Christian Education at Center Church: Our Mission and Vision
Our mission is to provide high quality educational
opportunities for all ages and across ages, with particular emphasis
on Sunday morning offerings, Confirmation, youth ministry and adult
education. With
each generation, we are renewed in our commitment to share the Good
News of Jesus Christ in our city and region. For 375 years we have
wrestled with the best ways to do this. That challenge continues....
Won't you join us?
We believe that education ought to be central
in the life of our church. It is not just a program we support: it
is a central component of our mission as a congregation.
We believe
that people whose backgrounds and life experiences are very different,
who live in different communities and whose lifestyles are not always
the same, can live and learn together. Our Christian Education program
reflects the congregation's commitment to diversity.
We strive for a church in which a majority of our members are actively
engaged in our education program, exploring their own spirituality
and its relationship to the biblical story and Christian teachings.
We rely on our ministers to help us find ways to connect our personal
faith to who we are and what we do in our personal and family relationships,
as church members, in the workplace, and as participants in the public
life in our region.
Christian Education Program and Policies
Curriculum
After careful investigation and reflection, Center
Church adopted Seasons of the Spirit as the primary curriculum for
preschool through high school. Beginning with its first year of production
in 2002-2003, teachers, parents and students have responded well
to Seasons of the Spirit. We like its interesting, accessible and
theologically rich bible lessons, its adaptability to different styles
of learning and teaching, its embrace of diversity through imagery,
content and music, and its substantial body of resource material,
including "Take
Home" pages (which we print in our monthly newsletter). This
core curriculum is further supported by a complementary variety of
activities and media.
Linking Teaching to the Lectionary
Seasons of the Spirit is a lectionary-based curriculum - a priority
for Center Church in our choice of teaching materials. Center Church
uses a lectionary-based curriculum to connect church school lessons
to the preaching texts used in community worship. The common lectionary
is a broadly shared list of Bible readings designed to guide congregations
through key themes and readings in scripture over a three year period.
Center Church Camp Asto Wamah
Center Church Camp Asto Wamah was founded in
1909. It provides
children with a summer camping experience of living, learning and
growing together in a wholesome, guided atmosphere. The camp motto, "Remember
the Other Fellow" continues to be honored today.
Camp Asto Wamah
is located on Columbia Lake in Columbia, Conn., on 45 acres of woodland.
Children between the ages of 8 and 14 are eligible to attend. The
camp typically runs a two-week all girls session, a two-week co-ed
and a two-week all boys session. Some years allow the schedule to
include a one-week session. The camp is residential with campers
and staff living in bunkhouses.
The main building of the camp is
the Lodge, which has an arts and crafts room, recreation area, wide
porch for dining, and the camp kitchen. The Lodge was built in 1955
and provides the central gathering place for many camp activities.
Campers have an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of
activities. Swimming lessons following American Red Cross standards
are taught daily. Children begin small craft instruction by learning
how to row boats, then progress on to canoes and finally sailing
craft. A large athletic field provides space for a wide variety of
land sports and games. Archery, tennis and a low-element ropes course
round out the sports program. Arts and crafts and nature are also
a part of a camper's day. There are two activity periods during the
day where each camper has time to pursue his/her own creative or
athletic interests.
In addition to the camp director and alternative
director, a qualified director or instructor supervises each activity
area. One or two counselors are assigned to each bunkhouse to provide
leadership day and night. Many of the staff return year after year,
which provides continuity and encourages deeper relationships.
Asto Wamah is licensed by the State of Connecticut
and accredited by the American Camping Association. For further information, visit www.campastowamah.org, or contact: Nancy Maclean, camp director, 42W Route 87, Columbia, CT 06237.
