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Christian Education & Spiritual Development

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols of your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV

Christian Education Ministry

Learning to love God, know what God requires of us and how we can serve Him in our daily lives is one of the main goals of Christian Education Ministry at CPC. The STUDY of God’s word, its APPLICATION to our lives, and the GUIDANCE of the Holy Spirit are all essential in building a strong foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. We encourage you to visit one of the Sunday School classes and take advantage of great teaching and fellowship time.

For further information about any church school class, contact the Director of Christian Education.

Sunday School           Children           Youth           Adult	Other Learning Opportunities for Children/Youth
	Preparing Children for Worship
	Milestone Ministry Classes
	Confirmation
	Vacation Bible School
Nursery Ministry	Walking in Faith
8:30 Worship
9:45 Sunday School	Other Learning Opportunities for Adults
11:00 Worship	DISCIPLE Bible Study
Special Events	The Discipleship Project
	ACE Series
	Presbyterian Women Bible Study
	Women’s Study Group
Christian Education Team	Education Resources
CE Service Opportunities	Library webpage

All Sunday School classes meet 9:45am – 10:45am. Sunday School is a wonderful opportunity to explore God’s word and join in fellowship with other members of our family of faith. Everyone is welcome to attend!

All children’s Sunday School classes meet in the Christian Education building.

“Train up children in the way they should go: and when they are old they will not depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:5

CPC is committed to providing Biblical learning and spiritual encouragement to each child entrusted to us. Each Sunday School class is led by adults who lovingly teach the stories of the Bible.

Toddler/twos Class: Room 121
Our class for very young children will use a special curriculum plan, complete with snack and play from Wee Believe.

Preschoolers: Room 122
Preschool Class is for children ages 3 and 4. This year we are using Wee, which includes the major stories from the Bible as well as music, story-time, crafts, snack, and free play.

 Kindergarten: Room 124
Kindergarten is for children ages 5 and 6 by October of the year, getting ready for kindergarten, and 5 and 6 who are in kindergarten. The teachers use the new curriculum called Grow, Proclaim, Serve, with lots of interactive activities and a special DVD segment.

All preschool Sunday school classes begin in the children's music room, 121. Children will be escorted by their teachers to class from there.

FAITH JOURNEY employs the Workshop Rotation Model of Sunday School for children in grades 1-5 at Cary Presbyterian! Rotation workshops encourage children to “ learn by doing”. It is a hands-on, experience-based and FUN approach to learning the Bible and applying it to our lives! Rooms 220-225 Each month, children rotate through four workshops, including: Keyboarding to the Kingdom (computer) Hands on Discovery (science) Bread for the Journey (cooking) Reel Faith (video) Mountain Top Productions (drama & puppets) Tent Tales (storytelling) God & Games (games) Creation Station (art) The scriptural basis for the program is “This is the Way, Walk in it!” (Isaiah 30:21.) The children will learn that phrase and its meaning through every workshop!

Read more about the workshop-rotation model of Faith Journey Sunday School here:

Cary Presbyterian Church understands that children have a variety of interests, skills and abilities and they want Sunday School to be fun!

That is why we use a creative model called Workshop Rotation. Children learn best when all of their senses are stimulated and engaged in an organized, constructive, enjoyable educational program of Biblical studies. We have named our workshop rotation program ‘Faith Journey.’

Educational Basis for this model: Years of research has proven what educators suspected all along—children do not learn only from lecture and reading. Instead kids learn through a variety of learning styles and possess multiple intelligences through which comes real learning and engagement with the subject. There are eight kinds of intelligence identified by professor Harold Gardner of Harvard University, and others. The point is that people learn in different ways. Having fun while learning repetitively helps. Experience is the key to real learning. Because in Faith Journey each of the workshops presents a different style of learning, the kids don't get bored. Instead, this multiple-intelligence approach enhances the learning process. Children come to know God through a variety of ways. For God's word to become part of our children's lives, it must not just be heard or read, but also experienced.

