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Child Ministry Components
The Child Ministry Program at St. Mary Parish is based on the three-fold approach to religious education that the American Bishops ascribed to in the booklet entitled, To Teach as Jesus Did.
The three aspects of Child Ministry are:
Classroom Instruction
Building Community
Christian Service
Classroom Instruction: Doctrine and Scripture
This curriculum is presented on a grade level basis using the This is our Faith series from Silver Burdett Ginn. Music, videos and creative activities are integral to our curriculum.
· Kindergarten: A special welcoming to faith formation is interwoven in the comfortable context of early childhood education with children in the 5-year old kindergarten program. Students are provided with distinct learning experiences especially suited for young minds and hearts.
· Grades 1-5: Elementary age children are given the opportunity to learn and grow in their faith. They are taught the fundamentals of Catholic understanding, scripture and prayer in an encouraging environment. A special outreach to home and family is a special component of this program.
Building Community
Along with classroom prayer we gather all the students in grades K-5 together to celebrate liturgical seasons such as Advent and Lent. We strive to present activities that allow our students to work in small groups or with partners in order to build a greater sense of Christian Community. Building community through prayer & worhsip is vital to our program.
Christian Service
An important component of our program is giving our students the opportunity to put their faith into action. We encourage and offer our students ways to share God’s love on a personal basis. We also offer outreach opportunities for our students to “love their neighbor: on a communal basis
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