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


Rockin' Jump Trampoline Park

Sunday July 29 at 4pm

1411 Village Way, Santa Ana 92705


It's time to head INDOORS for our summer fun. Join other St. Paul's families at Rockin' Jump for some air-conditioned, bouncy joy. "If you're old enough to walk, you're old enough to jump", according to trampoline staff. Parents, big kids, and little kids are all welcome, although kids under 5 will probably appreciate having an adult jumping companion to protect them from rowdy bigger jumpers. Food is available for purchase (pizza, hot dogs...not the healthiest fare, but it's available) for those who want to stay and eat together after. 


Tickets need to be purchased ahead of time!

$10 for 30 mins jump time

(you can upgrade when you get there if more time is desired)

$16 for 60 mins jump time  

Let me (Cassie) know if you'd like to reserve a ticket.

You can pay the next time we connect (day of event or before). 


Breaking Bread at Sunset

6pm on Thursday 7/12, 7/19, and 7/26

I hope we'll see you on these simple evenings for eating together and getting to know each other! The meals and conversations take place on the patio at St. Paul's. Kids get to run and play on the lawn, with their teen supervisors/play partners while adults reflect together and enjoy each other's company. We'll close by bringing the kids back into the circle for final quiet prayers.


Camp Stevens - Summer (for kids)

It's not too late to sign your kids up for camp! There are two sessions this summer that still have a few openings. Camp Stevens is a jewell of our Episcopal diocese -

I can't recommend the experience enough!

http://campstevens.org/summer/#programs_summercamp


Camp Stevens - Fall (for families)

October 12-14

We are inviting families to join us again this Fall for the "Hoe's Down Family Harvest Weekend" at Camp Stevens. It does fill up FAST, so it's best to sign up before summer ends. It's basically a big harvest festival in the forest, with nightly campfires, great food, wonderful people, and special activities for all ages that are organized FOR you - you just decide how active or how kick-back you want to be. See website for details on cost and accommodations. It's not cheap - but the experience is a worthy one. 

http://campstevens.org/summer/family-camp/

(Note: Where it offers "dormitory style," that is an open-air cabin without electricity. It's gorgeous, surrounded by forest and night sky, but requires flashlights, warm blankets, and a love for roughing it!) 


NEWS FOR THE PEWS


Upcoming Church School Lessons (K-5th)

                                                                July 1: Baking

                                                                July 8: Painting River Rocks

                                                                July 15: Yoga

                                                                July 22: Science Explorations

                                                                July 29: Garden Explorations


ANCHORED FAMILIES: Parenting Resources


Parenting is a never-ending journey, as the needs of our kids (and the world!) continually morph, forcing us to continue learning how to best be present and responsive in each new phase they enter/drag us into! The following two resources offer fresh perspectives as you continue to grow in your craft of parenting well:


Anti-bias children's books

http://www.childpeacebooks.org/cpb/Protect/antiBias.php?ck_subscriber_id=136890630

- The site offers a simple, wonderful list of children's stories that teach empathetic ways of engaging a host of contemporary social situations


Podcast for progressive Christian parents

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/parenting-forward-stories-strategies-solutions-for/id1403686245?mt=2

- A helpful resource especially for parents who want to foster a Christian spirituality in their kids that isn't weighed down with some of the harmful baggage of Evangelical Christianity