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Faith Formation Program
Registration Form for Faith Formation Programs 2011-2012
Please click here - Registration Form 2011-2012
Faith Formation/Christian Education
Faith Formation is the center of congregational life at Brookside. You might ask, “What do you mean by faith formation?” It is best explained by a story. “A Pastor was visiting an old farmer. In their conversation the farmer made two statements. One was that he had read the Bible, cover to cover, four times; the second was that he hated his neighbor.” The farmer had known the story but the story hadn’t informed and formed his life. Being a people of faith is more than telling and hearing the stories. It is letting the stories form and shape our lives. That is why we say faith formation is the center or our congregation’s life. We come together to tell and hear the stories of our faith and to let the stories shape and form what we say, think, and do. Here all ages gather and through story, ritual, and relationships, our lives are informed and formed in the Christian way of life.
Faith Formation for 3 Year-Olds through 7th Grade
Our Faith formation program is a Rotational Workshop model. The children focus on one Biblical theme for 4 to 6 weeks. Every Sunday the children attend a workshop on the selected theme. They hear the Bible story that is the basis of the Unit and participate in an activity that reinforces the theme. Based on the Multiple Intelligence theory, workshops include art, cooking, games, music, science, storytelling, and video.
Our program starts in September and goes to the first Sunday in June, but children are welcome to join any time during the year. In the summer we offer a multi-age workshop each Sunday for children 4 years old through 3rd grade.
The first Sunday of the month, Communion Sunday, children go to their workshops at 10:00 and join the congregation for Communion which follows the offering. On all other Sundays the children join the congregation for the beginning of worship. After the Time with Gods Children, shepherds meet the children in the hall outside the Sanctuary and escort them to their workshops. The shepherds stay with the children for the workshop and provide the children with a consistent presence throughout the year. We give parents of 3 year-olds the choice of having their children with them in worship, in the nursery or in the 3 and 4 year-old class. Because 3 and 4 year-olds like consistency, this class has a permanent classroom, two shepherds who alternate units and the workshop teachers come to their room. At the end of the workshop, which can go to 11:15, older children are escorted to the Fellowship Hall. Parents of 3 and 4 year-olds meet the shepherd and the children by the benches downstairs in the hallway, between Rooms D and E.
Nursery Care - Infants through 3 Years
For Children 3 and under, we provide Nursery care from 9:00 on Sundays when the choir is singing - 9:45 all other Sundays - to the end of the service. Parents can choose to have their young children in worship with them or they can be dropped off in the Nursery/Crib Room before the service or taken down to the room at any time during the service. There is an adult and a teenager in the room at all times. The adults sign up to be in the room for a month giving continuity for the young children.
If you are interested or have any questions about our Faith Formation programs please contact our Church School Coordinator, Fran Hakenson, 669-2807 ext. 104.
Art from Symbols of Holy Week Unit
Palm Sunday Jesus' Last Meal
 
What Jesus Saw From the Cross
Free Resources for Families
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Spark Story Bible - If you have not received one for your family, please see Fran. This is a great Bible for you to read to your young child.
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"Kingsleys Meadow" dvd - a four-DVD set of Bible stories. There are songs for each story and the presentation has humor as well as important values that are stressed.
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Spark Family magazine - they are located in the Narthex and back hallway by the church office.
If you would like a copy of these resources for your family, please see Fran.
Adult Formation Programs
This year our adult programs have been centered on the trip to Israel that will take place in April 2013. We have been meeting with The Temple Adath Yeshurum (TAY) in preparation for the trip. In the fall we meet at TAY for a four week program. This winter we visited each other worship services, with at meeting the Monday before to educate ourselves about each other services. We also had a one night book study on James Michener’s The Source. We look forward to another 4 week course this Spring and another in the Fall.
We also had two adult book study nights. One was a book study on The Red Tent by Anita Diamant and the second was a discussion of the book Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo.
During Lent we have a five week study on Wednesday nights in the lounge after the Lenten Worship and Soup Supper.
Check with the Chronicle and the weekly bulletins for more information about these programs.
Confirmation Classes - 8th Grade
Please click here for more information.
Youth Groups
Click here for more information, Youth Groups at Brookside Congregational Church.
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