Children
During the Catechesis hour from 9:00am-10:00am, we have age-appropriate programming for all children, nursery through grade 5. We use God’s Big Story curriculum for all ages 0-11, which is rooted in the incredible truth that God has come to rescue his children from their own sin through his Son Jesus Christ. It explores the biblical narrative from creation and the fall to Jesus' sacrificial victory on the cross to the promise of a new heaven and earth. GBS is taught in the context of worship through liturgy, song, scripture memory, story presentation, wondering questions, catechesis (teaching of doctrine and the faith), prayer, and many reflective and creative responses geared to a variety of age groups.
During the main (10:15am) worship service, a nursery with well-trained nursery attendants is available for children birth through five years old. However, all children are welcomed and encouraged to remain with their family throughout the service. Several resources are provided to help engage children in the service. Don't worry if your kiddos are a little noisy and move around. We believe their presence with us is worth it, and we know that God put the wriggle in children!
We understand that this may represent a challenge for some families. Here are some things that may help:
We provide resources to help kids engage with the service, including age-appropriate guides to the liturgy, children’s bibles, and worship challenges encouraging children to learn the basics of worship and memorize important scriptures.
Help kids navigate the prayer book, find hymns, look up scripture, etc. (children learn by doing!)
If you're a parent, try to find a place to sit where your child will be able to see and participate in what is going on.
Recognize that some children (and adults) may make noises or act in ways that seem strange or upsetting, but are perfectly normal for their situation.
Children and the Sacraments
BAPTISM
Baptism is the means by which we are joined to Jesus in the Church and receive the benefits of salvation (Rom 6:3-4; 1 Pet 3:21). We baptize infants in keeping with the Jewish understanding that babies are recipients of God’s promises and members of his covenant community (Acts 2:38-39; Col 2:11-12). We believe that faith and baptism work together to join us to Christ (Gal 3:26-27) and fully expect our baptized children to recommit to their baptismal vows at the appropriate time during Confirmation.
Communion
Communion is the “family meal” of the covenant community by which God makes Himself available to us, so all baptized children are welcome at the table. As the primary spiritual disciplers of their children, parents decide at what age their baptized children are prepared to receive communion. If children are not baptized or are not prepared to receive communion, they are welcome to cross their arms over their chest so that the priest will know to pray a blessing over them.
We realize that we come from a variety of faith backgrounds where these are debated practices. Please don’t hesitate to contact one of our staff if you have questions or would like to know more.
Youth
Our youth Sunday School hour consists of 6th-12th graders communing over donuts, bagels, the Bible, and a game of four square weather permitting. Youth curriculum covers the entire Bible over 4 years in addition to thoughtfully exploring The Book of Common Prayer, a beloved addition to our Anglican faith. Our directors encourage thoughtful discussion and participation with hopes of our youth entering adulthood with understanding and confidence in their relationship with Christ.
Participation of our youth spans beyond the classroom as most youth voluntarily engage in serving as readers, acolytes, musicians, and in the community through our local mission partners.
As our youth population grows our directors are excited to include seasonal fellowship opportunities outside of the church building.
Our child and youth leaders and volunteers go through a thorough child protection process, including background checks and safeguarding training and there are always two approved adults in every classroom. Contact us for a copy of our Safety Policies.