CCH has programs to support the spiritual development of youth of all ages.  In total, we call these the Youth Education Services (YES).  The individual programs are outlined below.

"These children are the seeds of the future of this planet and the entire human race.  Every one of these kids is going to touch thousands of people in their lives.  The YES programs constitute a mission and a call to excellence to be held in consciousness.  I want the best possible thing for these kids.  We are going to serve our children, that's what they came to us for."

  - Tim Cook, Minister

Youth Education Services exists to serve the spiritual education of the children who attend The Church of Conscious Harmony.  Our aim is to help our children learn and retain the affirmative feeling of self-worth we call the Yes Feeling and to teach clear and certain awareness of God-knowing.  We intend to provide balanced learning experiences that include physical, emotional and intellectual stimulation and guidance.  We pray that we enable our children to develop their highest possibilities in relational and devotional living; that they might become spiritually awake, God-centered human beings living out of extraordinary love.

Nursery & Toddlers

During the Sunday worship service, our newborns through one year olds are cared for in a calm and quiet room by volunteers. Two and three year old toddlers attend Children's Chapel and afterwards share a feast together as in the older classrooms.

Godly Play: Up to 5th grade

Godly Play is an experiential way of teaching children to worship. Based on sound theological and developmental theories, Godly Play catches a child's imagination and wonder. Each child has a relationship with God and Godly Play helps the child build on and explore that relationship.  

In Godly Play, Bible stories are told very simply, with simple props, and without interpretation or moral instruction. After a story is presented, the children and the storyteller wonder together about aspects of the story that draw their interest. For instance, with the parable of the Good Shepherd, they might wonder together how the sheep felt as they followed the shepherd. Or whether the sheep have names. Or how it might feel to be inside the sheepfold.

After a time of exploring the story with wondering, the story is put away, the children choose art supplies they would like to work with, and they spend some time creating whatever they choose, in response to what they feel is most important in the story, or most interesting.

This is play. It is Godly. It is meeting God along with children rather than teaching them what we adults think they ought to know. Our faith stories are very powerful and offer plenty to think about even without our elaboration on what they "mean." Godly play is often deeply satisfying for the adults who engage the stories along with the children.

For more details, see our Godly Play page.

 

Harmony Youth Program: 6th-12th grade

The Harmony Youth Program attracts, instructs, and nurtures 11-18 year-olds at the ages when they are most likely to drift away from church and spiritual formation. 

In the first two-years, the Preteen class (6th-7th grades), assists young people as they take the first steps towards independence and explore new ideas and abilities. The curriculum is experiential and fun. The lesson plans are specifically designed to meet the needs of youth in early adolescence with a focus on the liturgical scripture reading for the day from the Gospel and exploring how that passage relates to oneself as a child of God and in relation to current relationships with friends and family. Lively discussion is a cornerstone of the Preteen class atmosphere. A minimum of 10 minutes of Centering Prayer is included in each lesson plan.

The next class is named Early Teen (8th-10th grades) and included basic skills of adulthood (listening, creative thinking, expressing ideas, assertion, partnership and leadership) and helps youth understand Christian living. The lesson plans are designed for the youth in this stage of early to middle adolescence with a focus on the liturgical scripture reading for the day from the Gospel and compares the reading from 4 different Bible versions.  A minimum of 10 minutes of Centering Prayer is included in each lesson plan.

The last class in the Harmony Youth Program is the Older Teen class and consists of the last 2 to 3 years until the youth is graduated from high school. The lesson plans focus on the study of Fr. Thomas Keating's book, "The Kingdom of God is Like". A parable is studied each month with the intent for students to connect Old Testament teachings with the New Testament. A Work principle is included that illuminates the parable. A minimum of 10 minutes of Centering Prayer is included in each lesson plan. In this stage of middle to late adolescence there is a focus on taking responsibility for your life and developing a deeper relationship and journey with God into adulthood.

For more details, see our Harmony Youth Program page.

Rites of Passage

The passage from adolescence into adulthood is very important time in the life of our children. Yet in our society the transition from childhood to adulthood, is virtually ignored as a spiritual rite and instead is honored primarily as legal milestones such as getting a driver's license or graduating high school. 

The CCH Youth Counsel was formed prepare a sacred rite of passage for our oldest youth. The aim of the Youth Council is to bless, celebrate, empower and honor our youth as they move into their next stage of life and prepare them for the journey that lies ahead. 

The Rite of Passage holds a Christian focus but also includes elements from other traditions as appropriate. Some of the key elements of the rite include the following: 

  • Centering Prayer 

  • Chanting 

  • Sacred readings & personalized readings 

  • Prayers/invocations/blessings 

  • Eucharist

HYPED

HYPED, Harmony Youth Pursuing Everlasting Devotion, is a youth group that exists for the purpose of our youth growing, sharing and experiencing the love of God in community. It is open to all students in the Harmony Youth Program and is supportive of individual spiritual growth and tolerant of personal differences.

HYPED is very unique among youth groups. It is one of the few contemplative youth groups in existence and it is led by the youth themselves. HYPED provides a wonderful opportunity for youth to "get real" with one another, develop lasting friendships and genuinely explore the depths of their spiritual life in community. HYPED also sponsors an annual pilgrimage to the Lama Foundation in New Mexico.

Subscribe to the HYPED NEWS! newsletter for up-to-date information regarding the HYPED youth group.