children are sponges! let them soak up god’s love for them so they grow to be firm in their faith!
We are blessed to have MANY children at Christus Victor! Here, your child will build relationships, grow in faith and service, and be involved in things greater than themselves. Review our children ministries below! For Sunday School, please read the Opportunities to Serve (down at the bottom) before registering. Questions? Email info@CVLutheran.org!
************
If you’d like to support our Sunday School, please consider purchasing an item from our Wish List!
Our Children's Ministries
sunday school starters (6 months to prek)
Our professionally-staffed Sunday School Starters cares for our littlest Lutherans during the 9 am service! In addition to having many fun age-appropriate toys, our room offers a safe and welcoming environment for your child.
Parents and caregivers may either drop off children after signing them in, or stay in the room. Children can be dropped off at 9 a.m. or after the Children’s Message during service (typically around 9:20 am). We recognize that little ones can have separation anxiety in new places, so we partner with the parents to help ease the transition. There is a computer in the room, so you can still watch the service!
Sunday School (kindergarten-3rd Grade)
We offer Sunday School each Sunday starting at 9:20 am. The students start worship in the 9:00 am service with their families, then are invited to the front to hear the children’s message. Following the children’s message (typically around 9:20 a.m.), they are dismissed to Sunday School. The teaching team will welcome your children in the hallway and escort them back to the Sunday School wing. They will hear the Bible story for the day and then divide into separate K-1 and 2-3 classes for learning, fun, and crafts. Your children will have the opportunity to engage in service, music, and free play with their church friends throughout the year, fostering a sense of community and spiritual growth. These programs are designed to educate, inspire, and empower our young members. As a part of Sunday School, second graders receive their very own youth Bible!
sunday school (4th-5th grade) - previously known as grapple
Similar to Sunday School, our 4th and 5th graders attend service with their families, listen to the children’s message, and then are dismissed to a separate room around 9:20 a.m. The 4th and 5th graders are in training to be leaders, as they prepare for confirmation in 6th grade. They engage in learning and service projects throughout the year. Your children will be greeted by a leader pair, who will teach the lesson for the day. The whole group will then head back into the sanctuary for communion and/or a blessing. Following communion/the blessing, the class and leaders return to the youth room for supervised hangtime.
When your child hits 4th grade, they will begin preparing for their First Communion alongside their parent(s) and/or caregivers during Lent! The students receive communion for the first time at the 7:00 p.m. worship service on Maundy Thursday during Holy Week before Easter Sunday. It’s a very exciting time for these children and their families! You can view our 2023 1st Communion projects here!
Meet the Team!
Children’s Ministry Team Leader Kasandra Pruyn
I have been a member at Christus Victor since 2011. I have grown tremendously in my faith since coming here, and I am grateful to have found such a loving and respectful church to raise my kids. I have two kids who are in the Children’s Ministry here. Over the years, I have been on several committees at Christus Victor. I helped to start up our MOPS/MomsNext group, I served on the Nursery Committee, The Story Committee, and most recently, the Sunday School Strategize Team. I am grateful to use my gifts and talents to grow a ministry that is so close to my heart. I want to help grow our children’s ministry, so more children can learn that God loves them and allow more parents and community members to engage in multi-generational growth. I look forward to meeting more families and watching our youngest members grow in their faith and love of God!
sunday school starters Coordinator Terri Flaim
I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and attended St. Hilary Grammar School, Good Counsel H.S., and Northeastern Illinois University. I worked in the healthcare industry at Resurrection Hospital for almost two decades. After I moved to Elk Grove Village in the 90s, I joined Christus Victor where my experience with children began. I served in both the Nursery and Sunday School programs. In 2001, I became the lead associate for the infant/toddler program at the Elk Grove Township DayCare Center until 2007. I continued working in District 59 programs until 2011. I am blessed to be completed by my husband, Tony, and daughter, Ashley, making us a happy family of three. I feel blessed to be welcomed back by my Christus Victor Family and for that, I give God thanks!
Opportunities to Serve
get involved in Sunday school!
