Children's Ministries & Intergenerational Events

The Children's Charter for the Church reminds us that the Church is called

• to receive, nurture and treasure each child as a gift from God;
• to proclaim the Gospel to children in ways that empower them to receive and respond to God's love;
• to nurture and support families in caring for their children, acting in their children's best interests, and recognizing and fostering their children's spirituality and unique gifts;
• to foster community beyond the family unit, in which children, youth and adults know each other by name, minister to each other, and are partners together in serving Christ in the world.

Worship

On the first Sunday of the month, in lieu of Sunday School, children are invited to participate in the full liturgy with the rest of the faith community. Children serve as ushers, oblation bearers and lectors; there is a children's homily, and the service as a whole is very child-friendly.

On most Sundays children begin their Sunday School classes at 10:00 a.m., then join their families for the service of Holy Communion. On three Sundays each year, children gather in the undercroft for worship with instructed Eucharist and special activities.

Christian Education

Our Sunday school program is organized in a cooperative system. Each class has a Coach who is responsible to schedule teachers and provide back-up and support. Parents sign up to teach a few Sundays each year. A teachers’ workshop is held on the first day of Sunday school to distribute curriculum and materials and to provide special training.

For three-year-olds through first-graders, we use a story-based curriculum. Each Sunday is built around a story found in The Young Reader's Bible. The children hear the story read by their teacher, then they see the story told with wooden or felt materials, then they tell the story together using those materials. Story time is followed by an activity that relates to the story, and there is time each week for prayers, songs, and play.

Children in second through sixth grade work with Bible stories and themes in the Workshop Rotation Model. Classes rotate each week among workshops that include drama, puppetry, painting, historical re-enactments, and games of all kinds.

Our seventh and eighth graders (known as "The Voyagers") engage in a challenging year of outreach and exploration of how their faith relates to issues such as poverty, discrimination, homelessness, hunger, affluence, and values.

Our High School Youth Group (grades nine through twelve) meets regularly for Christian fellowship and to explore outreach opportunities to the homeless and the poor. For more information, contact Katharine Herron-Piazza (914-834-2981).

Read about more opportunities for children and families.