Religious Education Programming 2009-2010
Welcome!
Welcome (back) to Tewksbury Congregational Church! Whether this page is your first introduction to our church or you already knew most of the information contained here, we hope that you will feel the love, creativity, and passion that go into our programs. As the year progresses, we hope that the information contained here will help aid in your family's journey: from birth and baptism, through childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
In order to share the wealth and love we experience weekly here at TCC, we ask the following: There are copies of this handbook available in the church office. If you know of a family without a church, please get them one. We have much to offer to others and unless we invite them, they will miss out!
Peace and Prayers to you and your family in this new Sunday School year,
Sue Panilaitis, Director of Religious Education
General Information
Tewksbury Congregational Church (TCC), United Church of Christ, is a mainstream, Protestant church, established in 1734 and is the founding church of Tewksbury. We have a long tradition of worship, mission, and fellowship with the community and beyond.
Our Facilities
The Tewksbury Congregational Church is fully handicap accessible. The two storied educational wing is bright and roomy, allowing each individual grade level to have its own classroom. For classroom locations, please refer to the map below.
Worship is for Everyone!
TCC is a multi-generational church. We believe that all of us belong in worship together, old and young, singles, couples, and the families of all types and sizes.
Especially for children and their families:
- Sunday School is held at the same time as adult worship
- Children's activity sheets designed for ages 3-11 are available in the entryway. Please take the time at the end of worship to return crayons to either the entryway or the basket outside the church office for continued use.
- Children of all ages come forward for Children's Time, an interactive mini-sermon. Parents often accompany toddlers and young children to the front.
Inclement Weather Cancellations
When snow has fallen or is falling on Sunday, please be sure to check the church's answering machine (978-851-9411), WHDH or WBZ, or check the church's website to see if the church service has been delayed or cancelled. If you are part of the RE distribution List, an e-mail will be sent as well.
Nursery
Nursery care is available for children under age three each Sunday beginning at 9:20 and ending with the conclusion of adult worship.
The nursery is staffed by several rotating adult volunteers as well as a permanent youth aide.
To aid in the care of each child, we ask that each parent sign their child into the nursery weekly (name; parent's name; clothing child is wearing for easy identification). A space is provided for any additional information that might be important in order to provide the best care possible for the child.
A snack is offered to children while in the nursery. After disinfecting the table and using wipes to clean hands, children are offered food suitable to the age group, which many times, consists of apple juice and goldfish crackers.
Diapers will be changed on a need only basis.
Sunday Morning
Children in nursery and the Three Year Old classroom can begin the morning of worship in their classrooms.
During class, youth read a featured story and participate in a craft, activity or project that relates to the weekly lesson. The curriculum used is Rock Solid, published by Cokesbury. Sunday School classes end with the conclusion of adult worship, usually between 10:30 and 10:40am. Student booklets with follow-up activities are sent home for family use.
Typical Sunday Morning Schedule
(September to mid-June)
| 8:30-9:00 | Contemporary Youth Ensemble (CYE) rehersal |
| 9:00-9:30 | Junior Choir rehersal |
| 9:20-10:40 | Nursery Care Available |
| 9:25 | Three Year Old Classroom opens |
| 9:30 | Contemporary Youth Worship begins for Jr and Sr High Students |
| 9:30 | Adult Worship Begins |
| 9:45 | Approx. time children aged four through grade 6 leave the sanctuary for classes |
| 10:30 | Approx. time Sunday School Classes conclude |
| 10:30 | Coffee and Fellowship time for adults |
| 10:45-11:00 | Cherub Choir rehersal |
Junior and Senior Options for Sundays
For youth in Junior or Senior High school, there are a variety of options for participation during the church school year. For youth grade seven and above, there is a contemporary youth worship held in Fellowship Hall as an alternative to a standard Sunday School classroom setting. This service is youth led, but adult guided and features music performed by the Contemporary Youth Ensemble. This group pulls curriculum from a number of different sources in order to have current, relevant, and active lessons each week.
Other options allow for these older youth to remain in adult worship with their parents or to serve as a classroom aide weekly (or bi-weekly) in one of the younger grades' traditional classroom settings. Arrangements to become an aide are made through Sue Panilaitis, the Director of Religious Education.
