Education

Christian Education

Here at The Congregational United Church of Christ in St. Charles, we are committed to providing a variety of programs for all ages designed to enliven and enrich our faith. Our goal is to provide intergenerational experiences and age-appropriate Christian educational opportunities for our church family and community in order to increase our love for God and neighbor.

Sunday School

All children, members or not, who attend service are welcome in our Sunday school classrooms. Students range from preschool age all the way to 7th grade. Sunday school for the 2017-2018 year began in August and will run until May 20th.

On the first Sunday of each school year month, children in classes preschool through 5th grade gather for a mini service called Jr. Worship. Jr. Worship will consist of puppet shows, children messages, readings, and songs. Following this time students who have been prepared for Holy Communion are brought upstairs to receive the Eucharist and participate in the service. Children in the 6th and 7th grade are invited to attend the service in its entirety on the first Sunday of the month.

On the following Sundays in the month, children begin in the worship service with their family and participate in a children message or activity and then are released to attend Sunday school. Very recently our church has brought back the traditional Sunday school classroom model. Each week is a new Bible story, where students explore their faith and reflect with prayer. Each lesson follows the church calendar and is taught by our wonderful parent or church volunteers.

Important events for our young children are; First Communion for 2nd graders, Bible Presentation for 4th graders, our Confirmation program for 8th graders and our Christmas Pageant.

Join us as we learn all about the love that God wants us to share.

Vacation Bible School

CUCC Vacation Bible School will be held here on June 18th thru 21st. Registration is open now: Registration Form. The theme this year is “Rolling River Rampage”. VBS will be filled with campfires, raft rides and learning to “ride the river” with God. Please contact Kim Arneson at christianed@cuccstc.org for any current questions or info.

Puppet Troupe

Our puppet troupe began in the fall of 2004 after exploring puppetry with our middle school youth during vacation Bible school. We have had a troupe every year since then. Our middle and high school puppeteers perform for the Sunday school, for vacation Bible school, for the congregation in our worship services, for nursing homes and other community parties. The goal of our troupe, God’s Puppet Troupe, is to have fun and fellowship while learning to use a variety of puppetry, music, dance and other creative ministries for the purpose of worshipping God and sharing God’s love in service to our Church and community. To schedule a performance, contact Jeanne Humke at the church.

Weekday Bible Study

Join us each week as we explore the Bible! A variety of biblical themes are discussed, with an overall emphasis on growing in our knowledge of the Biblical stories and to have a greater awareness of our relationship with God. Weekday Bible study is held on Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday evenings in the fall through spring. Contact the church office for a schedule of dates, times and topics.

Adult Education

Opportunities to go on work trips, study trips, or tours are available at different times during the year. Trips have included work trips to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi each fall, an Israel work-study-tour, a trip to England to explore our Congregational roots, a trip to Greece following the Footsteps of Paul, a trip to Italy and more. Check with the church office for current opportunities.

Novel Approaches

Novel Approaches is a discussion group based on various novels designed for those who enjoy mixing literature and fellowship! Members host these gatherings in their homes. Everyone who has read the current selection is welcome to participate. Check with the church office for a schedule.

Adult Mission Trips

Opportunities to go on work trips, study trips, or tours are available at different times during the year. Trips have included work trips to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi each fall, Habitat for Humanity trip to Guatemala, trips to the Dominican Republic to work with Community Service Alliance, an Israel work-study-tour, a trip to England to explore our Congregational roots and a trip to Greece following the Footsteps of Paul.

Swing Set Preschool

A not for profit community outreach program of the Congregational United Church of Christ, serving children ages 2.5 through 6 years of age. A licensed program through DCFS and highly recommended through the local school districts. For more information contact the director, Kim Arneson, at Kim@swingsetpreschool.com.