From the Senior Minister

Welcome to the Church School! Whether you are here as a student or a parent or even a teacher, we are all here to learn. That, after all, is the meaning of being a "disciple" for here we recognize that we have much to learn, much to dare, many dreams to dream and hopes to share. Here we are willing to learn and grow in grace and wisdom. Welcome to a growing place!

- Tom Wintle

From the Associate Minister & the Director of Religious Education

Serving as Church School staff, we feel blessed to be invited into your families' lives in such a special way each and every Sunday morning. This church has much to offer you–a rich history, fun and informative classes, a lovely chapel for worship–but you have so very much to offer it too your unique experience, your faithful questions, your special gifts, as well as needs. By learning with each other and from each other, members of our congregation, whatever their age, help ensure the vitality and integrity of the First Parish Church in Weston. Won't you join us in celebrating 300 years this fall?

- Sue Spencer & Kathleen Seidel

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General Description

On Our Objectives

The overall objectives of the Church School program at the First Parish Church in Weston are:

• to explore our religious and biblical heritage
• to provide an opportunity for worship
• to give each child a sense of belonging to a church community that cares about her/him
• to help each child develop a sense of commitment toward creating a more just, compassionate, and free world

Through these goals, we hope to nurture our children's religious growth and broaden their understanding of themselves as religious persons following in the traditions summarized by the historic Ames covenant, adopted by this congregation in 1884:

Childcare for Infants and Toddlers - Childcare is provided in Room 2 by CPR certified, experienced, paid staff on Sunday mornings from 9:30am-12:30pm to allow for before and after church programs.

Three and Four Year Olds - our youngest students begin their acquaintance with the basics of our biblical heritage through "The Whole People of God," a fun and thoroughly researched curriculum that is widely considered to be the most effective in print. Developed, and constantly revised, at a "grass-roots" level (that is, with actual Sunday School teachers), "WPG" works to connect the stories and truths of the biblical tradition to the everyday life and experience of children.

Kindergartners - this class utilizes the next age-level of "The Whole People of God" curriculum (see "Three and Four Year Olds" above).

Elementary Years

First Graders - Through the "Faith Footsteps" curriculum, students learn about their Biblical ancestors through scripture, myths, legends and parables. The stories chosen stimulate a child's curiosity, imagination and sense of wonder. Art, drama, games, snacks and songs enable a child to experience these stories and develop a sense of their belonging to a faith community.

Second Graders - These students engage in a course entitled, "The Adventures of God's Folk." Using Biblical and American folk figures such as Elijah, David, Solomon, Jesus, Harriet Tubman, the Puritan Pilgrims, Sacajawea, Mike Fink, and Johnny Appleseed, the curriculum explores the themes of courage, violence, compassion and wisdom. Story-telling, role-playing, group celebrations, songs and games highlight the course.

Third Graders - The "Bible Stories" curriculum relates how the Bible came to be and the variety of faith stories it contains in preparation for each child receiving his or her own Bible on Church School Sunday in June. Topics/episodes covered include: trust and courage (Abraham & Sarah, Ruth, Esther); estrangement, wisdom and reconciliation (Jacob & Esau, Joseph); adventure and daring (David & Goliath, Joshua, Deborah); compassion amidst aggression (Miriam & Moses, David & Jonathan, the Good Samaritan, Mary & Martha); friendship and denial (Peter); and wisdom (the sayings of Jesus, the Canaanite woman). Students will learn to relate these stories to their own fears, joys, and search for truth; they will gain a sense that the Bible they receive contains stories of comfort, challenge and inspiration.

On all other Sundays, children, along with their teachers, participate in their own age-appropriate worship services in the Sears Chapel, one each for: Pre-School and Kindergarten, Grades 1-4, and Grades 5-8; these services are led by the associate minister. Parents are always welcome to visit.

Fourth Graders - In the fall, "Moses and his Times" are studied, with special emphasis on the Passover, the flight from Egypt, and the Ten Commandments. A high point of the fall semester is the celebration of the Seder (Passover meal) in class. In the winter/spring semester, students will focus on the lives and messages of the Hebrew Prophets. They will explore what it means to be "called by God" and study the variety of messages which the prophets proclaimed.

The Fourth Grade class also participates in the "Heifer Project International," holds a spring Bake sale and journeys to the Project's Rutland, MA farm to deliver proceeds from the sale.

Fifth Graders - Using the newly-revised "Seasons of the Church Year" curriculum, these students explore and celebrate the seasons and traditions which follow the life of Jesus and the early church. Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost provide the focus of the course. The stories, symbols and colors of each season are the starting point of activities, skits, and discussions concerning the on-going life of the church.

