Children's Discipleship at St. Andrew's

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Children’s Ministries at St. Andrew's seek to teach our children how God’s Word revealed in Jesus Christ is relevant to their lives today. Bible classes are offered for toddlers through 6th graders, with memorable stories from both the Old and New Testaments and activities designed for varied learning styles and ages. The teaching methods used are designed help children apply timeless Bible truths to their lives. Classes take place on Sundays at 9:30 and 11 a.m., after which children join the congregation to participate in the Holy Eucharist.

Good Keeps His Promises mScripture
Our Christian formation program for children ages 2½-years-old through 5th Grade employs a Montessori-based approach to religious education that allows children to enter into sacred stories from the Old Testament, the parables of Jesus and the liturgy of the church in order to help them discover God, their place in salvation history, and their role in Christian community. Our goal is for each child to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus, and to learn to hear his voice so that they may live their life according to his will. Rather than simply helping them come to know about Jesus, we want to help them grow in relationship with him as their Lord and their Savior.

This fall, we're introducing for the first time a special curriculum designed by Val Bowser, our Childen's Ministry coordinator. The program begins at the beginning … with the letter “A”! Click here to see all of the Bible memory verses to date.

The Bible tells us, “You know in your heart of hearts that nothing that the Lord your God has promised you has failed to come true.” (Joshua 23:14) For 26 weeks — through the letter “Z” — our children will be learning that “God Keeps His Promises.” Based on curriculum written by Val Bowser, our Children’s Ministries coordinator, the program includes Scripture memorization, a group activity, a special individual incentive for each child participating, and life lessons, with special stories from the Bible and other resources, as well as visits from special guests.

Each week’s Scripture verse will be introduced in class, featured in “The Net” and reinforced with an accompanying symbol, originally designed by Val and Fr. Ric’s son-in-law, Bill Nicholson. Each week, the symbol will be added to a display in the Gathering Area so that adults may join the children in committing the Scripture verses to memory. We are told in the Word how important this spiritual exercise is:

“Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Each week that a child recites the Scripture from memory, he or she will receive the appropriate letter to add to a necklace, bracelet or prayer “rope,” with the goal of attaining all 26 letters by next March. Children will also participate with fellow students in the classroom to make one of the following:

Coloring pages (A-Z): Young Lambs
My Promise Book: Pre-school-kindergarten
Mobile: Grades 1-2
Banner: Grades 3-5

Tip for parents
Our prayer is that parents will assist children in learning these verses by creatively incorporating them into their family life. A few suggestions would be to:

Read the verse at the start of each day and repeat it aloud with your child
Recite them as a family at meals
Rehearse them at bedtime
Set the words to a simple tune

You may post the Scriptures on the refrigerator or use alphabet magnets to review all that they have learned. Be creative and have fun! Challenge yourselves as parents to memorize the Scriptures along with your kids.

"A" Scripture Verse "B" Scripture Verse

"C" Scripture Verse "D" Scripture Verse

"E" Scripture Verse "J" Scripture Verse

"G" Scripture Verse "H" Scripture Verse

"I" Scripture Verse jScripture

kScripture lScripture

nScripture

oScripture

Godly Play
We also teach lessons from Godly Play, which was developed by the Rev. Jerome Berryman.
Fr. Berryman studied under Sofia Cavaletti, the developer of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and a pioneer in Montessori-based religious education. Bible stories and lessons about the liturgy of the church are told using multi-sensory materials, and a period of wondering together about the stories follows. Each child brings to the wondering time a unique perspective and a different response each time the stories are told, and their responses are deeply honored.

Following the wondering time, children are invited to respond to the story in a prayerful way. In Godly Play, a child's response is personal, not prescribed. While a variety of art materials are available for them to use in the response time, there is not an organized craft. Neither is there a "right" response. Some children will play (or work) with the lesson materials; others will create a piece of art or write in a journal. Some will choose a different activity each week; others will work on the same activity week after week.

Because Godly Play is concerned with a child's long-term growth, the core lessons are presented in all three years at each of the three levels of Godly Play, beginning with children 3½-years-old through Kindergarten. Children will discover deeper meaning in the Scriptures and the liturgy of the Church at each age level. This will empower them to apply the lessons to their own lives as they grow deeper in relationship with our Lord Jesus.

Enrichment lessons are available for older children, which provide for a deeper understanding of the core lessons, moving beyond the stories themselves to allow children to incorporate them into their life experience.

For children 18-months-old through 3½, we offer a Young Lambs class, with a simplified curriculum to meet the needs of younger children.

To learn more about Godly Play, click here.

Nursery
A nursery, staffed by volunteers, is provided on Sundays for children age 4 and under during our 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services. Parents are welcome to take advantage of this service, or to keep their children with them during the liturgy. Children in the Nursery join their parents for communion.

Dedicated Volunteers
Your children’s teachers are volunteers from our parish who have a heart for Jesus and a passion for passing on his love to our children. Because we want to do all that we can to ensure the safety of our children, we do a background checks on all volunteers who work regularly with children. You may join the Children’s Ministries team by volunteering as an room assistant or a nursery aide. It is only through the dedicated efforts of more than 30 Children’s Ministries volunteers that we are able to provide these vital ministries to our children.

Parents Role in Children's Ministries
We are partners with you in your child’s religious education, but you have the greatest influence on their lives and the greatest impact on their faith. We encourage you to bring your child to church each Sunday, and ask them what they are learning in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Parents are also welcome to visit their child's atrium at any time, and we encourage you to take an active role by volunteering in an atrium or with any of the special activities we have throughout the year.

For information about Children’s & Youth Ministry at St. Andrew’s, contact Judy Baird, Membership and Communications Director, at 614-423-4250, ext. 103, or jbaird@standrewspolaris.org.