Children & Youth Ministries: "Growing in God's Grace"
Grace (Greek: charis) -- the spontaneous, unmerited gift of divine favor.
SCHOLARSHIP FOR ANTELOPE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
Lancaster United Methodist Church is offering two scholarships for high school seniors transferring to Antelope Valley College, a four-year university, or a trade school. Each award is $1000. The Centennial Scholarship is open to any high school senior in the Antelope Valley. (Maybe you have a young neighbor who would qualify?) Second Century Scholarship is for high school seniors who are currently members of a local Methodist congregation. Please apply soon! The deadline is April 15. If you are interested, send an email request to suznsez@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name and phone number in your email. I will send a return email with the application attached.
I look forward to receiving your applications. Sue Knapp, Scholarship Committee Chair.
Children are a vital part of our congregation, and our Children's Ministry is dedicated to their nurture and spiritual formation! As United Methodists, we see God's grace active in different ways during our lives. These types of grace -- prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying -- may be experienced in children's levels of development.
Prevenient grace -- “God is active in our lives, even when we don’t realize it.”
For our preschoolers and elementary students (K-5) God's grace is found in the experience of feeling loved, protected, and inspired to learn. In Children's Church, the message is presented through songs and puppet shows. Both younger and older children may work on related crafts, while older children begin to directly engage with scripture and storytelling.
Justifying grace -- “We respond to God’s loving invitation to relationship.”
Our middle school youth begin to explore the confirmation curriculum (“Christianity 101”), and what it means to choose the path of discipleship — to confirm the baptismal promises once made on their behalf by godparents or sponsors. High schoolers who are seeking baptism or confirmation may join us in this study.
Sanctifying grace -- “We continue our walk towards perfection, guided by the Holy Spirit”
The foundation for future discipleship is laid as senior high students participate in ministries under adult supervision (music, audio/visual, Children’s Church) or
worship with their parents.
Prevenient grace -- “God is active in our lives, even when we don’t realize it.”
For our preschoolers and elementary students (K-5) God's grace is found in the experience of feeling loved, protected, and inspired to learn. In Children's Church, the message is presented through songs and puppet shows. Both younger and older children may work on related crafts, while older children begin to directly engage with scripture and storytelling.
Justifying grace -- “We respond to God’s loving invitation to relationship.”
Our middle school youth begin to explore the confirmation curriculum (“Christianity 101”), and what it means to choose the path of discipleship — to confirm the baptismal promises once made on their behalf by godparents or sponsors. High schoolers who are seeking baptism or confirmation may join us in this study.
Sanctifying grace -- “We continue our walk towards perfection, guided by the Holy Spirit”
The foundation for future discipleship is laid as senior high students participate in ministries under adult supervision (music, audio/visual, Children’s Church) or
worship with their parents.
