Youngster League
The goal of our Youngster League is to teach and point our kids to the unconditional love and grace and goodness of God made known to us in Jesus Christ. We accomplish this by the following means:
- learning the story of Jesus and the story of God’s special relationship with the Jewish people
- exploring and experiencing the classic elements of Christian worship
- celebrating God’s gifts of creativity by making songs, images, and stories
- fostering an ethic of care and a sense of responsibility and for each other and for all of creation.
Motivation: Wholeseome Faith Not Religious Manipulation
At its best, the Church has proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Good News of God’s radical love and engagement with the world. At its worst, the Church has used tactics such as fear, guilt and shame to manipulate people (including children) according to bolster some agenda.
Our aim in religious education and spiritual formation is to create a climate of trust and nurture that helps foster an awareness and receptivity to God as known in Jesus and experienced in worship. We would never denigrate other religions or other expressions of religious belief in our teaching. Our open and inclusive theology and beliefs are an important part of our Youngster League. So we have no other agenda than simply pointing our youngsters to the bounteous love and grace of God that is shown to us in Jesus Christ.
Youngster League
Sunday Education Program
The purpose of our nursery is to create a climate of trust and nurture for newborns and toddlers in a space that is clean, safe, and professionally staffed.
Youngsters ages 3 through 6 are invited to participate in Godly Play, a Montessori School based program in which children learn the classic stories of the Bible in a way that is interactive and creative. Godly Play is not based on contemporary entertainment styles but on actual worship. Each week, the lesson takes place in the context of a worship service that includes liturgical elements such as lighting the Christ candle, liturgical calls and responses, prayers of the community, and a Eucharistic meal (a simple feast).
Future plans
As we (and our youngsters) continue to grow, kids in Kindergarten through 2nd grade will participate in a lectionary-based education program that encourages participation in the stories of the Bible and attempts to foster creative engagement with the stories of the Bible.
Youngsters in grades 3 through 5 will also participate in a lectionary-based Christian education program that focuses on the central stories of the Bible and attempts to create a climate of trust in which community can be formed.
