Christian Education

 Children’s  Sunday School

In 2023, St.Mary’s kicked off our renewed Children’s Ministry program with the goal of reaching new people, especially families with children and youth, and incorporating them into the life of the church. We experienced an exciting Vacation Bible School over the summer and have reestablished our Sunday School program for younger children and youths.

Here at St. Mary’s we adhere to the Children’s Charter of the Episcopal Church to be a community where children and adults know one another by name, care for one another, and work together to follow Jesus’ teachings and do God’s work. We want to encourage children’s ability to show and share God’s love and grace in the church and in the world.

 

 

Our goal with our Sunday School children is to provide a safe and loving space where we can tell and show children that God is love.

We believe that working with children is one of the church’s most important things and that each child is a gift from God.

We intend to include children in everything our church does, from Sunday worship to helping others.

Youth Ministry

St. Mary’s Youth Ministry Program is being reinstated after a period of inactivity. We have an excellent space for youth ministry on our campus in “Dave’sRoom” upstairs in our office/classroom complex. 

In the past, we have had a youth praise band, sent missioners to work on outreach projects, and trained acolytes and crucifers to serve at the altar. We are excited to work with our teens to create an active happy place at church that our teens want to be part of.

Nursery and Toddler Care

Our very youngest members, ages birth through three years, are cared for in our bright, sunny Nursery by our long-time childcare professional, Mrs. Gloria Montague.

There is a  Family Room available off the sanctuary for parents who would like to have their babies or toddlers with them at worship in a comfortable space.

Children’s Worship

Our children have a dedicated worship space in “Little Fitch” (the smaller partition of the parish hall), where they have a small altar with a cross and candles. They help to light and extinguish the candles and are led through songs and prayers using a printed Children’s Chapel program.

A simplified lesson is presented before the children are dismissed to their various classrooms for age–specific programs and crafts. St Mary’s has historically dedicated one Sunday to Children’s Sunday. The children serve as Greeters, Acolytes, Ushers, and Readers.

This program has been on hiatus while we are engaged in the discernment process for a new Rector and re–establishment of our Sunday School program, but we look forward to reinstating it in the future.