We fully acknowledge that to make Sunday School a meaningful and safe community, it takes a village! We kindly ask that all Sunday School families sign up to assist in some capacity. We understand everyone has different talents, time constraints, and obligations! So please sign up during registration for the categories that make the most sense for you and your family (spouses/partners may sign up separately).
Category 1 - Storytellers for Sunday School
We are looking for storytellers who know and love the Bible and enjoy sharing God’s message to our Sunday School students. As a storyteller, you will be responsible for telling a 15- to 20-minute story. You will be provided with the Bible teaching script from our Dig In curriculum that will guide you with the story’s overarching theme, story summary, and tips and ideas on how to tell the story in a meaningful and interactive way for our students. The goal of storytelling is to help students connect with the Bible story and understand how the theme relates to their everyday lives.
Category 2 - Craft & Game Creator for Sunday School
Enjoy creating crafts or creating child-friendly games? As a craft creator, you will be provided with the weekly Sunday School lessons from our Dig In curriculum that will include a craft idea for that week’s lesson. As a craft creator, you will identify which materials are needed and prep the craft by organizing the supplies for the Sunday School teachers. For the games portion, games do not need to be linked to the Sunday School lessons. Instead, you can create a rotation of 6 to 8 games appropriate for the PreK/K group and the 1st/2nd grade group. Any materials required to play the games will need to be organized ahead of time. Games can be created for Semester 1 (August to December) and Semester 2 (January to May).
Category 3 - Sunday School Leaders
Within Sunday School, we will have two leaders for the PreK/K group and two leaders for the 1st/2nd grade group. The Sunday School leader will have three main jobs. First, for the first 15-20 minutes, storytellers will lead and tell the Bible passage to all PreK, K, 1st, and 2nd grade students. During this time, Sunday School leaders will be supervising children and assisting the storyteller, as needed. Second, the Sunday School leaders will then transition students into two different groups (PreK/K and 1st/2nd). For the next 15 minutes or so, Sunday School leaders will then help children create the craft that will be prepared ahead of time and linked to the storyteller’s Bible passage. Finally, for the last 15 minutes, Sunday School leaders will help children participate and engage in fun, cooperative games (Prepared ahead of time by the Craft/Game creators).
Category 4 - 4th and 5th grade Leaders
In a separate room, we have two leaders for the 4th-5th grade group. These leaders will welcome students as they exit the Sanctuary and bring them to their room (released from worship after the children’s message); teach the lesson from the Dig In curriculum provided; bring the students as a group into the sanctuary to receive communion; and then go back into the room for a game/activity/hang time until worship is finished.
Category 5 - Special Events
We host at least three Special Events throughout the year, including Trunk-or-Treat in October, the Christmas Pageant in December, and the Easter Egg Hunt. As a volunteer within the Special Events, you will work with the Sunday School Coordinator to help plan the event, gather any materials or additional volunteers needed, and lead and supervise the event. (The Christmas Pageant opportunity includes a rehearsal 1 week prior to the performance.)
Category 6 - Service Projects
Sunday School students will have the opportunity to share their gifts and love for others through service projects. Current ideas for service projects include assisting with the Food Pantry and with refugee assistance through Exodus World Services. As a volunteer, you would work with the Sunday School Coordinator to create service project ideas and help students carry out these projects. Sunday School students will complete two service projects in total - one project during Semester 1 (August to December) and one project during Semester 2 (January to May).
Category 7 - Safety Monitoring & Floaters during Sunday School
If you are an adult who would like to help provide safety and security during our Sunday School time on Sundays, this is the category for you! Students transition throughout our building during Sunday School from the sanctuary to the Sunday School rooms. Often, games or activities are held outside on the church premises. 4th and 5th grade students also transition to and from their room for communion in the sanctuary and often outside for activities. Students also need to take bathroom or water breaks throughout the morning. These volunteers would float among the church hallways to ensure safety and monitoring of our students at all times.
Calling Moms!
Moms! Are you looking for a fun moms’ group to join?
Click below to learn more about MOMCo Elk Grove!