​

 

Nursery Care

Nursery care is provided throughout the worship service beginning at 9:45 am downstairs in the vestry. Parents are welcome to bring their babies or young children to the nursery at any point during the service.  Children of all ages are welcome to stay in worship. However, if parents prefer, we also offer nursery care for infants and toddlers during the entire worship service. You are welcome to remain in the nursery, or return to the Sanctuary to enjoy the service, at your choice.

 

Sunday School

On a typical Sunday, families begin the worship service together at 10 am in the sanctuary.  Children and youth are invited to come to the front of the church for the Children’s Message, children up to grade 8 then proceed to the Vestry for Sunday School.  Sunday School is never mandatory, and sometimes middle school students are invited to remain in the Sanctuary; other weeks they are invited to deepen their faith during Junior Youth Group.

 

Our Sunday School classes are divided into groups based on age/grade.  Two volunteer teachers per classroom provide developmentally appropriate and engaging lessons.  On communion Sundays (generally the first Sunday of each month), children return to the Sanctuary when it is time for Communion.

 

Following worship and Sunday School, children and parents meet up for coffee hour in the Vestry.

 

​The Christian Education committee has chosen a wonderful curriculum called “Seasons of the Spirit.”  This curriculum is lectionary-based so that Sunday School often covers the same Bible passages read during the worship service, and engages children in a variety of ways so that they can approach the topic of the day in ways that are exciting and approachable.  We invite you to explore this curriculum by clicking here.

 

All children are invited to attend Sunday School, even if you are just visiting for the week!  However, children are also welcome to stay in the sanctuary if they would prefer to stay with their parents.  Parents are also welcome to accompany their children to the classroom and return to worship, or stay in the classroom.  We encourage parents to do what is comfortable and appropriate for their family.

​

Our Teachers

Dedicated volunteers from the congregation: parents, grandparents, and other adults provide a warm, caring and safe environment for our children.  We encourage all generations of our congregation to share the joy of their faith with our Sunday School program.  If you are interested in becoming involved, please email Hadley Bunting at hadley_abernathy@yahoo.com

​

Kids Cook!

That’s what we do! Open to all children and youth age 6 and older, we get together once a month to cook for the hungry, providing food for the Salvation Army in Burlington, Harbor Place in Shelburne, the Charlotte Food Shelf, and coffee hour after the church service, among others. In the summer many of our ingredients come from our Stewardship Garden; through this the children learn both environmental and social stewardship. 

​

Sacraments and Traditions

​

Baptism

When a child is baptized at Charlotte Congregational Church, he or she receives two blessings—one from God the Creator, and another from the congregation. We pledge to love and protect the child, to help her or him grow in Christian love and experience God’s love.

 

Communion Nature Brigade

All are welcome at our communion table, including children.  As a way of keeping our consecrated communion elements reserved for holy purposes, we share our leftover bread and grape juice with the birds who live in the trees surrounding our sanctuary and their animal friends.  How?  At the end of service on Communion Sundays, all children are invited to gather at the front of the church, collect the leftover communion elements, and process down the center aisle and out to the yard, where the elements are scattered.

 

Third Grade Bibles

Third graders at CCC are presented with both a Bible and a specific passage that is chosen just for them.  This rite of passage, often midway between a child’s baptism and confirmation, is a reminder to the child, his/her parents, and the congregation that the Bible, although written long ago, has wisdom and messages for us today.

 

Confirmation

In our tradition, confirmation takes place after a year-long course of prayerful study about our faith. Learn more about Confirmation at the Charlotte Congregational Church.

​

Fees

There are no fees to participate in Sunday School, nursery care, or the youth group programs.

 

For some youth group outings, there is a nominal charge to cover outside fees (e.g., bowling, etc.); however, scholarships are available and everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of ability to pay.

 

Learning & service trips do incur a higher cost; however, scholarships and fundraising opportunities are available to help defray these costs.

​

​