Do you feel the call to explore your own questions and beliefs and to see how a faith life can bring meaning and hope?
Do you want to open the door for your children to grow and learn in a church community where they are valued and treasured?
Sunday Worship
On Sunday mornings we offer two worship services—8:30 and 10:30 a.m. during the school year, 8:30 and 10:00 June-August. Services are a blend of traditional and contemporary liturgy, hymns, and praise responses. The Adult Chancel Choir sings during the 10:30 service. We celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday—during the 10:30 (or 10:00) service on the first Sunday of the month, and during the 8:30 service the rest of the month. We practice open communion where everyone is invited to celebrate the sacrament.
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Children's Worship
Children's Worship is held during the 10:30 worship service on every Sunday except the first Sunday of each month. Two groups meet, divided by age. Both groups, our younger group for pre-school to pre-K, as well as our group for Kindergartners and first graders, share joys and concerns, prayers, offertory, and a story, craft, or game. They also may sing some songs, including our Congregational Benediction, as well as learning some of our more familiar hymns via listening to tapes and CDs as they share in the day's program. For a sample of the program, check out the Weekly Curriculum for pre-school and pre-K and Kindergartners and first graders.
Our goal is to provide a setting where our children can continue to grow in their knowledge of our Christian faith and be prepared, even in small ways, to join the full worship service as they get older.
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Tween Worship
During the school year on the last Sunday of the month, children in grades 2-5 gather in the Fellowship Hall for Tween Worship. After sharing of joys and concerns and prayer, they will discover the same Bible Story as it is preached about in the sanctuary using games, skits, and various interactive experimental learning styles.
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Westerville WeeOnes
WeeOnes, nursery care for children through age 2, is offered from 8:30 a.m. until the end of the second worship. The “older” WeeOnes will be introduced to Biblical stories, prayers, and songs. We also offer childcare for all additional worship services and many other programs.
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Sunday School & Youth Groups
Sunday School takes place between 9:30 and 10:20 each week of the school year. Youth Groups meet on a monthly basis. These programs are grouped by the following ages/grades:
Sunday School Pre-school / Cherubs Youth Group
Sunday School Kindergarten through Second Grade / God's Little Buddies Youth Group
Sunday School Third through Fifth Grade / Good News Friends Youth Group
Sunday School Sixth to Eighth Grade / Exodus Express Youth Group
Sunday School Ninth to Twelfth Grade / Journey Group Youth Group
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Sunday School for Adults
From 9:30 to 10:20 each Sunday morning—during the same time that classes are offered for all children and youth (from nursery care to high school)—six different choices are offered for adult Sunday school. A Bible Study class is also offered on Wednesdays at noon, during segments of the year. Here is a sampling of some of these classes.
- The Text of the Week class studies the Lectionary Scripture lessons that are used in the worship service and sermon that Sunday.
- In the Faith and Life class, members share experiences and study topics that help us to live as Christians amid the practical matters in our daily lives.
- The Current Events class discusses a variety of topics in the news from a Christian perspective.
- The Seekers class is studying the Apostle Paul and his letters in the New Testament.
- (Re?)Thinking Theology class uses the DVD-based curriculum “Living the Questions,” a resource that allows participants to raise questions about faith and to explore what a meaningful faith can look like in today's world.
- Bible Stories 101 assists parents (and grandparents) in the Christian nurturing of their children. This class will meet from September till December only.
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Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament, a promise that you will rear your child in the Christian faith. Through this covenant, your child is embraced by the church family, the household of God.
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Confirmation
The Confirmation Program (for teenagers in 8th grade or above) is led by Pastors Harold Steindam and Sigrid Rother. Meetings are 9:30 to 10:20 Sunday morning from January to May. Additional gatherings and projects (with adult mentors) also take place at other times during the year.
Camps & Retreats
The Ohio United Church of Christ offers summer camps to Experience God in the Everyday. Annually, in the fall, the women gather at a UCC retreat center for renewal. Our church offers discounts on fees for its membership.
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Vacation Bible Adventure (VBA)
The 2011 Vacation Bible Adventure theme was “Shake It Up Café: Where Kids Carry Out God’s
Recipe.” During VBA, July 24-28, our children explored the Bible as a cookbook filled with
recipes for living out God’s word. Contact person is Monica Johnson.
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