When you enter the Faith Hall of Fame (Christian education part of the building, upper floor), you are surrounded by a “cloud of witnesses,” (Hebrews 1:1) who remind us of some of the great stories of the Bible: Ruth, Abraham, Joseph, and David. Your Journey begins in here, our gathering place. Here we welcome visitors, take attendance, collect an offering,* recognize birthdays, make announcements, and talk about what we’re learning. Then the children are dismissed to their workshop for the day.

In Faith Journey, the same Bible story or concept is taught in workshops over five weeks. Each Sunday, the groups of children rotate to a new workshop for that Sunday. Kids love the repetition and it reinforces what they are learning.

The rotation schedule is posted in several places in and around the Faith Hall of Fame. Simply consult where a certain age group will go on any particular Sunday. Each group has several adults who shepherd the children to their workshops and are with the group each Sunday. These folks are the constant companions for the children’s faith journeys, a weekly presence.

Teachers lead workshops in their area of interest, thus using their skills and gifts. Teachers stay in their workshop…teaching the same lesson each week to a different group, getting better and better, adapting it to the age level group they are leading for that week. Teachers can sign on for many units, or teach just one. New teachers allow our children contact with more adults in the congregation—a core value of Cary Presbyterian educational ministry.

Middle School is for youth in grades 6–8. This year, the group will study primarily the Old Testament with a course called "To Know the Bible." Painting, drama and games are all part of the action. —Room 103 (MS Room)

Senior High is for youth in grades 9–12, using a fresh new approach through Feasting on the Word, a lectionary based Bible study that unites living and faith. —Room 105 (SH Room)

Confirmation is designed for 8th grade (and some 9th gr) youth. New this year, confirmation will be held during the Sunday school hour. Youth who choose to be confirmed join the church in May. Three day long retreats, mentors, and spiritual practices round out this transforming course. Room 106 Read more about this in the confirmation section.

CPC offers the following adult classes. Come gather with other adults for fellowship, learning and to be challenged to grow in your faith. All classes are on Sunday mornings at 9:45. Visitors always welcomed! Class topics and studies change approximately every six weeks in the following regular classes: Bible and Beyond, a class using a variety of formats and resources to learn about the Bible; Christ, Coffee and Conversation (a topics class with lots of discussion); and ongoing study in Adult I (Uniform Lessons on the Bible) and our new, successful class Young Families: Being a Faithful Parent.

For further information about any church school classes, contact the Christian Education Coordinator.

Our Nursery Ministry cares for our youngest members. The nurseries are located in age-appropriately equipped rooms in the Christian Education Building. They are staffed by loving childcare providers that work alongside a rotation of parent volunteers to provide a warm and welcoming environment for our children.

Childcare is provided during all worship services, the Sunday School hour and special services and programs throughout the year.

Nursery locations are as follows:

To volunteer or check the current nursery helper schedule, please signup here or contact the Nursery Staff Liaison, Jen Pierce.

To arrange special nurseries, contact the Office Manager.

This three-week series will be offered for SECOND GRADERS and their PARENTS during Sunday school. See the Milestone section, below, for more info.

In 2010, Cary Presbyterian Church launched its Milestone Ministry, incorporating several milestones already celebrated by the church and adding some, with a plan to add a few more each year until many milestones are regularly recognized by the congregation.

New! Starting Sunday School – for 2/3/4 YEAR OLD children who are new to Sunday school and their parents. Note the time: Saturday morning, August 25th (the day before Rally Day) from 10:30-11:30 am. Children will visit their rooms, practice their routine, and receive a blessing. Congregational recognition will be a simple announcement during the Children’s time on Aug 26.

Starting School – for KINDERGARTNER Parents. A “Blessing of the Backpacks” will be offered for all children returning to school, with special emphasis on our kindergarten children as they reach this Milestone (more info elsewhere in this Link). A special class will be held in September 16 for parents that will have information about helping with this transition, as well as faith development ideas for home. Watch for more info in the Link.

