Category Archives: Children and Youth News

What Children Gain by Being Part of a Church

What Children Gain by Being Part of a Church

Rev. Thomas Cary Kinder

Bradford Congregational Church, UCC, Bradford, Vermont

Here is a partial, random list of benefits that children gain (and therefore their families and communities and the world gain) by their growing up as part of a church. Please feel free to share this list with others. Please add to this list by sending suggestions of other benefits to bradfordvtucc@gmail.com. Children gain in church:

  • appreciation for the beauty, power and joy of singing and music;
  • practice public speaking and performing;
  • spiritual literacy, scriptural familiarity and an introduction to ethical, moral and religious values and virtues;
  • the knowledge of why and how to pray;
  • the experience of what faith communities and worship services are like, so wherever they go in life they will be able to walk into a house of worship with comfort and confidence;
  • the knowledge that anytime in their lives when they need comfort, guidance, strength, inspiration, community, a way to serve or a new life, church is a place to turn;
  • the desire to give their children all the gifts that church gave them when they were children;
  • a group of peers who share qualities like kindness, fairness, respect, compassion and service;
  • the feeling of being an important part of a multigenerational community where they are loved and respected and affirmed;
  • a sense of belonging to a greater whole—including all other people of faith and all God’s creation;
  • the love of a beautiful, spirit-filled church building, and the knowledge of how to be stewards of it and share it with others;
  • the good feeling of working together leading and serving the community in Christ-like ways;
  • awareness of the Biblical commitment to take care of those in need and to work for justice and peace.

Below are a few photos taken on Children’s Sunday, May 22, 2016.

Aiden & Morgen
Aiden & Morgen

 

Shane & Micah lighting the candles
Shane & Micah lighting the candles

 

Praying over the offering
Praying over the offering

 

Singing "Jesus Loves Me" to the congregation
Singing “Jesus Loves Me” to the congregation

 

Rev. Tom Kinder presenting Bibles to the older children
Rev. Tom Kinder presenting Bibles to the older children

 

 

Winter Warmer Italian Dinner

On Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 6:00 pm we’re having a “Winter Warmer” dinner, hosted by the Board of Christian Education and the Sunday School children, who will use the proceeds generated from the dinner to purchase food for the Bradford Food Shelf.

Join us for this fun, relaxing, and cozy Italian-inspired meal. A $10 per person donation is suggested.

Please contact Angela Conrad-Schlager (222-9275) with any questions.

Book Angels

Want to be a Book Angel for the Sunday School library? There are 3 categories of $5, $10 and $15. Pick a book you’d like to sponsor and you will be that book’s Book Angel!

A huge THANK YOU to all the folks who participated in the Book Angels project on Valentine’s Day.  Together we provided more than 20 new books to begin a children’s Sunday School library. More books will be available for purchase at the Christian Education’s Winter Warmer Dinner on February 20th.

IMG_5791 8.56.07 AM

IMG_5798 8.56.07 AM

 

Advent and Christmas Books for Children (and Adults,Too)

Here are some favorite Advent and Christmas and Hanukkah books for children (but we know some adults who read these every year)! They are all beautiful and deeply moving.  We have provided Amazon links because of the information that Amazon provides, but we urge you to support a locally owned bookstore.

Click on the title for information:

Favor Johnson: A Christmas Story, by Willem Lange, Illustrated by Bert Dodson

A Christmas Like Helen’s by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, illustrated by Mary Azarian

The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco

The Story of Holly & Ivy, by Rumer Godden, illustrated by Barbara Cooney

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski, illustrated by P.J. Lynch

The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate by Janice Cohn, Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston, pictures by Barbara Cooney

The Night Tree by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by Ted Rand

The Gift by Aliana Brodmann, Illustrated by Anthony Carnabuci

Lucy’s Christmas, by Donald Hall, Illustrated by Michael McCurdy

 

 

Children on first Sunday of Advent

On November 29, the first Sunday in Advent, the children brought in evergreen branches to place around the Advent candles. They also sang “Light One Candle” with the choir, then helped with an Advent reading, and finally, lit the first Advent candle of hope.

Click the arrows under the photo to scroll through the album.

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