Education
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The Congregational Church of Excelsior, United Church of Christ, offers Christian education for all, both children and adults. Sunday school for kids of all ages, Sunday services for families, and weekly Bible Study for adults.
Periodically we have special evening events centered on an educational theme; for example, we had a three-part series on World Religions not long ago with Pastor Tom leading a discussion on Christian denominations in America, a local Rabbi speaking about Judaism, and a Muslim from the Islamic Resource Group telling us about Islam. Please join us whenever you can! |
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Sunday SchoolSunday School for children and youth aims at combining Bible study and fun! The children attend church with their parents, heading off to their classrooms following the "Children's Message." Examples of recent themes for the curriculum are "Building Our Faith" (using Legos for activities), "Fishing in the Bible" (complete with fishing poles), and "Superheroes in the Bible." For young children attending church services with their families we offer nursery care as well as activity bags at the church entrance. Teens will use the curriculum Coffee and Character on most Sundays, with the 3rd Sunday of the month reserved for this age-group to remain in church and participate in worship with the rest of the congregation. |
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Bible Study
Our Bible Study class, open to all adults and led by Pastor Tom, meets Wednesdays at 1 p.m. in the church library. Themes range from an overview of the Bible from Genesis through Revelation, to various Bible-related subjects using resource materials and books as determined by the particular interests of group members.
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Youth Programs
"Kick It," our monthly evening of Bible lessons and activities, is open to all children and youth, with the emphasis on active! In the summer, our setting includes outdoor activities and a pool party!
Young people also participate in our mission projects and outreach as important members of our church community. They run a fund-raiser at the 4th of July celebration in Excelsior by selling space in our parking lots, serve as waitstaff at our fall Harvest Dinner, and pitch in wherever needed. Several of our youth have taken on independent leadership projects, such as collecting shoes, towels, and toiletries for the Simpson Shelter in Minneapolis and gathering socks for the Sox for Souls program. The youth read scripture, offer music, and help with ushering from time to time. We recently had a freshman in college who grew up in the church volunteer to do the sermon, and she was wonderful! The youth also help serve at our fall Harvest Dinner. As stated by our Christian Education Coordinator, "Service to others is a big part of our faith and gives us an opportunity to offer kindness to others." |
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ConfirmationConfirmation classes are offered during the school year, leading up to the confirmation service in the spring. Students discuss a variety of issues as they explore their religion in general and their faith at weekly meetings. They make their own personal statement of faith on Confirmation Sunday, wearing stoles they have made that represent meaningful symbols of their journey.
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