Christian Education

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Christian Education for all ages!

Sojourners is a child-friendly community. Children are welcome to attend part or all of our worship services. There is a specially designated "Time with Children" during the school year consisting of a music lesson or storytelling. For more information on any of the following programs, please call the church office at 434-977-1481.

NURSERY CARE

This is provided for infants up to 3 year olds year round.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Children Ages 3 -8 (3rd grade) participate in a Montessori style program called "Godly Play" designed by Rev. Dr. Jerome W. Berryman. Children in grades four-six use a modified version of "Godly Play" with appropriate projects. We welcome junior-senior high youth to participate with adults in worship. Also included in our programming are several intergenerational learning events during the worship hour spread throughout the church year.

Summer programming for children ages 3-3rd grade is held in one room. Youth ages 4th grade and up remain with their parent(s) in the sanctuary for the entire service.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR ADULTS

Often referred to as "Invoking the Spirit" groups, adult Christian Education at Sojourners in recent years has included offerings such as "Invoking the Spirit through Poetry" or "Invoking the Spirit through Art." These small facilitated groups meet in parishioners' homes and at church. Specific offerings vary seasonally.

BIBLE DISCUSSION GROUPS

These meet Tuesday mornings at 11:00 am and the first and third Monday evenings at 7:00 pm at Sojourners. The daytime group traditionally takes a break during the summer.

ADULT FORUMS

Periodically adult forums are held after worship to introduce topics, individuals, and organizations to Sojourners.

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Peg Witmer - Director of Christian Education

Peg and Ken Witmer moved to the area several years ago from Long Island looking for an Open and Affirming United Church of Christ. Peg has a BS in Early Childhood Education from a New York state university and taught for a few years. She has been very involved in church work since the 1950s. Peg spent six years as a full-time Christian Education Director at a UCC on Long Island. Looking for resource support, she discovered the Parish Resource Center in Lancaster, PA. Then she founded and directed two resource centers which supported 250 churches from a variety of denominations across Long Island. Since retiring from that work, she has been glad to continue in the development of Christian Education here. Sojourners continues to be a subscriber of the Parish Resource Center in Lancaster.

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Betty Page- Nursery Caregiver

Betty Page was born and (for the most part) raised in Virginia. Prior to her divorce, she and her much-loved son moved to Charlottesville in 1988. Betty has BA and MA degrees in education from VPI and taught Kindergarten for seven years. Additionally, she has considerable administrative experience and has done enough temporary work to become "a walking encyclopedia of obscure and useless information." Betty became the Nursery Caregiver at Sojourners in 2008.

According to Betty, "there is never a dull moment in the nursery. Members from the congregation, including mothers and fathers, pitch in to help during the worship service. This enables us to provide a well-supported, safe and creative environment. What a pleasure it is to see a church so fully invested in their children!"