CYF
Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) is our youth ministry for high school students. During the school year we meet weekly on Sunday afternoon 4-6 p.m. at the church. We play games, talk about issues that are important to teens and their faith, participate in cluster and regional youth events and do service projects in our community. Our weekly meetings include a dinner for all youth.
During the summer months many of our youth group members attend church camp at Camp Walter Scott. More information about camps can be found on the Christian Church in Illinois & Wisconsin website. ECC supports all of our campers with a 50% scholarship; additional funds are available on an as-needed basis.
We are planning a mission trip for summer of 2010 and hope to travel to Texas. This summer we are planning monthly gatherings and activities. Check the church calendar for more information.
Group leader is Chris Kozik.
During the school year, there is a CYF Sunday School class at 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. in the CYF Room.
Chi Rho
Chi Rho is our youth ministry for middle school students. During the school year we meet weekly at 4 -6 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. We play games, talk about issues that are important to students and their faith, participate in cluster and regional youth activities and do service projects within the church and our community. One of the most fun events of the past year was a history scavenger hunt of our church.
During the summer months many of our group members attend church camp at Camp Walter Scott. More information on camps can be found on the Christian Church in Illinois & Wisconsin website. We believe that lives are changed at church camp, therefore ECC supports all of our campers with a 50% scholarship; additional funds are available on an as-needed basis.
We are planning a mission trip for the summer of 2010 and hope to travel to Washington, D.C. This summer we are planning monthly gatherings and activities. Check the church calendar for more information.
Group leader is Jennifer Lind.
During the school year there is a Chi Rho Sunday School class at 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. in the Multi-purpose Room in the Education Building.
Youth Leaders
Teens and tweens are a vital part of the life of ECC. And many leaders are required to cultivate the faith lives of our young people. We are grateful to those who work with our students on a regular basis, as well as those who help out when needed. Thanks to Susan Argo, Robin Honeg, Chris Kozik, Jennifer Lind and all the parents and adults!
Godly Play
Godly Play is a worship ministry for children age 3 years through 4th grade. It takes place during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service. Children sit with their families in the sanctuary for the beginning of the worship service and then are dismissed to the Godly Play session. Trained storytellers and greeters lead the children to the Godly Play classroom in the Education Building where a special classroom is prepared just for them. Parents and children are reunited at the classroom after worship.
Godly Play is a Montessori-based method of religious instruction and experience. It is a complement to Sunday School. Using simple props, the storyteller relays a story to the children which leads into a “wondering time.” Through the wondering questions, children have an opportunity to engage in the meaning of the story. Godly Play stories focus on important Biblical or sacred stories (like Abraham & Sarah, Moses, Creation, etc.), parables (teaching stories Jesus told), and Christian practices (baptism, communion). Through the use of story children learn valuable tools for faith and the language by which we describe our faith.
Children also engage in a response time after the story where they may continue to process the lesson. There are no assigned activities for the children; each child chooses from the classroom materials how they will respond. For some it may mean they just go play with a toy, others will want to retell the story to themselves using the story props, still others may choose an artistic outlet like drawing/painting/journaling/beading/etc. Some days the children experience the Feast, which is an informal experience of communion. And some days are reserved for a longer period of response time where the children may choose to work with classroom materials for the entire session.
Adults who lead Godly Play often find that it feeds their soul in unexpected and positive ways. Greeters often quickly find they want to become storytellers. And adults find their experience of the story brings new insights into their own faith, and the children often say quite profound things. Godly Play is a very reverent and beautiful way for children to learn about faith, to experience their growing faith and to learn how we worship.
Contact Ron Crawford for more information or talk with one of the Godly Play teachers. Godly Play teachers: Mercy Davison, Kelly Lauderback, Jim Noe, and Adrianne Yoder.