Youth Education

Sunday Mornings: Nursery Care, Youth Sermon,
Sunday School, and the Goat Bank!

We love kids! Children of all ages are truly welcome on Sunday mornings at FPCP: The Church of the Open Door. Children are an essential part of the joy we feel in our congregation every Sunday.

At every Sunday service, Rev. Doris shares a Youth Sermon with the young members of our congregation. Children sit on the floor of the sanctuary with Rev. Doris to listen, learn, ask questions, and share their insights. Rev. Doris was a public school teacher for more than 20 years. She understands kids! The Youth Sermon is a wonderful, warm, and thoughtful introduction to some pretty big ideas about how to live and love, to care for each other, to stand up for what's right, and to do a little good in the world every day.

Every Sunday morning, right after the Youth Sermon, it's time for our offering, and while beautiful music plays, you will see older children passing the collection plates, collecting gifts for mission and service.

Meanwhile, you'll see younger children are walking (or skipping, or hopping!) up and down the center aisle, collecting quarters for our Children's Mission -- also known as "The Goat Bank." They drop these quarters one at a time into a tall, transparent tube -- that's the Goat Bank!

Whenever the bank is full, our congregation uses those quarters to buy a goat through Heifer International -- and this farm animal is donated to a grateful family in need somewhere in the world. See the page on Heifer International in our "Mission" section for more information on this mission project!

After the "Goat Bank" collection, children from pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8 usually leave the sanctuary and head off to Sunday School! Our cozy classroom is down the hall and just steps away from the sanctuary, where the service continues for the rest of the congregation.

Our Sunday School is a bit like an old fashioned one-room schoolhouse! Children of all ages learn together, but explorations and activities in our lesson plans are always tailored according to ages and abilities. Middle school students often take leadership roles, assisting our volunteer teachers as well as the younger students.

All Sunday School teachers are volunteers from the congregation who take turns teaching in the classroom. Our Sunday School curriculum is from the Presbyterian Church USA's Growing in Grace and Gratitude, and our Youth Education Director is Carolyn Llewellyn. For more information, please email Carolyn at pchamsia@gmail.com.

Parents of babies and toddlers sometimes worry that their littlest ones might cry or get "the squirmies" during the Sunday morning services.

We love crying babies and squirmy toddlers! But if it makes attending services a little bit easier, you can always bring your little ones to our Nursery Care. We offer baby and toddler care in our peaceful church library, just steps from the sanctuary. Care is available throughout the service. Parents can come and go with babies and toddlers as many times as you like.

So remember: Our Nursery Caregiver is available every Sunday to watch over our "Littlest Congregation."

Opportunities for Teens:
Community Service Through Mission Projects

Teens play important roles in our mission projects to help people and families in need in our community. Teens can collect food donations or they can volunteer to help on Saturday mornings at the Philipstown Food Pantry. Teens also sort clothes and pack lunches for Midnight Run missions that provide food, comfort and conversation to homeless people in New York City. Students ages 16 and up can sign up for our PresbyBuild Work Days to help build and renovate homes for families in Newburgh, in partnership with other churches and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh.

Teens can also volunteer to help prepare PAPA Meals on the first Tuesday of the month, providing a hearty nutritious meal for up to 80 people at the Salvation Army's soup kitchen in Peekskill. During the growing season, we can always use a hand (and a green thumb!) in our Inspiration Garden on our front lawn. This vegetable garden provides fresh food to the Food Pantry. It was started by a congregation member when she was a teen Girl Scout!

Teens can participate in mission projects with their families, or on their own (with parental permission), or through youth organizations such as school groups or scout troops. You will find more detailed information about projects our Mission Page. To volunteer or donate, please contact the organizer listed for each mission project on our Mission Page, or contact the church office at 1presbyterian@gmail.com or (845) 265-3220.

Our spring 2019 Confirmation Class

Spring 2019: Confirm Not Conform
A Meaningful Confirmation Class for Today's Teens
Class meets on Sundays from 5:30 - 7 pm through June 9

These amazing teens are participating in Confirm Not Conform, our spring 2019 confirmation class! They meet weekly to talk about faith and spirituality and learn about other faith traditions. They also will take part in a mission project to help people in need in our community. At the end of the class, teens will decide if they want to be active participants in the church. And: All of our students will be celebrated at a special confirmation service on Sunday, June 9, at 10:30 am, at FPCP, 10 Academy Street, in Cold Spring! A reception follows the service, and all are welcome.

All teens in our community are welcome at FPCP's teen programs -- you do not need to be a member of the congregation, or any congregation, to participate. For more info, contact Carolyn at pchamsia@gmail.com.

To receive important updates about Confirm Not Conform and other adventures in faith for teens:
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