
	Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Our Children's Programme for Sundays What is so special about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd? CGS assumes young children have a religious potential: that God is already present in their deepest being and that they are capable of developing a conscious and intimate relationship with God and they need only guidance and vocabulary to realise that relationship and give expression to it. At Onslow Anglicans we will be offering CGS on the first and third Sundays of the month during school terms. Sessions begin at 9.45am and the children with either come back into church for The Great Thanksgiving Prayer (pre-Communion) or may be collected after Morning Tea at the parent's leisure. The programme takes place in an Atrium with a trained catechist whose sources are scripture, liturgy and tradition.. Our Atrium is in our church hall, immediately behind St Barnabas Church, Khandallah. The Atrium contains models of items used in the church's worship as well as parables, prophecies, maps of Israel and the life of Christ. The child prepares for involvement in the larger worshipping community. The catechist "calls forth" the child's response instead of "pouring in" information. They listen with the child as a "co-wonderer" who enjoys meditation on the questions raised by the Scriptures. Where does my child fit in? Level One is for children three to five years old. The child of this age is particularly capable of receiving and enjoying the most essential elements of our faith: the announcement of God's love in the person of the Good Shepherd who died and is risen! Level two is for children sixto nine years old. At this stage children are captivated by the image of the True Vine, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, bears fruit in plenty, for cut off from me you can do nothing." It answers the child's need for relationship with God, family, friends and the community. There is also level three for children nine to twelve years and we will be able to offer these sessions in 2012. For further information please contact Raewyn Berkahn, or the parish office .

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Our Children's Programme for Sundays

What is so special about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?

CGS assumes young children have a religious potential: that God is already present in their deepest being and that they are capable of developing a conscious and intimate relationship with God and they need only guidance and vocabulary to realise that relationship and give expression to it.

At Onslow Anglicans we will be offering CGS on the first and third Sundays of the month during school terms. Sessions begin at 9.45am and the children with either come back into church for The Great Thanksgiving Prayer (pre-Communion) or may be collected after Morning Tea at the parent's leisure. The programme takes place in an Atrium with a trained catechist whose sources are scripture, liturgy and tradition.. Our Atrium is in our church hall, immediately behind St Barnabas Church, Khandallah. The Atrium contains models of items used in the church's worship as well as parables, prophecies, maps of Israel and the life of Christ. The child prepares for involvement in the larger worshipping community. The catechist "calls forth" the child's response instead of "pouring in" information. They listen with the child as a "co-wonderer" who enjoys meditation on the questions raised by the Scriptures.

Where does my child fit in?

Level One is for children three to five years old. The child of this age is particularly capable of receiving and enjoying the most essential elements of our faith: the announcement of God's love in the person of the Good Shepherd who died and is risen!

Level two is for children sixto nine years old. At this stage children are captivated by the image of the True Vine, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, bears fruit in plenty, for cut off from me you can do nothing." It answers the child's need for relationship with God, family, friends and the community.

There is also level three for children nine to twelve years and we will be able to offer these sessions in 2012.

For further information please contact Raewyn Berkahn, or the parish office .