Fall Kickoff

 

All youth entering grades six through twelve will begin a new year of Sunday school classes. Youth and teachers will gather in Room 303 for bagels, juice, and announcements before splitting into different classes at 10 a.m. Classes for the 2010-11 school year include Chi Rho Boys and Chi Rho Girls (grades six and seven), Eighters (eighth grade), CYF Alpha (grades nine and ten), and CYF Omega (grades eleven and twelve). In addition to these classes, youth will be able to sign up for special “electives” throughout the year on topics ranging from faithful finances to hospitality to preparation for baptism and church membership. Visit www.uccyouth.org for a full schedule of classes and topics.

 

 

 

 

 

CORE College Ministry will be kicking off after The Search. Meet in the fellowship hall to kick off the 2010-2011 year together–karaoke style! Come prepared to sing your favorite karaoke song, meet some great new people, and eat wings, chips, dip, peanuts, fried mushrooms–you name it! Contact emily@uccftw.com for more details!

 

 

 
 

All sixth through twelfth grade youth and their parents are invited to the UCC Youth Orientation. We will gather in Room 207 at 6:30 p.m. for a combined session that introduces youth ministers and adult volunteers, highlights weekly programming for youth (including information on our phenomenal youth handbell choirs), and shares dates and details for major youth events in the coming year. At 7 p.m., youth will depart for Chi Rho (grades 6-8) and CYF (9-12) youth group meetings and parents will stay for a session that introduces volunteer opportunities, distributes a draft of the forthcoming youth/parent directory for corrections and updates, and answers questions about the coming year. The evening will conclude at 7:45 p.m. with blessing for all youth, parents and volunteers.

 

 

 

 

CCF (first-third graders) and JYF (fourth-fifth graders) will rev back up with snack supper ($3) and out of this world fun. CCF/JYF is a growing group of elementary aged kids playing and learning together each Sunday night. Our worship, service, and fellowship experiences will all relate to being Out of this World in August and September. Bring your child and their friends so they can join in on the fun.

 

 

 

Worship and Wonder, a worship experience during a portion of the 11 a.m. service for first, second, and third graders, will be back, with some minor changes. In order to allow our children to fully experience worship, they must be active participants in worship. Hearing, reading, singing, and observing a body of faith praise God is a primary aspect of faith development; however, children must also have the opportunity to interact with worship on their own developmental level. In an effort to meet both goals, children in first through third grades will be invited to join a Worship and Wonder leader in the Gallery during the hymn following Communion (see bulletin). This group of children will have an opportunity to read the scripture, hear the story of faith on their own level, and will then return to worship to participate in the Hymn of Discipleship. We will rejoin the congregation during the final hymn, sitting together in reserved space, and parents can pick up their child from the Sanctuary following the service. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Kera Watts (kera@uccftw.com).

 

 

 

 

Journey Land will have a fresh start on promotion Sunday, August 22. Children will begin in their assigned new classrooms and have an opportunity to play fun, get to know you games with their new Shepherds. Then, all Journey Land kids will travel to the Sanctuary to celebrate a new beginning, a new year, and new opportunities. All Journey Land children will celebrate with music and fun, and have a chance to learn about all of the opportunities available to them at UCC. Parents will pick up their children following Sunday school in the Sanctuary. We invite you to stay with us in worship while first graders begin a Welcome to Worship class and Worship and Wonder is renewed following communion.

 

 

 

 

Wiggle, wiggle, squirm, shhhhh, dropped pencil, bathroom trip, and repeat—if you have an incoming first grader that will be joining you in our worship services for the first time, your “big church” experiences will soon change. However, we hope that by providing our newly first graders a five week course on how to observe, participate, and experience worship, the outcome will be rewarding and meaningful for both you and your child; we also hope the typical wiggle, wiggle, squirm sequence can be slightly altered.

 

Our own Barbara Tucker has created a Welcome to Worship curriculum that will introduce children to the intricacies of worshipping as a group. The class will provide children the ability to recognize the cues from our leaders and those around them for direction of their own behavior in a manner of worship. The program will continue each Sunday for five weeks, when parents are invited to join their children in their final class on September 19. All of the learning and preparation will be celebrated during 11 a.m. worship on September 26 with the First Grade Inclusion ceremony. You and your first grader will benefit from this opportunity!

 

 

 

 

Be on the lookout for your child’s Sunday school promotion day information. Each family will receive a Faith to Live By mailing which provides new room assignments for the coming year as well as curriculum overviews. Please bring your new registration cards with you on August 22 to meet your new teachers and shepherds.

 

 

 

 

Looking for ways to be cool and keep your cool when dealing with your child? Join us for two sessions to learn some of the secrets for success in raising self confident, well adjusted children. We have two sections, one for parents of teens and one for parents of grade school children, to help you through these amazing years of parenting. 

 

Sherri Cook, LCSW, LMFT, will lead the presentation for parents of teens in Room 204 and Dr. Alan Lobaugh, Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist will lead the session for parents of grade school children in Room 205.

 

Sherri has been in private practice for more than twenty-five years and specializes in adolescents, family therapy, marital therapy, eating disorders, and mood disorders. Alan has been a registered play therapist and an LPC Supervisor for twenty years. These one hour classes are designed to give you some tips, resources, insights, and renewed hope as you begin the fall semester of school with your child. You’ll also meet some other parents who will share this journey/opportunity of parenting with you. There is no cost to attend and no reservation needed. Contact Alan Lobaugh at 817.926.6631 ext.135 if you need additional information. Childcare for pre-school will be provided. Elementary age children are invited to attend CCF/JYF in Room 218.

 

 

 

 

August 22 through September 12 at The Search is a special time in the worship life of this congregation as Suzanne and many artists from the metroplex will converge in worship to present a series on Incarnation. These Sundays are part of Suzanne’s doctoral dissertation in which she is exploring the role of pastoral artists. Please make a special effort to support this project, our outreach into the community and how we welcome arts here at UCC. For more information on this project, please visit with Suzanne at suzanne@uccftw.com.

 

 

 

 

Following the Discernment Retreat on Friday and Saturday, August 20-21, Rev. Randy Kuss will share his observations on where we are in this transition period. On Sunday, August 22, he will preach at the 8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. services and assist Rev. Suzanne Castle at The Search at 5 p.m.