Now that our new Parish Centre is completed, Sunday School meets in there each Sunday at 11.15am, while the main Sunday service is taking place in church.
When Sunday School finishes at 12.15, children can either be collected at the Parish Centre, or re-join their families for the end of the service.
Those who sing in the Junior Choir meet at 11am for rehearsal.
We have a number of enthusiastic Sunday School teachers and helpers, who love to see the younger members of the parish coming together, to learn about Jesus and the Bible, to have fun together, to sing and to be part of the church family.
The Sunday School and leaders play an active part in planning and co-coordinating the monthly family service. They also lead and are involved in many parts of the service, with the Junior Choir contributing to the music.
Killyleagh Parish uses the ‘Jigsaw’ diocesan programme of Sunday School classes that link lessons to Church. There is a new module every three months. It has been well received and proved to be a great success.
In the last few years, the children helped prepare Christmas parcels for the older parishioners. Approximately 75 parcels have been distributed in the last couple of years and all the children signed Christmas cards. Feedback from the recipients told how much the gifts and cards were appreciated.
The Sunday School regularly tries to instigate some project which will benefit others. For instance, in 2001, two children were sponsored through high school in Rwanda. Then, on finding the school had no running water for 1,200 children, the Sunday School raised in excess of £5,000 over 3 years. This project was completed in 2013 when water was brought both to a school and the local village.
The Sunday school then went on to raise money for computers for the school after learning that it only had 1 computer for its pupils. 5 new laptops were sent to the school in 2014 and 2015.
‘Spare Coat’ was the Sunday School 2012 initiative where we collected coats and distributed them to people who needed a coat. Over 50 coats were distributed to people in Killyleagh and via homeless charities in Downpatrick, Belfast and Newry.
Currently the Sunday School is sponsoring and writing to two children – one in Honduras and one in Burkina Faso, through the Christian Charity Compassion.
Any children from pre-school age to 14 years old are very welcome. Why not come along with your child to observe.
Or bring your child(ren) on any Sunday, except the fourth Sunday of the month and major Christian Festivals like Christmas and Easter, when all children are in church with their families. For further details, contact the Rector.
