Sunday School
Our children meet in the Church Sanctuary at 10:30 each Sunday morning from mid-September through mid-June to participate in the initial parts of worship. Pastor Traceymay then calls the children and young adults forward by name and they settle in for Children’s Time. After a short blessing, the congregation sings the children out of the Sanctuary to their Sunday School class, held in the Dublin Community Center right next-door. Our classroom offers a large open, light-filled space for our Sunday morning faith formation. Throughout the year our walls and/or space are filled with rotating art exhibits, which we take full advantage of! We also offer a video recorded Sunday School Lesson each week; it is usually about 15 minutes long and can be viewed on the DCC Website.
All children from nursery school through eighth grade are welcome to join at any time of the year. Our multi-age classroom is open to first through eighth graders. There is a separate space for nursery aged children, but, if at all possible, we like to keep the little ones close by in the classroom – everyone seems to benefit from the inclusion. Confirmation classes are offered for all young adults in the 7th or 8th grade. We are an Open and Affirming Church affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
Rosamond “Yummy” Cady, DCC Director of Christian Education, is our teacher. There is always either a high school assistant or parent present in each class, following strict adherence to Safe Church Policy (available upon request). Our program focuses on how each child can make a contribution to their faith, family, church, community and world. Our teachings are grounded in social justice, lifting up the teachings of the Bible, offering alternatives to world views that emphasize power and wealth, and helping those in need, both locally and globally. Our Sunday School is very child-directed, each class open to the spirit that each child brings. Our children are deeply valued members of our faith community.
Each December our children gift their Church Family with a deeply meaningful Christmas Pageant. And each June we honor and celebrate our children during Children’s Sunday. Both of these child-focused services are revered traditions within our church.
Our program seeks ways for the children to be active in all of church life. During the four weeks of Advent our children lead their church family in participating in alternative giving through Heifer International. (www.heifer.org). They also partner with our Stewardship Committee each Fall to help bring awareness to the importance of supporting our church and are always willing to help out on Outreach Committee projects.
For more information feel free to call our Director of Christian Education, Yummy Cady, at 603-924-3120 or email her at thecadys@myfairpoint.net.
ABC’S for Worshipping with Children
Action: Kids are where the action is! Children are a huge part of the Love and Spirit of God. Giggles or the sound of small feet hitting the backs of the pews are joyful sounds! Sitting up front, where the kids can see everything that’s going on can help focus their attention.
Bulletins: The Children’s Bulletins can be both engaging and educational. There are puzzles and activities that relate to the scripture reading for the day. Make it part of your child’s job to pick one up when entering the church. Drawing supplies are also available.
Children and Youth Message: Encourage your child to go up front for Traceymay’s meaningful message and prayer. You are welcome to come, too! We all learn a lot from that time in our worship!
Demonstrate: Help your children move through the parts of worship by pointing out to them the various things that are happening in the Order of Worship in your bulletins. Help them participate in the Call to Worship, let them help you find the hymn number (or, if older, encourage them to stand and sing the hymn), during the Unison Prayer show them what it means to be “at prayer” with your church family, and they can definitely be part of our glorious Alleluia Response. And one of the big positives for sitting close to the front is that the children can see our wonderful choir sing!
Energy: Remember to celebrate the energy and vitality our children bring to worship every week. Children model Christ in ways we can’t imagine, but for their example. Smile at them, encourage them, as we, in turn, are encouraged by them to see and hear God in new and exciting ways.
