Sunday School

Firm foundations are essential to standing strong, and the Christian Education department helps lay these foundations through Sunday School.  From the earliest stories about Noah's Ark to more advanced application lessons, children become better grounded in their faith by expanding their knowledge of the Bible.

Two separate sessions of Sunday School are held each Sunday morning.  The first session, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m., is for "church kids."  Following Sunday School, church kids attend Morning Worship service with their families in the main sanctuary.

After Morning Worship begins, buses from the Soul-Winning Bus Route Ministry begin to roll onto the parking lot and drop off children for Sunday School.  Kids who attend this "second hour" session are in class from 11:10 a.m. until noon.

The Christian Education department has 19 classes, which are located in the G.A. Mangun Center and the Family Life Center.  These classes serve children ages 3 through 17. With an average class size of 30 and about 6 workers per class, children are able to benefit from small-group interaction with their teachers.  Word Aflame literature is used by the majority of the classes.  Students in the 12-year-old class are taught from "Extreme Reaching," a curriculum developed by the class staff.  Ages 16 and 17 work with their instructors to develop a list of teaching topics.

Promotion to the next Sunday School class is held on the last Sunday in August.  Students must attain the age of their new class by September 30 to be promoted.  For example, to be promoted to the 9-year-old class, a student must be 9 years old by September 30.

Individuals wishing to become workers in the Christian Education department must first complete a training course.  New-worker training consists of nine weeks of classes, which are held on Sunday mornings during the Sunday School hour.  Topics covered by the classes include organization, teaching methods, having a burden, and knowing the legal aspects of working with children.

Periodically, in-service training is held for all Christian Education workers.  This instruction includes Louisiana District (UPCI) training and special events sponsored by the POA.