The Sunday School Program
Sunday School Staff
The Tewksbury Congregational Church Sunday School Program is staffed by dedicated and caring individuals. All of the staff members have had criminal record checks and have been well-trained. Each class is staffed with at least two leaders. In the event of a leader's absence, doors between two classrooms are left ajar so that there is always extra help at hand.
Sunday School Volunteers, Locations, and Class Specific Information
Three Year Old Class
Teachers: Julie Previte, Monica Kelly, Stefanie DeLuca
Aide: Stephanie Kelly
Location: First floor, Room 4
This classroom opens at 9:25, which coincides with the start of adult worship. During the time before the official start of Sunday School, children are allowed some exploratory time with playdough as a way to become comfortable and reacquainted with peers and leaders before lessons commence. A snack is also served at the completion of the lesson.
In order to be released from the classroom, a designated individual must meet the three year old at the classroom door at the end of adult worship.
Four Year Old Class
Teachers: Sarah SanClemente, Joanne Kenney
Aide: Jenn Hogan
Location: First floor, Room 3
All four year olds must be picked up at the conclusion of class.
Kindergarten
Teacher: Sherry Fulton, Marilyn San Clemente
Aide: Cody LaFortune, Emily SanClemente
Location: First floor, Room 2
Kindergarten students must leave the classroom accompanied by a responsible adult.
First Grade
Teachers: Nola Stewart, Annette Eloi
Aide: Michael Stewart
Location: First floor, Room 1
Second Grade
Teachers: Cathie & Craig Seaman
Aide: Sam Stanley
Location: Second Floor, Room 9
Third Grade
Teacher: Cricket Foss
Aide: Casey Roux
Location: Second Floor, Room 7
Fourth Grade
Teacher: Steve Trudeau
Aide: Jonathan Foss
Location: Second floor, Room 5
Fifth Grade
Teacher: Bob Masters
Aide: Robert Stewart
Location: Second Floor, Room 8
Sixth Grade
Teacher: Steve Richtsmeier
Location: Second Floor, Room 10
Junior & Senior High
Teachers: Betsy Goodell, Serena Santoro
Location: Tower during sanctuary renovations; once completed: Fellowship Hall
Sunday School Attendance
In an effort to increase awareness of the importance of consistent Sunday School attendance, there will be recognition days. Three times a year, in concurrence with the Sunday School curriculum, children will be recognized for their perfect, or near perfect, attendance during the last curriculum session. Such recognition will be made during adult worship with each session acting as a separate entity.
Sunday School Offering
Families are welcome to stop by the church office to pick up offertory envelopes for their child(ren). We hope that parents will take time to talk about why we give money to the church and encourage them to earn a portion of what they give. We hope that children will learn that the money received will be used to do God's work through this church.
Communion Sundays
Under the United Church of Christ, communion is open to all children, youth and adults. We provide children in grades K through sixth grade the opportunity to partake in the sacrament every couple of months as part of their Sunday School experience. Children will arrive in the sanctuary shortly before the communion and sit as a class. They will then remain in adult worship for the remainder of worship.
At 11 o'clock on Communion Sundays, communion is again served on the second floor in Room 9. This time is reserved for families who would like to take Communion together, as well as volunteers who were unable to be in the sanctuary during the sacrament.
Sunday School Mission Projects
Each month, all participants will receive information about a mission project that either correlates with the season or other church wide emphasis. Such projects include, but are not limited to, food collections based on a monthly theme for the Tewksbury Pantry, school supply contributions for the Church World Service school bags in September, Halloween candy donations in November, and Heifer collection in the spring. Sunday School children also make connections with the children sponsored by the Missions Committee through letters and pictures and in some cases, care packages. For a full description of TCC's Mission projects, including the school sponsorship program, please visit the Missions & Outreach section of the TCC website.
