Children, Youth, and Families

Children & Families

Welcome

Langley United Church welcomes children and youth as vital and beloved parts of our faith community. They are not only "the future," they are the here and now; with unique gifts to offer, and an energy which refreshes our spirits.

We provide programmes that recognize and appreciate the needs and challenges of different age groups, so that their enthusiasm and hunger for faith can be met. Together with adults as loving elders, children and teens are encouraged to learn, lead, serve and celebrate as we witness to the gospel message. Everyone is invited to join in the fun!

Sunday Celebration

Time: 10 am Sunday morning

Children of all ages will gather with their families in the sanctuary for the first part of the service. After a time of blessing, they may go to the Children's Church area for worship and programme.

Infants and toddlers

Infants and children under four may be cared for in the nursery adjacent to the entry (you can see and hear the church service from there. Volunteers will be available to offer loving care to our little ones. The nursery is equipped with a crib, rocking chair, toys and books, as well as soft blankets for a quiet time.

Ages 4-7 (preschool – grade 2)

Children in this age group will meet in Room 9 downstairs. We use the Godly Play format. They will hear a biblical story, reflect on the images and ideas they have experienced, and then choose how they want to engage the story that morning. This could include the use of art materials, working with the figures in the story, drama, seasonal activities, or games. Towards the end of the session, children will gather for the Feast, a time of sharing food and prayer. The conclusion of the morning is a time to say goodbye and to receive a blessing. (For more information on Godly Play see our links page.)

Parents/caregivers are always welcome to speak to the leaders of this group. If you wish to attend a class for all or part of the time, please let group leaders know.

Ages 8-10 (Grade 3-5) and Ages 11-13 (Grades 6 & 7)

These children will be using the curriculum Seasons of the Spirit. Ages 8-10 will meet in room 12 with Teresa LaBounty. Ages 11-13 will meet in the upper lounge with Lisa Garland. Seasons of the Spirit uses the lectionary schedule that is presented in the main worship service. Each class has Biblical readings, reflection and activities. If you have any questions about this programme, please speak to the class leader or to Gabrielle in room 9 at the end of the morning.

What's coming up in May and June, during the Season of Pentecost 2008

May 11 Worship Service for all ages for Pentecost with Holy Communion and a special recognition for Scott’s ministry
After the service: Lunch and programme in honour of Scott

May 18
Godly Play session: God's gift of the Holy Spirit
Combined class for grades 3-7: The Holy Trinity

May 25 Combined classes for all ages to prepare for the picnic


June 1 Picnic at Clayton Park in Surrey
Note: no service at the church on this day

June 8
Godly Play session
Combined class for grades 3-7
Topic for both groups: Meet the disciples, jobs for disciples, following, helping, taching one another

June 15
Godly Play session: Continue stories of disciples
JAM leads worship, grades 3-7 will attend worship

June 22 First Nations Day celebration
Combined classes for all ages

June 29 Summer sessions for all ages begin:
Theme: Matthew 10:40-42 Generous Hospitality

Intergenerational Worship Days

During Intergenerational Worship, children will remain in the sanctuary for the entire service. Activities, music, and the Word will be presented in a format that is suitable for all ages. Children will participate actively in parts of the service.

Our next intergenerational worship service is on May 11, Celebration of Pentecost.

Other Activities from Children's Church...

Our bulletin board is on the wall above the coffee table in the hall. Check it for current classes, information on coming events, helpful hints for families. A list of summer sessions and sign-up sheets for volunteers is available. If there’s something you want to see there, please let Gabrielle know. Your ideas are important!

Hannah’s prayer corner has been set up in the sanctuary in October. Everyone, young, middle and older, is welcome to come up and light a candle or place a stone on the table and say a prayer for someone in need of special care.

Do you know where your Mission and Service dollars go? Find out at the M & S bulletin board in the hall. There are maps, pictures, names of the countries and projects.

Faith in the Home

From time to time, Langley United offers special events designed to enrich the faith life of the whole family in the home. These sessions are suitable for singles, couples and families of all sizes and ages.

Youth

The JAM Session

Grades 8-12

JAM stands for Just About Ministry. We are an enthusiastic group of teens, learning about our roles of Ministry in our everyday lives. We do this through group interaction, participating in church services, and discovering new and exciting goals for Outreach.

We combine drama, music and comedy in our learning as well as group reflection. The JAM group meets every other Sunday during the Church service throughout the year

Senior Youth Group

The Senior Youth Group is a place for youth from grades 8 to 12. We usually meet every other Friday evening for activities ranging from movie nights, games nights, scavenger hunts, and trips to the corn maze to a progressive dinner. There are also opportunities for young people to be involved in groups and events with youth from other Fraser Valley United Churches, such as the Youth Council for Fraser Presbytery, retreats in the fall and spring, and many other activities throughout the Fraser Valley. Our group is a place where the youth can grow both socially and spiritually and we encourage any new teens that are interested to come and join us on any of the Friday nights that we meet.

Here are some of the activities we have lined up for this year!

Oct. 12 - Corn Maze
Oct. 26 - Halloween Event
Nov. 9 - Laser Tag
Nov. 23 - Games Night
Dec. 14 - Christmas Event
Jan. 11 - Skating or bowling with coffee after
Jan. 25 - Burns Dinner at the church
Feb. 8 - Sleep Over
Feb. 22 - Winter Fun, snowboarding
Mar. 28 - Castle Fun Park
Apr. 11 - Frisbee Golf
Apr. 25 - The Amazing Race
May 9 - Progressive Dinner
May 23 - Year End BBQ

Junior Youth Group

The Junior Youth Group, for kids in grades 5 to 7, is back once again after laying dormant for many years. The kids this year enjoyed a variety of activities from games nights, laser tag, walks in the park, to visiting the pumpkin patch just before Halloween. The group meets regularly with leader David Nelson once a month on Sunday afternoons. We encourage any other kids that want a place to meet with other kids that share their faith and want to have a good time to come and join us.

Friends of Fire

For youth in grades 5 to 10 who love to perform, the Friends of Fire is for you! We get together once a month on a Sunday afternoon to practice skits and plays that we perform at special events throughout the year. This year we're working on CS Lewis' "The Magician's Nephew".