Workshop Rotation

 

An Exciting Way for Kids to Learn About God and the Church!

 

Workshop Rotation begins October 5 at 9:15 a.m.

The Church of the Epiphany, Durham

 

Workshop Rotation uses art, drama, cinema with popcorn, storytelling, games, computers, cooking, woodworking, banner-making, music, dance and many other modalities to teach children about God and his world – including the church.  It is based on multi-intelligence theory and is designed to appeal to children with many different learning styles.  Faithful attendance will promote biblical literacy within six years.

 

Workshop Rotation is fun, groundbreaking, dynamic and innovative!

 

This year's Rotations are:

 

This Is My Father's World (Creation)

Jesus Christ: The Alpha and Omega

The Covenant: The Story of Abraham and Sara

Holy Week:  Who, What, When, Where and Why?

Joseph and That Amazin' Dreamcoat

 

The Workshop Rotation program is for children age 4 to 8^th grade. There is a freshly decorated nursery for children 3 and under.   Youth Group and Middle School Students have special programming.  All children join their parents in church for the Eucharist at approximately 9:45.  Children will frequently perform special music in church.

 

Special Programming for Middle School Students

 

For Middlers:

 

The program for Middle School students is designed to help students discover the how the Christian faith can help them in everyday life.  Our programming is web-based, cutting edge and full of suggestions about how Christians can deal with situations these students face on a daily basis.  The curriculum uses material from scripture along with modern materials like film clips and music to teach the Good News of Jesus Christ.  These classes will run concurrently with the Workshop Rotation classes for younger children – that is at 9:15 on Sunday mornings during the workshop service.  Children will join their parents toward the end of the service for Eucharist. 

 

The Church of the Epiphany's New Youth Group

 

            Our new Youth Group is just forming, and it's the perfect time to enroll and join in the fun.  And we will be having a lot of fun!  We have several trips in the works.  One will be into New York City to St. John the Divine Cathedral for ?Night Watch.?  We?ll sleep on the cathedral floor and participate in spooky late-night tours, lots of music and other programming designed for teens. 

 

Jack and Anne Doyle are helping our teens plan parties and meetings with United Church's Youth Group every other month.  Sunday evenings are our meeting times – and we?ll start off with supper and take it from there with programs, activities and games.

 

We will be working toward a mission trip to Mississippi next summer to Camp Coast Care for Katrina relief.  And there will be many other opportunities for outreach and mission work.  Many of our teens work with younger children in our innovative church school program called Workshop Rotation or serve as mentors for middle school students.  And many will be serving as acolytes, readers, chalice bearers and intercessors.  

 

Youth group will be responsible for one 9:30 Sunday worship service every other month.  They will be using contemporary music and innovative, alternative

Liturgies.  Theirs will be a fresh perspective on worship – and that often helps adults see God through new eyes. 

 

Our Christian Ed Team:

 

         Mother Beth. Lisa Kopcik, Heather McCutchen, Diane Rosborough, Christine Michaud and Katie Forline.  The Doyle's – Anne and Jack – are Youth Group leaders.  In addition, many members of the parish participate in Workshop Rotation as workshop leaders, shepherds or assistants.  Alex Morin is our Superintendent of Workshop Rotation – and as such is our chief trouble-shooter and audio-visual expert.

 

         The Episcopal Church requires that all persons who work with children and youth must have background checks and attend 'safe Church? Training.  Our nursery attendants have Red Cross training in the care of young children.

 

 

Our philosophy on Christian Education for Children and Youth?.

 

Those of us who work with children and youth realize that ours is a holy pursuit.  It's been called 'soul-tending,? a very apt term that describes the work of guiding our kids toward lives enriched by faith.  This can happen with the youngest child or senior high youth.  That's what we?re out to accomplish – that and having a lot of fun too! 

 

We seek to be a child-friendly parish welcoming our children and youth into worship as well as church school and youth group.  Below you will find a copy of a brochure that is tucked into the pew racks in our church called ?The Small Child in the Pew.?  We hope it gives you an idea of how important our children are to us.  They – along with our youth – are the church of the future, and we find that seeing God through their eyes is just a wonderful experience.  To this end, our children will often perform special music during the worship service.   

 

We encourage kids to join their parents in at the altar rail for Eucharist (or a blessing).  All baptized children are invited to participate in the Eucharist.  Communion instruction is available by speaking to Mother Beth.  She's also the one to talk to if your children have yet to be baptized so that can be arranged.

 

Our middle school students are exploring ways to negotiate the passage between childhood and adolescence, and the church can be a great support to them in this journey.  They are taking steps at this time to learn the fundamentals of the Christian faith in more depth, and some will be approaching confirmation age.  Our curriculum will be geared toward preparing them for confirmation class that is offered every other year.    

 

It's our belief that God calls teens into relationship, just as he does adults.  All of us are asked to become God-bearers.  Check out Timothy's story in the New Testament.  Timothy was a teenager who became aware that God was calling him to take a leadership role in the church.  He answered that call and became a missionary and pillar of the early church – traveling far and wide – spreading the Good News while still a teen.  Timothy was a God-bearer – just as all of us are.  

 

Becoming aware that we carry God within us helps us enormously as we relate to others and move through our lives.  We want our Youth group members to discovering how God is calling them and how that informs the way they live and relate to others.  Statistics teach us that kids who have strong ties to a church or synagogue negotiate their adolescence with far less at trouble than teens that don?t have that connection.  That safety net comes from relationship with the Lord and with others who know the Lord, and it is of vital importance during adolencence, which can be a very risky passage.