Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Karen

We believe children grow in faith through wonder, play, and loving community. Whether they’re hearing stories from the Bible, asking big (and small) questions, or making new friends, our programs help kids discover that church is a place where they are known, loved, and belong.

We believe children grow in faith through wonder, play, and loving community. Whether they’re hearing stories from the Bible, asking big (and small) questions, or making new friends, our

programs help kids discover that church is a place where they are known, loved, and belong.

Starts Aug. 10

Children 18 months to 11 years old | The Atrium | Sunday's at 9:30 AM

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a hands on, developmentally appropriate approach for children to discover a relationship with God through Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Living into the fullness of the promises made at baptism, children are invited to come to the atrium on Sundays, 9:30 to 10:45 AM, where they can hear and reflect on the key announcements of the Christian message and personally engage with these announcements with materials appropriate to their age.

As with the Montessori model, each atrium serves a three-year age span of children up to age 12. We have four atria, located on the main floor of the parish, serving a variety of ages:

Toddler Atrium (Room 201): For toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Level I Atrium (Room 211): For young children from about 3 or 3 1/2 through 5 years old (or kindergarten)
Level II Atrium (Room 206): For children who are in first through third grade (approximately 6 - 9 years old)
Level III Atrium (Room 202): For older children who are in fourth and fifth grade (approximately 9 - 11 years old)

Frequently Asked Questions.

CGS

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a religious formation approach based on scripture and liturgy that uses the educational and pedagogical principles of Dr. Maria Montessori. The CGS roots are in the Roman Catholic tradition and have been adapted for the Episcopal Church. The Catechism of the Episcopal Church, found in the back of the Book of Common Prayer, is a series of questions and answers that outline our faith. In comparison, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is framed to where children are encouraged to ask the questions and to discover the answers through work with specially crafted presentations and materials. The content corresponds to the liturgical seasons and the life of the church.

The atrium is an environment prepared to nurture the already present spirituality of children. Dr. Montessori borrowed the term “atrium” from the early church, as it was the space where the catechumens were prepared for Baptism. The atrium contains a variety of hands-on materials that are developmentally appropriate for the age range of children that they serve. The catechists and other parishioners have made many of the materials as part of their own personal formation experience.

Each atrium has at least one catechist--a teacher trained in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method--along with assistant-trained adults. Their role is to prepare the environment and present lessons that inspire children to draw closer to God, asking questions like, "Who are you, God? How do you love us? What is the Kingdom of God like? What is our place in it?" Adults and children explore these questions together, learning from each other through the Scriptures and the prepared environment. Catechists undergo background and security checks in addition to their training.

Materials in the atrium are attractively and carefully displayed. Most items have been lovingly hand made by our parishioners. The most important characteristic of the materials is their close link to the biblical and liturgical sources. “The material consists of concrete “signs” of a transcendent reality (and) is a way of letting the child prolong, alone with the inner teacher, the meditation begun together with the adult.” — Sofia Cavalletti

The children explore the materials at their own pace. This freedom allows the children’s understanding to develop and deepen.

Each level of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd contains three years of material. Even though children may remain in the same classroom they are receiving new lessons each year. A benefit of remaining in the same classroom is that a child may revisit a previous lesson with new perspectives or questions.

“The themes (presented to the youngest children) serve as a bud; they unfold as the children grow, according to their developmental needs.” — Catherine Maresca

Some of our atria serve children in a two or three year age span. This gives everyone the opportunity to be the younger child who watches and learns from the older children and to be the older child who is a role model for the others.

Any parishioner is welcome to schedule a time when they can come and observe an atrium, come for presentations for themselves, or simply come to explore the space. In addition, there will be an “Open Atrium” one Sunday during the year when the children can bring their parents into the atrium and give them their favorite presentations or show them their favorite work.

During the Sunday School Hour our attentions are focused on the children.

We are always looking for folks to assist and to become trained catechists. We need materials made. We have a list of items that can be purchased and gifted to the atria. There is reading if you’re interested. You can come for presentations by making an appointment with a catechist.

Please make yourself known to us if you hear that quiet little voice calling you to the Catechesis in any way. It is our joy and pleasure to talk with you about your involvement in Catechesis.

Delight in the Discovery of the Toddler

Toddler Catechesis is an exploration of the very youngest child’s spirituality springing from the discovery of the child’s nature and religious potential revealed by the children to Maria Montessori, Sofia Cavalletti, Gianna Gobbi, Silvana Montanaro and those who continue to listen and observe the child in God’s light. When Rebekah Rojcewicz interviewed Sofia Cavalletti for her article in Essential Realities, she asked Sofia what was her greatest hope for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Sofia responded, “…that it would go younger and younger…” She said this out of a long process of observation of the children.

The Toddler Atrium is a prepared environment in which the youngest child’s spiritual life is fed by prayer, work and celebration aided by a catechist. Time is also given with the adults in the life of the child in this prepared environment for the infant or the young child to explore and the parent to grow in observation skills and interactions with their child aided by a catechist.

Join in the Wonder of the 3-6 Year-Old Child.

The 3-6-year-old child is particularly capable of receiving and enjoying the most essential elements of our faith—the announcement of God’s love especially experienced through Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who died and is risen. Materials on the life of Jesus Christ and his teachings help to make the mystery of God concrete for the child. The heart of the catechesis for children under six revolves around the Parable of the Good Shepherd. Jesus announces that he is the Good Shepherd who calls each one by name. The sheep listen to the voice of the Shepherd and follow him.

The 3-6 year old child enters the mystery of the Eucharist by first learning the names of the articles used on the altar and then through the most important gestures including the preparation of the chalice, the epiclesis and offering, and the sign of peace. Through the experience of seeing these gestures, presented one by one, the Holy Eucharist emerges as the Sacrament of the Gift. The child becomes acquainted with the historical character of the liturgy through the events of the Last Supper, Christ’s death, and His resurrection.

Celebrate the Growth of the 6-9 Year-Old Child.

The elementary age child is captured by the image of the True Vine. “I am the vine, you are the branches, whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” The proclamation responds to the deep need of these children to better know his or her relationship with God, family, friends, and the larger community. Moral parables offer a model for comparing their behavior with that of the Pharisee, the Tax Collector, or the Good Samaritan. The elementary children see the parts of the Holy Eucharist—the Liturgy of the Word, the Preparation of the Gifts, the Eucharistic Prayer, and the Communion—as one unified prayer made of many smaller prayers. Children prepare for the celebration of First Communion (or Solemn Communion) through a series of communion meditations focusing on the relationship with Jesus. Preparation of personal missals filled with illustrations and prayers is also part of this preparation which helps to deepen their love and understanding of the Eucharist.

Honor the Independence of the 9-12 Year-Old Child.

The history of salvation focusing on the plan of God as a plan of communion, a plan which links all people together through God’s love delights the older child. The emphasis is on our response to this unfolding generosity of God and recognition of the responsibilities that come with receiving God’s great gifts and seeing oneself as a collaborator with God. “What is the kingdom of God and my place in it?” is a cosmic query which lays the foundations for a life commitment in relationship with God. Materials on the Prophets of the Old Testament, the Gifts of God, the Miracles of Jesus, and expanded presentations on Liturgy and Scripture can also be found in the Level III Atrium.