Grade School Sunday School

The St. John Church School has classes for children age two through Elementary age, for young people in Junior High and High School, Adult classes are offered periodically, based on interest and need. All Sunday morning sessions begin at 9:00 am. The adult Bible study class usually meets on Monday evening.

The St. John Sunday school uses the rotation model. Here’s how it works:

*Each Sunday morning begins with a gathering time under a tent, complete with “flaming” torches and a desert backdrop. Students move to their rotation room down a hall decorated to look a first century alley.

*The same bible story is taught for four or five weeks in a row in a variety of different ways, in different workshop settings.

*Here at St. John’s, young people “rotate” through a computer room, drama room, AV room (complete with hot popcorn, projection TV, and surround sound), game room, and a craft area (that sometimes includes cooking). In each setting they learn about the same Bible story in a new way.

*Teachers stay in the same room for an entire rotation, teaching (and improving!) the same lesson each week, adjusting it for age differences.

At St. John’s, as in other programs across the country, the difference has been amazing. Children don’t dread coming to Sunday school. Attendance is up; Bible stories are actually being learned; both teachers and students are having a good time together, and it shows. Visitors are always welcome. Come see the difference yourself!

Our Christian Education ministry also includes the Stepping Stones Program, headed by our Director of Christian Education, Cindy Vogler. Through a series of workshops and worship recognitions that begin in preschool and follow our children through high school graduation, the Stepping Stones program tries to make growing up also mean growing in Christ.

High School Sunday School

The St. John youth center is housed in the basement of St. John South, a building next door to the church. The Senior High youth’s Sunday school room is upstairs. As the picture shows, it isn’t your usual classroom. When given permission to decorate it “any way you want to,” the youth turned it into a black light extravaganza. A mirrored sculpture spreads across the ceiling, while artwork and graffiti come to life whenever the room’s several black lights are turned on. Jeff Lehr, who leads discussions on topics of interest to senior highers, teaches classes. The group is famous for its “What’s said here, stays here,” code that gives young people a safe place to talk about personal issues and concerns.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School is offered each summer at St. John’s in conjunction with St. Agatha’s Catholic Church of New Athens. Like the regular Sunday school curriculum, Bible School follows a modified rotation model, with age group classes moving from various areas that include worship and music, crafts, Bible study and computers, as well as snacks and outdoor activities.

Confirmation

Our confirmation program prepares young people for full membership in Christ's church. The two year program begins in seventh grade, and concludes Palm Sunday of the class' eighth grade year.

St. John’s, tracing its roots back to the Evangelical stream of the UCC, has a long history with confirmation. Photos of classes dating back to the early 1900’s are proudly hung along the walls near the church office. Today, confirmation is a two year program that includes both the seventh and eighth grade. Students are required to attend worship and Sunday school, become active in church life, and help in a variety of community projects. On Presentation Sunday, confirmation students lead worship and present statements of faith that they’ve written. St. John’s confirms on Palm Sunday, when young people assume for themselves the baptismal vows their parents once took on their behalf.

Youth Groups

Junior and Senior High youth groups also meet monthly, and sponsor a variety of fellowship and outreach events.