We invite you to attend Church School: a place to come in faith, grow in faith, live in faith (and a fun way to meet kids your own age).

Classes meet each Sunday morning from 9:00 until 10:15 September through May. There are Classes for children three years old through High School youth. We would love to share the love of Jesus with you! Learn what He taught!

We're looking forward to meeting you soon! Check out the additional information below!

Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.
Psalm 119:33

To instruct children in the knowledge of God's Word and in the reformed faith, creeds, and beliefs using age appropriate curriculum, small group setting and nurturing relationships, so that lives will be transformed by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ who faithfully live by God's word.

Assemble the children- so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. Deut. 31:12

We will reach students

We will teach students the Word of God

We will care for students spiritually

Church School meets each Sunday morning, September Through May from 9:00-10:15 AM, but there are no Classes on the following Sundays: November 25, December 23, 30, March 23, April 6,13, with the last day of classes on May 18.

SCHEDULE

Singing Time 9-9:30 AM
Preschool-Grade 1	Joyful Jewels
Grades 2-5	Kings Kids
Grades 6-8	Middle School Praise (Oct 14, Nov 18, Dec 2, 9, 16)
3 Year Olds through 5th grade
9:00-9:30 AM	Singing Time
9:15-9:25 AM	Teacher Prayer Time
9:30-10:15 AM	Lesson
6th through 8th Grade
9:00-9:15 AM	Gather and Gab (except Middle School Praise Sundays)
9:15-10:15 AM	Lesson (Starts at 9:30 AM on Middle School Praise Sundays)
High School
9:00-9:30 AM	Whole Group meeting
9:30-10:15 AM	Small Group time

The Youth Offering is collected during the morning Worship service. Children and youth are encouraged to place their money in the yellow envelopes provided in the pews and place them in the collection plates on Sunday. Each year the Youth Offering is designated to support a ministry or organization. This opportunity to give helps the children and youth gain a broader perspective of needs in our world and their ability to make a difference in it.

This year's Church School offering will go to PARA (Programs Assisting Refugee Acculturation), a program of Bethany Christian Services, which helps refugees from other countries get settled in Western Michigan. The offerings will go to PARA's Welcoming Strangers fund to provide English textbooks, bus passes and phone cards for the refugees. The Welcoming Strangers fund supports newly arrived refugee families with one time emergency rent or other needs in the event there is not adequate church or volunteer support. All contributions to the Welcoming Strangers fund directly support refugee families after consultation and approval from professional staff.

The children will be contributing toward the goals of:

Bus Pass Transportation ($35 for one month)

ESL (English as a Second Language) Workbook ($15)

Phone Cards ($5) for the refugees to be able to communicate with their friends and family far away

Because we believe that we accomplish nothing in our own strength, we seek the support of prayer partners. Each class has a dedicated prayer warrior interceding for them. In addition, the teachers meet each week before class to pray for the Spirit's leading in their teaching and for the students in their class. Please pray frequently and regularly for the Church School Program.

Church School teaches the truth of the gospel as presented in the scriptures. We study the scriptures to know what the only true God is like, so that we might understand the salvation He provided through His Son. All curriculum that is used in the Church School Program is Biblically based and true to the Reformed tradition. We use the curriculum materials recommended by the Christian Reformed denomination as a tool to structure the Church School program courses. More information about the materials is provided at the Faith Alive website: www.walkwithmecurriculum.org. Below is a brief overview of the units of study this year for each class.

Preschool - Grade 8:

(with the exception of Sixth Grade, see below) The Walk With Me curriculum is new, up-to-date material that is interactive and fun. Take home papers come in a variety of formats: posters, comic books, trivia or game cards, magazines.

Grade 6: The Discover Series:

Grades 9-12:    Every Christian has a story

One of the difficulties of growing up in our day is the lack of a coherent framework in which to see the world. In making certain decisions, if people have no foundation, no framework with which to view the world, anything goes. Much has been written in the past 10-20 years about having a story, about people having something that gives meaning to their life. Much has been written about this in Christian circles as well, as parents and churches are encouraged to teach kids what story they are a part of, the Christian story. Each person has their own story, but as Christians, our personal stories merge with the grand story of all, the creation, redemption, and restoration of the whole creation. This curriculum will help kids place themselves in the grand narrative of Scripture and help them find their place and not get lost.

The main source of study will be Scripture itself. We want to get kids in the Scriptures and help them learn how to read it. Secondary sources will be the Reformed confessions, mainly the Heidelberg Catechism.

This curriculum will begin in November following our participation in the Seismic Shifts program September-October.

The Church School program provides a child 15 years of spiritual nurturing. Church School is one way that the Church teaches about the love of the Lord and the salvation He provides. It is our prayer that the love of Jesus may be real to each young person and that they would become devoted followers of Christ.

Church School is a place for you to belong. A place where seeds of faith are planted, tended, and celebrated.

God gave us the Bible because He wanted to talk to us in a way that we would understand. The Bible is a book, and we can read it over and over. We can also share a book with a friend. The Bible is like a map because it shows us the direction to go in life. The Bible is like a love letter because it tells us about God's love for us. The Bible is like food because it gives us strength to live. To find out what God is like and how He wants us to live, read the Bible. It's a great book. Taken from Fun and Active Devotions for Kids By Betsy Elliot