SUNDAY SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
First Congregational Church of Western Springs is committed to providing a welcoming and safe Sunday School experience for children in preschool through seventh grade, followed by the Confirmation experience for children in the eighth grade.
Our children will learn of God’s love as they deepen their relationship with God. Through the sharing of joys and concerns, our children will experience a community of faith, build empathy with their classmates, experience prayer, and know that God is always with them as a friend and comforter. They will foster a personal relationship with the loving God revealed in Jesus Christ by exploring Bible stories. They will engage with scripture messages through activities that provide examples of how they might become messengers of God’s love.
Our children and their families will be empowered to live out their faith, becoming Christ’s hands and feet in the world and joining in the shared mission of the First Congregational Church of Western Springs.
DISCOVER SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday School for children is offered year-round during our 8:45 AM and 10 AM worship services for ages 3 years through 8th grade. Children, from preschool through 5th grade, typically attend the opening part of the service with their parents and are dismissed for Sunday School following “First Steps,” a special message just for them on the front steps of the chancel.
Regardless of age, our goal is to help every child know they are beloved children of God. As a church family, we respond to that love by caring for ourselves, each other, our neighbors—both near and far—and God’s world. In our classes, we practice what loving Christians do: pray, give thanks, comfort, defend, forgive, and repent in a safe and supportive atmosphere. And of course, we don’t just learn about Biblical stories—we learn from them, discovering how people have experienced God’s power and love in their everyday lives.
For both services, Sunday school begins with all ages gathering in a “one-room schoolhouse” format before transitioning to individual classrooms for further learning. Eighth graders meet for Confirmation classes in the morning during the fall and in the afternoon during the winter and spring.
Sunday school for 6th and 7th graders is only offered at the 10am service and this group goes directly to their classrooms prior to the start of the service.
On the first Sunday of each month, all children return to the Sanctuary to participate in Communion.
During the summer, Sunday school is available for children up to 5th grade only.
Childcare is available for infants to 3-year-old children during worship. Parents are asked to comply with the First Congo childcare policies. Please take a moment and complete the Sunday school registration form so that the church understands the needs of your child.
The Sunday school classes use lessons from the DWELL curriculum, which actively engages kids in God’s story using interactive games, reflective wondering, dramatic storytelling, and a whole lot of fun. Colorful story symbols create visual timelines; wondering questions draw children into God’s Big Story; and wonderfully illustrated children’s resources provide support to families. DWELL invites kids to find their place in God’s story, living into and out of it for the rest of their lives.
DWELL Sunday School Curriculum
For more specific information, contact Jen Enriquez, Director of Children’s Ministries, at jen@wscongo.org.
Though children do not need to register for Sunday school, it is helpful for the church for parents to complete the registration form for their children.
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Children are always welcome in worship. For those who choose to participate in Sunday School, this is the rhythm and pattern:
From September through May, children 5th grade and younger meet their teachers in the Light Court following “First Steps” in worship. 6th and 7th graders go directly to the classroom at 10 a.m. On the first Sunday of the month, when we celebrate communion in worship, the children will return to their family to experience this important part of our Christian life together.
In the summer, children are invited to worship with their families on the first Sunday of the month. In 2025, Summer Sunday school begins on June 8 and will be a “one-room schoolhouse” model. Older children may help out in the classroom or worship with their families.
Childcare for children 3 and under is available at both services.
A private space for nursing mothers is available, with the option to participate in worship via live-stream.
For more information, visit the Children’s Ministries page on the website.
A TYPICAL DAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
Each class begins with “Joys and Concerns”, where children have a chance to share about things happening in their lives, and then lift up those things to God in prayer. This practice fosters community and is a constant reminder of the Christian practice of praying together.
The Sunday school classes use lessons from the Shine curriculum from Brethren Press. Children are welcomed to a place where they are known and loved, where their questions are taken seriously, and where they can gather to hear God’s story and together find meaning for their lives. Shine guides children to stretch and grow toward God’s light, and then shine that light to others through storytelling, wondering questions, re-telling the story, and an activity.
