September 10th, 2023, is Promotion Sunday, and the kickoff for the next 12 months.
Sunday School Overview
Sunday School starts at 9:30 a.m. sharp. We end at 10:15 (for adults) and 10:30 (for kids). We ask that you try to be on time (we don’t want you not to show up if you’re late, but the fewer people coming in late, the better). Feel free to have your kids arrive to class up to 10 minutes early.
Here is an overview of the age groups and what we teach:
Pre-K through 4th Grade
For the classes of this age, Katie, Angie, Mark & Holly, Brad & Jenny, Melody, and Sara Joy use the Generations of Grace Curriculum. It is a narrative approach, which takes kids on a 3-year survey of key passages in the Bible. We are starting on Year 3:
- Year 1 – Genesis through Numbers
- Year 2 – Deuteronomy through Kings, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
- Year 3 – Gospels, Acts, and Revelation.
After Year 3, we repeat, so your child starting in Pre-K and ending in 4th Grade will go through the survey twice.
The Family Devotional, which is available in the foyer or at Grace Curriculum (be sure to get Year 3), synchronizes with the Sunday School lessons. I encourage parents, especially fathers, to consider this resource to lead your family in devotions. You will want to start your Week 1 devotions on September 10th. We take breaks for review and switch to special lessons before Christmas and Resurrection Day.
Here is the 2023/24 Sunday School Schedule. The Lesson # corresponds to the Week # in the Devotional. If you are confused about which Devotional to do, ask your kids for help.
I should also mention Adventure Club, which meets on Friday nights, is also put out by Grace Curriculum and is complementary to the Sunday School curriculum. Here, we go through a 3-year program teaching systematic theology covering essential doctrines:
- Year 1 – Theology of the Church, Bible, and Ends Times.
- Year 2 – Theology of Man, Sin, and Salvation
- Year 3 – Theology of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
5th & 6th Grade
Diane leads kids through a Bible study, one book at a time from the OT or NT, at a good pace. Diane will dive into the culture, history, places, and context while studying the text of the passage. The length of time spent in a book varies, but in general, students will study several books of the Bible during their two years in the class. A Study Bible would be helpful as they sometimes reference commentary when passages are difficult to understand. Near the end of each class, kids break into teams (usually boys versus girls) and have a drill on the lesson to see what they remember.
7th & 8th Grade (Jr. High)
Taryn does an exegetical study of a book of the Bible. It is in-depth to the degree that most students will be promoted to High School before completing a book. Taryn goes through the interpretation, culture, and application of passages and skips over nothing. They are in 1 Corinthians. Jennifer is doing a New Testament survey and sometimes does a topical lesson. Students have reading homework, usually to read the book of the Bible they are studying.
9th-12th Grade (High School)
High School is the age we consider students to be entering adulthood. From this age forward, we only have men teach (1 Tim 2:12). Jay is doing an exegetical study of the book of Matthew. Jay prepares his students to enter the world as adults. Students will be both convicted and encouraged, sitting under his teaching. I recommend taking notes and asking questions. We also occasionally do a Q&A with Jim, so start thinking of some tough questions.
Young Adults – Age 18-28ish
In Jim’s office, you will find one of our elders, Dave, going through the book of Revelation. If you start attending when you’re under 28, Dave will usually let you stay until he finishes a book. I’m afraid by the time he gets through Revelation, it will be the senior adults class. Dave is a gifted teacher; I strongly encourage people in this age range to attend his class.
Adults – Age 29+
(meets in the Sanctuary) – The elders/teachers will rotate going through a book of the Bible (currently, David is going through 1 John) or a topical series
Nursery to Pre-K Guidance
We don’t usually promote kids from Nursery to Pre-K on Promotion Sunday. We work with you to move them up throughout the year when ready. We have a few guidelines on things we’d like kids to be able to do before moving to Pre-K. If you’d like to work on these at home, it would be helpful:
- Ability to sit through a lesson
- Ability to transition between tasks (lessons, songs, snacks, crafts).
- Use the restroom without help.
- Be able to do a craft with minimal help – specifically:
- Ability to use scissors.
- Ability to use glue
- Ability to not eat the glue.
Other Information
Nursery during Worship
Our strategy during the worship service is to have families (including children) participate in corporate worship and sit through the sermon. We provide a nursery but desire you to transition your kids to the worship service by age 4. Some kids need more time to adapt, and we understand that. Feel free to start practicing having your kids sit in church (especially during singing) and take them back to the nursery when they can’t take it anymore!
Worship Activities for Kids
We have activity pages and crayons for younger kids. The bulletin has a “count how many times the pastor says the word of the day” activity for older kids. Kids can go to the front after the service and get a prize for counting.
Worship Music
Josh maintains music playlists of biblically sound and theologically rich music on Apple Music and Spotify. He has a playlist for kids, and the top 6 songs on the Kootenai Worship playlist is the songs that we will sing during the next worship service. Josh updates the playlist every Monday (Tuesday at the latest) for the following Sunday.
Class in the Foyer
The Jr. High class meets in the foyer. Please keep your voices down after 9:30 while transiting that area.
Prayer
I believe prayer is essential, and I ask that you keep the Sunday School ministry and, specifically, the teachers and helpers who are teaching your children in your prayers.
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And finally, thank you for entrusting us to teach your kids in Sunday School! We consider it a joy and privilege.
Let no Christian parents fall into the delusion that Sunday School is intended to ease them of their personal duties.
— Charles Spurgeon