
Christian Education
CE Ministry Updates:
The monthly
meeting of the Presbyterian Women Bible study resumes
Tuesday,
January 6, 10:30 a.m.
at the
home of Elizabeth Tipple
The study is
Jubilee!:
Luke's Gospel to the Poor
Call
409.621.1713 or 214.725.7994 for more
information
or speak to Elizabeth Tipple or Connie Campbell
(Study books
will be available at the meeting.)
* * *
"Children & Worship"
has resumed meeting, during the latter part of the 9:00 a.m. Sunday worship service, for
children in grade 3 and below. The program is meeting in the children's
dept. of the moody methodist church library.
Our Nursery Workers have been certified to
serve in the Moody Methodist nursery. the
nursery (for age 4 and below) is located at the north end of the moody methodist campus.
The children's worship
bulletins are back!
January-February Pockets magazine for children now
available, free of charge.
* * *
Vacation Bible School 2009
June 15-19
Mark your calendar now!
* * *
A big
THANK YOU!
to the FPC Christian Education
team that worked
the FPC craft
table at the community Christmas Festival for families
held
December 13, at Moody Methodist:
Billy Coltzer,
Cathy Houser, Isabel Walsh, & Jennifer Wright
* * *

Thanks to all who helped with the
Annual Halloween Carnival for
Young Children and to all who
participated! Extra toys & books were donated
to Toys for Tots.
* * *
Many thanks to Grace Presbyterian Church, Plano, TX and to Goodwill
Industries of Galveston
for donating books to the FPC Preschool/Nursery and
to East End Preschool & Kindergarten. Books were also recently received
from a NYC book collection project organized by BOI Marianne
Pascal with the help of Ball High Band alumni.
* * *
Thanks also to Trinity Presbyterian Church, Laurel, Mississippi
for donating gift boxes & backpacks to children & youth in
our congregation & our community.
* * *
Thank you, Grace Presbyterian, Plano, for sending 100 gift
bags to bolster our annual Seafarers' Christmas Gift Box project!
Thanks to Anne Woodson for help with sorting.
* * *
Within the community of faith,
we grow…we grow in
relationship with each other in our church family; we become stronger
through shared experiences - as we support one another, grieve with one
another, rejoice with one another.
We
want to grow....
Every day, we learn something,
something big or small, good or bad – and we wonder, what do these things
mean?
We
wonder about the big questions:
What does it mean to be children of God? How do we live a life of faith,
in right relationship with God and humankind? How do we share the Good
News? How do we go about being Christians together? What does the
Kingdom of God look like? How do we pray?
Does everyone ask the same questions
in different ways? Where is it safe to talk about these questions? Where
do we find other people asking these questions?
Christian education is woven into the
fabric of the life of the church – it reveals itself in what we say and
do, in what we don’t say and don’t do, in what we hope for or never hope
for, and in how - and where - we put our hearts and hands to work.
If we do not grow, we become smaller,
inside.
You can become
part of the Christian education ministry in this community of seekers....
-
by participating
in a Bible study or Sunday School class, and by inviting others;
-
by praying for
the Christian Education ministry of your church;
-
by serving in a
program with youth, children, or adults…on a regular basis or
part-time….teaching or assisting in the Sunday School, guiding a
short-term adult Bible study, helping with a special event for children
or youth, being a leader or greeter once a month for Children & Worship;
-
by planning with
the Christian Education Ministry team which meets once a month….or
perhaps you’ve thought of a talent, interest or experience,
unique to you, that you have to share.
The Christian Education
Ministry of First Presbyterian Church recognizes the importance of all ages
of the congregation – adults, youth, and children – being included in
·the
corporate worship of the community,
·in
study and spiritual growth,
·and
in service and discipleship
The Christian
Education (CEM) needs enthusiastic people interested in improving the
congregational life and spiritual growth of God’s children of all ages.
Would you like to serve on a planning team of this ministry this year? Work on a
special event? Participate in Vacation Bible School? Help host or
provide food or transportation for the Youth Group? Share a talent, hobby,
life experience with a class? Substitute when a Sunday School teacher is
out? Participate in a Bible study? Please see Elizabeth
Godbehere, Director of Christian Education,
for more information!
* * *
About "Children and Worship"....a
program option for Grade 3 & below, in the 11:00 a.m. worship service. 
Background on
"Children & Worship"
Click here for some
ideas....for those who worship with children
Worship Bulletins for Children
are available by the doors to the chapel and sanctuary (preschool &
elementary editions.)
* * *
Child Protection &
FPC
Since 2005, Child Protection Policy
orientations have been held periodically for all volunteers & staff who work
with children & youth in the church, VBS staff, East End Preschool staff, and
for those who might be interested in doing so in the future -- or anyone who
wants to know more about the current issues & our policies.
A children's protection policy was drawn
up by the Christian Education Ministry team of First Presbyterian, using
resources from the Presbytery & General Assembly, and in consultation with the
Synod, the Presbytery, our Presbytery's/church's insurance representatives, the
Personnel & Building & Grounds ministries, and church attorneys. The Child
Protection Policy was approved by the Session in 2005:
What follows
is the Child Protection Policy
Copies are also available in the church office.
Please contact
Elizabeth Godbehere, D.C.E., for more information.
* * *
Spiritual study resources:
Pockets is a children's monthly devotional magazine from Upper Room
Ministries, geared for children ages 6-12, with daily scriptures, stories,
activities, and games.
Please take a free copy to share with the children in your life!
These Days is a quarterly devotional magazine from the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) for adults.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer &
Study from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
is accessible online at www.pcusa.org/pcusa/cmd/mip/mybtoday.html
The Church has a lending library, with
Bible study & reference books, books on prayer, missions, worship and Christian
Education, as well as children's books. It is located at the east end of the
second floor hallway in the Education Annex (sharing a room with the Chancel
Choir.) For access or for media resources, contact the church office (409.762.8638)
or Elizabeth Godbehere
(Director of
Christian Education.)
* * *
"First Presbyterian Church has
obtained from Christian Video Licensing International the right under the
copyright law of the United States of America to publicly perform certain
lawfully manufactured pre-recorded home videocassettes and DVDs in the manner
and at the location(s) specified in the [level two] license agreement between
these parties."
CVLI License No.
502361900
* * *
Link to the Presbytery of New Covenant
(Houston) searchable Resource Database:
Resource Center
* * *
East End Preschool & Kindergarten is a parent board-run early childhood
program located at First Presbyterian. For
information on enrollment in East End Preschool, call (409) 762-8638 or email
the Director at
eep@galvpres.net For more
information, check out this page on the website:
East End
Preschool
* * *
The
Mission Project of VBS at FPC is
Heifer International
We have received an
acknowledgement from Heifer International that our VBS freewill
offering this year went to the
Temaxcalapa Integral Farming Youth Center Project
in Veracruz, Mexico, where 160 indigenous youth from the states of Veracruz, Puebla & Oaxaca
live during the week at the House of Youths.
The project is providing 3000
tilapia fish, laying hens, red worms for vermiculture, a greenhouse, assorted livestock
(sheep, cattle, pigs, rabbits) with training in their care, and
training in hydroponic & organic gardening.
Total: $537.61
Check out the Heifer
International's
"Read to Feed"
site, with fun & games for kids* * *
Website for the
Presbytery of New Covenant's
Camp Cho-Yeh
at Lake Livingston
Website for Synod of
the Sun's
Mo-Ranch
at Hunt, Texas in the
Hill Country
Mo-Ranch slide show of photos