St. James Glastonbury

St. James' Episcopal Church Sunday School for Pre School uses a curriculum designed specifically for children who are 3 and 4 years old, and not yet in kindergarten.  Each Sunday, the children hear a simple Bible story and create a special project that helps them relate to the story. 

Fall 2010    Preschool Calendar

Sunday, September 12 Church School Registration will be from 9:30 am to 10 am in the foyer. At 10 am children from pre K to 5^th grade and teachers/shepherds will gather in the Parish Hall for a “Get 2 Know U” celebration.

Catch the Faith is the name of our Church School program for children in Kindergarten through fifth grade. At St. James, our children not only hear the Biblical stories,  they experience them.  Using the workshop rotation model of teaching and the theory of multi-intelligences, a selected Biblical story is shared over a period of three to four weeks as the children rotate through "workshops" such as art, games, drama, movement, music, cooking, video, and science. By returning to the story over several weeks and providing experiences for the children to engage their spirituality, seeds of faith are sown and grown. We provide a safe and welcoming place where encounters with God are possible and where experiences with God are felt.

                                                CHILDRENS CHOIR DATES

                                                            October 3, November 14, December 12

At St. James' in Glastonbury, we utilize a modified Rite 13 and Journey to Adulthood (J2A) curriculum that is both dynamic and current in terms of meeting the spiritual needs of today’s teens. We strive to deliver a comprehensive formation program that targets four specific components of every Christian teen’s life; aspects of self, spirituality, society, and sexuality. Both our Rite 13 (grades 6-8) and our J2A (grades 9-12) programs utilize both DVD and internet technology to study and discuss age appropriate issues that affect today’s Christian teenagers. We also utilize “Ten Minute Moments,” a youth targeted Bible study program, that encourages young people to engage in specific Bible passages that are meant to be thought provoking, and again, meaningful to today’s teens.
Because flexibility and variety are key in working with teens, we’ve modified our curriculum to include teambuilding activities, the integration of service projects, and regularly scheduled Eucharistic liturgies where our teens serve as lay ministers. At St. James,’ we believe that youth Christian formation and education includes study, fun, service, and worship – four components that round out our youth programs and place learning into action!

St. James' Youth Christian Formation Calendar

2010 & 2011

September

12^th      Registration Day

Teambuilding Day for Rite 13 & J2A Youth – Plan for “Youth Booth” at Parish Picnic on 9/19

19^th      Parish Picnic

Service day for Rite 13 & J2A Youth – Youth will have a “Youth Booth” at the parish picnic. 

26^th      In Church Sunday

Today is also the first of four “Church Street Eats” service opportunities we’ll be participating in at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford. 

October          

3^rd        Lesson plan – “The Cost of Discipleship”

10^th      Lesson plan – “Giving Back”

17^th      Service Day – youth work to support St. James’ “Apple Fest” booth.

24^th      Teambuilding Day

31^st      In Church Fifth Sunday Service – “Come in Costume Sunday!”

            Possible Sunday evening “East of the River” Halloween Party

November

7^th        Lesson plan

14^th      Lesson plan

20th     Possible trip to Boston Commons/St. Paul’s Cathedral to feed the homeless

21^st      Teambuilding day - Packing of College Care Kits during church school.

Service opportunity today after church “Church Street Eats”

28^th      In Church Youth Sunday

December      

5^th        Lesson plan

12^th      Lesson plan

19^th      Teambuilding/Service – “Christmas Cookie Bake” in support of Christmas Families

26^th      NO CHURCH SCHOOL – CHRISTMAS PAGEANT TODAY AT 10:15AM.

            (In case of snow, the Pageant will be held at the 5:00PM service.)

2011

January

2^nd        Lesson plan – “Compassion & Embracing Diversity”

9^th        Lesson plan – Invite Brian Gossling to discuss “Choices & Consequences”

16^th      Service Day – Youth will sponsor and host coffee hour today!

            Also “Church Street Eats” ministry after church at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford   

23^rd      In Church Youth Sunday           (today is our Annual Meeting)

23^rd      Sunday evening – possible “East of the River” youth winter dance with invitation extended to L’Eglise de L’Epiphanie, Stamford.       

30^th      “In Church Fifth Sunday Service ” – Recovery Sunday

February          

6^th        Lesson plan

13^th      Lesson plan

20^th      Teambuilding/Fellowship

27^th      In Church Youth Sunday

March

March 9^th is Ash Wednesday – Lent begins.

6^th        Lesson plan – “What is the meaning of Lent and what does it mean to me?”

13^th      Lesson plan –

20^th      Teambuilding – Nick Monsarrat leads youth in the building of birdhouses during church school to sell at the upcoming Spring Fling.

Service opportunity today after church – “Church Street Eats”

27^th      In Church Youth Sunday

April               

3^rd        Lesson plan

10^th      Lesson plan

17^th      In Church Youth Sunday – PALM SUNDAY

24^th      Easter Day – NO CHURCH SCHOOL

May

1^st        Lesson plan

8^th        Lesson or Service Day – This weekend is the Spring Fling and Mother’s Day

15^th      Planning for next week’s Youth Sunday

22^nd      In Church Youth Sunday – Church School concludes.

29^th      MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND – NO CHURCH SCHOOL

June

5^th        SENIOR HIGH SUNDAY – CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR GRADUATING SENIORS!

Notes:

Beginning in January, 2011 the first two Sundays of every month will include Confirmation prep classes from 11:30AM-1:00PM.  These classes are specifically targeted for youth who choose to be confirmed later in the spring.  These classes are IN ADDITION TO regularly scheduled church school classes…and they’re going to be educational and FUN!