children

Marked, claimed, gathered and sent, our goal in Children’s Ministry is to journey with parents and children in faith formation, as we learn to live out Jesus’ love.

Resources for Faith Formation at home and the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at:

• Ministry Links Online
• ELCA Children’s Ministry
• Sparkhouse Blog
• Beaming Books Blog
• Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19 from the National Association of School Psychologists
• It’s OK to Be a Different Kind of Parent During the Pandemic from The Atlantic
• Faithful Parenting in a Pandemic from Wendy Claire Barrie
• Coronavirus Workbook from the Yale Child Study Center & Scholastic Collaborative for Child and Family Resilience
• Young Children at Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Importance of Self-Care from Zero to Three
• Funerals in the Time of a Pandemic: A Guide for Children and Families from Good Grief

“Tween Tuesday!” at 7:30pm over Zoom. Younger and older siblings are always welcome!

Bible Bedtime Stories Thursdays at 7:30pm. For about 30 minutes Stephanie will be reading stories, saying prayers, and teaching a Bible verse over Zoom. PJs and stuffed animals are encouraged! As Stephanie will be holding the storybooks up to the camera on her laptop, the bigger the screen your kids use, the better. Also, using Speaker view in Zoom (vs. Gallery view) will offer the best view of the storybooks.

Vacation Bible School is a week-long fun, engaging, hands-on Bible learning experience in August.  Children from 4 years old through 5th grade may enroll.  Middle school and high school students are encouraged to volunteer.  Summer 2020’s VBS theme is Rocky Railway: Jesus' Power Pulls Us Through.  VBS is just the ticket!  Climb aboard for mountains of fun at Rocky Railway! On this faith-filled adventure, kids discover that trusting Jesus pulls them through life’s ups and downs. VBS will be held August 3-7, 2020 from 9:30am - 12 noon.

My Grown-Up & Me class is for children under 3 and their accompanying adults.  Children are first introduced to the Christian faith through songs, musical instruments, puppets, bean bags, parachute, bubbles, stories, and a simple, small craft.  Children are able to make their first Sunday school friends and parents are able to get to know other parents in the congregation with young children in this fun, interactive class.  Parents of young children are also supported through monthly newsletters that help families incorporate faith into their everyday lives.

Preschool through 6th grade Sunday school uses a three-year curriculum based on the Revised Common Lectionary that ties worship and Sunday school.  Sunday school lessons connect kids with the Bible stories they and their parents hear in worship.  Currently we are using the Spark Lectionary curriculum.

7th grade Sunday school meets during regular Sunday school time and is considered our “pre-confirmation” year.  Students cover the Bible from creation to Revelation to prepare them for confirmation classes in 8th and 9th graders.  We use the Colaborate: Bible Study curriculum.

Good News Bibles are presented to our students at the beginning of their 3rd grade year.  Students in 3rd-6th grades bring their Bibles with them each week to be used in Sunday school.

First Holy Communion classes are held for 4th graders during the season of Lent.  No particular age for first communion is prescribed by the ELCA and any parent of a baptized child wishing their child to receive communion earlier should contact Pastor Linderman.  The sacrament of communion is discussed with all 4th graders for three Sunday school classes.  Currently we use A Place for You curriculum by Daniel Erlander available from Augsburg Fortress.

Junior Youth Group is for 3rd – 8th graders and meets monthly for fun activities and service projects.  Members of the Junior Youth Group are encouraged to attend weekend retreats and summer camps.  Summer camp and retreats are held Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center in Port Murray, NJ.  The NJ Synod of the ELCA sponsors youth events such as New Jersey Synod Youth Retreat.

Parents of Sunday school aged children are invited to meet with Pastor Linderman several times during the year to discuss raising a Lutheran in the 21st century.