Meet the Teachers: Children’s Sunday School Denise Singleton has been teaching for 3 years. “I’m looking forward to seeing the students’ smiling faces as they come to learn about the love of God.” She loves singing, reading, and teaching.
Parents n Sunday School Options Shepherd’s Class | Room 102 All parents are welcome to join us! We are a diverse group of parents with children ranging in ages from newborns to teenagers. We build friendships as we explore topical and Biblical studies related to raising kids in the faith and maintaining healthy family relationships.
Ashley Dill co-teaches with her mom Denise and has been a member at Westbury UMC for 15 years. Her favorite Bible verse is, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Ofelia Patlan has been teaching for over 50 years! She enjoys bringing the word of God to children in ways they can understand with crafts and arts. Her favorite verse is Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Mary Ann Riggs loves that Westbury UMC is not just a place to worship but also a caring community. She has been teaching for 4 years and enjoys finding creative and crafty ways to teach Bible stories and loves how children remember the stories each year.
Hillary Peete enjoys learning from children about how they see and experience God. She joined the Westbury UMC family in 2013 as Director of Children’s Ministry and you’ll often see her chasing her toddler, Felix, around the church.
September 2014 | Back to Basics: Children’s Spirituality Faith is a gift from God; it is God’s presence within us. Even before they speak their first words, our children are learning faithfulness. But what does it mean to be faithful at age 2 and age 12? Join us for a 4 week class about what spiritual development and formation looks like for our children and practical ways families can support that development. October 2014 | Stewardship During the month of October, we will help guide the family through the spiritual discipline of tithing. On Sunday, October 12, parents and children will join together for Sunday school. During this class, there will be interactive activities to get families talking and take home resources to continue to conversation with ways to strengthen this spiritual discipline. On the remaining Sundays, the adults will discuss Adam Hamilton’s Enough. Enough is an invitation to rediscover the Bible’s wisdom when it comes to prudent financial practices. In these pages are found the keys to experiencing contentment, overcoming fear, and discovering joy through simplicity and generosity. November 2014 | Are You Really Listening? Keys to Successful Communication Children, spouses, friends complain that they aren’t being heard. But sometimes you feel that you aren’t being listened to either! Laralee DeHart, a Deacon in our conference and parent of 3 girls, will lead us through this insightful book. We’ll discuss how actually listening can open us up to the world and people around us and strengthen our families.
Pathfinders Class | Room W202 Join parents of children and youth as they kick off the fall with 6 Decisions That Will Change Your Life by Tom Berlin. We will transition to Making Sense of the Bible by Adam Hamilton in late September and continue with other book studies throughout the year.
Rebecca Smith recently joined Westbury UMC and loves the “spiritual fire and passion for loving others” in the congregation. She’s looking forward to seeing God through the eyes of the children while teaching and growing in relationship with the kids.
Mike and Jayne Rocha are a great teaching team! Mike was born and raised in Houston. He has been a dedicated and fun Sunday school teacher for 10 years. When he’s not teaching you’ll find him playing Disc Golf or at a Texans game. Jayne has taught for 12 years and loves the fresh perspective the kids bring to Bible stories. Her hobbies of skiing, kickboxing and triathlons help her keep up with the kids’ energy!
“Christmas Around the World” Combined Sunday School for Children, Youth & Families On Sundays in December, come to the Parlor where we will explore Christmas from various Christian traditions and cultures represented at Westbury UMC. We will hear stories from people’s native countries, sing songs from their traditions, and find creative new ways to anticipate the birth of the Christ child! This will be an engaging and meaningful way to celebrate Advent with your family.
Rachel Hodge loves seeing how the children grow and open up during their year of learning about God together. Her favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:38-39, “…nothing will separate us from the love of God.”
Westbury United Methodist Church
Chris Wiggs has attended Westbury UMC since he was 3 years old. He looks forward to another year of continuing to grow in relationship with returning and new kids in his Sunday school class.
WestburyUMC.org
5200 Willowbend Blvd. Houston, TX 77096 713-723-0175
FALL 2014
Sunday School Overview Children n Youth n Parents
Children n Age 3–5
th
grade
Youth n 6 –12 th
th
Meet the Teachers: Youth Sunday School
SEPT 21 SEPT 28
OCT 5
At Westbury UMC, confirmation is highly encouraged! We kick off our season of intensive spiritual formation with a retreat, followed by a series of classes on Sunday mornings. Students walk through the curriculum with several different guest teachers and our pastors.
This fall, youth will engage “Ancestors,” a curriculum all about the ancestors of our faith. Through humor and discussion, the study exposes the real, unpolished and unexpected personalities of Old and New Testament Bible characters. Youth will discover similarities between themselves and the many unlikely people selected by God to do extraordinary things.
OCT 12 OCT 19 OCT 26
Money & Me, combined lesson in the Parlor
H23 H23
Library 215
213 205
W203
He enjoys breaking complex topics down into simple, more basic ideas. He has been teaching Christian education for 10+ years and is passionate about seeing young people deepen their faith.
