Youth and Adult
Christian Education OpportunitiesWe invite you to participate in our Christian education programs and activities for children, youth, young adults, and adults.
Our preschool group continues with the Good Shepherd program that emphasizes a strong foundation in the Bible. Children and youth also study the Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Sacraments, Ten Commandments, Lutheran history and tradition, and our worship liturgy.
This year our Elementary through Junior High School Classes will be using a curriculum called Witness that shows learners how to learn from the Bible to live the Good News. As God's children, young and old, teachers and learners, we are witnesses to God's action in the world. Our salvation story is a story of God's gifts of word, faith, and service. Each of these gifts functions as both meaningful connection and joyful invitation.
- Word connects us with the biblical story and invites us to use our minds to learn, make good choices, and communicate with others.
- Faith connects us with God's family and invites us to explore and affirm our identity as the church.
- Service connects us with our sisters and brothers, using Jesus as our model, and invites us to act lovingly for them.
Goals: Every session has three clearly stated goals — know, grow, and show — that carry out the Witness theme and broaden both teachers' and learners' understanding of the story. The goals match the characteristics of a witness and the job of witnessing.
Our Senior High Class will be exploring how they can be active Christians through investigative studies using
The Thoughtful Christian curriculum.
We offer two learning opportunities for adults on Sunday mornings: Adult Forum and a book discussion group.
This year we will also participate in intergenerational service events, teach children about the parts of our worship service, share in an Advent kick-off celebration, rejoice on Easter Sunday with a breakfast and egg hunt, and nurture our faith-mentoring relationships with the preteens and teenagers in our church.
All of our Christian education offerings emphasize the four keys - caring conversations, devotions, service, and rituals and traditions - presented by David Anderson in the book, Frogs Without Legs Can’t Hear.
We look forward to a year of exploring and strengthening our faith together! Please join us as we study and share in the wonders of God’s love.
Sunday Worship and Education Schedule
(September 6, 2009 - May 16, 2010)
As a congregation we strongly encourage children to participate in and contribute to the worship service as well as Sunday school classes, therefore we do not offer classes during the worship hour. It is our belief that children not only learn how to worship by attending worship, but that we as adults are also blessed by their presence with us. Childcare is provided for infants and children up to three years of age during the worship service.
Nursery (Lower Level)
Infant - Age 3
Childcare is available in the nursery on Sunday mornings from 8:15 AM – 12:15 PM. Infants and children who are three-years-old or younger are invited to visit the nursery for supervised play and snacks. Parents are asked to introduce themselves and their child/children to the attendant if they are new to the nursery and to personally drop off and pick up their child/children.
Good Shepherd Class (Lower Level)
Ages 3 - Kindergarten
In the Good Shepherd Room, children are introduced to the word of God through the stories of the Bible. The stories are told using specially carved wooden figures. The curriculum is based on the Montessori principles of respecting the self, others and the environment. Through the weekly pattern of an opening ritual, the story, art and game time and a closing ritual, children also learn the fundamentals of Christian worship.
Children are welcome in the Good Shepherd Room beginning at 9:30am. Class begins at 9:45am. Parents are asked to personally drop off and pick up their children. You are also encouraged to stay and enjoy the room or to share your time and faith with the children there.
Teacher: Mary Beth Foster
Elementary Class (Lower Level)
Grades 1 - 4
Our students will study the Bible to know God’s word for them and then discern how to live out that word through our Witness curriculum.
Middle School Class (Upper Level)
Grades 5 - 8 Witness Curriculum
Our middle and junior high students will also be using the Witness curriculum this year as they explore in depth what it means to know and understand God’s plan for us and how we act on this. Unique to this class will be the opportunity to “break-out” into special sessions and study some issues that especially effect “tweens” and the increasing pressures placed on this age group
by society.
Teachers: Sonya Margerum, Phil Krause, and Matt Ohland
High School Class (Upper Level)
Grades 9 - 12
The High School will be exploring issues through a curriculum that challenges them to discern their own thoughts and opinions on issues ranging from “should the ten commandments be displayed in public?” to “the real consequences of bullying”. In addition to this, the Senior High Class will begin discerning a long term service project in partnership with the Middle/Junior Class and
Adult Forum.
Teachers: Emily Ohland, Phil & Liz Krause
Youth Group Leaders: Emily Ohland & Chandra Juncker
Adult Forum (Lower Level in the Fellowship Hall)
Organized by Sue Larson
Adult Forum is an opportunity to interact with speakers who present information and perspectives on a variety of themes selected by the Adult Forum Committee. College-age young adults are welcome to participate in any of the adult offerings. Adult classes do not meet on the first Sunday of the month. On this day the adult education hour is reserved for committee meetings. (All other classes meet as usual.)
Book Discussion Group (In the room at the back of the Nave)
Organized by Sandra Vana
This is an opportunity for you to read and react to best-selling works of contemporary fiction and non-fiction in a relaxed setting with others who are interested in sharing their thoughts and questions. Come and participate or simply come and listen. In January we will be discussing The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
Our Saviour Lutheran Church
300 West Fowler Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906
(765) 743-2931
Christian Education Director:
Chandra Juncker
cj@osluth.org
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