coupon books; playing charades using the gifts that God has given us; making Christmas cookies to share; singing together
12 Who Changed the World
For centuries people have examined the lives of the twelve men who were closest to Jesus. Much has been written about them and many legends have sprung up around the events of their lives and their deaths. As we work on this unit, it is very important to emphasize that many people followed Jesus – both men and women. Mary and Martha were close friends of Jesus, as was Mary Magdalene. There were several women mentioned in the book of Acts who helped the disciples spread the message of Jesus . . . Priscilla and Lydia and Sapphira. But for this unit, we are going to concentrate on “The Twelve.” Activities for this unit include: Sand Art and the secret symbol – the Fish; Stories about the Disciples; making Disciple cookies; singing songs about the Disciples
This is My Body
This unit focuses on teaching children about the Eucharist. Every Sunday when we gather at the altar, we remember how Jesus gathered his friends together for a special supper. We remember how Jesus dies and then rose from the dead and we celebrate all the ways that God loves and provides for us. We will experience several weeks of learning about the different aspects of sharing communion. Activities in this unit will include: creating a chalice, paten, an altar frontal and stole for the church; sharing a Last Supper “picnic” and other meals that we share together in community; make bread and “wine” while learning about the Last Supper and Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples; sing songs about Holy Communion.
Pray without Ceasing: 101 Ways to Pray
At its most basic and profound level, prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God. Sounds simple enough, right? However, many Christians find prayer to be one of the most difficult spiritual disciplines to master . . . not just learning to pray, but learning how to make prayer a regular part of your daily life. Activities for this unit will include: making Anglican Prayer Beads; learning to pray while walking a Labyrinth; making pretzels and learning their connection to prayer; learning about prayer through singing.
Children’s Chapel
Children’s Chapel is an adult lead, interactive worship experience for children ages 4 – 8 years. It is conducted during the sermon at the 10:30am Sunday service on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.
Children will process behind the children’s cross during the singing of the Sequence/Gradual Hymn. They will gather in the front room of the Swift Building for a reading of the Gospel of the day, singing, and arts & crafts based on the story.
Children are returned to their parents in time to process in at the Offertory to join their families in sharing the Peace and Holy Communion.