Sunday School Calendar 09-10
| 9/13 | Rally Day |
| 10/4 | Grades 4,5,6 attend Communion |
| 10/25 | Bible Presented to Third Graders |
| 11/1 | Grades 2 & 3 attend Communion |
| 11/21 | Confirmation Class Worship Service (Sat. 7:30) |
| 11/29 | Thanksgiving Break - No Sunday School |
| 12/6 | K and Grade 1 attend Communion |
| 12/13 | Advent Workshop |
| 12/20 | Christmas Pageant |
| 12/27 | No Sunday School |
| 1/3 | Grades 4,5,6 attend Communion |
| 2/7 | Grades 2 & 3 attend Communion |
| 2/14 | Feb Vacatoin- No Sunday School |
| 3/7 | K and Grade 1 attend Communion |
| 3/7 | Scholarship Breakfast after regular morning classes |
| 3/21 | Lenten Workshop |
| 3/28 | Palm Sunday; Grade 3 hands out Palms |
| 4/4 | Easter- No Sunday School |
| 4/18 | Spring Vacation- No Sunday School |
| 5/2 | Grades 4,5,6 attend Communion |
| 5/30 | Memorial Day Weekend- No Sunday School |
| 6/6 | Grades 2 & 3 attend Communion |
| 6/13 | Youth Sunday and church wide "picnic" |
Seasonal Events
Bibles and Stoles
Third grade is an important year for youth at TCC. On Reformation Sunday (October 25th), children in this grade will be presented with their own Bibles during adult worship.
On Palm Sunday, which is March 28th this year, third graders also are responsible for handing out palms while wearing hand-made stoles, created as part of their classroom learning experiences. These stoles will also be blessed during worship.
Confirmation
Youth in our congregation are given the opportunity to participate in a series of classes in preparation for being confirmed during the ninth grade year. "Confirmation" means that the young people make for themselves the same promises that their parents made for them at their baptism. Each student is assigned an adult mentor who works with them over the course of the year, providing additional experiences and insights in addition to full group classes and experiences. Confirmation occurs during their sophomore year and takes place the weekend of November 21st.
Advent Workshops
Following regular Sunday services on December 13th, families are invited to partake in a simple meal followed by activities and crafts that relate to the Christmas season. Families will be encouraged to rotate through various stations, each detailing an important aspect of the season and a project relating to the theme at hand. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the season with the church community in a fun and festive way.
Christmas Pageant
Each year in mid-December, our youth present a pageant to the congregation. Good attendance on the Sundays preceding the pageant is especially important as some rehearsals will be conducted during class time. This year's pageant is tentatively scheduled for December 20th.
Lenten Workshops
Similar to the Advent workshops held earlier in the year, this event is held during the season of Lent. Again, a simple lunch is served followed by crafts and projects focusing on Easter activities. This is tentatively scheduled for March 21st.
Youth Sunday
At the end of each Sunday School year, our youth lead the congregation in worship. Good attendance on the Sundays preceding Youth Sunday is especially important as all rehearsals are conducted during class time. This year's date is June 13th. Worship is followed by an all church "picnic".
Music Programs for Youth
Music is an important component of the worship experience at TCC. This is no more evident than in the wealth of music programs available to our youth from 3 years old to seniors in high school.
Cherub Choir
This singing group is for children ages three through third grade. They rehearse weekly at the conclusion of Sunday School, at approximately 10:45 am, in Room 9. Cathie Seaman directs with assistance from Sherry Fulton and is accompanied by Craig Seaman. Fun, age appropriate songs are sung, often interspersed with various types of musical accompaniment from the cherubs. Performances by the group are usually once a month and occur during the first part of adult worship.
Junior Choir
Junior Choir, directed by Bruce Panilaitis, is offered to children grade four and up. They rehearse a variety of musical genres at 9 am Sunday mornings in the Fairgrieve Room and will participate in adult worship services 8 - 12 times throughout the year. In addition, the Junior Choir supports the Confirmand Service in November, participates in the Christmas pageant, and has the opportunity to attend a Youth Choir Festival in March. Children are encouraged to participate even if they have no previous musical experience.
Jubellation Ringers
Handbell ringing is fun! Jubellation Ringers is open to youth in grades six through twelve, and meets Monday evenings from 6:00 to 7:20 in Fairgrieve Room. The group is directed by Sue Dill, Music Director. No previous skills are needed. Jubellation Ringers play in worship various times throughout the year.
Contemporary Youth Ensemble
Serena Santoro has an amazing ability to take youth with a variety musical skill levels and instruments and create a fabulous ensemble. Adolescents in Junior or Senior High who play an instrument are encouraged to bring it with them to rehearsals at 8:30 Sunday mornings. These individuals will work with her to learn contemporary pieces that are played both in the Contemporary Youth Worship as well as various times throughout the year in adult worship.
