Youth at First UCC

Church school:  The mission of religious education at First Congregational UCC is to provide opportunities for children to learn Christian values and to experience Christian community in ways that are meaningful to them.  

Safe Sanctuary policies and procedures are being developed for implementation in program year 2005-2006.  We are currently training all parents who help, all teens who assist, and all our youth leaders.  For more information on our policies to ensure the safety of children, call Jill Christopherson at 834-2668.

Sunday morning educational programs are offered for children through the eighth grade.  Special learning opportunities are offered during the summer and at various times throughout the year. 

Youth programs are offered on Sunday mornings/eve and Wednesday afternoons/evenings.  Sunday programs include the nursery and Sunday School.  Wednesday programs include youth choirs, and youth groups for  Middle school (6, 7, 8 grades).  High School Groups meet on Sunday evenings at 6pm.

Nursery

Nursery:  First Congregational UCC provides the nursery as part of its ministry to your whole family.  You may keep your child with you to worship as a family.  However, in the nursery, you may be confident that your child will receive attention and introduction to the basic stories of faith.  Knowing that we are caring for your child, you may relax and enjoy the worship experience. 

You are welcome to stay with your child in the nursery.  Or, we are always looking for individuals who make caring for children part of their own ministry.  If you would like to volunteer, please call the church office at 715-834-2668.

Nursery Information For Your Comfort:

Our staff, Paul and Pam Braun, coordinate the care of nursery and preschool children.  Trained volunteers also work to provide a safe, secure and enjoyable atmosphere for your children ages 0-5.  Nursery is available Sundays from 9:45-11:15 a.m. with a free play area available after that time and CongoKingdom for children over 5.

We ask that you do not bring your child to the nursery if he or she appears to be sick or has symptoms of contagious illness.

We will make every attempt to help your child adjust to the nursery.  If this is not possible, we will locate you in the sanctuary.  Please sign your child in when you arrive in the nursery.  Place a name tag on your child, preferably on the back where they cannot remove it.  Label any personal belongings that you are leaving in the nursery.

Please inform the volunteers of all important information or instructions that will be needed during your child's time in the nursery.  There is juice and snack provided midway through the service.  We would want to know about your child's food allergies or other special needs.

Sunday School

The CongoKingdom begins once the children leave worship about 10:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings.  Children (K-8th grade) meet their shepherds and teachers in the Gathering Place and go to their lesson that lasts until 11:15 a.m. 

CongoKingdom teaches using the Workshop Rotation Model.  This is a Christian education model through which students learn stories and essential faith lessons by computer, drama, art, games, and video - each class visits a different workshop each week.

At the beginning of a five-week rotation, all students, grades K through 8, gather together to hear the scripture story, to sing and pray together.  During the next four Sundays, the shepherds and workshop leaders guide students more deeply into the different aspects of the story experienced in the workshops.  Children in K-1 classes have age appropriate lessons and activities, but go to their own classroom with the same teachers each week.

Workshop Rotation tailors the Sunday lesson to the resources available in our congregation, develops stimulus rich learning environments, and shares faith stories using multi-intelligence teaching methods (See www.rotation.org for more information about the Workshop Rotation Model).

If you are interested in sharing your faith and your gifts with our children, we are very interested in talking with you about how you might contribute through the workshop rotation in CongoKingdom.  Please contact the Director of Religious Education, Jill Christopherson at 715-834-2668 or at jillc@firstucceauclaire.org 

Wednesday Evening Youth Programming:

Here's the schedule for Wednesdays:

Afternoon:

• Grades 1-4 have choir 4-4:40.

• Grades 5-8 have choir from 4:45-5:30 p.m.

Dinner:

• Youth Meals:  Served to all youth every Wednesday night starting at 5:30 p.m.  Want to volunteer to make a Wednesday night meal? 
  E-mail Jill Christopherson:  jillc@firstucceauclaire.org or 834-2668.

Evening:  Click here for Youth Calendar and Info

Confirmation Update:

Confirmation continues on Sept. 16 when all the confirmands are introduced to the congregation.

Meetings this year:  Sep. 30  Retreat:  Oct. 27-8-9  Jan. 6 '08.  Bring your workbooks!

Confirmation is an independent and group study program that allows high school aged youth to complete the confirmation process in 1 to 4 years.  Leaders supervise their progress.  Meetings occur approx. 4 times per year as a group.

Youth Choirs

Youth Choir rehearsals  The Treble Choir (grades 1-4) rehearse from 4-4:40 p.m. and the Descant Choir (grades 5-8)  from 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  The High School Choir (grades 9-12) rehearses on specific weeks before they perform.  

All children and youth of the church are invited to be part of the youth choir program. Those new to the program are welcome to visit a rehearsal or tow before deciding about further participation.  All rehearsals are in the Education Room on the lower level of the church. 

For more info, e-mail Jill Christopherson at jillc@firstucceauclaire.org

Other Opportunities

Other Youth Opportunities:

• United Church Camps - A Program Ministry of the Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ.  The Northwest Association Wisconsin Conference is offering camp scholarships.