Education
Christian Education & Youth Ministry
Godly Play Instruction
Our goal at First United Methodist Church is to equip youth to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, excited about their faith and their personal relationship with God. Through fellowship with friends of all ages, service to our community and beyond, Bible studies and faith discussions, and retreats and fun trips, youth have an opportunity to discover God is everywhere and loves each of us.
Join us on Sunday mornings during the school year for Sunday School at 11:00am. We meet most Sunday evenings, call the church office to receive a monthly youth calendar!
Sunday School is offered for all ages at both 9:45 and 11:00 A.M. throughout the school year.
9:45 A.M.
3, 4, and 5 year olds are invited to Godly Play, where the children and Storyteller enter into the stories of our faith, share in the wondering, and explore the story through the response of their choice.
Jonah
Kindergarten – 6th graders are involved in Power Xpress, a curriculum using many different Stations over several weeks to study a Bible passage or story: Cooking, Storytelling, Video, Art, Games, and Science. Our themes for this semester are Noah’s Ark, Joseph, and Christmas Messengers.
11:00 A.M.
3, 4, and 5 year olds are involved in a second session of Godly Play, as described above, but with a different story so they may attend both sessions.
Kindergarten-3 rd graders experience the Bible Stories through one of the Stations of Power Xpress.
Sprouts
4th – 6th graders have a Godly Play session, entering into the story with the Storyteller, wondering, and exploring the meaning of the story for themselves and each other, and then responding through many art options.
Sunday School for youth in grades 7-12 meets in the attic room. Come strengthen your friendship with God in lots of ways: Bible studies, Noomas, movie clips, TV series, Godly Play, and more!
Sprouts
Sprouts is a discipleship group for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders that meets for 8 week sessions several times during the year. This group works on Acts of Devotion, Worship, Kindness, and Justice. Several recurring projects this group has worked on have been interviewing members of our congregation and making banners for their loved ones for All Saints Day, preparing a Living Gift Market for the Heifer Project, selling bags for AfricaBags, and the PET! Sprouts meets on Wednesdays from 4-5:30pm, check the calendar for exact dates. Our next start date is February 17, 2010, hope to see you there!!
Godly Play Spoken Here!
“Godly Play” is a term coined by Jerome Berryman to describe an approach to children’s spiritual formation that is based on creating a sacred space in which to present the stories of our faith, wonder about them together, and then allow the children open-ended opportunities to enter the story on their own terms. Here at First UMC you will find Godly Play being used with all ages!
Check out the Devozine web site for discussion room,writers corner, prayer wall and devo of the week
Other web sites for you to check out:
Young People’s Ministries web site has lots of information on what’s happening for United Methodist youth!
Music
Music is an important part of all of our faith journeys, and our children have an opportunity each Sunday morning to sing some of their favorites, as well as learn some new ones to share in worship once a month. This happens from 12:00-12:20pm. on the 2nd and 4th Sunday morning. For 4th grade -12th grade.
VBS
Vacation Bible School 2010 will be Sunday – Thursday July 11th – 15th. Join us for the Galactic Blast; a cosmic adventure prasing God. VBS is for children ages 3 years old – 6th grade.
Workcamp
Workcamp is for youth grades 7-12 and will take place in Fairbanks June 15th-20th 2010. Watch your youth mailing for more information.