Sixth Graders - This year we will explore the life and teachings of Jesus using the UU curriculum, "A Kingdom of Equals: Jesus' Radical Path to Love and Justice." Lessons will deal with the central messages of Jesus' teachings such as tolerance, forgiveness, and reverence for life. We will see videos, do craft projects, act in skits and use role-plays as we learn about Jesus. A social service project and class field trip will round out what should be an intellectually stimulating year.

Seventh Graders - More than ever before, our children are encountering multiple and varied religious faiths and traditions among their schoolmates and neighbors. Using "Neighboring Faiths," a new curriculum published by the Unitarian Universalist Association, as a resource, students in this class are invited to explore some of these contrasting faith traditions to our own; several times throughout the year, the class will visit other worshiping communities (evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist, among them).

Eighth Graders - "A Covenanting Year"

"Eighth graders deepen their knowledge of our faith community by learning about our church covenant and our liberal religious heritage.

"Using the Ames covenant as a context for reflection and discussion, students learn to appropriate some of the biblical and historical foundations for our way of religious living...This class serves as the culmination of our children's Church School experience at First Parish...Its goal is to allow our eighth graders to assume an appropriate degree of ownership of our church's covenant, history and tradition and their own place within it.

"Regular attendance is required for this class and the program culminates in a Ceremony of Recognition for the commitment these students have shown over their eighth grade year and for all the knowledge gained over their years of religious education at First Parish Church in Weston."

(from FPC Curriculum Review Report, May 1997)

Note: Parents of prospective eighth grade students should contact Sue Spencer, Associate Minister, in order to register their children and receive a complete description of this course.

High School Years

Senior High Youth may participate in the Sunday morning life of First Parish in a number of ways - as Church School Assistants, singing in the Youth Choir, or participating in special events such as the various pageants, or holiday services (as readers, candlelighters, or technical assistants). And specific Youth Group programming follows the morning's activites at noon.

Opportunities to Grow

Musical Opportunities

There is a long-standing tradition of quality musical opportunites for children and youth at First Parish Church. In addition to the musical sharings offered through their classes and in their Chapel services, children may choose to participate in two more formal programs at First Parish Church.

The Junior Choir, open to children in grades 2-5, sings on appropriate Family Sundays. This past year the choir also sang a spring concert at Sunrise Assisted Living in Weston and participated in the UUA-sponsored Children's Choir Festival '99; this Choir rehearses at 9:30am on Sunday mornings and is under the direction of Kathryn Denney.

The Youth Choir, Youth Choir meets on Thursday evening from 7-8 throughout the church school year. It is open to children in grades 6-12 through a simple audition. Youth Choir sings once a month in church and does a Christmas vesper service, as well as a special project in May or June.Youth Choir sings two and three part music. If children can only do a part of the year that is ok. We will be operating on a semester basis; Sept-Dec, Mar-June. Winter months we will continue to sing, but we might use the time for vocal development and small ensemble singing.

Regular attendance at rehearsals is required for all choir members.

Worship Opportunities

Worship is a vital part of our religious experience. Our religious education program provides opportunities on several levels for children to participate in the discipline, celebration and creative expression which can constitute the worship of God.

On specified Family Sundays throughout the year (consult the Calendar inserted in your brochure), children in grades 1-8 are invited into the Sanctuary for the first twenty minutes of the adult worship service - this time will usually include a Children's Story from one of the ministers, as well as a musical presentation from one of the young people's Choirs

REGISTRATION

Opening & Closing Dates/Enrollment

Church School classes for the 200-2001 year commence on

Sunday, September 10th, 2000, at 10:30am.

*This is also the first Family Sunday of the fall. Children in Grades 1-8 attend the first twenty minutes of worship and then return to their classes.

* Children in Infants and Toddlers through Kindergarten should go directly to their classrooms.

Families interested in enrolling children in the Church School are invited to contact the Church Office now, or to stop by during the week to speak with one of the ministers, or on Thursday evenings when they can speak with the Church School Coordinator about our programs. To schedule an appointment, please call the Church Office any time at 781-893-7798 (messages after 4:00pm). Enrollment of children prior to the commencement of classes ensures that we can provide them the most appropriate resources for their learning.

Children are welcome to visit their classroom with their parents during the week so that they will feel at home when they enter for their first Sunday.

[Note: First floor rooms are unavailable for visitation before 3pm on weekdays due to the operation of the Roxbury-Weston Pre-School.]

Church School program year officially ends with the celebration of Church School Sunday on June 3, 2001

Financial Support

We do not have a fee requirement for registration in our Church School. Rather, we ask parents to consider their commitment to the total ministry and operation of the First Parish Church and contribute appropriately to the Annual Stewardship Program.

[Note: Children can contribute offering monies in Chapel; these funds are generally directed to services and charitable work outside the Parish (see "Service Opportunities" for a listing of recent Chapel fund recipients).]