Nederland Community Presbyterian Church

The Little Brown Church with a Bell

Christian Education

 

Adult Christian Ministry

NCPC’s adult study forums feature topics concerning questions of our community of faith.


We recognize we have the responsibility, both individually and as groups, to reveal God's grace in places of suffering and need. Beyond that lies our commitment to support forces that restore dignity to all people
.

Our forums may focus on broader social, moral or ethical issues that address these responsibilities.




Study forums include Bible studies and book and video discussions, facilitated by various volunteers from the Adult Education Committee or the pastor.

Our most recent forum was Saving Jesus, the study of a series of interviews with contemporary theologians putting the historical Jesus into the context of today's very current political and economic climate.

In the summertime we sponsor a 4-6 week live seminar with a noted and distinguished religious scholar. Our teacher this summer is once again Schubert M Ogden, Distinguished Professor Emeritus from Southern Methodist University. In August and September he guides us in BEING A CHRISTIAN TODAY.


Children and Youth Ministry

Preschoolers and Kindergarteners enjoy time together while adults are in the Sunday worship service. They arrive early enough that their parents can enter the sanctuary and have time to settle themselves before the start of the service.

The children have a time of play followed by “tea-time.” Then we read them a story from the Bible, or sometimes a picture book about issues like being afraid of the dark, sibling rivalry, praying, loving, or sharing


High School Students meet as a group at 9:00 on Sunday mornings and at dismissal time during the worship service. Meeting with important adults from the congregation, they join in convrersations about issues pertinent to their development as young Christian people.

Studies with our high school students explore life issues with questions for reflection that are rooted in Scripture and in the Reformed tradition. The discussions seek to enrich their spiritual journey and to help them in their struggles with the many confusing issues in their daily lives.


First through Eighth Graders have a variety of experiences based upon a modified Workshop Rotation Model.

Children join the adults in the congregaton to sing and pray together during the opening of the Sunday worship service. After coming to the front of the sanctuary for a visit with the pastor in A Time with the Children, they are dismissed from the worship service to meet together among themselves and their teacher.

We understand that children learn best when they are actively engaged, and we use a variety of activities to involve them. At various times we use art and crafts and music, other times cooking and gardening. They often enjoy drama and games, and we sometimes encourage their interest with films and audio tapes.

In our small church setting these experiences help to build relationships between the children and the adults of the congregation who serve as their leaders. They also help the children learn about God’s love of all creation and how to develop a loving, trusting relationship with God. Our goal is to help them gain an understanding of what it means to be a people of God living the Gospel in today’s world.

On the first Sunday of each month and on services of special celebration, rather than getting together in class the children remain in the sanctuary for the entire service, to participate in the service of Communion.



Progress