Children's Ministry

Nurturing faith vitality among our youngest members!

Sunday Mornings

Children participate fully in our community, and visitors are welcome to join in the fun!

10:20 The Explorers Nursery opens.  Parents can either leave infants and toddlers in the care of the nursery team for the duration of the worship service or bring them into worship and help them transition to the Explorers Nursery after the "Children's Moment" (mid-way through the worship service).

10:30-11:00 Children attend the first part of the worship service with their families. Children’s worship bags (filled with coloring supplies, books, and soft toys) are available for use during the Worship service.

11:00-11:45 After a “Children's Moment” in the worship service, children ages 3 and older  transition to Chapel Time as a whole group and then to Sunday school classrooms by age group.  Children in all ages groups will explore "God's Good Creation" throughout our Summer Sunday School program (June 2 - August 18).

11:45 Parents pick up children from their classrooms and families transition together to fair trade coffee hour.

Faith Formation Groups

	Explorers (infants and toddlers): Our nursery director and assistants provide nurturing care for your little ones.
	Adventurers (pre-K, ages 3-5): Children learn stories of the Bible in interactive, developmentally appropriate ways. We reinforce stories through play, song, art projects, games, and prayer.
	Pathfinders (grades K-2): Children begin to learn about faith practices and the church as community. We relate to Bible stores through imaginative play, song, art projects, games, and prayer.
	Trailblazers (grades 3-5): Children learn to capture their understandings of themselves, their community, their church, and God through writing, the arts, prayer, and faith conversations. We develop biblical literacy, learning to look at our Bible stories from multiple perspectives.

Middle School Youth (grades 6-8): To view information regarding our Middle School Youth program (on our Youth & Young Adult page), please click here.

Curriculum

Gather ’Round: The Gather ’Round curriculum is highly recommended by the United Church of Christ. Multicultural arts, crafts, and music make biblical stories come alive for children. To learn more about the Gather ’Round curriculum, please click here

Mission and Vision

To read our children's faith formation mission and vision statement, click here.

Past Events

• Easter Morning, 2013: We had an Easter egg search and a seedling planting activity, sponsored by our middle school youth. Please click here for pictures
• Christmas Pageant, 2012: 26 children and middle school youth participated. Please click here for pictures.

Gen-Z Families Ministry

(Generation Z children = infants through 8th grade)

Parent Gatherings

First Sundays (12:00-12:45 p.m.) Each month, parents gather during Fair Trade Coffee Hour to discuss topics relevant to our families’ spiritual journeys. The Explorers Nursery and the Great Hall (which doubles as a gymnasium) open to all children for supervised play and parents shift to the Fireside Room for guided conversation.  

Future gatherings:

• June 2nd:  “Accompanying Children in Loss and Grief”
• July 7th:  Topic to be determined

Recent gatherings:

• Nov 4th, 2012 - "Sharing our Faith Journeys with our Children at Home"
• Dec 2nd, 2012 - "Celebrating the Advent Season as a Family"
• Jan 6th, 2013 -  "Regrouping on Epiphany"
• Feb 3rd, 2013: “Nurturing Stewardship in our Children”
• March 10th, 2013 - “Eco-justice and Our Youth-Led Heifer International Project”
• April 7th, 2013 - Growing Earthwise as Families and as a Church
• May 5th, 2013: "Keeping Sabbath"

Families Playground Time

Each second Sunday, Gen-Z families connect with each other through play and conversation. Join us on the playground after Fair Trade Coffee Hour.

Gen-Z Families Facebook Group

We utilize our Facebook group to invite each other to events in the wider community, share prayer requests, organize our monthly home-hosted potlucks, and more.  To connect with us on Facebook, please click here

Intergenerational Journey of Faith

Our Wednesday evening adult Journey of Faith program frequently expands to incorporate children and youth. Four times per year, we join together with local neighbors in packing boxes of food for our underfed neighbors in the global community at Feed My Starving Children.

All are invited to join in upcoming intergenerational programs:

• Wed., July 31 and Oct 30: Feed My Starving Children (6:00-7:30pm, carpool 5:20pm)

More Information

If you are interested in learning more about our Children’s and Gen-Z Families ministries at St. Paul’s UCC, please contact Student Minister Clare Gromoll at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (651) 224-5809.