CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

The mission of Children and Family Ministries at St. Paul’s is to foster a rich inner life in the Episcopal tradition that will accompany our children through both the tempestuous storms and peaceful mountaintops of life. We attempt faith formation that is well-rounded, attending both to the needs of one’s own spirit as well as to the importance of compassionate self-giving in response to the needs of the world. We also strive to forge meaningful bonds among the various families within our community by offering a variety of opportunities for engagement. 


We are sometimes in need of additional teachers or classroom assistants for our Church School, as well as volunteers for the nursery. Teachers and assistants are usually scheduled once a month, while some serve only occasionally as subs.


All classroom helpers receive training in our style of classroom management as well as skills for protecting children from any kind of mistreatment. We work hard to maintain a safe, nurturing environment where children can flourish personally and spiritually.

If you are interested in being part of the Children's Ministry team, please contact our Children and Family Minister, Cassie Lewis, at cassie@stpauls.org.

Church Sch00l

Professional nursery care is available for ages 0-5 during the 9:30 am service (9 am during summer). 


Church school is held during the 9:30 am service (9 am during summer) with an elementary class for Kinder through 5th grade, and a middle school class for grades 6-8. Be sure to have kids arrive at least 5 minutes early to get settled in. 


Goals of Church School:

  • To provide our children with language for expressing and understanding spiritual experience
  • To foster a safe, delightful, loving community in which to explore spirituality
  • To expose them to the tools of the Christian Tradition that can lead to a grounded, satisfying, and consciously-lived life
  • To help them form an ethical way of living • To give them the assurance that they are loved fully by God and can be agents of God’s love in their own world
  • To nurture theological reflection from a progressive perspective, using stories from the Bible as well as other sources  Curriculum

Curriculum

We use a variety of curricula throughout the year for the elementary class, interspersing special lessons from the Montessori-based Godly Play, Illustrated Children’s Ministry, and Progressive Christianity. For Middle School, we use a beautiful, engaging curriculum from Seasons of the Spirit.  


Registration

Please fill out a registration form for each child participating so we can ensure everyone’s safety and well-being while you’re on site with us. The forms can be found in the classroom. 


Joining Parents in Church

Midway through the service, children will be escorted to the sanctuary during the Passing of the Peace. Please watch for your kids at that time and help them find you. They are most welcome to participate fully in Communion. If you have kids in the nursery, you are welcome to retrieve them to join you for Communion, in you like. We look forward to meeting you and your little ones!

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEWS

Upcoming Activities

 

Film Showing: Pixar's "Coco"

Friday, November 1 6:30-9:00 pm

in the sanctuary of St. Paul's


WHO: Anyone, all ages! Grandparents, kids, adults, teens...

WHAT: Pizza and movie night! Pizza and popcorn provided. Bring pillows and blankets if your kids want to be cozy on the floor. 

WHY: To learn from one culture's tender narrative about the eternal bond of family, preparing us for All Saints Sunday. 


Rsvp to Cassie.


Moms' Gathering

Saturday November 16, 9:30-11:30am

at home of Karen Meade

Join other moms from St. Paul's for warm drinks and light treats as we open our hearts to each other about the challenges and joys of parenting.

 

Save the Date:

Advent Workshop and Lunch

Sunday November 24, 11am-12pm

We will prepare together for Advent by assembling Advent wreaths to take home while learning ways to prepare for the mystery of Christmas. Suggested donation: $10 per family to cover supplies and lunch. 

 

News from the Pews


Church School in October

Children continue to gather in Adult Ed (behind the Parish Hall) while construction continues. They'll be split into two groups (Primary Group - age 4 through 2nd grade, and Intermediate group - grade 3-5), with the older group moving into the Preschool Teacher Lounge for their lesson.


Lessons in October are from Godly Play for the younger group, while the older group will begin a new series on The Lord's Prayer. 


Anchored Families: Parenting Resources


Deepening Your Memories with Family/Slowing Down Time

I really like this short blog post with suggestions for adding intentionality with our families. The writer is a time-management guru that I follow and love.


https://mailchi.mp/lauravanderkam/deepen-your-memories_sept2019?e=7f7d57fcb1


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All Souls Day with Kids

 

CREATING A MEMORY TABLE

A Ceremony Following the Death of a Loved One


Designed for ages 5+

This activity presents an opportunity to talk about death and dying and about the ways in which people are present to us after we die, although the focus should be on remembrance and life.


Materials

1. A table or piece of carpet that can be dedicated for this purpose for one or two days.

2. Candles (wax or battery-operated)

3. Items that represent the person/s being remembered: photos, favorite drink or food, item of clothing, item representing favorite hobbies, etc. 


How To

1. A few days ahead of time, explain to your children that you will be making a memory table (or altar - whichever word you prefer) to honor a loved one who has died. Tell them to think about what they would like to put on the table and take suggestions.


2. Gather items for the memory table. On your chosen day, arrange them on the table together as a family. 


3. Light candles and place them on the table to celebrate the light the person brought to the world, and the light of their memory. 


4. Talk about the significance of each item placed on the table. Tell stories about the person and what you remember most about them. Take the opportunity to remember the person's personality as well as their interests. Were they kind and compassionate? Funny? Disciplined?


5. To deepen the conversation, ask questions like:

How does the person being remembered still live on in your lives? How can you honor their memory? Conclude by again celebrating their light in the world and the light of their memory. 

 

*Excerpted from the book "Faithful Families: Simple Practices for Daily Family Life" by Traci Smith. Published by Chalice Press, 2017. Used by permission.

 

Be Well, in every way!