Children at LCH

Christian Education: Creating disciples through learning, service, and hospitality

At the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, we take seriously the teaching ministry of Jesus for all ages but especially for the children and youth of our congregation. We know that the values and the life-style of faith, taught and modeled at a young age, will serve as a foundation for their entire lives. We invite your children to participate in Christian Education each Sunday during the school year.

LCH Learning Ministries encourages children’s spiritual growth and awareness through Bible study, music, crafts and play activities, and interaction with the entire congregation. Heifer Project International is the children’s major service project.

With the younger children we use the “Spark Lectionary Curriculum” from Augsburg Fortress Press, which allows us to connect the stories kids hear in worship with the lessons they learn in Sunday School. Spark Lectionary follows stories in the Revised Common Lectionary. Throughout the three-year cycle, each lesson comes from a Bible story in the Old Testament, the Gospels, or Acts. For more information about this curriculum, please refer to the list of lessons in the Spark Lectionary Curriculum (PDF).

A part of each Sunday School hour is devoted to the F.R.O.G.S. choir. Its name is an acronym for Families Revering Our God in Song. It consists of Sunday School children, their teachers, and parents and grandparents who enjoy singing with the children. The F.R.O.G.S., under the leadership of Teresa McCreary and Anna Womack, offer their music at several services and activities throughout the year.

The fall, Georgine Stark will be leading a new program, S.K.I.T.S., which stands for Scripture Kids Interpret Through Skits. A few times a year the LCH children will learn a skit and perform it as the sermon for the LCH congregation. The first program being presented by the third and fourth graders during the Children’s Sabbath service on October 21. The custom-made scripts will follow the lectionary and promises to be enlightening, entertaining, and yes, a bit educational!

Sunday School is coordinated by Linda Miller and Laurie Leach.

Younger Students

The combined 3 year old and Pre-K–Kindergarten classes meet at 9:15 for rhythm, song, stories, and simple crafts with Stephanie Luuloa in the classroom to the right of the Punahou Street entrance and left of Isenberg Hall. A familiar adult may remain to help younger children complete the activities or adjust to attending Sunday School. Nursery care is provided for children under three during the learning ministry hour as well as during services. At 9:50 the kindergartners will move to Isenberg Hall for music, and the younger children will be taken to the nursery. A small snack will be served in Isenberg at 10:10 and dismissal is at 10:15.
The 1st–2nd grade class, taught by Marjan Lynch in the fall and Laurie Leach in the spring, will meet at 9:15 on the lanai behind the nursery for the week’s lesson and related crafts and activities. At 9:50 this class will have music in Isenberg Hall. A small snack will be served in Isenberg at 10:10, and dismissal is at 10:15.

Older Elementary and Middle School Students

The 3rd–4th grade class, taught by Linda Miller assisted by Tony Walker, will meet in Isenberg Hall near the kitchen. At 9:50 the children will have music either in Isenberg Hall or on the lanai. A small snack will be served in Isenberg at 10:10.
The Middle School class, taught by Hope Jahren, is for students in 5th through 7th grade. It will meet in the classroom by the ramp (in the ‘Ewa mauka, approximately NW, corner of the courtyard). Middle school youth in grade 6 and above may also participate in the confirmation program described on the Youth page. This class will participate in music class sometimes by themselves and sometimes with the younger children.

Youth

The youth in grades eight through twelve gather in the Rainbow Room at 9:15 for devotions, group discussions, and/or planning of events. Youth also join in OYEA service projects and gatherings. Pastor Angela will be leading the Sunday School youth program.

Special Events Spring 2013

Children remember the tears of slaves as part of the Seder Meal. March 2—Children’s Benefit Concert. The children share their talents at a Saturday afternoon noon concert to raise money for the ELCA’s Good Gifts program, which supports children and families through local, community-based partners in over 60 countries around the world.

March 24 (Palm Sunday)—Simplified Seder meal hosted by Sunday School classes for the congregation between morning worship services.

March 31 (Easter Sunday)—Easter egg hunt between morning worship services. The older children hide the eggs and the younger children hunt for them.

We look forward to a fun and exciting year, exploring new ways to learn, serve, and share our hospitality. We hope you can be a part of it all!

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Making Music to the Lord!

Teresa McCreary works with children learning to play the Orff instruments. F.R.O.G.S. Ensemble—Music helps children learn the basics of Christian faith and encourages them to participate in group activities. Each Sunday, the children learn songs accompanied by Orff instruments. Xylophones of different sizes and percussion instruments enable children to quickly become part of ensemble music making. The music ensemble for elementary school children and their parents is called F.R.O.G.S. (Families Revering Our God in Song). The F.R.O.G.S. ensemble presents their musical offerings in worship services several times a year.

Benefit Concerts—Sunday School children had been designating their offerings for the Heifer Project for several years when during Lent 2005, they challenged the adults of the congregation to raise $4,000 to go with the children’s $1,000 to buy an Ark of Animals. Having been successful with this effort, in 2006 they decided to go one step farther and hold their own benefit concert to help raise the money. The concert on Saturday, March 4, 2006, was such a success—with almost $2,000 pledged or contributed on that day—that it has become an annual tradition. Follow these links for details about the 2006 Benefit Concert, 2007 Benefit Concert, 2008 Benefit Concert, 2009 Benefit Concert, 2010 Benefit Concert, 2011 Benefit Concert, and 2012 Benefit Concert.

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Children at Worship Services

Pastor Lilley talks with our children during the 'Children's Conversation.' LCH is a family friendly congregation. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to Sunday services. A special Children’s Conversation or “sermon” is given at both the 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM services. Children come forward to gather around the Pastor for a retelling of the Gospel with age-specific language and emphasis. Some parents accompany their children to the Children’s Conversation, but many come on their own. Visiting families will find their children warmly welcomed in the circle of young active participants.

Follow this link to listen to Pastor Jeff’s children’s conversations.

A nursery attendant is available each Sunday in the Nursery/Child Care area. Parents may safely leave their children with the nursery attendant or take them to the nursery at any time during the service. A small snack is served during the Christian education hour.

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