PARKER HILLTOP
our ministry to children and youth
Sunday School is for our Children (ages 2 through 5th grade)
Kid's Faith Corner
At UCC Parker Hilltop, we call our Sunday morning children’s ministry program Kids’ Faith Corner. The program is designed by our minister and our christian education leader for the children and youth in preschool through middle school.
Format:
Each lesson begins with the establishment of an open and accepting learning environment, a brief introduction to the theme of the day, and a “Choosing Prayer” time. At this time, the Trinity is visually formed with three symbols: a globe (Creator), a leather sash (Jesus), and a wind chime (Holy Spirit). Each individual is given the opportunity to say, think, or read a prayer.
Within our curriculum Mini-Revolutions, a printed prayer is provided each week. The curriculum name refers to the cycles we experience, such as, the seasons of the church year, of the calendar year, and of the changes in life. Within it, suggestions for comprehending Sunday morning’s scripture and applying it to our lives are given. Activities such as movement, role- playing, crafts, Bible verse poster coloring, and making four-page booklets based on the scripture are useful in creating each Sunday’s lesson for the various ages.
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Sunday Sequence:
After the conclusion of the interactive “Time with the Next Generation” portion of the service, all children and youth congregate in Callahan Hall for a lesson. Lessons incorporate a wide range of educational materials and resources which complement the multi- age Mini-Revolutions, a curriculum created monthly by the Illustrated Ministry.
On a regular basis, art, music, movement, and games from outside sources are incorporated into the lesson, as well as, the choosing of a mission or community outreach project. These are used to enhance the meaningfulness of the lesson as our children and youth interact with others throughout the week.
Confirmation
Every two years for all middle schoolers, we provide an opportunity for them to participate in our Confirmation program. We use the UCC curriculum, "Affirming Faith," and we provide formative training for our teens so that they can better understand how to be Christian in this oft-confusing world. Interim Pastor Olive actively participates in the Confirmation program with Eileen Enterline.
Each Confirmand in 2022 had an adult mentor from the congregation to help them along the way.
Our Youth Ministry program is under construction. This fall (2022) we will confirm six teenagers. We have involved our teenagers in missions projects, in social events, and in worship leadership. This is a great time for parents of teenagers to get in on the ground floor of planning and leadership! Your ideas can be shared with our Moderator, Jan Narracci, and/or with Interim Pastor Olive.
We are a SafeChurch congregation, and we practice healthy boundaries and child care policies designed to protect the emotional and physical safety of our children. All teachers are vetted and background checked. The teachers work in teams, never alone.