The Worship Center Director is Kay Smith. She has worked with the Children and Worship Curriculum for sixteen years. She may be reached at church (245-0578, ext. 206) or at home (531-6675).
Christian Education for children takes a position of high priority at East Church. Our smallest infants and babies are cared for in one of two nurseries: the infant nursery, located on the main floor or the toddler nursery, located on the second floor.
Worship Centers provide space for children from age three through eighth grade. Worship Center is what we call a classroom traditionally known as Sunday school rooms. Each week Celebrants (formerly known as Sunday school teachers) gather the children for the morning's activities. We conduct Worship Centers on the second floor education wing for three year olds, four and five year olds, first and second graders, and third and fourth graders. Worship Centers for fifth and sixth and seventh and eighth graders are held on the third floor.
For the hour they spend together children begin by gathering in a circle, greeting and sharing a call to worship. "Story" is then told by the Celebrant using three-dimensional figures. Following the telling of the story, important time is spent wondering about the events of the story. I wonder, what the most important part of this story is? I wonder, what can I take away from the story and still have the story? I wonder, where can I find myself in this story? I wonder? This wondering time is an important part of our time together because it is here the children can enter the story and claim it as valid to their own lives. It is here they might imagine where or when they might have done or felt something similar to what the story conveys. It is here they wonder together deeper meanings that might arise from the telling of the story.
Following the telling of story, the children are given the opportunity to respond even further to what they have experienced in the telling. A variety of art materials are provided along with the invitation to re-tell the story using the materials. Perhaps they will be invited to sing or dance as a way to express and respond to the story. Perhaps they will choose to journal or work together on a mural or look up more information about the story. Each center has music and prayers and book corners available for the children to use during this time.
Following their response time, the children will re-gather in a circle before the altar. It is time to sing and share the morning's work. A candle is lit and portions of the morning's story are read from the Bible. Children offer their prayers of concern and joy. The morning closes with all sharing a "feast" together after which the children are released to their parents with a blessing from the Celebrant.
If this sounds a bit like the format of "big church", it is. It is intentional that we follow an order of worship. Every week, we seek to provide an experience of God for the children. We believe that by giving children the stories and images of faith, but giving them visuals in their worship practices, by showing them symbols which are important touchstones for faith development, we will give them tools that will enable them to see the sacred in the ordinary, that will help them sense God's presence in every place and every time. It is our goal that they might experience the presence of God everyday, not just within the walls of their Worship Centers.