Wednesday, 28 October 2009 00:00

highfive.5@fpc Ministry to Tweens

It is with great enthusiasm that the Children’s Ministry Committee announces the beginning of a brand new ministry called highfive.5@fpc here at First Presbyterian Church, and it is just for our preteen/tween 5th graders!

What is a preteen or tween? Children who are 10–11 years old are now being categorized as tweens. These are students who are not yet teenagers, but not really children. Tweens are often forgotten, overlooked, or just endured until they can move up into the middle school ministry. They are forced to wear the too-small programs in the children’s ministry, or they are swallowed up by the hand-me-downs from youth ministry. "While our intentions with elementary Sunday school have been strong, it is not engaging this age group," said Kathy Timberlake, Director of Children's Ministries. "We feel they deserve to have more intentional and focused attention to their spiritual development."

Our goals for the tween ministry will be:
· To give them a place of their own where they can grow in their relationship with Christ and with one another.
· To guide them to discover the ‘why’ of their faith, and the ‘what’s it all mean to me’ point of being a Christian.
· To actively engage them in the church and faith development at a critical time in their lives developmentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
· To give them a group where they can form deeper relationships, as they deepen their faith and transition into the youth ministry the following year.

"I have been researching this idea for over 18 months by attending several workshops, talking with other churches and children’s ministry directors who have this kind of ministry already in place," said Kathy. "They love it, the students love it and the parents love it. We feel the Lord’s timing is right to launch this new ministry here at FPC."

SO…what is to come?

Some entrances to classrooms/supply rooms will need to be moved because new security doors are being installed on the first floor. This will allow us to convert the current drama room into a brand new room for the tween ministry/class. We are in the process of designing it more like a youth room setting so it the tweens will feel they have their own space and place.

Anytime highfive.5@fpc will gather, meet or attend special events or outreach projects we will refer to this name! Our faithful shepherds with this class for the past several years, Marti and Richard Taylor and Gina and Bob Stevens have agreed to stay and help teach/lead this year as well as Gayle Timberlake-Frey will join the teaching team.

The students will not be joining the other elementary classes in the rotation classes, but instead will come straight to their classroom. Each Sunday’s class will begin with intentional interactive games/activities to provide social time together (very important for tweens). This will be followed by scripture teaching, discussion and a “challenge’ for the week. We will end class in small groups for prayer time.

Kickoff for all Sunday classes this fall will be on September 13 at 9:30 a.m. We invite all parents of 5th graders to come and meet the teachers on this day, see the classroom (still possibly in the painting stage) and get a copy of the fall’s planned schedule of curriculum as well as special events planned for this group. "It is going to be a GREAT year for our 5th grade," Kathy said.

Contact Kathy Timberlake by e-mail or 210.271.2721.