If you’d like to learn more about the curriculum, Jen Enriquez, our director of children’s ministry would love to hear from you! You can email Jen at jen@wscongo.org.
4TH GRADE BIBLE STUDY
The 4th grade Bible study is a four-week unit that begins in February. The children will learn about stories in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament of the Bible and how to use the Bible for guidance and comfort. The lessons are presented through discussion, activities, and games. In March, each child will be presented with their own Bible during worship.
Here are a few reflections from some of our 4th graders and written testimonies:
“In 4th grade Bible class, I learned that you can turn to the Bible when you are having an emotion, and you can pray and read a story about how God or Jesus may have felt the same way. This is a way you can reach out to God and let him know you are feeling a certain way, and he can give you peace.”
“I think a really important story in the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve. This story teaches us that God will love us no matter what.“
“What I enjoyed most about this class was learning that there are many Bible stories I can learn from to help me become a better person.”
“I really like this class because I learned many things about the Bible and I enjoyed that I get to use my Bible with my family.“
“This class helped me by finding quicker ways to find the verses. At the first bible class, I didn’t even know what a verse was. The class also helped me with finding the tiny numbers because they are really hard to see.”
“The story that I thought was the best is, The Miracle of the Loaves and Fish, also known as The feeding of the 5,000 people. The Gospel of John says that Jesus used five loaves and two fish supplied by a boy to feed hundreds of people. The reason I thought this story was my favorite is because it reminds me of how blessed we are to have all this food for our family and friends.”
“The Bible can help when you are sad because it can make you see that other people had to go through tough times, too. The Bible can also help you when you’re angry, and you can go to a section and look for the emotion angry and find a story how God helps them find a solution.”
“The best part about class was when we got into groups and we read stories in the Bible and we shared them with each other. Also, I really enjoyed that because I got to listen to other Bible stories.”
CONFIRMATION
Confirmation is an important and ancient rite of passage in the Christian life of faith. It is a time when our young teens begin to “own” their faith and make their commitment to Christ and the Church. Throughout the year, confirmands will study basic Christian themes, history, and practices. The word confirm means to “make firmer and stronger,” and that is what we hope will happen in our confirmands’ faith through this process, undertaken with their peers and supported by parents.
The class takes place on Sundays in the Youth Room. There will be discussions, activities, service projects, field trips, and reflection to guide their formation as Christians. If you have questions, or want to get involved, please contact Jen Enriquez at jen@wscongo.org.
VOLUNTEER TO TEACH SUNDAY SCHOOL
First Congo is blessed to have inspiring Sunday School teachers who often leave the class with a lesson themselves.
We would love for you to be part of our Sunday school teaching team! We hope to create an inter-generational team of teachers, so we invite all who are 15 – 99 years old to be part of this important ministry at First Congo. We welcome all to be part of the faith development of our children.
Sunday school teachers work in teams assigned to a grade level and are asked to teach roughly once per month. Estimated preparation time is one hour. There is a training for all Sunday school teachers each year in August, and all teachers are expected to complete an on-line Safe Church training (roughly 60 minutes) and attest that they have read The First Congregational Church of Wester Springs’ Safe Church policy.
Here is what the Sunday School teachers have to say about this important ministry of our church:
- “Anytime the children walk into Sunday School they are submerged in the teaching of the church and the Bible. The lessons have definitely helped them grow in their religion.”
- “It was awesome to hear their creative ideas on their faith. This is a great program and really had wonderful discussions with kids.”
- “It meant so much to me getting to bond with all of students…”
- “The children conveyed what was learned to their parents and also talked about something we did later in the year (in Sunday School and/or when I casually encountered them).”
- “We had wonderful discussions and spoke many times about their Faith Journeys and their Faith Formation. They were very candid. We all grew and learned through our sharing.”
If you have any questions about the Sunday school classes or the curriculum, please contact Jen Enriquez at jen@wscongo.org or 708-246-1900.
Director of Children’s Ministries
jen@wscongo.org
