Church School begins
Sunday, September 15 at 10:30 am
We are looking forward to a new year of learning together! Please contact Catherine Curtis at
[email protected] or 630-469-3096 ext. 23 with questions or if you would like a tour - especially of the preschool room for "rising" preschoolers or the Temple of Light for "rising" kindergartners or for new families.
9:00 am worship service
Childcare is provided in the nursery for kindergarten and younger. 1st grade and older worship with their families activity tote bags provided by Christian Education and children's Bibles are in the pews.
10:30 am worship service
Children ages kindergarten - 5th grade begin in worship with their families and then join their grade level "Keepers" at the back of the sanctuary in the narthex during the Passing of the Peace.
Kindergarten - 2nd graders
Accompany their "Keepers" upstairs to the Temple of Light for "Young Children and Worship" where the children learn about and worship God through sensorimotor style storytelling so they may experience God and have opportunities and freedom to respond to the stories of God through story figures and art materials that enable them to bring their lived experiences into dialogue with God in Biblical stories.
Families pick up their children from the Temple of Light at 11:30 am and are invited to have coffee during fellowship if the worship ends before that time.
3rd - 5th graders
Accompany their "Keepers" downstairs to the Chapel for a combined grade "Gathering Time" where they have time together to learn about their unit topic and theme as well as sing songs from worship and learn the Lord's Prayer. Classes then separate and go upstairs to their workshop for that morning that will allow for response and processing of their lesson via art materials, drama/puppetry, games, computers, film, and Bible Exploration.
Families pick up their children from the workshop location for that week, which is listed in the back of the bulletin each Sunday, at 11:30 am, and are invited to have coffee during fellowship if the worship ends before that time.
For further information about our church school ministries, please visit our church website
here.
We ask that you help us to serve your family by clicking below to...
1st Sunday of each month: Communion Sundays
All ages worship together on the first Sunday of the month for Communion Sundays at both services. Childcare is provided in the nursery for kindergarten and younger. All are welcome to be a part of the sacrament of Communion, no matter the age. If you would like resources about Communion and the United Church of Christ, please
follow this link. If you would like resources about talking to your family about Communion, please contact
Rev. Kendra Joyner Miller, Associate Minister or
Catherine Curtis, Director of Christian Education. Children's story bibles are located in the pews and activity tote bags provided by Christian Education are available from the ushers on All Ages Communion Sundays.
Children's Church on Communion Sundays
October 6, November 3, February 2, March 1
Children begin in worship with their families and during the Passing of the Peace join volunteers and staff in the back of the sanctuary in the narthex to go to the Chapel for Children's Church for a special story, activity, singing, and prayer. The children are brought back to the sanctuary to join their families for Communion.
Fellowship for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grades moves to
Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:30 pm
Begins September 22nd
Meet Carolyn Lawrence
We are delighted to (re)welcome Carolyn as
Interim Youth Ministry Co-director!
Carolyn served as our Seminary Intern for the 2017 - 2018 program year and got to know the families of our 3rd - 8th graders as she participated in 345 Fellowship, Jr Hi Youth Fellowship, and co-taught in 8th grade Confirmation class.
Carolyn re-joins us ministering to our 345 Fellowship and Jr Hi Fellowship as leader of these two youth fellowships and as a co-teacher in our 8th grade Confirmation class. You may contact Carolyn at [email protected] or 630-469-3096 ext. 28
Carolyn will be sending out information to families in the coming weeks.
Heifer Market Sunday, November 17
Mark your calendars - for one of the favorite Sundays of the year! Preschool - 12th grade children and youth craft and create goods to sell at our Heifer Market following the 2nd worship service. All proceeds earned are donated to
Heifer International in their mission of working with communities to end world hunger and poverty and care for the Earth.
Children in grades Kindergarten - 8th are encourage to participate in our annual Christmas Pageant. Rehearsals are at 9:00 am Sundays in December with a dress rehearsal the morning the day beforehand. Stay tuned for details and sign-up.
Block Party
Sunday, September 8
Return to 2 worship services
9:00 am & 10:30 am
September 8th will be an All Ages Worship service with a special testimony about Church School. Following the second worship service will be a block party that you all are invited to attend.
- Register your family online here for 2019 - 2020 program year nursery, church school, confirmation, discussion group and youth fellowships
- Pick-up information for the various children and youth ministries
- Talk to Youth Education Staff & ask questions
- Grab helium balloons, backpack tags, stickers, prizes...
- Face painting & bouncy house
- Complimentary sandwich luncheon with special treats!
- Games and fellowship for ALL AGES
- RSVP here in order to let the organizers have an estimate of how much food to provide at the block party
4th grade Bible Presentation
In the late spring of each program year our congregation gifts a Deep Blue Common English Version bible to our 4th grade students. Much like grace, this is a gift freely given and not something that is earned. However; we do encourage families to attend church school on Sundays so that their 4th graders may prepare and learn about our sacred text during the program year. The 4th graders will be in Bible Exploration classes on the following dates the first semester of this program year. These dates are particularly important for the 4th graders to attend:
- September 29th
- October 13th
- December 15th
We host a celebratory
Pizza Party, Rehearsal, and Game Night on Thursday, April 23rd at 6:30 pm. The 4th graders and their families are invited for a fun evening of fellowship, practicing in the sanctuary, and bible games.
Sunday, April 26th at the 10:30 am worship service, staff and 4th grade Keepers will present the bibles to the 4th graders and the 4th graders will celebrate with a special treat during church school while they do "scavenger hunts" with their new bibles in class.
A special sign-up will be sent out in January or February but we encourage you to put these dates on your calendars now.
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