Detail of Christian Education

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL

Grace Church Children’s School for ages 3 through 6th grade meets on Sunday mornings from 9:45am—10:45am during the academic year (September through May). 

Starting this fall we will introduce "Workshop Cycles", a new curriculum with a new format for children's Sunday School.  Each cycle includes time in a large group and time in smaller, age-based groupings.  The children will enjoy movies, drama, cooking, music and art projects throughout the year. Workshop Cycles will include:
     The Miracles of Jesus: God with Us
     What Makes my Church Special
     Creation, Let There be Light
    The Mystery of Easter

Preschool meets in downstairs in the Education Building. K - 2nd grade meets in The Children’s School.  Grades 3rd -  6th  meet upstairs in the Education Building. 

JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD

Written for adolescents in grades six to 12, the Journey to Adulthood curriculum provides comprehensive material for study, exploration, service, and play. After completing the 5th grade, youth enter the program and progress through the three successive levels of Rite 13, Journey to Adulthood (J2A), and Young Adults in Church (YAC). The transitions are structured so that youth remain with the same group with which they began, forming and building personal and communal relationships that continue throughout their senior year. J2A Page

Rite 13 (7th to 9th Graders)

The Rite 13 class is an integral part of the Journey to Adulthood program. The Rite 13 curriculum assists young people as they take the first steps of passage away from their families and into their own lives. The liturgical centerpiece of this group is the Rite 13 ceremony, which celebrates the passage from childhood to manhood and womanhood. During these two years, the community acknowledges the gift of gender, celebrates the amazing creative power and potential for these young people, and creates a safe haven to explore new ideas, new interests, and new abilities.  

J2A (10th to 12th Graders)

The J2A group is the core phase that centers around six basic skills for faithful living: active listening, negotiation, assertion, research/information management, partnership and leadership. At the end of the first year, the class takes part in an Urban Adventure. After two years in J2A, they are given an opportunity for Confirmation and are acknowledged in the community for new levels of responsibility. They are recognized as young adults, rather than children, and are invited to take a holy pilgrimage.  

YAC (10th to 12th Graders)
After completing Rite 13 and J2A, the young adults increase their involvement within many levels of parish life, focusing especially on service and outreach. YAC participants are encouraged and empowered to find their particular niche in reaching out to the congregation and to the society beyond. They are challenged to become good stewards of their time, talent, and treasure. Guided by adult advisers, they use the Anglican model of Scripture, reason, and the tradition of the Church to guide the lifelong pilgrimage in their faith.  

The Journey to Adulthood balances Bible study, prayer, and both serious and playful activities to nurture the whole person during the treacherous passage from childhood to adulthood. Leaders model the faith and remind young people of the ever-present love and mercy of God.