Our Church School is a vibrant community of adults and children from both St. Matthew's and Wilton Presbyterian Church who come together every Sunday morning to worship, learn, pray, sing, play games, develop a sense of belonging, and explore what it means to be a child of God. Children in kindergarten through 7th Grade begin worship with their families, move to Church School after the reading of the lessons, and return for communion. Younger children go directly to their classes at 10 am.

Our curriculum for children up through 5th grade, Bible Quest, provides an activities-based approach that emphasizes learning by doing and recognizes that children have different learning styles. Children are given the opportunity to experience, interpret and explore how New and Old Testament stories relate to their own lives as they study the bible. Sixth and seventh graders follow a teacher-designed curriculum that is planned to be meaningful for the challenges and daily experiences of middle schoolers. This year the class is learning about different experiences of intolerance and exploring how they may respond as individuals. The class will present a sermon/play on intolerance at our annual worship service led by the children, the Festival of Children on February 6, 2005.

Church School Schedule

Age Group

Time

Nursery (up to 3 years) and 3 Year Olds

10 a.m. to end of worship service

Children

in classrooms throughout worship unless families come to pick them up for communion

Pre- K's

in classroom 10 to 10:50 a.m. then children join families for communion

Kindergarten - 7th grade

10 - 10:15 a.m.- Children worship with their families
10:15- 10:50 a.m.- Children in Church School
10:50 - end of service- Children rejoin their families for communion

Summer Church School

Every Sunday throughout the summer, there is a combined grade Church School class for all children up through 3rd grade. Nursery care is also provided for children up to 3 years old.

Holy Play

Holy Play is a fun, half-hour, once a month after-church program that is designed as a hands-on experience for children up through 4th grade to learn more about our Episcopalian worship and sacraments. It takes place in the sanctuary directly after worship while the adults are enjoying coffee hour, and is led by one of our St. Matthew's clergy or staff members. For example, our children stand right around the altar to learn more about communion, sit in the choir loft to hear and see the organ up close, or visit the sacristy and see all the vestments that the clergy wear.

Children are thrilled to explore the familiar in a new way and adults like to listen too.

Fourth Grade Bibles

Every fall, all fourth grade students are given colorful bibles in celebration and recognition of their increasing maturity and readiness to read God's word on their own with understanding. They receive them in the 10 a.m. service surrounded by their parish family.

Seasonal Activities

Throughout the year, families and children are invited to take part in activities that celebrate the seasons of the church year.

In Advent, families can take part in a workshop where they assemble unique Advent calendars which have an envelope for each day in Advent. Each envelope holds a daily message and a treat. Many families have found this has enhanced their experience of Advent.

In Lent, simple Lenten activity calendars and Lenten boxes to collect money for Diocesan mission work are given out. On Palm Sunday, children can come to a brief workshop after church and learn to make a palm cross. On Good Friday at 4 p.m. there is a special worship service planned for children which allows them to walk through the events of Hoy Week and experience them in a unique manner. For instance, they wash their hands to remember the way that Pilate washed his hands and visit a garden to remember the garden at Gethsemane.

Mission Activities for Children

There are a variety of mission activities throughout the year by which we hope to encourage our children to see themselves as givers to others.

At Thanksgiving and in the spring, children in their classes make small gifts and cards which individual families personally deliver to members of our two churches to let them know that we care. These deliveries have sparked a time of additional intergenerational community and caring.

In addition we do two mission projects in which we collect items that have been requested by not-for-profit agencies supported by St. Matthew's.

In Lent, children have Lenten boxes (mite boxes) in which they collect change to be used by the Diocese for mission needs.

For more information about all of these activities, call 762-7400 or email