Where Are the Classrooms?
October 2014 05 | No Sunday School 12 | Joseph 19 | Moses 26 | Rahab
Youth classes are held in the Youth Wing on the 2nd floor near the elevator.
November 2014 02 | Deborah 09 | Samson 16 | Ruth 23 | David 30 | Solomon
December 2014 H24 H24 07 | Way of Discipleship X 14 | Way of Salvation v s 21 | Weslayan Quadrilateral 212 210 28 | No ClassW201 W201 W202 W202
Josh Lemons serves as Director of Youth Ministry at Westbury UMC.
September 2014 07 | Ancestors: Adam & Eve 14 | Noah 21 | Abraham & Sarah 28 | Jacob
November 2014 02 | New Creation 09 | Methodist 1 16 | Methodist 2 23 | Methodist 3 29 | Field Trip: Orthodox s H21 H22 30 | MethodistH22 4 H21 Teen Teen Lounge Room
always enjoyed getting to hang out with kids of all ages, tweens and teens too! She has taught confirmation classes, served as a youth mentor and chaperoned on youth trips. Her favorite thing about teaching is hearing young people’s creative and often profound ideas about faith. “It’s always meaningful to talk about how we see God in everyday life.”
9:30–10:30 am in Room H21
October 2014 05 | No Class 12 | Redemption 19 | Holy Spirit 26 | Church
No Sunday school (church retreat weekend)
Kelsey Johnson is mom to two young kids (ages 4 and 6) but she’s
7th–12th Graders
September 2014 07 | No Class 14 | Confirmation Retreat 21 | Creation 28 | Sin
SEPT 14
taught Sunday school for over 30 years—mostly at the high school level. He says, “I get more out of watching these young people mature than I put into the preparation of the lesson.” Just in case anyone asks, he adds, “The youth of today are just as wonderful and hopeful and bright and loving as any I have ever seen through all the years I have taught at this church.”
6th Graders (Confirmation) 9:15–10:30 am in Room H24
SEPT 7
Steve Stone and his siblings were raised at Westbury UMC. Steve has
grade
open to Humphrey Hall
210 208
203 209
208 206
s
201 207
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W202 W202
NOV 23 NOV 30
MAP LEGEND
v 212 210
Library 215
213 205
210 208
203 209
208 206
s
201 207
204204
202 200–202 200 Music Ministry Suite
s
W
X
W204 W204
2nd Floor
open to Sanctuary
Scout Scout Room Room
X E
X
MAP LEGEND
Parking Lot
Humphrey HumphreyHall Hall (Gym)
A new mid-week Bible study for our 7 –12 grade students. W Servery Servery This fall and winter,Balcony we will be working through v the Gospel Balcony of John. Students will not need to purchase anything for the Kitchen s Kitchen study. Simply bring Bible and a pen or pencilw for106 notes. 112 s your s
Servery Servery
Balcony Balcony
C-22 C-22
C-21 C-21
X
20 1 4
X
open to Humphrey Hall
s
W
thE
NOV 16
Teen Teen Lounge Room
W203
December 2014 07 | Christmas Around the World 14 | Christmas Around the World 21 202 | Christmas Around the World 200–202 200 Music 28 Ministry | No Suite Sunday School
Youth Bible Study: The Gospel of John
We grow.
s
s
Scout Scout Room Room
NOV 9
H21 H21
W201 W201
open to Sanctuary
NOV 2
H23 H23 H24 H24
Check out the Fall Small Groups brochure (or go online) to sign up for the Youth Bible Study on 2nd Floor Wednesday nights, starting September s 10.
W204 W204
H22 H22
th
Children’s Wing/ Day School Entrance
Main Entrance
C-19 C-19
C-18 C-18
try
En
Church Church Office
102
X Restroom Parlor ■ Duration: Wednesdays (6–7:30 pm), starting Sept. 10 A E Accesible Restroom s 111 Library 103 Café 109 Parlor Youth Wing 105 ■ Leader: Josh Lemons ■ Location: ■ Cost: free s Staircase C BURY UM Parlor AT WEST v Elevator B W Drinking Fountain Memorial Garden Worship Chapel Meeting Rooms Community Spaces Youth Wing Children’s Wing/Day School
X
C-11 C-11
C-3 C-3
C-10 C-10 C-2
C-4 C-4
C-6 C-6
s
Sanctuary
Circle Drive
C-8 C-8
X
C-14 C-14
E C-12 C-12
East East Foyer Foyer
C-16 C-16
C-15 C-15 W
Day School Reception
C-1 C-1
C-20 C-20
Playground
X E s v W
s
Kitchen Kitchen
s
Restroom Accesible Restroom Staircase Elevator Children’s classes are held in the Wing on the 1st floor Drinking Children’s Fountain Worship (space shared with Day School). Meeting Your Roomschild’s classroom door will be Community Spaces labeled according to age grouping: Youth Wing 3–4 years,School K–2nd and 3rd–5th. Children’s Wing/Day
Parlor A
Parlor
Parlor B
Chapel