Stepping Stone Events

The Stepping Stones program helps children celebrate different faith events throughout their years in Sunday school at Gethsemane. At each year's event, parents and children create a keepsake, and then the event will be documented in a photo album. This photo album will be given to each child in sixth grade, at the end of their Sunday school career.

• Three Year Old Stepping Stone Event
  

  The three-year-old Stepping Stone event focuses on prayer. A pastor visits the class to talk to the children about the importance of prayer and how no prayer is too small or too large for God to hear, care about, and answer. Each child is given a prayer book and the children also decorate prayer boxes to commemorate the day. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• Four Year Old Stepping Stone Event
  

  The four-year-old Stepping Stone event focuses on baptism. A pastor visits the class to talk to the children about baptism, illustrating elements of the baptismal service with props such as a baptismal candle, a bowl filled with water, and a baptismal cloth. Each child is even given the opportunity to "baptize" a baby doll. To commemorate the day, the students make snow globes with his or her own photo with the caption "I am part of God's Family." There is an additional activity intended to show the children what special places they hold in God's family. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• Kindergarten Stepping Stone Event
  

  Kindergartners receive children's Bibles as their Stepping Stone event. This Stepping Stone event begins in the sanctuary, where the children are joined by their parents. Reminiscent of the words heard in the baptismal service, where parents promise to place the Holy Scriptures into their children's hands, a pastor places the Bible into the hands of the parents, who in turn hand it to the child. After leaving the sanctuary, a pastor visits the classroom to talk to the children about the importance of not only receiving, but using, their new Bible. To commemorate the day, the students also make beaded cross bookmarks to use with their new Bibles. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• First Grade Stepping Stone Event
  

  The first grade Stepping Stone event focuses on The Lord's Prayer. A pastor visits the class to talk to the children about how Jesus taught his disciples to pray using this prayer, and how we can use the same prayer to learn how to pray. To commemorate the day, the students paint table crosses that hold a copy of The Lord's Prayer. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• Second Grade Stepping Stone Event
  

  The second grade Stepping Stone event focuses on The Ten Commandments. A pastor visits the class to talk to the children about the historical significance of, as well as the importance of following, God's rules for living. To commemorate the day, the students make votive candleholders marked with The Ten Commandments. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• Third Grade Stepping Stone Event
  

  The third grade Stepping Stone event focuses on baptism. A pastor visits the class to talk to the children about baptism, illustrating elements of the baptismal service with props such as a baptismal candle, a bowl filled with water, and a baptismal cloth. The pastor marks each child's forehead with a cross, and the baptismal story Water, Come Down! is read aloud. To commemorate the day, the students decorate pillowcases with symbols of baptism and the phrase "I am part of God's Family." Students can also add their own baptismal date to the pillowcase. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• Fourth Grade Stepping Stone Event
  

  Fourth Graders receive teen study Bibles as their Stepping Stone event. This Stepping Stone event begins in the sanctuary, where the children are joined by their parents. Reminiscent of the words heard in the baptismal service, where parents promise to place the Holy Scriptures into their children's hands, a pastor places the Bible into the hands of the parents, who in turn hand it to the child. After leaving the sanctuary, a pastor visits the classroom to talk to the children about the importance of not only receiving, but using, their new Bible. To commemorate the day, the students also make fabric book covers for their new Bibles. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, children and parents alike will also spend this hour enjoying a time of fellowship.

• Fifth Grade Stepping Stone Event
  

  Fifth Graders attend an overnight retreat as part of their Stepping Stone event, which culminates in receiving their First Communion. Led by the director of children's ministry and the pastoral staff, the retreat schedule provides opportunities for the fifth graders and their parents to fully understand the meaning behind the second of the holy Lutheran sacraments. As relationships are such an important part of the Sunday school program at Gethsemane, the retreat atmosphere also affords children and parents alike plenty of time for fellowship.

• Sixth Grade Stepping Stone Event
  

  Sixth graders begin their two-part final children's ministry Stepping Stone event by meeting Bob Windels, the director of youth ministries. This hour gives Bob an opportunity to provide an overview of the confirmation program and meet the incoming confirmation class. The sixth graders also make t-shirts during this hour, with all class members signing every t-shirt, commemorating not just this last Stepping Stone event, but for some, nine years of attending Gethsemane's Sunday school. During the summer, the outgoing sixth grade class also attends an overnight prayer retreat. (Please see related article.)