Children formation brochure 2013

Children’s Christian Formation Sunday Mornings 315 E. Pecan St. | San Antonio, TX 78205 | 210-226-2426 | www.stmarks-sa.org

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Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Pre-School Room 204

Godly Play Kindergarten and 1st grade Room 206

Holy Moly 2nd and 3rd grade Room 208

212 Ministry 4th through 6th grade Room 212

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ur goal is to provide a safe and enriching spiritual formation experience that children and families can enjoy. We carefully select and use a variety of Christian formation curriculum materials to meet the needs of young people at different stages of Christian development.

Our Children’s Christian Formation Program at St. Mark’s is both planned and progressive. That’s just one way the scope and sequence of our Sunday school offerings can keep children engaged and learning from preschool through sixth grade. We have four beautiful and wellequipped classrooms that are leveled by age and grade, and they lead into one another in terms of both content and approach. Children in our classes are able to hear and consider familiar and lesser known Bible stories and messages using a variety of materials with each new class.

Although there are clear links between our Sunday school rooms, they still differ from one another enough to keep the information fresh and the curriculum feeling new for the children that participate regularly and year -after-year. Better yet, the content for each weekly session is designed so that children can visit our classrooms at any time of the year and still participate fully. We also offer regular opportunities for children to enjoy fellowship during age-appropriate, hands-on activities each week. So jump right in - you don’t have to attend every week to become fully engaged in the stories, discussions, and activities in our Sunday school sessions!

* In keeping with the Safe Church policies and procedures of the Diocese of West Texas, two trained volunteer teachers are consistently present in each of our Sunday school classrooms.

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CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD Age – PreK Room – 204 – the Atrium

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children. It is rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a faith formation experience for children based on the premise that God and the child share a relationship, the curriculum is designed to develop the religious potential of every child and produces in the child the desire to draw nearer to God.

Children gather in an "atrium," a room prepared for them, which contains simple yet beautiful materials that they use. The Atrium is more a place of worship than a traditional classroom. It is an environment created so that children can develop a living, personal relationship with God. The Atrium is a place where Jesus Christ is encountered by reading and reflecting on the Bible, through prayer and singing, and by exploring the liturgy.

How do these materials help the religious life of children? If an adult hears a beautiful passage from the Bible, the adult might take a Bible, find the passage, and read it slowly again and again. He or she may think deeply about the words and perhaps speak to God in a thankful or hopeful prayer. But a little child, too young to read, needs another way. In an atrium the child can ponder a biblical passage or a prayer from the liturgy by taking the material for that text and working with it - placing wood figures of sheep in a sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, setting sculpted apostles around a Last Supper table, or preparing a small altar with the furnishings used for the Eucharist. Older children who are able to read often copy parables from the Bible, lay in order written prayers from the rite of baptism, or label a long time line showing the history of the kingdom of God. For more information about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd visit http://www.cgsusa.org/.

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GODLY PLAY Age – K and 1st Grade Room – 206 In an age where we feel we need to meet children in their high-tech world, Godly Play is a unique way to present the beautiful and eloquent truths of the Bible in a very simple, natural form with no bells or whistles. “In most religious education, children are told who God is. In Godly Play, children discover who God is.” Using the principles of learning in the Montessori method, we respond to the child’s request to ‘help me do it by myself.’ It shares spiritual education in a beautiful, peaceful, intimate manner, demonstrating the power and richness of God through meaningful and intentional presentations of His Word. This puts the teacher in the role of spiritual supporter or guide who fully accepts that each child has his or her own relationship with God already.

Godly Play Bible stories are told gracefully and beautifully using simple hands on figures, made of natural and meticulously designed materials The storyteller, serves as a “guide” to the truth being told. Then, sits back and asks, “I wonder …?” allowing the children to find their own way.

Children are encouraged to explore their thoughts, ideas and feelings about the story through expressive art following the presentation. Godly Play is definitely a philosophy of teaching not a quick curriculum.

For more information about Godly Play visit http://www.godlyplay.org.

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HOLY MOLY Age – Grade 2 and 3 Room – 208

Every Holy Moly lesson follows a four-part sequence: Discover, Relate, Connect, and Create.

Each week, participants watch an animated Bible story video, talk about the story, read their Bible Storybook or Bible, and try a creative leaflet activity.