Prayer Milestone - FIRST graders and their parents will celebrate the Prayer Milestone through a two week class on Mar 10 and 17, with recognition on March 17. As is our practice, class is during Sunday school in Faith Journey.

Preparing Children for Worship
For SECOND graders during Sunday school and their parents, this three week class introduces the order or worship and using the bulletin, special worship vocabulary, the particularities of the worship space, and the sacraments: Sept 23, 30, & Oct 7. The goal is to help worship become more meaningful for the participants, and help engage the children in worship itself. This is especially significant since first grade is the time when children no longer attend the nursery. [Note: the nursery is provided for children who are six years old or younger. Children over six are expected to be in worship with their families, as there is no accommodation for them in any of the nurseries, and because we strongly believe that all God’s people need to worship together.

Getting to Know My Bible – for THIRD graders and the PARENTS
The church presents a Bible to each of our third graders each year. This year we’re excited to introduce an interactive child’s edition of the Common English Bible. Because we don’t just want to hand the children a Bible without help, and because research shows that the single most important part of faith development is the parent’s involvement, we have special three week unit that includes parents. The class will be held during Sunday school in Faith Journey on Oct 28, Nov 4 & Nov 11 so that the third graders will really ‘get to know my Bible.’

Worship Two – FIFTH graders and parents have a blast learning new ways of thinking and engaging in worship. A skit, graham-cracker cathedrals and a computer game ‘Attack of the Sunday School Zombies’ are included in a three week class, Jan 27, Feb 3, and Feb 10.

Confirmation – A full educational experience for those in 8th grade exploring professing their faith and joining the church. September-May in Sunday school.

Driver’s License – for those who have or will receive their driver’s license September 2012 – September 2013. This one time class will be April 14, followed by this Milestone recognition in worship that day.
 

The Adult Christian Education (ACE) programs are educational opportunities outside of Sunday school. For three to six weeks, these weeknight or Sunday evening classes for adults discuss a variety of topics.

WEEKNIGHT ACE STUDIES

• Living the Questions Adult Study - Tues, 7-8:30 pm Oct 6th –Nov 17th. Living the Questions is an open-minded alternative to studies that attempt to give participants all the answers. Living the Questions creates an environment where participants not only interact with one another in exploring the best of today’s theological thought, but together explore the future of Christianity and what a meaningful faith can look like in today’s world. Six sessions of LTQ III “Saving Jesus” are scheduled for this fall, a video exploration of a credible Jesus for the 21st Century. Join 25 experts for a conversation around the relevance of Jesus for today.
  Facilitator: Deky Hall
   
• The Book of Signs: Studies in the Gospel of John – Wednesdays Room 102, 5:30-7:00 pm with light supper - Sept 5 – Oct 3. Using the writings of Dale Bruner, Frances Taylor Gench and others, we will examine major themes in John’s gospel and discuss their implications for living the Christian life in the 21st century.
  
  Reservations for this class can be made by emailing Kyle Allen, calling the church office @ 919.467.8700 or filling out the signup sheet in this Sunday’s bulletin and placing it in the offering plate. Leader: Kyle Allen
   
• Psalms - Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 with light supper – Oct 10, 17 & 24
  Leader: Jennifer Miles-Allen
   
• Advent Study – Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 with light supper – Nov 28 – Dec 19 Based on “The Journey” by Adam Hamilton, travel on video from Nazareth to Bethlehem in this fascinating look at the birth of Jesus Christ. Led by Kyle Allen
• Fresh Views – Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 with light supper – Jan 9, 16 & 23. Dr Frances Taylor Guench, on video, presents new views on Revelation’s interpretation, the role of women in the New Testament, and Jesus’ relationship to Judaism and the Law of the Old Testament. Led by Medora Hix
• Lenten Study – Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 with light supper – Feb 6 – Mar 27. Based on “The Return of the Prodigal Son: a Story of Homecoming” by Henri Nouwen, led by Kyle Allen.

