Education

The gospel calls Christians to learn and to teach. Teaching is an important means of communicating this central message of the Christian faith. The Word is proclaimed in preaching and in the sacraments, and it is also proclaimed in teaching

Christian education is at the very heart of the church. The people of God, gathered in community, grow in faith and in the ability to live out their faith in daily life. This faith formation is the life-long, ongoing process by which every Christian, young or old, answers their baptismal call to follow Jesus. Following Jesus—living the faith is being on a journey. The journey begins in baptism and ends with entrance into the promised eternal life. People on the journey are always in the process of becoming.

Communities of faith become what God has intended them to be. Individual Christians become what God has called them to be–fully formed disciples of Jesus Christ. Individual Christians grow as a part of a community of faith. Children grow in the faith by the intentional action of parents, pastors, teachers and other members of the community. They become disciples of Jesus Christ and learn to live as disciples through the Christian home, the congregation’s Sunday school, confirmation program and in many other ways.

Adults are also in a process of growth. “New Christians” and those who have been believers for many years need to be nurtured in the Word as they continue their faith journey. Through interaction with other Christians, one-on-one or in groups, the people of God learn the faith, grow in their understanding, develop attitudes that shape their lives and acquire proficiency in the faith practices that are valued and taught by the community. All believers continue the process of becoming. Education is the process by which they become.

Alpha

Alpha is a ten-week opportunity to explore the validity and relevance of the Christian faith for our lives today. It is a practical introduction to the basics of Christianity with loads of opportunity for debate and discussion. The style of Alpha is informal, friendly and non-pressured - a style which seems to be appreciated in Canadian culture.

Alpha is enjoyed and appreciated as much by those who have never set foot in a church as it is by those who once attended and by the regular churchgoer. No matter what their background, whether investigating Christianity for the first time or revisiting their faith, participants get a lot out of an Alpha Course.

Each week people meet together for a meal, a talk on topics such as "Who is Jesus?", "Why Did Jesus Die?", "How Can I be Sure of My Faith?", and "Does God Still Heal Today?" , followed by small group interaction. There is a day or weekend retreat midway through the course, which focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

2,903 Canadian churches have now run Alpha courses and about one million Canadians have already participated. 50 courses are running in Canada's prisons, including Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre. 363 Marriage Courses and 36 Marriage Prep courses are registered. Most Canadians live within easy access of an Alpha course. For our local course please click here to visit their website.

Ash Wednesday

This was a day of learning and fun for children. The activities included:

• Prayer and Praise
• Games and Challenges
• Getting our hands dirty
• Lunch
• Serving the community
• Grades J.K. to 3, 4 to 7, & 8 to 12.

Within our Canadian mosaic, reclaiming holy days as we have on Ash Wednesday is one way we can nurture the Christian faith of our children while respecting the diversity of our nation.

Cursillo

Cursillo is a Spanish word that means "short course" and is pronounced "kur-SEE-yo." The movement began in the Roman Catholic church in Spain during the late 1940s with the intention of building faith and renewing the Church. It has since grown into a worldwide movement which has taken root within a number of denominations. Cursillo seeks to foster, develop and sustain Christian leaders and to encourage apostleship. The movement tries to provide participants with tools to live the Christian life more fully, with a resulting impact on the world.

Following a three-day, live-in weekend that includes a series of talks, discussion, worship and fellowship, the Cursillo Movement stresses ongoing spiritual development through gathering with the wider community, meeting in small groups and engaging in spiritual direction.

Sunday School (God Squad)

St. Paul's has an enthusiastic Sunday School known as “The God Squad” with 30-45 children attending on any given Sunday. Three different age-appropriate classes are available. “The God Squad classes are available at both the 9:15 am and 11:00 am services.

"The Little Lambs" class for the youngest children, ages 4 to 5, is a class with lots of energy focused on Bible stories, music and creative activities. They will explore the Bible by listening to the stories being told in an interactive manner using flannel-graph characters.

"The Word Warriors" for Ages 6 to 8: This year The God Squad classes for grade school age children will focus on the stories of the Bible in one year using Gospel Light’s “God’s Big Picture” curriculum. The children will draw simple pictures following their teacher’s examples to illustrate each Bible story. Our vision is to provide these children with a better understanding of God’s plan for salvation through Jesus Christ, His people throughout history and the love He has for everyone.

The "Little Lambs" and the "Word Warriors" share in an open session in the Main Classroom. It is a time for songs, prayer and creativity through games, art activities and object lessons. All classes explore the meaning and relevance of the Bible in their lives while encouraging them to grow in their faith and love for God and His Son, Jesus.

"Tweens & Teens": This is a new class, meeting in “The Den”, for youth ages 9 to 14 and will follow the David C. Cook “Bible-In-Life” curriculum focusing on issues that they face in school and their community and giving them a biblically-based foundation to grow and develop their lives in Christ. This class is designed to stimulate discussion about the choices in their lives and God’s leading and purpose for them. Based on Biblical principles it is designed to strengthen their Christian walk as they mature and become aware of their changing environment.

The classes begin in September and finish up in June. It is very helpful if you register your child for “The God Squad” classes for the new school year. Please complete a registration form and submit it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Download Sunday School Registration Form

Wednesday Bible Study

This group meets in the Chapel on Wednesday mornings at 10 am. At present we are studying the Bible readings for the following Sunday. Clergy lead the discussion: we are encouraged to ask questions and compare ideas. After the Bible study, we come together for the Eucharist where we offer prayers for the community and for ourselves. Everyone is welcome. Anyone interested in learning more about this Ministry is asked to contact the church office.