Church School

Sunday Morning for Children

                                                                                   

St. Mark’s welcomes children of all ages to our developmentally appropriate church school and worship service.  Over the year, church school classes are invited to participate in the church service either as greeters or prayer leaders.  Special highlights include the heartwarming

 

Christmas Pageant, second graders receiving Holy Communion and the presentation of Bibles to fourth graders.  We are committed to teaching children about the rich Episcopal tradition in a safe and nurturing environment.  The program is offered from infancy through the middle school years.    

 

Sunday Morning Schedule:

 

9:00 a.m.         Nursery is available until 11:45 a.m. in Room B for infants through age three

10:00 a.m.       Children’s Sunday School – All children (3s - 6th grade) go to classrooms

10:05 a.m.       Godly Play Grades (3s  - 2nd grade) attend Children’s Holy Eucharist Rite 

                        II in the Library

10:45 a.m.       Godly Play Grades go to classrooms for the day’s lesson

10:45 a.m.       Upper Grades (3rd – 6th grade) go to church for communion

11:15 a.m.       Pick up time for younger grades in classrooms

 

Sunday Morning Nursery Care

 

A full nursery program for babies from newborn through 36 months is offered from 9:00-11:45 a.m. every Sunday morning September through early June, and 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the summer.  We have a fully equipped nursery staffed by an adult and a youth assistant; the nursery is located in Room B in the education wing.

 

 

Children’s Education

 

3 years old through 2nd grade  - Godly Play and Children’s Chapel 

Each Sunday, this age group attends Children’s Chapel (Holy Eucharist Rite II) in the library.  Children first go to their Sunday School classroom, then as a class they go to chapel.  It is a traditional Episcopal service led by a priest and it encourages children’s participation.   For better understanding, the priest presents a homily on the same story the children will hear during their class lesson.  Families have the option for their children to receive either a blessing or communion.  

 

Pre-school and early elementary grades follow the Godly Play curriculum.  Godly Play is an Episcopal-based curriculum which imparts God's love while teaching Bible stories, liturgical ritual, and tradition.  Trained storytellers share Bible stories with the children each week.  Storytellers use carved wooden pieces and scripts written by the renowned Jerome Berryman to animate the stories.  Children are encouraged to express themselves and interpret the story using a variety of different craft materials.

 

During the second semester, second graders prepare for Communion Sunday using age appropriate materials and activities.  The curriculum looks indepth at each portion of the worship service expanding a child's liturgical comprehension.   Children experience a Last Supper in class, are brought to the sacristy to see where and how the elements of the Eucharist are handled, and do many other projects to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the sacrament of Holy Eucharist.

 

3rd – 6th graders  - Episcopal Curriculum for Children

 Each class has a specific focus for the year – 3rd graders study the books of the Old Testament; 4th graders learn about the life and teachings of Jesus; 5th  graders concentrate on the history of the Church, a study of saints, and the sacraments; 6th graders do an in-depth study of the Nicene Creed, the statement of Christian faith, and in the spring, a comparative study of major world religions. Classes also participate in many different global and local mission projects and are encouraged to partake in the many intergenerational events  which occur through the seasons of the Church year.

 

Please register each child using the Church School registration form; email Rhonda Morrill  with any questions about our church school program.