First Presbyterian is committed to providing a strong church school program in which children can learn the fundamentals of Reformed faith and begin a lifelong spiritual journey based on biblical literacy.
What happens during Faith Formation for kids?
Faith formation is a time for our children to engage and grow their faith within their community of peers and on their developmental level. During the time, kids learn the stories of the scriptures and then work to interpret and apply what they learn. These classes are a fun, safe, and supportive place to learn with friends, old and new.
When will our classes meet this spring?
Our Sunday morning classes this spring will happen on these Sundays:
March 10, 17
April 14, 28
May 12, 19
We always take the first Sunday of the month to stay and worship together on Communion days. We have a few other Sundays we will be in all of worship this spring for special days like Easter and Confirmation.
How do kids get to Faith Formation? What happens at the end of class?
Kids will be led upstairs after the Time with Young Disciples during worship. Following class/the end of worship, children in 2nd grade and older will be independently dismissed. Children in 1st grade or younger must remain in their classrooms and be picked up from class by an adult (not an older sibling). Thanks for working together to keep our kiddos safe!
Welcoming Children in Worship
"Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." - Mark 9:37
Because Jesus welcomed children and encouraged us to welcome them in his name, we take seriously our baptismal promise to nurture all children committed to our care. We believe that the body of Christ in worship is incomplete without them. Their presence is essential for both the full congregation and for the children themselves, because worship is one of the basic ways in which people of any age learn what it means to be Christian. There are many ways in which children grow in Christ through worship:
- They learn that they belong to Christ and are welcome in his church, where we are all children of God.
- They become familiar with the Lord's Prayer and other spoken and sung responses.
- They build a store of the accumulated shared experiences of Christian community from which they may draw when they are older.
- They are enriched by the beauty of music and art as expressions of praise and as human responses to God.
- They hear stories from the Bible read and interpreted, and begin to see Christian worship as one place where God may speak to them.
- They discover that they are valued as persons by God and by the people of God.
Family Celebrations
We also offer families regular opportunities to celebrate children and strengthen ties within our faith community. Many of these occasions are annual traditions, such as:
- All-church picnics and family potlucks
- Craft-making festivals during the Advent and Lenten seasons
- Family fun activities
- A Christmas pageant
Opportunities to Serve
We are grateful for the volunteers who help us teach children about God. If you are interested in serving in the Children's Ministry, we look forward to hearing more about your desire to join our children in their faith journey. For the safety and security of all our children and volunteers, each person working with children and youth will be required to complete a background check and comply with the Child Protection Policy.
Looking for info for 6th - 12th graders? Visit our Youth: Middle School and High School page for more information on opportunities for Youth.