Christian Education

College Street Church School Mission Statement:
The mission of our Church School program is to offer students an opportunity to learn about God and Jesus Christ and our church community in a meaningful and experiential way.  We want students to feel and be safe, experience a sense of community, and become familiar with our church’s services and ceremonies through participation with the congregation.  We will work with students to help them grow in their spiritual lives and encourage them to investigate their own way of contributing to the life of our church and the wider community.

Worshiping Together
According to John Westerhoff, a leading Christian educator, children’s presence in worship is not only important, but necessary. His premise is that faith is “caught” more than it is “taught,” and what better way for children to know what faith is all about than to be a part of a community that laughs together, cries together, struggles together and worships together.

Baptism
From the days of the early church, the children of believing parents have been baptized and nurtured in the family of God. This acknowledges that children, too, are part of the covenant relationship with God. When these children are older, they make their own profession of faith in Christ, affirming the faith into which they were baptized. 
Baptism marks our initiation into the Christian faith community. It is here that the one being baptized (or their parents/sponsors) make promises and the faith community pledges support. In infant baptism we have a symbol of the entire Christian life. All of us are continually growing into our baptism.

Nursery
Our nursery is available for infants and toddlers.  It is regularly staffed by paid personnel during  Sunday and Holiday worship services.  Parents are welcome to bring snacks and toys for their own children; we also have crackers and water available.  There is a play area and quiet space, as well as a separate changing area and kitchen facility available.  All areas are connected and openly visible to allow for appropriate monitoring of children.

Church School
Our church school program is for children ages 3 and up.  We use a Workshop Rotation model to deliver our curriculum, through which we explore a number of themes in depth throughout the school year.  Teaching is based on multimodal learning and repetition, with the goal that there will be a message and process suited for each individual child.  Some of our past themes have been God Makes a World, Communities of Peace, Jesus the Storyteller, Road to Emmaus, and Paul and the Early Church.  We also include units throughout the year that are focused on particular seasons, such as Advent and Lent.  There are several events and services during the year in which the children participate including our Christmas Eve Pageant, Youth Sunday, and Church School Sunday.  Youth who are 14-18 are encouraged to participate in the program as ‘shepherds’, assisting and guiding those in the younger classes.

Summer Program
Our church school program continues during the summer months with an 8 week self-designed curriculum including art projects and Bible lessons.  Under the creative direction of our Christian Education staff, the program is centered around a different general theme each summer, with a different lesson and project or activity in support of that theme each week.  Past themes have been Storytelling with Jesus and Community Ties.

Confirmation
Our confirmation program is open to youth in grades 8 to 12.  It is a three-part program, including one on one mentoring, group activities and classroom study.  Confirmation Sunday is held annually in June for those Confirmands that complete the program and wish to join our church community as members in their own right.

Youth Singers
Children ages 6 and up are encouraged and invited to participate in our youth choir, under the guidance of our Director of Music. The youth choir meets regularly for 30 minute rehearsals immediately following Sunday worship services.  The Youth Singers are featured in worship services throughout the year.

Communion
Every family has special meals. Our church family at College Street holds one the first Sunday of every month. Jesus ate many meals with his followers and considered them part of his extended family. We know that then as now, that family included children. At the meal he ate with his disciples before his death and resurrection, he asked his disciples to continue these family meals. 
Children learn by doing first and reflecting later. It is this kind of learning that takes place when children participate in the Lord’s Supper. Communion is one of the ways children learn that they are part of the family of God. As Jesus famously said, “Forbid them not ...”(Mark10:14).
On the first Sunday of each month, Church School students attend church school at the regular time and then rejoin their families in the Sanctuary for Communion.

Youth Group

The youth group is an opportunity for sixth grade through high school youth to get together for a wide variety of fellowship, study and worship, and ministry activities and events. The youth group and its activities vary from year to year, in accordance with the needs of the group.

Youth group activities may include camping trips, lock-in overnights at the church, mission trips, meetings, fun outings and activities, and Bible study.

The youth group is led by two adult volunteers and meets regularly each month.

Adult Education

Adult forums are scheduled at different times throughout the year. Adult Bible study classes may be offered after the church service on Sundays, on weekday evenings, or on weekdays at lunchtime. Volunteers are encouraged to lead adult forums.

Our fall, 2011 adult study series focuses on the Brian McLaren Book, "Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words." The 30+ participants in the series are exploring new ways of experiencing God (rather than studying about/talking about God.) These sessions are held jointly with Christ Church, Presbyterian and are held in their building (on the UVM Redstone Campus). Upcoming meetings are scheduled for October 9, 16, and 23. November sessions will be held on November 6 and 20. The group will not meet in December and will resume after the first of the year.

All are welcome! A Bible Basics study group is offered on the second Wednesday of each month; the group meets in member's homes, and the church office can provide further information.

We can all benefit from continual fortification, enrichment, and consideration. We hope that in our church community, we can encourage learning, reflection and acceptance of God’s love, both as a group and individually.

**College Street Church is committed to following Safe Church Guidelines.

For more information, contact the CSCC office at 864-7704
M - F
9:00 to 12:00