Sunday School
We hope you will join us for our Sunday School program at Bethany Lutheran Church. The information on this page is intended for children ages 3-18. While children attend Sunday School, we encourage parents to consider one of our Adult Learning programs that are offered at the same time.
Please click here to register for Sunday School and/or learn about special events throughout the year.
Christian Education for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
Time: Sundays 9:00 – 10:15 (Sept thru May) – Registration
Godly Play is the name of Bethany’s Christian education curriculum for children ages 2 ½ – 5. It is an approach to working with children to support, challenge, nourish, and help guide their spiritual development. The goal of Godly Play is to teach children to enter into the biblical story and relate it to their personal experience. We play with the language of God and God’s People: our sacred stories, parables, liturgical actions and silence. Through this powerful language, through our wondering, and through the community gathered together, we extend the deepest invitation of all: an invitation to come and play with God.
In Godly Play, we follow the pattern of worship – getting ready in the music opening (Gathering), listening and responding to a Bible story (the Word of God), the feast (the Meal of Holy Communion), and saying goodbye (Blessing and Sending).
The Godly Play stories are presented with objects that make the images of our religious language come alive. It is customary for the children and storyteller to sit in a circle on the floor. The multi-sensory storytelling materials are placed in the center of the circle, symbolizing the fact that God can be present and accessible to everyone.
After a Bible story is told to the children, the storyteller and children use “wondering questions” to reflect on the story as a whole. Having the storytelling materials physically present, laid out in the middle of the circle, helps this process take place.
Periods of silence occur during the storytelling and wondering so that God is known to be present in us and that we are in God.
The craft response helps the child re-enter the lesson to express in an art medium what the lesson stimulates. As they work, children are invited into conversation to explore the story and the “wondering questions.”
We encourage parents to sit down with your child at home to talk about the story, using the weekly Parent Page as a guide. As a parent, you are your child’s most important spiritual teacher! Your faith conversations at home are the most powerful influence on your child’s faith development. Sharing stories is important, because through story we help give meaning to our world and to our lives.
Contact: Rit Vogel
Phone: (303) 758-2820
E-Mail: rit@bethany-denver.org
Christian Education for 1st through 5th graders - Registration
Time: Sundays, 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Kids’ Light Curriculum 2009_2010
A warm and welcoming environment awaits children in the Kid’s LIGHT program. Each creatively decorated classroom is functional for a specific kind of learning experience. Shepherds provide continuity and nurture, so children come to a place where they feel welcomed, valued, and cared for while learning to know and follow Jesus.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to teach our children to:
- Know Jesus as God’s Light shining in the world
- Love Jesus and let His light shine in you and transform you
- Serve Jesus as you “Go and let your light shine to others”
Our Vision
- A program that is fun and engages children in learning
- Children who know Bible stories and can relate them to their everyday lives
- Children growing stronger in their faith
- A program that focuses on the gifts and talents of our congregation members
- Adults enthusiastic to volunteer
- Adults renewed and energized in their faith and able to relate their faith experiences to children
- Special bonds developing between children and adults
What is the Workshop Rotation approach?
Kids’ Light brings first through fifth grade children into small group workshops for creative and relevant Bible learning. Major Bible stories and concepts are taught through kid-friendly, multi-media workshops (art, drama, games, music and movement, A-V, puppets, storytelling, computers, etc.). Each Bible story is taught for 4 weeks and kids rotate to a different workshop experience each week. Each workshop represents a way of knowing and experiencing God through a different learning style. Activities are designed to enhance each child’s multiple intelligences and give them opportunities to learn in their own way.
Celebration Station
All 1st – 5th grade children gather at the Celebration Station initially (in the Great Hall), where they are greeted by their Shepherd and they participate in a lively, large group opening. We sing together, collect offerings, do a brief introduction of the lesson or liturgical theme, and close with prayer. Then, accompanied by their Shepherd, children rotate to a different workshop each week.
The Workshops
Jerusalem Room::Listen to a storyteller in costume and experience Bible stories in a Bible times environment.
Art in Heaven: Express your understanding of Bible stories using your own creativity and a variety of art media. Learn to appreciate fine religious art.
The HolyWord Theater: See Bible stories come alive through video selections that reinforce the Bible story, place the story in context, or reflect on the story in contemporary living. Relax and learn while enjoying a bag of popcorn!
Abraham’s Arcade: Learn Bible stories in a new way through a variety of Bible games. You may team up with others to be contestants in a game show, play a life-size version of a board game, or learn through other exciting and popular games.
Acts of Faith: Experience the Bible story through body movement, no-script drama, pantomime, or puppets. Learn the story by being in the story. Get to know Bible people as real people with feelings and emotions. The drama room is equipped with lots of costumes and props.
Kingdom.com: Interact with Bible stories, create your own contemporary versions, or play computer quiz games using a variety of exciting computer software.
Treasure Hunt: Search for faith treasures in this map room. You may explore where and how to find the story, background facts, Bible geography, Bible culture, or be challenged by questions which apply faith to today’s world.
Celebration Station: This flexible space is used for music and movement activities and for a variety of special workshop activities.
Contact: Rit Vogel
Phone: (303) 758-2820
E-Mail: rit@bethany-denver.org
*** Middle School Sunday School ***
Check out the Connect information on the youth website.
*** High School Sunday School ***
Check out the Connect information on the youth website.
