First Parish Church of Newbury Sunday School Program

Sunday School

Sunday School Open House

Our first big event of the year, the Open House, was held on September 6th! This year's theme was Spy Kids (Kids Investigating Divine Stories). Making a hand print

They painted rocks for the children's garden; put their colorful handprints on the wall in the art classroom; played with legos & playdough; assembled a giant puzzle together; met 'JumpBud' a very cool bullfrog; decorated delicious cupcakes; ate popcorn and watched their Sunday School videos; and had a blast playing on the new drama stage with the dress up clothes!

The Sunday School Stage

It was beautiful to see all the smiling faces on the children; to hear all the laughter and sounds of joy; and to feel the incredible energy and excitement in the church!!

Many heartfelt thanks go out to all the volunteers who help make the Open House a success. We hope that you will come and join us on September 6th and meet all of the folks who make this program possible.

First Parish Church of Newbury Sunday School: 2009-2010 Session

Our Sundayschool program starts September 13, 2009 and runs to May 23, 2010. Each Sunday the program starts at 10:00am to 11am.

OUR MISSION:

To create a loving, safe & joyful environment where our children can learn about themselves, each other and the world; where they can make new friends; where they can experience the joy of giving and trusting relationships; where they can learn about the bible & God within; where they will be surrounded by a loving community together in faith…

OUR MODEL:

First Parish Church of Newbury is proud to share with you the expansion and transformation of the Children’s Sunday School program. We are offering an exciting new “Rotation Workshop Model” in which we will teach bible stories and concepts through kid-friendly multi-media workshops. We have created six fun and beautiful classrooms: Arts/Crafts, Cooking, Science, Games, Drama and a Movie Theater Room.

The children will learn one bible story per month. We will begin each Sunday in the “Children’s Chapel” to discuss an overview of the bible story. The children will then break off into small groups (organized by age: pre-k; kindergarten; 1st-2nd; and 3rd-5th) and will rotate every Sunday to a different workshop to participate in fun, hands-on activities to gain further understanding of the bible story. This model allows children with all different learning styles and abilities to really learn the bible stories and also children are able to develop long term memory of the stories due to repetition. As Stewards of Earth and Spirit, each month our program also incorporates an emphasis on both environmental issues and community service.

All children receive a certificate of completion at the end of the year and children who are entering the 2nd grade receive a bible.

OUR TEACHERS:

One of the many benefits of the Rotation Workshop Model is that it allows adults in the congregation to participate in teaching according to their particular talents, passions and interests. One teacher teaches the same workshop for four weeks with some minor adjustments made for different age groups. Teachers are therefore able to improve each week because they teach the same lesson and it allows for teachers to receive spiritual renewal upstairs.

EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY SERVICE OF PAST YEARS:

1.Children decorated pumpkins for a local nursing home

2.Families baked cookies together & the children packaged the cookies & made beautiful Thanksgiving cards. Cookies were hand-delivered to housebound congregants, Pettingil House & Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center.

3.The Sunday School organized a Christmas Stocking Stuffer drive to help teens from the Pettingil House; Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center & Newbury Elementary School.

4.The children put together Easter bags full of candy & toys and hand delivered them to the Pettingil House.

Other Offerings

OUR NURSERY

Our nursery is available for parents to spend time with their children during services if they need to take a break from the service. Our nursery room is a beautiful and welcoming space for parents, babies & toddlers birth- 3 years.

OUR TEEN PROGRAM

Our Teen Program is currently under construction- More information to follow!!

EXAMPLES OF OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL’S ENVIRONMENTAL VISION

1.Children decorated canvas bags to use in place of plastic/paper bags while shopping

2.Children painted coffee mugs for congregants to help reduce plastic waste during church coffee hour

3.Children made “Spirit Scrub” an environmentally friendly cleaning product

4.Children helped clean local playgrounds and parks for Earth Day

OUR HOPE

You’ll join us & come experience our wonderful Sunday School! Please visit any Sunday; no advance registration or call is needed. Both members & non-members are welcome. Feel free to drop in or contact: Heather Ryan and Lynn Kinsella at sundayschoolleaders@firstparishofnewbury.org. You may also call the church office at (978) 465 - 5597 and leave a message for Heather and Lynn.