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


Family Faith Jar Kits

September 9

Pick up your Family Faith Jar Kits this Sunday! These offer a lovely, simple way to share conversation together with guided reflection questions. We will provide the question cards, and you get to find (and decorate?) a jar or box at home for the cards to live in.

If you don't already have a regular time when your family gathers, this is a great excuse to create that space! It could be nightly before bed, or around the dinner table, even if that's only once or twice a week. The idea is to create a consistent, intentional space for quiet reflection together, as well as to practice using the language of spirituality as a tool to introduce kids (and adults!) that they, too, can claim their own sacred experiences. 

Kits will be available on the patio following the 10am service. 


Homecoming Sunday Breakfast

September 9, 9-9:50am

Come early to church and enjoy a special outdoor breakfast together. You can also put a pin on our world map to show wherever you may have traveled this summer. 


Church School Registration

Sundays in September

It's time to update registration forms for kids in Church School! These forms are essential for emergency preparedness - we need basic contact info and any medical conditions that might impact a child in an emergency. If your child's info hasn't changed since filling one out last year, I only need your signature. Easy peasy! But do come to the Registration Table after church one of those Sundays to update the paperwork. Many thanks. 


News from the Pews


Church School Update

Beginning Sunday 9/16, at 9:30am

The new Church School is almost here! Watch for a letter to come in the mail with more details. We are working to match our Church School offerings to the current age range of our kids, so as of 9/16, our new class structure will entail:

Nursery: ages 0-3

Primary Class: age 4 to 3rd grade

Intermediate Class: grades 4-8 (grades 7 & 8 are invited to consider being class assistants)