Hello St. Michael’s parents,
Welcome to the NEW 2023-2024 Sunday School Program year!
Our Sunday School program year plays a vital role for the children at St. Michael’s in educating, nurturing, and modeling our Christian education and formation. This year we will be learning lessons from Mini Revolutions curriculum based on the Revised Common Lectionary. This program corresponds beautifully with the essentials of faith in our weekly adult worship and guides the children to develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
It is meaningful for today’s changing world; with many components Living the Good news did not offer. What I love about this NEW curriculum is the imagining and open-ended questions that connect the children deeply with the scriptures. Including, hands on activity to look it up and highlight a moment in history to relate scripture to life. The activity allows the children to think creatively about the scripture through building & design, earth care, social justice, self-care, compassion, social/emotional learning, science, technology, and art. The lesson is formatted to end with a prayer and simple micro practice/ ritual anchored to help form healthy, spiritual, and mindful habits.
Our primary goal is to share the Gospel with the children, have them participate in an activity, and allow self-awareness to draw them closer to knowing God through scripture.
We will be having three levels in the Sunday School: Level 1 is for 3 years to Kindergarten; Level 2 is 1st and 2nd grades; and Bridge will be 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.
Classes begin Sunday, September 10, Please join us to explore your child’s classroom and to ask any questions you may have about the program.
I also would like to ask that each parent verify they are signed up for the e-Sword newsletter. This is where all the communication is for upcoming events. Throughout the year we will have children participate in many of the church activities. The socialization for the kids, while attending other church events, strengthens bonds between the Sunday School classmates. Some highlights from the program will be Sunday Kick-off, Blessing of the Animals, St. Michael’s Day, Trunk or Treat, All Saints Day, and special events like a dramatizing Epiphany Pageant, Burying the Alleluias in Lent, participating in a children’s Ash Wednesday service, Stations of the Cross, and Journey through Holy Week, as well as Vacation Bible School.
Each month we will have an additional lesson for your child’s Christian education. Some of these lessons will be how to read the Bible, how to make the sign of the cross, understanding the parts of the worship service, how to recite The Lord’s Prayer, how to pray, and how to follow along with the bulletin in worship.
I am excited to be part of this amazing church community and am committed to your child’s church program. I encourage you to have consistent attendance this year and possibly be a part of the Sunday School Program. We will not be having snack in Sunday school this year. New to the schedule this year is 9:50am -10:00am for Children’s Music Time, then 10:00am – 10:10am for Bridge Music time and 10:00 – 10:40 Gospel lesson and activity in individual classrooms. We also take turns with a new line leader each week making sure everyone has a turn to lead us back into the main worship space. We enter Church at the Doxology approximately 10:45am. Parents can have their children join them in the pews. Children of the Sunday school and church volunteers can sit in the front reserved pews as a group.
Once again, it is a blessing to have all of you with us again this year! Registration is online. I have also included a form in this letter. I am always open for discussion or if you have any questions, please call me. Lastly, please make sure your child has an updated registration form on file as well as signing up for the Sword newsletter.
Welcome Back!! Kimberly Curtis, St. Michael’s Sunday School Director
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Certainly, one of the main focuses of St. Michael’s Children’s Ministries is Sunday Church School, but there are many other opportunities for children and families at our parish. Some Highlights Include:
We invite your children to join us on Sunday mornings for worship. Regular attendance is requested.
When: 9:50 am -10:40 am (drop-off at 9:50 am and music time).
Where: Children gather together in the Sunday School classrooms located on the lower level of the church.
Who: Age 3 - 5th Grade
What: When children arrive, music time will start their morning, followed by instruction which is in connection with the liturgical calendar. Church School continues until approximately 10:40 am, at which time, the children are brought upstairs to join their parents in the nave for Communion and the end of the Service. No snacks are served during Sunday School.
Nursery care is available at 9:15 am for any younger children in diapers during the 10 am service. The nursery is located downstairs near the elevator.
To register for Church School click here.
To particpate in the Sunday School as a Teacher Volunteer contact:
During the year we have services scheduled especially to allow families to worship and enjoy together. They include:
Each year, St. Michael's holds VBS for one week. This is usually the last week of July following the last preschool camp.
The Children's Choir is always looking for new voices. Interested young singers are encouraged to join at any time. Practice is on Saturday mornings at 9:15am. Please contact Sara Torbeck, childrens music director:
Performance on Sunday, September 24th for Bishop Joseph from Renk, Sudan.
During the season of Epiphany we prepare third graders or older to celebrate their First or Solemn Communion. This is a six week period of preparation during which we carefully look at the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and the Eucharist with children. The children respond according to their desire for the sacrament and their personal maturity, which is discerned with the help of the family and the teachers.
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