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You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away.
Christian Formation Programming for Children
Welcome to the Christ Church Christian Formation program!
At Christ Church, we believe that it is not enough to know the Word of God; we must live it no matter our age. Our programs integrate the biblical stories and the teachings of the Church with opportunities for fellowship and service. Whether it is filling boxes with cookies to send to our members at college, making Advent Wreaths to share with our homebound parishioners or building a Habitat House, our children and youth learn by doing that response to Christ’s love for us is to serve others in his name.
Formation in the Christian faith is a responsibility shared between the faith community and the family. Our Church School is a place to explore living the Christian journey as families and as an Episcopal worshiping community. It is a place to wonder, to share hopes and joys, and to travel together into the future Christ calls us to. We are delighted to welcome you and your children to our program! Church school begins promptly at 9:45 AM each Sunday morning, except on holiday weekends and weekends coinciding with Needham School vacations.
Children’s Chapel (ages Pre-K-3rd grade)
Each Sunday morning, our Pre-K – 3rd graders meet in the Christ Church Chapel for Children’s Chapel. Designed to follow the format of the Word of God portion of an Episcopal worship service, this church school class introduces children to the traditions of Episcopal worship, including much of the music that we use in “the Big Church.” We sing, learn to pray with movement, and hear the Gospel lesson of the day – all in age appropriate ways. In place of a sermon, a storyteller leads the children in an imaginative version of a bible story, using the format of Godly Play--a method that emphasizes storytelling with tangible objects and the opportunity for children to ask questions and interact with the story. Following the story, children participate in a fun activity or art project in the Upper Parish Hall. Children join the larger parish community at the passing of the Peace so that children can be with their families for Holy Communion.
Gather Round (4th & 5th Grades)
Our 4th and 5th graders meet downstairs in the Lower Parish hall each Sunday morning. For these grade levels, we build on the foundation established in Children’s Chapel by framing each week’s lessons with the opening prayers of the worship service, beginning to teach the Children the specific prayers and responses used in adult worship. The lessons for this class are drawn from the Gather ‘Round curriculum, which introduces children to Biblical stories and ideas from both Testaments. Some of these stories will be familiar from Children’s Chapel, and some will be new to the class members. The class will re-join their parents during the Peace for the communion portion of the worship service.
Volunteers
It takes an entire faith community to raise a Christian! At Christ Church, our children are blessed by the presence of many faithful adults involved in sharing their faith as Church School mentors, teachers, and helpers. But we always need MORE! If you would like to teach or have gifts you would like to offer from time to time.
Resources for Parents and Families
There are many excellent on-line resources that can help families live a life of faith together at home. Some of them contain information about living as a Christian family, others offer more information about our curriculum and, some include seasonal projects and materials for use throughout the liturgical year.
We are delighted to have your children and teens wondering, praying, sharing, and growing with us!
For registration materials and information about our programs, please contact
the Church office.
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