During the Sunday school hour (9:40 -10:40 am), the 2, 3, and 4-year-olds have a Sunday school teacher and a church provided curriculum. Sunday school usually includes a Bible verse, a Bible story, a modern day story, and an activity that goes with the theme. We also provide a snack at this time.
In every room there will be a staff person, with an identification badge. We try to have the same people in each room so that your child will become comfortable with familiar faces. However, it is unusual for all of the childcare staff to be on site at once. Parents and youth also volunteer to help in childcare. We ask that parents sign up on a volunteer list to serve as a volunteer in our ministry area about four times a year.
At First UMC-Denton the worship experience is intended to be a family experience ó parents and children worshipping together in the sanctuary. However, some families choose to have their pre-school children remain in childcare during a worship service.
Pre-school children who are being cared for during the worship services have a worship opportunity of their own each Sunday. Children's Church prepares these young children for the time when they join their families at ìbig church.î
For Children's Church our children, ages 2-4, go to the Chapel for a story, prayer time and singing. We talk to them about how important good behavior is in church, about how they should listen to the stories and participate in the service, about the importance of handling the Bibles and hymnals with care, and about the respect we are to exhibit when in God's house.
In the spring we teach these pre-school children some of the elements of the service ó such as The Lord's Prayer and the Doxology ó so that they will be familiar with them when they begin attending worship with their families as Kindergarten students.
For our children in Kindergarten - 5th grade, Sunday school is designed around a Rotation System. Children learn the Bible through a variety of experiences ñ storytelling, art, music, science, food, and drama. Newly constructed and designed rooms on the 2nd floor of the East Wing enhance the experience of learning about Jesus.
Each grade level class will have the guidance of an adult Shepherd who stays with a grade level for the entire year. Six-week units of study focus on a Bible story or theme. Each Sunday's lesson is taught in a different way ó storytelling, games, science, music, cooking, art ó and each grade level experiences one of the formats each week, rotating among the various rooms from week to week.
Unit teachers stay in one subject area for five consecutive weeks and teach the same lesson each of those five weeks. The children rotate to a new subject area and teacher each week.
A Third Grader is presented with a new Bible in the fall of the year and spends the year learning about the Bible. The 3rd grade classroom is also located on the 2nd floor of the East Wing.
Sunday School / 6th Grade Confirmation
Sixth Grade is a very important time for the older children at First UMC-Denton. It is the year of Confirmation, running August through May of each year. Other opportunities for 6th graders include:
1. Acolyte
2. Credo Choir
3. United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) in the spring
Sunday School promotion is held in August of each year ñ either the Sunday prior to or following the opening of the school year in the public schools.