Click Here to return to Table of Contents

High School Summer Work Trip to Buchanan County, VA...
Click here for trip information and registration form.

Our Christian Education program is divided into three age groups:  K-5th grade, 6-8th Grade and 9-12th grade.

K-5th

Sunday Spirit

What is Sunday Spirit?  Formally called Sunday School, Sunday Spirit is an education program where our children can learn and interpret the Bible, feel a sense of belonging within the community of faith, and develop an awareness of God’s presence in their lives in an open, caring, supportive and fun atmosphere

Who is Sunday Spirit for?  Children in Kindergarten through 5th Grade

When is Sunday Spirit?  During the 10:00 AM Sunday morning worship service

What Happened this Fall in the Sunday Spirit Program?

• Children learned about "Judges and Kings" on September 11, September 18, October 9 and October 16
• World Communion Sunday Bread Making was held on September 25 in Fellowship Hall
  
• Participation in the World Communion Sunday worship service on October 2
  
• Children learned about "A United Kingdom" on October 23, October 30, November 6, November 13 and November 20
  
• A special Thanksgiving Class was held on November 27

 Sunday Spirit in December!

•  The December Session was titled "Jesus is Born."  Children learned about the Christmas Story through age appropriate books.  The children also illustrated parts of the Christmas Story, which were shown during the 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Service. 
  
• Over 30 children participated in the Christmas Pageant held on December 18th.

What Happened this Winter in the Sunday Spirit Program!

• Children learned about the many parables told by Jesus including The Two Houses, The Mustard Seed, The Unforgiving Servant and The Lost Sheep
  
• In February children learned about the many teachings by Jesus including The Lord's Prayer, Birds in the Air, The Golden Rule and The Greatest Commandment

What is Happening this Spring in the Sunday Spirit Program!

• The topic for March is "Blessed is the One."  Lesson titles include Follow my Example, The Last Supper, Praying in the Garden and Peter.  All these lessons lead up to Palm Sunday and Easter
• Palm Sunday is April 1st
• Two special Easter services will be held on April 8th (9:00 and 11:00).  Our children will enjoy a special Easter lesson titled "Resurrection Eggs."
• The topic for April and May is "Good News Travels Fast."  Lesson titles include Thomas, A Net Full of Fish, The Great Commission, Spread the Good News and Peter's Great Escape
• A one room Sunday Spirit class will be held on May 27th (Memorial Weekend)
• In June we will head out to the church garden to hold our classes!

3rd Grade Bible Study with Midge Keane begins Sunday, March 11th and continues through May 13th, excluding Easter Sunday, April 8th.

*Childcare is provided for toddlers and infants in the children’s nursery during Sunday morning worship.

Click here for the weekly overview of our Sunday Spirit lesson.

Cherub Choir – Grades K - 2 (Join Anytime!)
with Kathy Perry on Tuesdays from 4:30 – 5:30 P.M. in room 10
Basic vocal training for the very young, incorporating a variety of activities including games, movement, and playing percussion instruments.

Choristers – Grade 3 and Up (Join Anytime!)
with John Lettieri on Tuesdays from 4:30 – 5:30 P.M. in Fellowship Hall
This program introduces children to healthy singing techniques and vocal production.  This is a perfect age range for learning to sing and in finding one's 'own voice'.

6^th- 8^th

Sunday Spirit

What is Sunday Spirit?  Formally called Middle School Sunday school, Sunday Spirit is an education program where our youth can talk about issues important to them and learn how their faith can guide and support them.  The Bible Stories and Scriptures will follow the same schedule as the K through 5th Sunday Spirit Program, however, the discussions will be steered towards topics important to middle school youth.  These may include family, friends, school, grades, peer pressure, self esteem, poverty and service. 

When is Sunday Spirit?  During the 10:00 AM Sunday morning worship service

Youth Group

What is Youth Group?  Youth group is an opportunity for our 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders to gather together on a continual basis to socialize, learn, serve others, and explore together who God is and what it means to live as people of faith.

What do we do?  The activities planned are a balance between fun outings and service-oriented projects.  Some of our “fun outings” include game nights, Halloween activities, cooking, the Okemo Ski Trip, Easter egg hunts and ice skating.  Some of our “service-oriented projects” include Souper Bowl of Caring, volunteering at the Food Bank, Midnight Runs, caroling, fundraisers and planting flowers at the group homes in Bedford.

When do we meet?  Our regular meeting time will be every other Friday evening from 7 to 9:00 P.M.

What did our Fall Look Like?
Fun Activities.......
We started off the program year on September 23 with a Carnival Night - knee hockey, ping pong, corn hole toss, badminton, popcorn, cookies and face painting.  On October 7 we continued with our game theme but added A Minute to Win it tournament.  This was a great success!  Other fun activities this fall included a Halloween Night filled with carving pumpkins, a bones relay race, a black cat treasure hunt and pizza.  We also can't forget our favorite game - Manhunt!
Service Projects......
Service Oriented Projects included teen holiday shopping for the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility Children's Center, participating in our Church Wide Fundraiser Mistletoe Mart (decorated gingerbread cookies to sell and worked in Santa's Workshop helping children shop for their families).  We concluded the year Caroling at the Men and Ladies Group Homes in Bedford.

What did our Winter look like?
Fun Activities.......
Our winter activities included a night of ice skating, a game of touch football on the Village Green, games of Manhunt and a quiet walk in town for ice cream and browsing.
Service Projects......
Our main service project was the Souper Bowl of Caring event on February 5th!  We spent a few gatherings planning the event which included a football skit!  It went very well and we raised over $1,400!

Spring Dates
March 2, 16 and 30 (Easter baskets and Egg hunt)
April 13 and 27
May 11 (Sleepover at the Church)

9^th- 12^th

Be The Change…
A monthly gathering of high school students and adults
who seek to connect values, faith, life and the world.

Dates on our calendar!!!

9th Grade Confirmation

Each year our church offers an opportunity for Ninth Grade students to participate in our Confirmation program.  Confirmation is an opportunity to explore important questions in a safe and welcoming environment.  There are no wrong answers!  Some of the questions explored are:  What do we mean when we say the word "God"?  Who is Jesus?  What difference does faith make in my life and our world?  These are just some of the questions explored.

This year Confirmation will begin on Tuesday, October 25th.  Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Yonkers houses an after school program Monday through Friday during the school year.  This after school program is very important to the community because these children have no where else to go.  We have been invited to come and read to the children.  This is a great way to start off the Confirmation Program and a wonderful opportunity to give back to a community close to home. Departure time is 2:45 PM from BPC.

Fall Meeting Schedule
Sunday evenings from 6:00-7:00 pm (BPC's Youth Room)
November 6, 13 and 20
December 4, 11 and 18

Winter Meeting Schedule
Sunday evenings from 6:00-7:00 pm (BPC's Youth Room)
January 8 and 22(Mentor Meeting)
February (Confirmation Participants will meet with their respective Mentors)

Spring Meeting Schedule
Sunday evenings from 6:00-7:00 pm (BPC's Youth Room)
March 4 (with Mentors)
March 11, 18 and 25
No meetings on April 1 and 8
April 15 and 22
April 29:  AM meeting with Session and regular PM meeting

Confirmation Sunday:  Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Note:  Confirmation is led by Paul Alcorn, Kathy DiBiasi and Dave Keeffe.