Faith for the Family

CHILDREN

CHURCH SCHOOL PROGRAM 2024-2025

“Rally Day,” Sunday, September 8th kicks off our Church School program, which provides faith formations from Preschool through Confirmation class. Church School is in session throughout the public school year. Summer Church School begins on Father’s Day and will come to a close on Labor Day weekend.

We have created, in-house, a brand-new curriculum and format designed for your family to be able to connect with the church faith experience as a whole. The whole church will be moving in the same direction in our faith formation together!

Our format is intentionally divided into three parts during the Worship service.

Part 1: The Children’s Sermon. Teachers introduce the lesson from this week in a short lesson in the sanctuary before the students leave to go to their classrooms. Part 1 connects what is happening in the adult service with what our students are learning.

Part 2: Classroom learning: Three classrooms on the second floor create learning environments divided by grades. They take the theme introduced in the Children’s Sermon and are provided a sit down lesson with Scripture along with an activity or craft to reinforce the lesson and provide an action step for their week. Especially designed for quiet learners.

Part 3: Take Home Recap: Specially formatted for high energy learners, all the students gather downstairs in the fellowship hall, to dance, play games, do some shout outs and win prizes all reinforcing the lesson they learned in the previous two parts. Pick up your students in the Fellowship after service and stay for coffee!

CHURCH SCHOOL OFFERING

Our Church School receives an offering each Sunday. Offering

envelopes are available at any time for children or youth. This offering helps to fund a mission project, helps to provide scholarships to Silver Lake Conference Center, and other Church School projects.

Parents can be assured that we have Safe Church Policy and Procedures to guarantee the safety of our children.

Holy CommunionOur church welcomes children to the Sacrament of Communion. Children are taught the significance of the sacrament in Church School. Many will attend with their Church School classes.

Our Youngest Ones
The Christian Education Board is excited to embark on new adventures in the Church School program using a new curriculum published through the United Church of Christ called SHINE. Our preschool students (three years old, by January 1st, and four years old) and our kindergarten students first meet in the Chapel and then head to the Activity Room located on the lower level for their classes.

FAMILY FIRST FRIDAY

On October 4th, 2024 we will have a special Family First Friday event! This event is expanded from last program year to include an introduction of our dream of a connected, stable, and fulfilled community for families! We will have a worship service in the sanctuary designed for children and their adults. We will have a fun activity for the students, while parents are able to breathe for a bit and chat, then a small take home project to help with a need in the Newington area. This is a perfect introduction for friends with kids who are curious about our church – relaxed, informative, fun, and just the right amount of time for young children.

YOUTH

Our Youth Ministry Program is open to young people from grades 6-12. It’s purpose is to provide a program for middle and high school students to practice basic Christian values. Activities focus on opportunities for socialization, community service, and faith formation. Youth are invited and encouraged to invite friends from outside the church to attend! We are especially grateful for our adult volunteers who serve as Youth Advisors for this special ministry.

FUSE:

Middle School Youth Group meet once in

September, two times in October and two times in November. These special events have a refreshed focus. Each event will have short

hang out time in the church based on the sermon theme of Courage by Rev. Melanie. In addition we will also have a fun activity or service project based on the church-wide Love on Purpose project. The goal is to connect our Middle School students with each other and offer them a greater understanding of how and why our church exists and serves others.

SALT:

High School Youth Group meet once in

September, two times in October and two times in November. We will be expanding upon the format of last year. One event will have a unique activity that informs them of amazing non-profits in our community that are reaching real people and their needs. Directly after, we will meet at Rev. Melanie’s house for food and discussion. The other event will be a service project based on the church-wide Love on Purpose project. The goal is to inspire our High School students to see and understand the needs around them and the opportunities available for them to help as well as connect with each other and our dreams as a church in the Newington community.

Youth Camp – Silver Lake Conference Center

Our church encourages young people from fourth grade through high school to participate in the summer camp program at Silver Lake Conference Center in Sharon, Connecticut. Many youth have had their spiritual lives shaped by these experiences. Some financial assistance for camp is available through the Board of Christian Education.

ADULTS

Adult Faith Formation

At the Church of Christ, Congregational, we believe that faith is a lifelong journey, and we are committed to offering rich and varied opportunities for adult education and spiritual growth. Whether you are a seasoned biblical scholar or just beginning to explore your faith, our adult faith formation programs provide meaningful ways to deepen your understanding, engage in thoughtful discussion, and build a stronger community.

We offer a range of engaging options tailored to different interests and life stages, including Bible studies that delve into the scriptures, book groups that explore contemporary issues, and post-sermon discussions that provide a space to reflect on and discuss the message shared in worship. Each program is designed to challenge, inspire, and nurture your faith, helping you to connect more deeply with God and with others.

Join us on this journey of growth and discovery as we seek to live out our faith in meaningful and transformative ways. All are welcome!

A Deep Dive into Courage

Join us for a transformative 5-week journey as we explore the theme of courage through the lens of scripture. Each week, we will study a different passage, delving deep into the biblical text to uncover what it means to have courage in our lives today. This class will not only prepare us for Sunday worship (by using the same scripture that will be read on Sunday) but also equip us with the strength to trust God, take risks, stand up for injustice, and support one another. Together, we will find stability and inspiration as we grow in faith and courage. Classes are on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm beginning on September 26th at the Church of
Christ, Congregational. Sign up in the narthex (lobby) or email Melanie (menfield@newingtonucc.org)

This 30 minute discussion time provides a chance to process the important thoughts from Rev. Melanie’s sermons on Courage. Interactive and relaxed in tone, we take time to do three things. 1. Share what thoughts stood out to each of us from the sermon. 2. Exchange ideas of how we can implement those thoughts on Courage in practical ways that week. 3. Exchange ideas of how we can discuss and implement Courage with our families (who also are learning the same themes in Children’s Church and Youth Group). Sundays starting September 15th through October 13th. Hosted by Tobey Aubert, Program and Outreach Coordinator