St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Ayer, Massachusetts

Faith, Community, and Love

Sunday School for Kindergarten-6th Grade Students

Beginner's Class

Our Beginner's Class (pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first/second grade) is using the Montessori-based Godly Play curriculum. The goals of Godly Play are 1) to make religion come alive for children, 2) assist in their spiritual development, 3) help Chrisitianity become a part of their daily life, and 4) make the language of religion familiar to them.

Developed and classroom tested since 1972 by Episcopal priest, author and teacher, Jerome W. Berryman, Godly Play uses the Montessori approach to teaching--we respond to each child's request to "help me do it by myself." This puts the teacher in the role of spiritual supporter or guide who fully accepts that each child has his or her own relationship with God already.

This approach to spiritual formation might be called "playful orthodoxy." The tradition of orthodoxy is combined with the creativity of play to integrate what are often thought of as opposites to allow children to move into larger dimensions of belief and faith.

Young children in our class gather in a circle on a rug around the teacher who tells a Bible story using various hands-on materials, then leads the children in a thoughtful "wondering" discussion. Artwork and a "feast" (symbolizing Communion) follow the lesson.

Upper Elementary School Classes

Our Upper Elementary grades follow lessons from the Episcopal Children's Curriculum (ECC) which focuses on the four areas of Old Testament, New Testament, Sacraments and the Church. The ECC is structured thematically and narratively in relation to the liturgical year (in a 3-year cycle). This is closely suited to children's learning styles, helping them to internalize the characters and events of the biblical story as their story, within a sacramental context.

This year's lessons emphasize the liturgical year, the Psalms, Jewish and Roman culture, and religion during the first century AD. Discussion of Christian applications to the students' lives is encouraged. Students participate in crafts and other activities illuminating the lessons.

OTHER ACTIVIES

Vacation Bible School
Join us for "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", a wonderful week of activities that celebrates the wonders of God's eath and the role we play in protecting it. A color brochure and a registration form will be available again on this website in late spring.

In A Manger
St. Andrew's Sunday School children get a special tour and make a take-home craft project during "In A Manger", our annual exhibition of over 150 Nativity Sets from around the world. The exhibition itself is a wonderful experience for our children--some Nativities are family heirlooms, many are folk art Nativity sets collected by parishioners and local residents, others are loaned by the parishioners of nearby churches.

Advent Workshop
The church community--young and young at heart--gathers to create traditional Advent crafts in December. Making Advent wreaths, candles, creches, and chains are ways for adults and children to prepare for the coming of Jesus and the celebration of Christmas.

Epiphany Pageant
An opportunity for the children of St. Andrew's to participate in reenacting the events of the Epiphany (the 12th day of Christmas), when we remember the coming of the three wise men bringing gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) to the Christ child, symbolically revealing Jesus to the world as our Lord and King.