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Christian Formation

MINISTRY WITH CHILDREN & YOUTH

It used to be said, "Children are the Church of tomorrow," but children and youth, along with adults, are the Church of today.   Ministry with children and youth -- their learning, fellowship, and nurture in the faith -- are central to the life of our parish and to the larger Church.

There are some fifty children and youth active in Redeemer's Sunday Church School and youth program; twelve of them are also members of the Youth Choir.

On July 1, 2008, Redeemer welcomed The Rev. Robin K. Gulick as our new (and we believe Redeemer's first ever) Assistant to the Rector.  Robin was ordained a transitional deacon at Washington National Cathedral on June 14; she will be ordained to the priesthood in January 2009.  Her primary responsibility, along with liturgical leadership and pastoral care, is ministry with youth.  She serves half-time at Redeemer and half-time at Virginia Theological Seminary at the Center for Anglican Communion Studies.  Her schedule at Redeemer is Tuesdays, 1:00-5:00 p.m. and Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sundays.  Robin is as enthusiastic about this new ministry as we are and looks forward to getting to know Redeemer's young people and families and other parishioners with a heart for youth -- soon.  You can make a date with her for coffee or ice cream this summer!  Just sign up in the parish hall, email her at revrobingulick@verizon.net or call 301-229-3770, ext. 22.

NURSERY CARE

For our youngest children, infants through 3 years of age, nursery care is provided during the 10:30 a.m. services on Sundays, from 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.  We have a lovely, well-equipped nursery, with a regular, trained young adult caretaker.  Your child is welcome to join us for communion during the service or, if you would prefer, he or she may stay in the nursery for the entire service.

CHURCH SCHOOL

Church School for children age four through "rising" 7th graders will continue through the summer in two classes: Godly Play (age 4 - Grade 3) and Intermediate.

Beginning on September 14, 2008, there will be four Church School classes: Godly Play, Intermediate (grades 4 - 6), Middle (grades 7 - 8) and Senior (grades 9 - 12).  All the classes have teams of teachers, comprised of both men and women.

Godly Play (Age 4 - Grade 3)

Godly Play teaches children the art of using religious language - parable, sacred story, silence and liturgical action - helping them become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives.

Developed by author, teacher and Episcopal priest, Jerome W. Berryman, Godly Play is offered throughout the United States within denominations as diverse and varied as Catholic, Baptist, Episcopalian, Pentecostal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian. Designed for children aged two to twelve, Godly Play has been classroom tested since 1972. Deeply spiritual and highly creative, Godly Play uses the Montessori approach to education in order to stimulate children’s active participation in story and ritual and to awaken their creativity for the learning of the language, sacred stories, parables, liturgical action and silence of the Christian tradition.  Redeemer has a team of trained Godly Play teachers.

Intermediate (Grades 4 - 6)

Children in the Intermediate level are no longer limited just by what they can see, hear, or touch. They can think about situations from more than one perspective and begin to apply scriptural understanding to everyday life.  Storytelling remains an integral part of ECC at this level, but in the form of a lively interaction between students and teachers. Concepts such as covenant, prophecy, parables, Creeds, and the Gospel are explored through art, poetry writing, plays, and interviewing members of the congregation. This hands-on focus makes children active participants in their spiritual journey as they begin to understand their responsibilities to God and other people.  Colorful newspapers with biblical stories, historical information, memory tasks, games, and more engage the students. 

The Intermediate class uses the Episcopal Children's Curriculum which is rooted in scripture and incorporates The Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal to teach church traditions and standard responses used during worship. The three-year curriculum was developed in cooperation with the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at the Virginia Theological Seminary. The year designations are: Shell (in the year Baptism is studied), Chalice (in the year the Eucharist is studied), and Cross (in the year Worship is studied). Each year of the curriculum is organized into four units—Old Testament, New Testament, Sacraments, and the Church. This format is consistent across all age levels, so that students’ understanding of core concepts grows week by week and year to year.

Middle School (Grades 7 - 8)

The middle and junior high school years are turbulent times — where personalities are formed and values tested. The Episcopal Curriculum for Youth makes Biblical characters come to life as real people who dealt with issues of good, evil, happiness, truth, and ultimate meaning … not unlike today’s young people. The curriculum challenges young people to test their values in the context of their Christian faith and equips them to make smart choices about tough issues. 

High School (Grades 9 - 12)

As maturing young adults, senior high youth confront a myriad of life-shaping decisions. ECY builds a leadership team that helps young people explore the issues, values, and faith that will become the core of their life-long spiritual resource.  As part of the team young people learn to speak up, discuss their views, and listen to others. They also learn to lead.