Youth Social Activities
Kids' Drama Program
Kids in grades three through six meet to learn how to express their faith and tell Bible stories through drama, movement and music. There will be three six-week sessions during the year, taught by Sue Dill and Marilyn San Clemente. The group meets in the Fairgrieve Room Monday afternoons from 3:30 until 5:00. The team will perform their plays at various church events. Sessions run from September 28 to November 9, January 25 to March 8, and April 4 to May 17. Team members commit to attending all six meetings, and some parent involvement will be needed.
Junior Youth Group
The Junior Youth Group (JYG) is social group geared to grades six through eight with the focus being on fun, food, games, service projects, worship and specialized programming centered around building a relationship with God. This year's activities include a backwards progressive supper, "First Fridays" held at Phillip's Academy, "Souper" Sunday and a hay maze field trip. A retreat is currently being planned for the spring. This group is lead by JoJo Scharmer and Cricket Foss and meets Sunday nights from 6-7:30 in Fellowship Hall. As always, members of JYG are encouraged to bring a friend with them.
Senior Youth Group
Developed to aid in high school students' quest for fellowship in a fun and nurturing environment, Steve Trudeau and Ann-Marie Baldwin have prepared an enjoyable, yet spiritually based program. Such activities include Hike for Humanity, Easter Lock-in, ski and tubing trip, Laser Tag, and a camping trip to SoulFest. This social group meets twice a month with many meetings being at 6 pm on Sunday nights. Information for the group can be obtained by looking on the church website, Faith Notes, or checking out the bulletin board in the Vestry. As always friends are encouraged to attend SYG.
Birthday Card Program
As a way to encourage a relationship with Christ and the church, TCC sends a special birthday card signed by the Sunday School staff and Pastor Jonathan. Coordinated by Pat Stoddard, children in the three year old class through sixth grade can look forward to being remembered on their special day.
Scholarships and Loans
Our church has a long history of helping others. This tradition includes helping students within our church family with scholarships to assist with college and other post high school educational expenses. Grants will be awarded based upon total contributions and according to how many students apply. In the spring, application forms are available in the church office. Applicants are encouraged to assist in the yearly scholarship breakfast, the only scheduled event to raise money for this fund. This year's scholarship breakfast is set for Sunday, March 7th.
Loans are also available from Tewksbury Congregational Church. More information about this program can be obtained by contacting the church office.
Safe Church Policy
Tewksbury Congregational Church has a "Safe Church" policy with the purpose being to protect our youth. The policy requires two adults be present in every setting where youth are present and mandates criminal background checks of all volunteers who work with them. For a full policy, please contact Jim Kenney, TCC's safe church advocate.
Adult Religious Education
In addition to the Bible studies offered within TCC, we are always striving to provide classes and workshops for adults in an attempt to strengthen their faith. We are open to ideas for presentations and guest speakers, so please feel free to contact a member of the Religious Education Committee with any thoughts you might have.
Adult Volunteers Welcome
In order to offer the variety of programming available at Tewksbury Congregational Church, we are always looking adult volunteers to help. If you are interested in working with youth in any capacity, please contact Sue Panilaitis.
RE Email Distribution List
Throughout the course of the year, parents and church members are kept up to date on the latest religious educational news via e-mail. If you would like to be added to the list, please send an e-mail to education.tewksburycc@verizon.net.
Important Websites
www.ucc.org − a reference site for the United Church of Christ
www.tewksburycc.org − Tewksbury Congregational Church's website
www.cokesbury.com − United Methodist online bookstore which provides us with the Sunday School curriculum
Email Addresses of Interest
pastor.tcc@verizon.net − Jonathan Goodell, Pastor of Tewksbury Congregational church
secretary.tcc@verizon.net − Sue Howard, Secretary of Tewksbury Congregational Church
education.tcc@verizon.net − Sue Panilaitis, Director of Religious Education
musicmail.tcc@gmail.com − Sue Dill, Director of Music
Religious Education Committee
Jim Kenney, Co-ChairPeggy Mello, Co-Chair
Carol Sturtevant
Stefanie DeLuca
Sheila Nelson
Marilyn SanClemente