Land of the Sky United Church of Christ is the faith home of many children and youth. As we grow this faith community, we continue to grow the programs and opportunity for the youth in our midst. We encourage parents and partners in our community to consider how they may give to the ministries for children at Land of the Sky United Church of Christ. Our children are the future of the church!
2ND-3RD GRADE: BIBLE WORK
This group is expanding their understanding of the Bible, and building community with one another. They are asking questions and pushing limits. They are fabulous and not easy to keep on track.
4TH – 5TH GRADE: BIBLE BASICS
This age group engages the Biblical text straight on, familiarizing themselves with the Bible’s organizations, many characters, stories and themes. Kids are invited to bring their Bibles each week. They will focus on a variety of stories under the leadership of Noel Nickle and Virginia Himmelhebber.
6TH-8TH: YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL
This class often uses videos to explore faith and God. But they also engage in deep questions that help them understand their place in God’s world. This is a group that plays together and grows together.
PRESCHOOL – 1sT GRADE: GODLY PLAY
Godly Play is a Montessori-based approach to Christian education that values process, openness, and discovery. Through Godly Play, the innate spirituality of children is nurtured and their imagination is awakened as they encounter the mystery of God. In our classroom, children are invited into biblical stories, worship, and the creative exploration of God’s presence among us. The rhythm of Godly Play mirrors the rhythm of worship, and the materials used to tell the biblical stories are beautifully crafted for children’s hands. Godly Play lessons are used with a wide range of age groups across denominations. Godly Play takes place throughout the school year, beginning in September and ending in May.
OUR WHOLE LIVES
Our Whole Lives is a values-based sexuality education curriculum created by the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalists. In today’s culture, the question is not “if” our children will learn about their sexuality, but who will teach them. OWL is an age-appropriate curriculum that is offered starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. OWL helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health, and behavior in the context of their faith. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. It provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of sexuality. Participating in a human sexuality program in a supportive and affirming environment in the church as our children grow, will help our children understand that sexuality is an important part of the way God created us; that their church cares about their sexual development and health; and that caring Christian adults are willing and able to talk with them about their questions and concerns. We currently teach the Kindergarten -1st Grade and the 4th-6th Grade OWL class every other year.
YOUTH GROUP
Land of the Sky UCC loves its Youth! There are a variety of youth events throughout the year, including monthly hikes and chats. Youth engage in several service opportunities that include reflection and conversation about how we put faith into action. Land of the Sky volunteers each month at Laundry Love and loves to connect with Asheville Youth Mission, as they bring together youth groups from around Asheville to explore issues relating faith in action. If you would like to be added to our Youth Group mailing list, please email Abby and Brett: youth@landoftheskychurch.org.