Children
WELCOME
Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you in your child’s spiritual journey!
Our Children’s Ministry team is staffed with a dedicated group of trained volunteers who are passionate about sharing God’s love, and teaching children to do the same.
Sunday morning Church School is designed for children ages 5 through those in seventh grade. (Childcare is provided for younger ones.) Class time informally begins at 9:50AM just prior to the start of 10AM worship. Teachers later accompany the children, with the exception of the youngest class, into the sanctuary (about 10:45AM) to join their families for Communion. There are important reasons why we do this. Children often pick up more than we might think they do during the service. And we believe it’s important that they understand that the gifts of Communion are for them right now, not just for grown-ups.
We are committed to providing whatever resources might help you raise your children in a Christian home.
If you have questions or feedback, please contact Jan Maynes, Director of Children’s Ministry.
Phone: 203-966-4515 extension 126
E-mail: children@stmarksnewcanaan.org
Our 10AM program includes:
Lion Cubs childcare for children ages 2 and under
Frolic playgroup for three- and four-year-olds
(These two groups remain in the classrooms for the entire service.)
Godly Play 1 for kindergarten
Godly Play 2 for first and second grades
Holy Moly for third and fourth grades
Meet in the Middle for fifth, sixth, and seventh grades
(These classes join families in church at the Peace.)
Read below for further class details.
Questions? Contact Jan Maynes, Director of Children’s Ministry, at children@stmarksnewcanaan.org.
Our Mission: To create a safe and nurturing environment where children can learn, express their faith, ask questions, and grow closer to God and to each other.
Prayer: Dear God, we give thanks for every child who comes into our midst. May they come to know your loving care for them at St. Mark’s Church in worship, learning and play. As we pray at our Baptism, sustain them, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give them an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen
SUNDAY MORNING CLASSES
GODLY PLAY (Kindergarten through Second Grade)
Sundays 9:50AM until the Peace
Locations:
Kindergarten – Education Center
Grades 1 & 2 – Church Library
Godly Play is a Montessori-based teaching philosophy that helps children become aware of God’s presence in the world. Through visual storytelling, children learn about biblical events and parables. They then “practice” understanding Christian faith by expressing themselves through a group conversation about what they just heard (called “wondering”) and/or art.
There are two Godly Play classes – one for children in kindergarten, and another for children in first and second grades. While both classes hear Old and New Testament stories in chronological order, the older group listens to a more in-depth telling of the stories of our faith.
HOLY MOLY (Third – Fourth Grades)
Sundays 9:50AM until the Peace
Location: Outreach Room
Over a two-year cycle, Holy Moly follows the arc of the Bible from Genesis through the early church. Class time is made up of several components. First, we watch an animated video of the Bible story for that day. The videos are produced without narration, allowing the children to interpret the story using their own words. Then we talk about how the story can be applied to our lives. And, finally, we have a craft or other activity to help us remember the story.
MEET IN THE MIDDLE (Fifth – Seventh Grades)
Sundays 9:50AM until the Peace
Location: Youth Room on the lower level
Our curriculum called, Connect for pre-teens, helps middle schoolers make sense of the Bible by revisiting the Bible’s greatest stories and uncovering major biblical themes. Our team of teachers lead a thoughtful conversation about how the Bible relates to us both as individuals and as a community, and the challenges of living out our faith at home and school. There are regular opportunities to participate in the worship service as ushers, acolytes, and readers. We also take our turn hosting coffee hour and schedule special events like a spooky tour from the basement to the belltower at Halloween!
SUNDAY MORNING CHILDCARE
LION CUBS (ages 0-2) and FROLIC (ages 3-4)
Sundays 9:15AM until conclusion of 10AM service
Location: Pre-School classrooms
Every Sunday morning year-round, childcare is provided for children ages four and under or any other child who is not quite ready for Church School. The childcare rooms are staffed with professional nannies supplied by Wee Care Nanny Agency (www.weecarenanny.com) who are ready to take good care of your children. We provide a small snack, so please let us know if you prefer that your child does not have anything in particular. Rest assured we will come get you if your child needs your attention for any reason during the service.
For little ones who might enjoy some gentle time during the service, there are rocking chairs and quiet toys at the back of the chapel for your use.
SPECIAL EVENTS
SPECIAL EVENT SUNDAYS
During our program year we have several special events that take place during regular class time. These Sunday mornings are designed around activities that bring all classes together. Special Event Sundays in the past have included:
~ A visit from a falconer and her birds of prey for the Blessing of the Animals
~ A bagpipe demonstration by a well-known pipe major for the Feast of St. Patrick
~ Salsa Sunday, a lively morning of Afro-Caribbean music and dance to celebrate God’s gifts of diversity and fellowship
~ “Meet Katie Luther,” a visit from an actress portraying the wife of Martin Luther with stories about her surprising part in the Reformation
~ An instructional interactive Eucharist led by a member of the clergy
~ A hands-on opportunity to plant our own seedlings in the Gospel Garden
WORLD’S GREATEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT!!
Every Christmas Eve at 5PM the children of the Church School (Frolic through Meet in the Middle) take to the stage for the St. Mark’s Christmas Pageant. Complete with a Bible that opens to reveal the Old Testament prophets, live farm animals, the famous Hollstein Camel, and a star of Bethlehem that will make you feel like dancing, it’s a “don’t miss” event!
Children assume the roles of lambs and cows, angels and shepherds, and principal roles based on age. The rehearsal schedule is posted in November and includes two rehearsals for principal roles (fourth – sixth grades), and a dress rehearsal for all participants.
HOLY BAPTISM
Holy Baptism is one of the most significant moments in a person’s life, representing full initiation into the Church. It is also an important event in the parish as we renew our own baptismal covenants and vow to support the newly baptized.
If you wish to have your children baptized, or you wish to be baptized, please speak to any member of the clergy.
SAFE CHURCH
St. Mark’s follows a Safe Church code of conduct and takes every precaution to ensure our parish children’s safety. Once class time has ended for the morning and the children join their families, they are no longer under the supervision of the Church School. Therefore, we ask that you be attentive to your children’s whereabouts while in the building or anywhere on the campus, especially during coffee hour.
Please also note that we serve food on Sunday morning. The food may contain or may have been prepared in a facility that processes milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy or gluten.