First Congregational Church

The Ministry of Christian Education initiates, directs, and supports opportunities for faith formation/religious education for all ages.  These opportunities happen at a variety of times throughout the week and year.

Sunday mornings

• Nursery, pre-school, elementary, junior and senior high graded learning environments, 10:00 a.m.
• Minister’s Sermon Seminar, 8:30 a.m.,  examines  the preaching scripture text for that Sunday in depth with the day’s preacher.
• Learning Circle, 11:30 a.m. (third Sunday of each month) becomes a learning vehicle to explore relevant community concerns/issues/ecumenical or interfaith opportunities.

Mid-week

• Youth Group (Junior and Senior High) meet for dinner, reflection, community service and/or activity the first and third Wednesday of each month, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Youth meet each Friday at The Review in the Tower District for conversation and social interactions in an environment that is safe and supervised.
• Sacred Pursuits:  A Wednesday evening program for adults, presented in a modular block of five to six weeks.  Each module will have a particular focus, usually related to deepening biblical literacy, theological understanding, history of the faith, and devotional tools.
• Another Voice Bible Study: meets the first and third Thursday of the month, with a particular focus on how scripture is relevant to those of the LGBTQ community, and how good biblical scholarship  can offset ways in which scripture has sometimes been used to diminish or demean.

Seasonal Study

During the Lenten season, each Wednesday evening the church gathers for a meal followed by study.  Each of the Ministry teams host a meal during the sequence. Youth who are being confirmed meet with the Pastor, while other youth  and adults join in a multi-generational emphasis.

Confirmation

Confirmation, in the United Church of Christ, serves two purposes: (a) it provides an opportunity for young people to take upon themselves promises made on their behalf at the time of their baptizing; or, if never baptized, to make those promises on their own; (b) receives young people into the congregation as members of full standing.  Confirmation is never intended to be a test of faith, but does elicit testimonies of faith as part of a life journey as a Christian.

Big Red Camp

This is a partnership of First Congregational Church of Fresno, and Autism-Fresno in which we provide space and volunteers (under the supervision of a paid professional special needs educator and associate) to serve children and families during those times when school is not in session.  The Big Red Camp is held over the three week Christmas  and the one week Spring Break, as well as the four week summer hiatus.

KIDmunity Music/Arts Camp

KIDmunity Music/Arts Camp is a special event program for elementary age children held in early summer.  Utilizing the Orff methodologies of music learning, children learn basic music skills now lost due to public school cutbacks and ending of programs.  The director, Catherine Cooper, and a big staff of church volunteers, reach out into the immediate community to offer this very popular and successful ministry of the church.

Outdoor and Wider Church Opportunities

A core principle of the Ministry of Christian Education is that of participating in outdoor ministry settings provided through the Sequoia Association and the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ (NCNCUCC).

• Camp Tamarack is a week-long Sierra wilderness camp for junior and senior high youths  respectively.  This has long been a tradition for youth of our church.  For 2011: Tam Junior/Junior High (grades 5-8), July 24-30; Tam Senior High (grades 9-12), July 31-Aug 6.
• Camp Cazadero (Russian River area camp) will offer an  Adult Spiritual Retreat (ages 18+), Aug 12-14.
• “Mid-winter Retreat” (junior high), and “Feb Camp” (senior high) are always popular events to which youth from across the NCNCUCC  eagerly look.
• Annual Gathering of the NCNCUCC occurs in May of each year, which youth and adults regularly participate.  Special youth events are planned, along with youth participation in the discernment and policy discussions of the Conference.  We typically have one of the larger contingents present at annual gathering.
• Interfaith Scholar Weekend is an annual event (Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday morning) held in Fresno featuring a nationally-recognized scholar who brings relevant critical focus to issues that affect Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities of faith.  First Congregational Church is a co-sponsor of this event, and has hosted several of the speakers at our Sunday morning  worship.
• Taizé Prayer Weekend is an annual Friday evening/Saturday event featuring workshops, singing, and prayer in the Taize fashion.