The Covenant School at Christ Church

Covenant School - A Brief Overview

The educational ministries at Christ Church are an integral part of the overall ministry of the church. The Sunday morning Covenant School serves as the foundation of the educational ministries. The Education Team, which is made up of several members of the congregation, an elder, and the Director of Education, is responsible for coordinating the Covenant School program. The many teachers and helpers that faithfully serve each week strive to provide a strong Christian education program for all of the children that attend. Below is a brief overview of each level. Detailed curriculum overviews for each class are also available.

Nursery

Infants

Our infant and toddler nurseries provide parents with the choice of taking their young ones with them into the worship service or having them cared for during any part or all of the service. The trained nursery staff strive to communicate God's love and care to the children by the loving manner in which they care for them.

Toddlers and Preschool

In the toddler and preschool classes the children learn the basic concepts of God's character, such as his love and care for us. The staff endeavors to communicate their love and acceptance of each child as well as showing them the warmth and pleasure of being in the household of faith.

Children's Worship Center (Kindergarten -1st Grade)

In the Children's Worship Center, the children not only learn the content of the Christian faith, but they learn the essential nature of worship as a response to God. Each week a Biblical story is presented followed by the children's response to God through reflection, art work, singing, and prayer. The center is open for two hours on Sunday morning with parents having the choice of sending their children midway through the regular worship service at 10:00 AM or at the start of the Covenant School hour at 11:00.

Elementary (2nd-5th Grade)

The curriculum at the 2nd-5th grade level takes the children through the major stories of both the Old and New Testaments. The children begin to understand and reflect on the sequence of the Biblical narrative as well as learn essential Bible-reading skills.

Junior High (6th-8th Grade)

The curriculum for the junior high class focuses on the covenant as the unifying concept of God's revelation. Through this study, the students gain a deeper understanding of both Bible doctrine and their relationship to God.

Senior High (9th-12th Grade)

The senior high curriculum is aimed at helping the students gain a Scriptural understanding of their role in the world as followers of Christ. The class is designed to encourage them to mature in their commitment to Christ and in their service to others.

Covenant School - A Statement of Purpose

The Christ Church Covenant School exists to provide a Bible teaching ministry that results in positively changed lives and growth in one's relationship with, and commitment to, God, other believers, and unbelievers (nurture and outreach).

In order to effectively carry out this purpose, the Education Team has developed the following goals for the Covenant School program:

Goal #1

To assist learners of all ages to explore God's Word (knowledge and understanding) and to make positive life changes through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit (application and transformation).

Goal #2

To use an educational philosophy that teaches the Word of God in a way that facilitates a growing relationship with God.

Goal #3

To cultivate a special, caring relationship between the learner and the teacher, and between the learners themselves, so that God's personal interest in them will be communicated relationally as well as cognitively.

Goal #4

To organize the Covenant School in such a way that learners will be grouped appropriately by developmental standards and that teachers will have a reasonable number of learners in their classes (ratio of 1 adult per 6-8 learners).

Goal #5

To develop a team of teachers and assistants who work together with the Director of Education and the Education Team on the common purpose of impacting the lives of others through a Bible teaching ministry.

Goal #6

To develop and maintain an on-going plan for teacher recruitment and preparation for ministry so as to insure that we have qualified people ready to provide effective Bible teaching whenever a staffing need arises.

Goal #7

To challenge the teaching staff to be learning and growing along with their students through personal Bible study and attendance at training meetings.

Goal #8

To pursue active means of reaching out to those in the community so as to bring new learners into the church where they will find a Bible teaching ministry that calls them to commitment to Jesus Christ and to growth as one of His disciples.