St. James Glastonbury

This week, January 29th, the fourth week of Ephiphany

10:00 am

     Grades Pre-K thru 5th gather in Parish Hall: 

    ~ Music Time with Mr. Barry. 

    ~ Children's Chapel with MaryAnn Purtill in Temple room. 

    ~ Church school processional.

HEADS UP!!   

SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY

ORDERS BEING TAKEN THIS SUNDAY 1/29

 AFTER BOTH SERVICES.

SUPPORT OUR 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS

AS THEY WORK TO SHARE GOD'S LOVE WITH THOSE IN NEED. 

Catch the Faith is the name of our Church School program for children in Pre K through fifth grade.

 Our Christian education is focused upon developing and fostering Christian Discipleship. 

At St. James our intention is to provide a safe and welcoming place where children feel accepted, affirmed, encouraged and enabled to be all God has created them to be. 

The cornerstones of our program is education and service opportunities.  All the education is biblically based.  Its sole intention is to provide a holistic exploration of the biblical scriptures which shape children's knowledge of God and Jesus Christ to themselves. 

The service components give children the chance to practice their faith.  They get to test out their spiritual knowledge, and explore the uniqueness of their own special gifts.  Practicing ways to engage their unique spirituality offers them the experience to build their own relationship with God.

In this way we attend to teaching Christian Discipleship as a way of life. 

Because Christian formation is a multidimensional experience encompassing our minds, our bodies, and our spirits we strive to engage children with age appropriate learning tools.  Our curriculum of choice is The Weaving God's Promises curriculum, a litugically based educational tool with a  three year cycle.  Each lesson offers unique age appropriate activities for learning and experiencing. 

At St. James', Glastonbury, we've developed an organic Christian formation 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 aspects of every Christian teen’s life; self, spirituality, society, and sexuality. Both our middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) programs engage DVD media, internet technology, special guest speakers, service projects, and teambuilding exercises that help youth delve into contemporary issues that affect today’s Christian teenagers.  Both our middle and high school youth are supported by two teams of adult mentors whose presence provides consistency, trust, and commitment.  We value our youth and we want them to know that we're investing in their future!

Because flexibility and variety are key in working with teens, we’ve modified our curriculum to include teambuilding activities, the integration of service/outreach projects, fellowship opportunities, and regularly scheduled "In Church Sunday's" where our teens serve as acolytes, ushers, lectors, intercessors, choirsters, or ministers of communion. 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     Lesson on The Parables of the Gospels  (today is our Annual Meeting)   

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

30th     "East of the River" Episcopal Youth Ice Skating at Bolton Ice Palace 12:15-2:15.  Come out and bring a friend!

February          

6^th        Lesson plan

13^th      Lesson plan

13th     Family Eucharistic Workshop at St. John's Episcopal Church, Vernon.  Confirmation class will attend and all others are invited!

20^th      Teambuilding/Fellowship

25th     "Winter Party at the Pit"  Sledding, winter games, followed by a Lock-In with Episcopal Church Youth East of the River.  Drop off at 6:00PM Friday night, pick up 9:00AM Saturday morning.

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

23rd     Easter Vigil & Confirmation at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford, CT.

24^th      Easter Day – NO CHURCH SCHOOL

May

1^st        Rev. Peter Dewberry's discussion on prison ministry

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!

17th     "End of School Party at the Pit," St. John's Episcopal Church, Vernon, CT  Begins at 6:00PM til ???

Notes:

Beginning in January, 2011 the first two Sundays of every month will include Confirmation prep classes from 11:45AM-1:15PM.  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!