CHILDREN ARE WELCOME AT WEST CENTER! ALL CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 WILL HAVE THE CHILDREN'S CHURCH SCHOOL AVAILABLE. 

During Sunday morning worship service, West Center offers a Christian education program for elementary school children. Our teachers use the "Seasons of the Spirit" curriculum, which is based on each Sunday's lectionary readings. This age appropriate curriculum is recommended by the United Church of Christ and is also used by Presbyterian and Methodist churches.Through readings, craft projects, and games, our teachers work with the children to understand basic theological issues (such as temptation and forgiveness) and how to apply them to daily life.

Child Care

If you wish to stay with your child for all or part of the hour, there is an area to do so in the lounge adjacent to the sanctuary. The Bodge Lounge has couches and child-sized table and chairs with books, toys, and coloring supplies. There is also a closed-circuit television that will let you know what is going on in the sanctuary and enable you to participate in worship.

Kids, Glorious Kids!

We hope that you will make every effort for your child(ren) to be with us this year. Our caring and creative Church School teachers are planning a program to stimulate and enrich each child’s spiritual growth, socialization and self-esteem.  The instructional component is based on “Seasons of the Spirit,” a lectionary-based, inter-denominational curriculum, with the United Church of Christ as one of the curriculum partners.  Our teachers add their own ideas, including crafts, to each session.  The crafts relate to the Biblical stories of the life of Jesus and his role as teacher and healer in our own lives.  Look for email updates if your email address is in the church directory.  If you have children, or know someone who does, tell them about West Center Church, and invite them to come with their children to visit on a Sunday and get acquainted.

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A tribute to our former teacher
Thank you Francesca!
by Leeanna Arroyo-Valentin

                                                                                                                  
Hi I am Leeanna. I met Francesca about 4 years ago.
Francesca is very kind, helpful, caring and neat.
Francesca was once helpful to me by helping me cut out the gingerbread man from the paper.
Francesca is also very creative. She thinks about projects for the kids to do, like the Mothers Day cards.                      
I also know Francesca as my babysitter. Francesca is very fun to be with while she is babysitting my sisters and I. I feel very grateful for Francesca. On behalf of all your Sunday School students "Thank you Francesca! We are proud of you and we love you!!"

Leeanna Arroyo-Valentin is eight years old and one of Francesca's Church School Students. Leeanna said this about Francesca on May 15, 2016, the day we celebrated Francesca's years of teaching at West Center Church and her graduation from Sarah Lawrence College               

Pastor John Barrett's Tribute To Francesca

On Sunday morning May 15th we were pleased to welcome to West Center Church the parents of Francesca Ungureanu, Alex and Susannah Ungureanu, who are visiting the United States from Romania for the first time for Francesca’s graduation on May 20, 2016, from Sarah Lawrence College.
In September 2012, a first-year Sarah Lawrence College student answered our West Center Church invitation to teach Church School for our younger children.  Somehow the years have flown by. It is now May 2016, and our first-year student is completing her fourth and final year at Sarah Lawrence College, and will graduate this Friday, May 20th.  And during Francesca’s distinguished academic career at Sarah Lawrence, Francesca has had an equally distinguished teaching career at West Center Church, combining her love and knowledge of children, her love for God and knowledge of the Bible, and her love of teaching and our West Center Church community.
We have learned that we can always count on you, Francesca. You have been wonderful with our children, and we are delighted that you will be continuing to teach them throughout the summer.  They are always glad to see you and to be with you, and it seems way too soon to say good-bye. West Center Church thanks you for all you have shared with us these four years, and we wish you the best of luck and God’s blessing in your future endeavors.

Note: We are delighted that Francesa has remained in the area after graduating from Sarah Lawrence College and will continue teaching at West Center!

 Thank You, Francesca Ungureanu     by Ana Arroyo-Valentin

                                                                   
It is not easy for a parent to leave a child in the hands of another caretaker. Whether daycare, sleepovers, or even school. Entrusting an individual, especially a young one, can be daunting, and more so for new parents. Somehow with Francesca, though, these concerns didn't exist. Francesca has a calm peaceful nature about her that eases not just the anxiety of our children, but also that of their parents. Aside from her nurturing and comforting qualities, Francesca has repeatedly impressed us with her bold move to study abroad in another country, her countless world travels, and the consistency of her character to never change despite her achievements.
I personally, as a mother of three daughters, am grateful for the influence Francesca has had on our girls. I'm sure I speak for all when I say that her West Center family is most certainly proud, not only of her most recent achievement of her college graduation, but of having had the honor to know her throughout these years. We are thankful, Francesca, to you, for your kindness, generosity, and devotion, and for allowing us to be a part of this chapter of your life at West Center in Bronxville. Know how deeply proud we are of you. Congratulations and we look forward to continuing our relationship with you always.
Ana Arroyo-Valentin & Javier Arroyo are the parents of Leeanna  Emma and Karina.

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