Children And Youth
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
- Matthew 19:14
MINISTRY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
Young people are not the “future of the church”—they are a part of the church right now. FLC is a safe, nurturing place for all children, and we believe their contributions to our life of faith are essential to who we are as a community. Young people have many opportunities for living out their faith at FLC. They are welcome to use their gifts in worship as musicians, acolytes, readers, and ushers. Sunday School children sing in worship on festival days in the church year.
We place great emphasis on building community at FLC, and have many intergenerational activities throughout the year where young people and adults gather together for a meal, conversation, Bible study, and games. Exploring our faith together in this way helps foster relationships in the church, avoids treating children as a separate group, and takes the faith of every single person seriously. Children and young people are a part of all our church activities, including picnics, coffeehouses, service projects, and trips to places like Heifer International's educational farm in Rutland, and the Living Nativity at Christmas.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday School is not so much a “school” as it is a place where children explore the mysteries of God, build friendships, and learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Each Sunday at 9:30 AM from September to May, children from age 3 to grade 5 gather with adult teachers and mentors to immerse themselves in God's story.
Just as kids learn in different ways, they engage their faith in different ways. On Sunday morning, our children hear the gospel story from the lectionary on their level and explore what it has to do with their lives. This is the same story they will hear again in worship with their parents, and which they will engage again with the Pastor during the children's sermon. We believe that parents play a critical role in the faith formation of their child, and that long before they set foot in a Sunday School classroom, children learn from their parents what being a Christian means. We have many resources to help parents talk about faith with their children and introduce faith practices into family life.
When they gather on Sunday mornings, our children sing songs -- sometimes leading us in worship -- and pray for the needs of others. They learn the beginnings of Christian stewardship through giving of their time, talent, and treasure, and always do something creative and fun. Our current curriculum is called Whirl, and features a story Bible and fun videos with Bible characters to engage children with the story.