Year's End!

On Sunday another program year came to a close at Christ Church. It was a busy day, with our final week of atrium and promotion for children who will be moving up next year. We thanked out teachers and catechists in Church and each received a gift. And we acknowledged two wonderful young men who are graduating this month and who will be moving on to college in the fall. It was so busy, I couldn't take many pictures but here are just a few snapshots of the day.

During our last atrium session, many children decorated an envelope to take home the art work they have completed this year. It is always exciting to look over and enjoy the art work together. I hope you had fun exploring these little gems when they came home! Of course art work is meant to be an extension of our work with the materials in atrium and no art work is proscribed or required.  Some children have made many things while others have not. This isn't a concern for us!

Children moving out of the Golden Thread Atrium received prayer crosses this year. Children moving up from the Good Shepherd Atrium received a mustard seed of their very own, and children moving up from the True Vine Atrium received a small lantern. More about promotion and pictures of these gifts can be seen in a post from last year called Moving Day.

As a gift to thank our teachers this year, I took photos of our Church gardens and made them into 100 blank cards. 

Each teacher received a little bundle of Christ Church note cards with our thanks for their ministry this year.

And as always we enjoyed a special cake at Coffee Hour after Church on Sunday! Thank you to everyone participated in Christian Formation at Christ Church this year! Thanks to our parents and grandparents for bringing their children early on Sunday mornings. And a special thank you to all of our catechists, teachers, and substitutes for a great year of learning and growing together at Christ Church!

Moving Day!

Each year on our last Sunday in atrium we recognize children who will be moving up to a new atrium in the fall. This year we have five children who are leaving the Good Shepherd Atrium and moving up to the True Vine.  At our last session, each child was given a tin with a tiny mustard seed glued inside to be taken home and enjoyed.

In the fall, seven children will be moving up from the True Vine Atrium to the Golden Thread Atrium. At our celebration, each of these children received a little lantern with a battery powered tea light inside to remind them that Jesus, the light of the world, lights the path for them. 

As a part of the celebration we always invite each child who is being promoted forward and pray for him or her. This year, I asked the children from the child's current atrium to come forward also, and to lay a hand on the shoulder of the child moving up as we prayed. The children took on this new role with dignity and seemed to enjoy it.

It is always so bittersweet to say goodbye to children when they move up. What a joy it has been to see them grow over their three years with us. We will miss them next year. And yet, as a catechist the wisdom of the age groupings that we use is very clear to me. As the end of the year approaches I can feel restlessness in the oldest children. They are ready developmentally for new materials and the broader outlook that a new atrium provides.

Congratulations to all of the children who have completed a level and who will be moving up next year! Your new catechists can't wait to welcome you, and are looking forward to many joys and discoveries together!