SUNDAY EVENING ACE STUDIES

• “The Rise and Fall of the Bible,” Jan 7 – Feb 17, 5 weeks. Led by Dr David Voss
   

See the Link and worship bulletins for additional information about upcoming classes.

Cary Presbyterian Church offers ongoing adult Bible studies, including The DISCIPLE Bible Study program. DISCIPLE is a program of disciplined Bible study aimed at developing strong Christian leaders. It focuses on the disciple as learner, believer, follower, proclaimer, and servant while providing the fellowship of a small group for study, prayer, preparation, support, and servanthood.

For this year 2011-12 we will not be offering a disciple course.

• Disciple I - BECOMING DISCIPLES THROUGH BIBLE STUDY: Schedule TBA
  
  Disciple I is an intensive, 34-week journey that moves from the biblical story of creation to the New Jerusalem (Genesis – Revelation). It is a prerequisite for all subsequent intensive Disciple courses.
  
  
• DISCIPLE II: Into the Word, Into the world: Schedule TBA
  
  A 32-week study of Genesis–Exodus and Luke–Acts, this study teaches Bible study skills that take the learner deeper
  into Scripture and reinforces the importance of keeping Bible study related to witness and service in the world.
   
• DISCIPLE III: REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE: Tuesdays, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. September 4–May 7
  
  Several themes weave their way through the study: the call to remember, the call to re-pentance, the need for renewed vision (eyes to see, ears to hear), and the place of community. Remember Who You Are concentrates on the Old Testament prophets and the letters of Paul. The prophets and Paul are continually call-ing hearers and readers back to their God and to a sense of who they are as a people “set apart.” Facilitators: Kyle Allen, Jennifer Miles-Allen, Medora Hix, John Page ?
  
  

This is a tool to encourage people to take responsibility and initiative to go deeper in their faith, to do their own learning on their own schedule and in their own manner. Check out the display board that identifies adult spiritual education opportunities, including courses at CPC and outside CPC, books to read, videos to watch, etc. The GOAL is for each member to earn at least 5 course credits per year. See the Discipleship Project reading list here.

Vacation Bible School

Circle of Faith is a study group that meets monthly and is open to all women. Members share their faith through study and discussion of selected readings.

For more information, contact Evie Timney

The home is the primary Christian educator of our children, with the church in the supporting role. The report on Effective Christian Education confirms that parents have enormous influence on their children’s faith development. To that end, we have developed the Walking in Faith Travel Guide to supplement our regular curriculum. The Travel Guide is primarily a tool to be used in the home.

What is the “Walking in Faith Travel Guide”? It’s a collection of time-honored Bible verses, sayings, and liturgy that will help any learner become more acquainted with the rich heritage of our Christian faith, expressed and developed in the church. The idea is that young people will “learn by heart” these well-known prayers, songs, and verses, allowing a familiarity with parts of our tradition that will accompany them through their faith journeys. The Walking in Faith Travel Guide is divided by age groupings in six Levels. Levels are sequential, beginning around age 4 and being completed by seventh grade, though older youth and adults are certainly urged to learn all levels, too. Level achievement is awarded and recognized.

Walking in Faith Travel Guide PARTY – for ages 5 through 5th grade and their families on February 17, 2013, held during Sunday school. Children and parents will explore several of the items in the Walking in Faith Travel Guide to become more familiar with them in a fun and informative way.

Please see the Walking in Faith Travel Guide for more information.

Centering Prayer, traditionally called contemplative prayer, is a method of prayer which prepares us to receive the gift of God's presence. It consists of responding to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. It furthers the development of contemplative prayer by quieting our faculties to cooperate with the gift of God’s presence.

For further information, contact Diane Garber.