Sunday School PROGRAMS

(The programs listed below were revised for the new school year. New information is forthcoming.)

Time: 10:00 a.m.

From the first Sunday after Labor Day – The Sunday before Father’s Day

On Communion Sundays - Children go directly to Sunday School.

All other Sundays - Children go to Sunday School after the Children's Message

Sunday School Classes

It is our goal is to provide age appropriate classes for all children and our mission is that all children come away with a fundamental understanding of God and the teachings of Jesus.

Nursery Care

The Nursery is available for infants through age three on a year-round basis. CPR trained Nursery attendants Sandy Boyce and Marianne DiMauro offer play time, stories, music, simple crafts and snacks along with basic care needs to our youngest members. Parent volunteers and other volunteers from the congregation also assist with childcare at church functions as needed.

Pre-K/K and Grades 1 & 2 use a Worship Center Curriculum involves acting out the stories of the Bible using figures and props in a structured worship “service like” format. The children learn a different story each week through visualization, prayers, songs, communion, and crafts. They begin to learn the structure and sacred nature of the worship experience through doing – using a central story as a basis for each lesson.

Grade 3-5 are currently using the “One Room School House” program. During the third session of Sunday school these two grades are involved in two very special programs. Grade 3 does an in depth study of the Bible. They learn about the different books in the Bible and learn the difference between the Old and New Testaments through discussion, games, and puzzles. Grade 5 will devote their time to a study of the book The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. They sift through and discuss the truths that history, science, psychiatry, literature and religion reveal about Christ.

Grade 6 is using a lectionary based series called Living the Good News.  Each week's lesson is based upon the lectionary for that Sunday, which is first introduced during The Children's Time during the worship service and reinforced and expanded during the Sunday School period. Preteens or “tweens” are beginning to understand abstract concepts but often need concrete expressions of these concepts to think about. And because their bodies are growing so rapidly, they are often restless and easily distracted. Therefore activities like artwork, games and music are used to keep their attention and ensure that they understand the lessons. Concepts that were introduced earlier in the curriculum are reviewed, reinforced and tied into the current lesson, helping to establish a foundation upon which future learning of more difficult concepts becomes possible.

Grade 7 & 8 – Bible Lessons for Youth (Cokesbury) is a lectionary based program that applies the Bible to real-life issues that teens face in their world. Lesson material is presented with modern cutting-edge graphics to grab their attention. Interesting class activities are incorporated into each lesson in an effort to stimulate self-examination, think about serious issues, make value judgments, and apply Biblical principles to real-world situations.

High School - “CHAOS” = Christ Honored And Others Served! Life with those in high school might sometimes feel chaotic, but this is chaos with a purpose. The High School Sunday School group focuses on service, or as we like to think of it, we like to get our hands dirty.  Jesus asked us to do no less.  In Matthew 10:42 Jesus says: ‘whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’  The group helps in the Bar Harbor Food Pantry, makes cards for shut-ins, helps lead the service at Sonogee Living and Rehabilitation Center when it is our church’s turn to lead the service, and write letters to Hirut, the Ethiopian girl sponsored by the Sunday School through Compassion International.  The group would like to participate in additional service projects. As we all know there is power in numbers so the more kids who participate the better!

God's Garden Club

Time: 10:00 A.M.

   From Father’s Day –   To the end of August

God's Garden Club is an opportunity for parents and church members to share a special interest or talent with our younger children throughout the summer. Although the theme of "garden" has an emphasis on nature, anything in God's creation is a good topic for the children preschool through fourth grade. Older children may act as helpers or may chose to join the regular worship service. See our God’s Garden Club page for details.

Youth Group

Currently, we do not have an active youth group. We have the kids, but no advisor. Anyone interested in the position of youth group leader should contact the Reverend Dr. Sandra Reed or C.E. Coordinator Kathy MacCulloch.

Confirmation Class

Confirmation, a rite of the church according to the United Church of Christ polity, is offered on a yearly basis to those who are in seventh or eighth grade and wish to enter into the process which will bring them to adult membership in the church.  Older folks are always welcome, too.

We meet a number of times, studying and learning about the early Church, our present day church, the history and polity of the United Church of Christ, the Sacraments and their meaning, and the Bible.  We also spend a lot of time talking and using our own experiences to interpret our place in our church.
     

We use books, journals, movies and other modes of information for our course work.  At the end of our time together, Confirmation is held during a church service.  The entire church celebrates and welcomes our newest members.

If anyone has any questions regarding Confirmation, please contact the Reverend Dr. Sandra Reed.