Dear Christ the Good Shepherd Family:
I am honored and delighted to have been selected as your Sunday School director. CGS is such a wonderful family to be a part of, and we have absolutely delightful children!
My role in this position will certainly be enhanced and I expect to significantly grow from and benefit from the wise counsel of Pastor Bea, the vast array of experience and judgment offered by our other Sunday school teachers Petra, Adolfo, Laurie, Margaret, and Susan, and our other parents, the educational committee and the council members, as well as the congregation in general. I am excited about the job, and a little worried about how well I can fulfill this new role in my life.
However, on to the most important topic: our children’s ministry at CGS...
Our children are both growing in number and growing up. We have new babies, preschoolers, elementary school children, and middle schoolers. I think we have a few teenagers that need to come out of the woodwork as well. And, our needs are expanding.
In planning for our children’s future at CGS, it is so important to keep in mind that childhood is possibly the most critical time in the spiritual and moral development of humanity. Our children need us now. It truly “takes a village,” and we at CGS are that village. What an incredible village it is, full of loving, caring people with so many talents and gifts – such a beautiful environment for growing children.
Over the years, our volunteer Sunday school teachers and aides, in concert with Pastor Bea and other church members, have worked hard to build a happy and positive children’s group, with considerable success. However, we now face the important task of expanding our children’s ministry. In order to meet the pastoral needs of these members of our church, we must address several needs as soon as possible.
First, we have had feedback from parishioners that we need dedicated space for our babies. In order to meet this need, we are rededicating the nursery to this age group (the pre-toddlers) and looking for suitable space for our toddler/preschoolers. We also need some items that perhaps some of our parishioners would be able to donate: changing table and changing table mattress, wipes, extra diapers, and better chairs for our new moms (rocking chairs with footrests are ideal).
Second, we need a nursery supervisor for the toddler/preschool children, and some simple curriculum for our toddler and preschool aged children. It would be lovely if some parents wished to volunteer to help out in the nursery. However, we have (without success) been actively looking for a paid nursery attendant. If any members wish to recommend someone, and/or have suggestions for filling this position, please contact me or Petra M. The position is paid, for 2-3 hours each Sunday.
Third, and perhaps most important, our current Sunday school is expanding. We have rather immediate need for more space and for space that can be allocated to us for longer hours. The Fireside room is lovely (and the children like it), but it is becoming insufficient for our growing group of children. The Fireside room may become ideal for our toddler/preschoolers, who need a safe place that is close to their parents. However, the Fireside room is needed by other church groups, which forces the children’s group to leave no later than 11:30. Although Sunday school ends by that time, there are other events the children could do (music practice, plays, etc.) that could benefit from having access to space longer than 9:30am-11:30 am once a week. Our general practice has been to try to rush out of the room – clean, meet with teachers, give children to parents, as quickly as we can – which isn’t always possible to complete by 11:30. This will work with our preschoolers, but not with our older children.
In order to meet our increasing space needs, we have been negotiating (successfully) use of two Carden classrooms for Sunday mornings and Friday evenings. The classrooms open to the garden, which will give our older children safe and easy access to the Great Hall and sanctuary, as needed. Our older children are beginning to participate in our services, as communion helpers and acolytes.
Besides securing better facilities, children’s ministry is also researching various curricula to find one that allows for more intellectual and creative stimulation of our children, while at the same time providing sufficient support for our volunteer teachers. We are specifically looking at curriculum that may be more engaging for the children, and that responds to the multi-ages of the group (2-12). Pastor Bea, Suzanne B, and Margaret V are providing excellent recommendations regarding curriculum resources.
In addition to curriculum, we need at least two more Sunday school teachers, and a handful of aides. If you are interested in helping with Sunday school, we would love to talk to you, just contact me. Our goal is to have each teacher only committed to teach one day per month or month and a half.
On a very positive note, Margaret V has begun teaching Sunday school for our middle schoolers. At present, she has three “regulars,” referred to as “the three amigos,” until more children join. Margaret teaches a creative and stimulating curriculum to these children, incorporating technology, research, Biblical history, geography, art, and personal creativity, in a program leading to intellectual and spiritual growth for the children. Critical to this program is a workable internet connection in the library. This problem appears to have been partially solved. However, we also need to address space for these children, in the future. The library is a great place for these children, but it is insufficient for other “youth group” needs. Hopefully, the Carden classrooms will alleviate some of the space issues.
For the first time in the recent history of CGS, we are establishing a “youth group” on Friday evenings. Thus far, it will be staffed by volunteers. The purpose is to provide a safe, helpful and fun place for our older children to get together – for homework help, organized playtime and socializing with peers, spiritual growth time, and perhaps music or other arts as the program grows. We would love to offer dinner to the participants, if feasible. We expect this group to continuously expand as we increase membership of children and as our rapidly growing children reach middle school years.
Also, on another note, in mid-April, CGS will begin having monthly family church services. On these Sundays, we will not have regular Sunday school, although when we have a nursery supervisor, we will continue to offer preschool/toddler Sunday school. Our parents have expressed a strong desire to have their children be able to participate in church. Although Sunday school provides an important learning opportunity for our children, having them actually be in church, with their families, is invaluable. Pastor Bea will begin our family services once a month (during our regular service), starting in April. We are looking forward to this happy addition to our weekly worship.
During the summer, we have several events in the works:
In place of Sunday school during the summer months, we would like to offer Sunday morning workshops (e.g., drawing, painting, sculpture, theatre, music appreciation, cooking, sewing, sports, singing, etc.). In order to do this, we need to solicit talent from our membership. If you have particular skills in these areas (or if you think of something else fun), it would be great if you could volunteer your time and talents with our children one Sunday morning this summer. Please contact me if this is of interest to you. Our goal is to offer at least two workshops per month, from mid June through mid August.
And finally, the current “BIG PROJECT” – Summer Camp!!!!
The CGS Education committee, the CGS Council, Pastor Bea, and the Sunday school teachers have been working hard at getting Mt. Cross to staff a weeklong (July 23-27) Summer Camp for our CGS children and other local children. The program is now scheduled with Mt. Cross. The next steps will be to recruit our CGS children and other local children to attend, and to obtain sufficient staffing and supplies for the camp. Families may register their children via the CGS website. Cost is $50 for CGS families; $100 per child or $150 per family for non-CGS families, with financial assistance available. No child will be turned away solely because of inability to pay.
At present, we have a critical need to enlist the aid of our congregation for the summer camp. We need 1-2 on-site supervisors for which we may be able to pay a small honorarium, at least 4 adult (19 or over) volunteers from CGS, teenager volunteers, and helpers for preparing snacks for the children and meals for the Mt. Cross staff. We also need volunteers who might help with registration on Monday, July 23 (am) and volunteers to help with a Thurs., July 26 summer camp get together with parents/children/staff at CGS.
We also need snack foods, cases of water bottles, popsicles or Otter Pops, as well as other items as the need arises.
Please talk to me after church on Sunday or call anytime if you wish to volunteer your assistance with our children, or if you just wish to talk about children’s ministry at CGS.
Thank you,
Vanetia J
CGS Sunday School Director
