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Church School

If you would like to be on the mailing/email list for our Children’s Programs, please give us your contact information and the ages or grades of your child(ren) by emailing our Director, Rosemary Lamie at RosemaryL@fccog.org.

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The Church School begins with our Baby Nurseries and runs through the eighth grade. In addition to our curriculum, we also include instruction appropriate to each age group, providing our children with as broad a background as possible prior to their entering our church’s Confirmation program in the ninth grade as of September, 2013.

Church School Schedule

Classes begin each Sunday at 10:00 am. Children are welcome beginning at 9:45 am. Children’s Bibles are used in our younger classes. At the completion of a child’s third grade they are presented with a personal Bible as a gift from our church.

Click here to see the 2012-2013 Church School Brochure

Children’s Worship Services

Our children, Kindergarten and older, gather in the Meetinghouse with their families to participate in the beginning parts of worship. At a designated time, the children go to their Church School classes. Classes conclude around 11 am, the same time as worship. Children in the second grade and younger should be met at their classrooms following the service. Older children may either be met in their classrooms or at another spot determined by their parents (i.e., coffee hour).

Inreach and Outreach

Inreach and outreach are important aspects of our Church School. Our children begin to experience this concept as they participate in local and international helping programs. In this way we strive to help our children see their world as a place to do acts of kindness and share God’s love.

Grade level emphases

Beyond our curriculum, there are special emphases for each class each year. All of our children are taught about stewardship of their time, talents and treasures. Every child is given a supply of offering envelopes to bring to Church School on Sunday. We also have several mission projects throughout the year for our children to coordinate and implement, including a Heifer Project, Christmas gifts for H.O.M.E. and Pilgrim Towers, CROP Walk, and more.

We hope that all of our children experience a sense of comfort and belonging, but we focus on this especially with our three and four year-olds and kindergarteners. During these years, we want our young ones to experience church as a warm and loving community of which they are an important part. They learn simple prayers and table graces, begin to be acquainted with Bible stories and use books, games and videos in our Resource Center.

• First Grade – Begin to learn about worship by developing a sense of familiarity with use of prayers, songs, stories and contributing to an offering. They specifically learn the Lord’s Prayer.
• Second Grade – Communion education is provided by the pastors for children and their parents in a classroom format and in worship. The intent of this course is to help families determine how and when their children will begin to participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
• Third Grade – Special emphasis is placed on learning Bible stories and understanding how the Bible came to be written. The children in the class share their efforts with their parents at a Bible Breakfast during the winter. This is done in preparation for the children receiving their own Bibles as a gift from our church at the close of the year.
• Fourth Grade – This year our children learn about what it means to be a member of the United Church of Christ. They also learn about our church, its history and how it operates.
• Fifth Grade – This year the children learn about the role of outreach at our church as they develop and participate in their own local mission projects. They are also introduced to our Church School’s special program with the residents of Pilgrim Towers in Stamford.
• Sixth Grade – This class has its own curriculum that engages the group in discussions of everyday issues as well as enhances their knowledge of various Bible stories. This age group is also able to participate in the Middle School fellowship program known as Y! or JPF (Junior Pilgrim Fellowship).
• Pastors’ Class – This year Pastors’ Class is a combined class of seventh and eighth graders and they have a curriculum especially tailored by Pastor Mark Montgomery. This curriculum includes learning about, and participating in, various parts of the worship service. They also participate in the entire worship service on the first Sunday of the month when communion is served. This age group is also able to participate in the Middle School fellowship program known as Y! or JPF (Junior Pilgrim Fellowship).

Music in the Church School

We believe that music holds an important place in our children’s experiences at our church. Music reinforces what is taught, promotes a sense of fellowship, and speaks to us in ways words cannot. It is a language of holiness. Children are encouraged to participate in the choir for their age group. These choirs sing during worship several times a year.

Church School Volunteers

Our Church School Teachers are parents and other adults who volunteer from our congregation. We encourage all generations of our congregation to be actively involved in the Christian Education of our children. We also suggest that parents teach for two years for each child they have in Church School. Church School teachers add their warmth and care and have the joy of sharing their faith and becoming acquainted with the children of the church. Many high school students help teach and assist as needed. Their fresh ideas, enthusiasm and support mean a lot to our children. 

Our Church School Task Force assists the Church School Director develop programs and coordinates special events in our children’s church life beyond Sunday morning. They are a support team for our teachers and serve as liaisons between parents and teachers. Together they respond to the current needs of our faith formation program and the concerns of our families. If you are interested in either teaching or being on the Task Force, please contact Rosemary Lamie, the Church School Director.

God’s gift of love is perhaps the most perfect gift we will ever know. While this gift is freely given, we hope to encourage our children to reach out and receive it. In the midst of all these activities, it is our fervent prayer that the seeds of faith, inherent in our children, will grow and multiply as the mustard seed in Jesus’ parable. Thank you for sharing your children with us this year. Please know that throughout our year, your suggestions and your participation are always welcome.