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Children

Penshurst Anglican Church - Sunday School:

 

Our Sunday School program runs during the 11:00am services during school term.

Our Montessori-based Sunday School program, Godly Play, caters for children aged 3 years to Year 6. 

What is Godly Play?

 

We are introducing a new and very different way of teaching Sunday School. In most religious education, children are taught what God did. In Godly Play, children discover who God is.

 

Godly Play is based on a Montessori understanding of a child and their spirituality. It seeks to give children experiences of God, and words to describe their experience.

A typical lesson has three parts:

  • Creating a quiet, focused sacred space, and telling a Bible story. Children sit in a circle on the floor and the storyteller uses beautiful images and objects to tell the story. A time of wondering follows the story, where children learn to think deep thoughts in a safe and welcoming space.

  • Children respond individually to the story in any way they like, typically with art materials or the objects from the story. Their response is their communication with God.

  • Sharing a feast – simple food, and a time of sharing their week, finishing in prayer around the circle.

After Sunday School, you might like to ask your child: “What did you like best about today’s story?”

Parents are involved in the classroom either as story tellers or door persons, equally important jobs.

Many of our teachers have attended intensive training, and we have an ongoing program of development for all story tellers and door persons.

Anyone who would like to observe a class is very welcome – please see Merilyn or Naomi to arrange a suitable Sunday.

If you would like to know more, please see any of the Sunday School teachers.

GODLY PLAY Demonstration Video - 'The Mystery of Christmas'

PAC Youth Group COMPACT Youth

High school students are welcome to join COMPACT Youth, the PAC Youth Group, which meets at church on every Friday at 7:30pm - 9:30pm during term time.

2022 NSW term and vacation dates
  • Term 1 (Eastern division) – Friday 28 January - Friday 8 April 2022

  • Autumn vacation – Monday 11 April - Friday 22 April 2022

  • Term 2 – Tuesday 26 April - Friday 1 July 2022

  • Winter vacation – Monday 4 July - Friday 15 July 2022

  • Term 3 – Monday 18 July - Friday 23 September 2022

  • Spring vacation – Monday 26 September - Friday 7 October 2022

  • Term 4 – Monday 10 October - Tuesday 20 December 2022

  • Summer vacation (Eastern division) – Wednesday 21 December 2022 - Thursday 26 January 2023

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