Holy Moly follows the arc of the biblical narrative, spanning the Old Testament and New Testament, students interact with the Bible in every lesson. Animated videos of the Bible stories don’t use narration. Instead, visuals and sound effects give participants the opportunity to retell the story in their own words. After class, Holy Moly participants walk away retelling the stories they’ve learned and take home completed activities to share with their family.

For more information about Holy Moly visit http://wearesparkhouse.org

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212 MINISTRY—CONNECT Age – Grade 4, 5, 6 Room – 212

This program for young people in 4th through 6th grade meets on Sunday mornings in room 212 on the second floor. In fact, that’s how we came up with the name ‘212 Ministry’

On most Sundays, we delve into both familiar and lesser known bible stories through funny videos, open discussions, activities and games using the Connect curriculum. This curriculum encourages older children and young teens to talk about how biblical tales and messages apply to their lives today.

Several times throughout the year we also plan and prepare to support special community outreach events like Christmas to the Street Bar-BQue, and parish celebrations like our annual Easter egg hunt. These early experiences with community service are just one way to prepare 6th graders for the transition to our youth group, which puts heavy emphasis on outreach activities and living into the Christian message.

Our 6th graders also form the leadership team for 212, and are invited to meet on Wednesday evenings from 6-7 pm to plan Sunday lessons and outreach activities - and to eat lots of yummy snacks.

For more information about Holy Moly visit http://wearesparkhouse.org

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PARENT INFO FOR SUNDAYS

Parents of younger children are asked to drop off and pick up their children - in person. We ask parents to stay on church property while their children are in Christian Formation classes.

Some parents wonder why they are not encouraged to enter the Godly Play and Catechesis rooms during class time. These rooms are more than classrooms, they are a carefully, prayerfully prepared special place for the community of children. Even the teachers keep their profiles low during these sessions. We would be happy to welcome you on a visit to a room outside of session time. Speak with any of the teachers to arrange a visit, or to ask any questions you might have about the program.

Christian Formation is a dynamic, unceasing program of growth and development which each of us experiences in our lives as a continuing activity that gives shape and meaning to all activities of life. Christian formation is an ongoing apprenticeship in the Christian life.

We call it Christian Formation rather than Christian Education because we want to remember that our goal is not just to obtain information, but to be transformed into the image of Christ based on the truth we learn and experience.

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At St. Mark’s Church, we believe that Christian Formation is a lifelong venture that broadens and deepens our faith and knowledge. We seek to offer meaningful Christian Formation programs for every stage of life. Students of all ages learn Bible Stories, apply related Bible truths, and engage in age appropriate discussion.

Sunday Christian Formation for children endeavors to support and supplement the family’s efforts to raise children as followers of Christ.

Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about the Sunday School material and what it means. It’s a perfect conversation piece for a family faith discussion around the dinner table or right before bed.

The Sunday School curriculum, paired with your parenting are the resources that our youngsters can call upon throughout the rest of their lives, through good times and the occasional rough patches as they grow in their faith through the rest of their lives.

Being involved in Christian Formation while they are young is foundational to their faith – the building blocks upon which they increase their knowledge and faith.

Children’s Formation (Sunday School) Sunday Mornings 10:10a.m.

Catechesis of Godly Play the Good Kindergarten Shepherd and 1st grade Pre-School Room 206 Room 204

Holy Moly 2nd and 3rd grade Room 208

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212 Ministry 4th through 6th grade Room 212

ST. MARK'S NURSERY The nursery provides childcare for parishioners and visitors during church worship services, Christian Formation, and other parish events.

Parents/grandparents/guardians sign- in for services by entering contact information in the parent pager system at the nursery check-in station.

For more information about nursery childcare Janet Carrizales, Nursery Director at 210-226-2426 or jcarrizales@stmarks-sa.org.

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CHILDREN'S CHAPEL The purpose of Children's Chapel is that the gospel is accessible to children on more developmentally appropriate terms.

Children's Chapel meets weekly during the 9:00 a.m. service.

(10:00 a.m. service during the summer) It is a pint-sized worship service in the Jerusalem Chapel for wiggle-age children while parents are participating in church. The children process out of the church, following a crucifer, during the Sequence Hymn before The Gospel and they return during The Peace.

At Children’s Chapel they sing age-appropriate songs, recite a creed, participate in prayers, and engage in a Bible story.

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