 | Lil' Sprouts: Ministry to Children in Early Childhood In the earliest years of childhood, children are developing ideas such as "Church is a place where I am happy, where I feel safe, where I am loved." In our childcare room, and in our preschool and kindergarten church school classrooms, children are greeted by friendly faces and plenty of fun! We emphasize safety and developmental appropriateness in our materials, and plan activities that appeal to the youngest ones in our midst.
We believe that God creates people of all ages with the desire and the capability to worship their Creator, so even our preschool and kindergarten children join us in the Sanctuary to worship with the whole community until the Passing of the Peace. Lil' Sprouts programs happen during the 10:00 am service each Sunday. | | God's Garden: Ministry to Children in Elementary Years God's Garden is the name for our church school program for children in grades 1-8, a program based on the Workshop Rotation Model for church school. This model is an exciting and effective way to pass our faith tradition on to our children! In God's Garden, children experience the good news of Jesus Christ through puppetry, arts and crafts, theater, cooking,storytelling, and other activities that leave them excited about what they learn in church school, wanting to come back next week for more! For more information on this innovative model of church school, please visit www.rotation.org. Please refer to the monthly Parish Post insert, the bulletin listing each week, or the information board on the door of the Christian Education Director's office for your child's weekly workshop location. God's Garden programs happen during the 10:00 am service each Sunday. |  | | We believe that God has created people of all ages with the desire and the capability to worship their Creator, therefore our entire community - including the children - worships together for the beginning of each worship service. Children leave the Sanctuary to meet up with their God's Garden teachers during the Passing of the Peace on the 2nd - 5th Sundays of each month. On Communion Sunday (the 1st Sunday of each month), children who wish to attend Children's Chapel are invited to come to do so in Fellowship Hall during the Passing of the Peace, and will return to the Sanctuary for the rest of the service during the hymn just before Communion. In addition, children and their families worship together for the entire service several times during the year, including World Communion Sunday in the fall, PJs and Bells Sunday in the winter, Youth Sunday, Easter Sunday and Church School Sunday in the spring. | | Click here for a Children's Ministry registration form. The link will bring you to an online form as well as a printable PDF version of the form. If you choose to print out the form to fill out, just bring it to the Director of Christian Education's office when you get to church! For more information or to contact the Church School Coordinator directly email ce@wappingchurch.org | | Learn more about the God's Garden workshop spaces! | | Fruits of the Spirit Café Cooking Workshop:
In the cooking lab, kids create tasty treats, ancient recipes, or modern day delicacies as they experience their bible lessons. Hands-on, creative cooking (and eating!), from an Agape meal to Empty Tomb Biscuits, lend children a rich new way to expand their understanding of God’s Word. |  | |  | God’s Canopy Storytelling Workshops:
In our two storytelling workshops, children explore Biblical stories through a first person account of an “eyewitness,” and are then invited to respond to that account in meaningful ways. One time they’ll help Mrs. Noah finish a project commemorating the landing of the ark, another time they’ll meet Abraham and have the opportunity to write their names in the stars and be counted in the numbers of his descendants. | Temple Tales Drama Workshop:
Many different things happen in this workshop. Sometimes the activity is drama, which offers children the opportunity to step into a biblical story. Role-playing and reflection provide another avenue for exploration of spiritual truths. Sometimes, through games and exploration activities, children discover the time and place relationships of Biblical events, often examining our modern world in relation to events and items found in the Bible. |  |  | Sower’s Cinema Video Workshop:
Our own video theater offers children visually stimulating access to Bible stories. Movies and conversation (and popcorn!) allow children to process what they have seen and to incorporate those stories in meaningful ways in their own lives. | Moved by the Spirit Movement and Games Workshop:
Children use their entire bodies to experience this amazing world that God created… why not encourage them to use their bodies to explore God's teachings in the Old and the New Testament? Through sight, sound, and movement, children discover that the Bible is much more than just a collection of words. |  |  | Created by the Spirit Art Workshop:
Forget those craft sticks, markers and paper! In our hands-on art workshop children focus their imaginations on exciting art projects. Each project is designed to allow a child the opportunity forself-expression and exploration of the lesson's theme. While the children are engaged in their art projects, conversations around the design tables continue the telling of the story. Creative minds and hands work together in this popular workshop. | |
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