NCC Celebrates The Sunday School Garden

The Newtown Congregational Church Sunday School Garden is sowing seeds and nurturing Christian education. How the Christian Education (CE) Committee is doing this was illustrated last Saturday , October 29, at the Women’s Fellowship breakfast in the Great Room at the church.

Tina Fiorella, director of CE, told how the Garden came to be, where once seemed an impossible dream. She and her team visited other church Sunday Schools that worked on a rotation of students to various activity stations based on a Biblical theme and geared to the grade level of the students. Each station in each rotation had a different teacher, whose curriculum was printed out and established by a team from the CE Committee.

Holding it all together would be shepherds for each age group that would move with the students and help them along the way.

The Garden became a reality after the move to the new location and the children began coming to the beginning of the worship service and then going on their rotation with their shepherds each Sunday after the Children’s Message. On Communion Sundays the children go to classes sooner and return at the end of the service to partake of the communion.

Ester Nichols, previously a Sunday school superintendent, spoke on the role of the shepherds and how they provided continuity for the students, how the shepherds usually get to know each student on a personal basis and even sometimes help at the work stations.

Sandy Petersen, who heads the curriculum part of the Garden program, gave a demonstration of a science workshop that will be conducted in the third rotation, “Advent,” for various age levels. A mock classroom with children was established in front of the tables of the breakfast group. Every one in attendance got a schedule of how the stations are organized from now through November 13 and a written curriculum sheet for the next rotation in science.

Each grade session starts with a scripture and/or story, then a craft. Each step of each piece of curriculum is spelled out for the teacher, so that even the inexperienced can enjoy taking a rotation workshop. This system allows for new teachers and shepherds every five weeks, though it is encouraged for them to take more than one five-week period. It also allows prospective teachers to pick a subject area that most interests them.

Carol Smiley, who chairs adult education, spoke about the classes that are held for adults before the Sunday service between now and Thanksgiving. The ministers will be doing an Advent Bible study after Thanksgiving in that time slot.

Also working with the CE Committee are Brigette Sorenson, Carolyn Joseph, Carol Anderson, Sheila and Matthew Cole, and Sue Body.

Jeane Roberts, Fellowship Program Chairman, introduced Mrs Fiorella. More than 50 women of the church attended the catered breakfast. Marie Barresi and Dolores Allen are co-chairs of the Fellowship. Special guests were the Rev and Mrs Lee Moore and the Rev Janice Touloukian, who has worked for months with the CE Committee.

The Sunday School Garden volunteers also hosted a “trunk or treat” night with guests from United Methodist Church the evening before the breakfast with costumes, decorated car, goodies for performing for their treat, and other surprises cooked up by the committee.

Friday, November 4, will be craft night from 7 until 8:30 when everyone will make Thanksgiving items — turkeys, headband, or Indian bracelets — and have cookies and juice.