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Our Mission St. Luke’s Children’s Ministries seek to develop and nurture each child’s personal relationship with God by providing a safe and loving place to learn and explore God’s word; worship and celebrate the Gospel; grow and interact with this Christian Community; and serve God’s greater community.

Information Form Please take a moment to complete the Children's Ministries Information Form by clicking here. This will help us determine what activities and events interest you.

Click here for Wednesday evening children's classes and activities.

Sunday Classes and Activities

Sunday School 10.20-11.05 a.m.
Classes are offered for children ages 2 years through 5th grade. (Children under 2 years may experience the love and warmth of our Nurseries during this time – see “Nursery/Childcare Ministries” below). Because each class is especially suited to your child’s developmental needs, we ask that each child be the specific class age by September 1. (In other words, 2-year-olds need to be 2 by September 1, etc.)

2-Year-Olds meet in Room 109. This is also their childcare room during the 9.00 a.m. service. Recognizing that for most 2’s this will be their first experience in circle/story time the Bible stories are brief and definitely participatory, incorporating the use of flannel figures, fingerplays, etc. 2’s will also share a snack and have a time for a creative response to the story.

3-Year-Olds meet in Room 110. This is also their childcare room during the 9.00 a.m. service. 3’s may be more accustomed to a circle time and are more eager to be involved, so their Bible story time tends to be more active, including “wondering questions” which peak their curiosity and involvement, as well as fingerplays and games. They also share a snack and have a time for a creative response.

Pre-Kinder (4-year-olds) through 3rd Graders experience a curriculum called Godly Play, a Montessori-based method of religious education which has as its basis the child’s total involvement in and personal response to the stories of God and his relationship to his people. The stories are told through the use of beautifully-carved manipulatives, and following the story, the children have the opportunity to respond through wondering questions and their choice of craft media. Classes are separated by age and meet in these locations:
*Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten: Room LL-100 (lower level)
**First Grade: Room 204 (2nd floor)
2nd and 3rd Grades: Goleman Godly Play Room (lower level)

*Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten children must be signed in to their childcare room (for the 9.00 a.m. service – see “Nurseries/Childcare” below) or to their Godly Play Room. If your child has already been signed in to their childcare room (9.00 service) there is no need to take them to their Godly Play Room for Sunday School – the Nursery workers will do that.
ALL CHILDREN (Pre-Kinder through 3rd grade) MUST be picked up by a parent or family member after Sunday School! The only exception will be those parents of Pre-Kinder/Kindergarten children who will be attending the 11.15 service. Those parents should indicate on the sign-in sheet their wish to have the Nursery workers transport their child to the appropriate childcare room for that service.
**First Graders will have First Communion instruction for six weeks beginning in September. See “First Communion” below.

4th and 5th graders (also called “The Rolling Stones” – see explanation below) will meet in Room 213 (2nd floor). These oldest elementary children will “travel” through the Bible in two years. This year they will explore the New Testament. Through scripture reading, games (the always-popular Bible Jeopardy), fellowship (see “Rolling Stones” below), and lively discussion, these students come away from these two years with an overview of the story of God and his relationship with his people through his Son, as well as some tools for locating and reading scripture on their own.

The Rolling Stones is a ministry especially designed for 4th and 5th graders. This group (open to all 4th/5th graders) meets monthly on a Sunday, 4.00-5.30 p.m., for fellowship and fun. The Rolling Stones group was established about five years ago. They first met on the Sunday following Easter and so appropriately named themselves after the story of the resurrection (Mark 16.3-4). Watch for notices about the Rolling Stones in the Sunday service leaflets, in Tidings, your mailbox, and email.

First Communion Class This class is especially designed for 1st grade children and takes the place of their regular Godly Play Sunday School class for six weeks, beginning on September 16. Parents of 1st graders will receive a letter and registration form in the mail. This class meets during the regular Sunday School hour (10.20-11.05 a.m.). top

Sunday Morning Nurseries

Nursery care for infants through Kindergarten-age children is offered during the 9.00 and 11.15 a.m. services, as well as during the Sunday School hour for infants and toddlers. 2’s and 3’s have a Sunday School class, but remain in the childcare rooms. All children must be signed in to their Nursery/Childcare room by a parent or adult responsible for their care and can only be picked up by that adult! Please do not have older siblings pick up children from the Nurseries. Parents of children ages 2 and under will receive pagers when they take their children to the Nursery. top

Chapel for Children

Children are wholeheartedly welcome to worship with their families during any of our Sunday morning worship services. “Children’s Worship Packets” are available in the Narthex each Sunday. We also offer Children’s Chapel services as follows:

During the 9.00 a.m. service
Preschool Chapel is offered for 3, 4 and 5-year-olds/Kindergartners. They hear a Bible story, sing some songs and join in some prayers. In addition, children are encouraged to bring coins to place in the offering basket! The Nursery staff members take the children from their childcare rooms to the Chapel room, then return with them afterwards.

Elementary-age children begin the 9.00 a.m. service with their families, then during the “Gloria” or Hymn of Praise they are invited to follow a Crucifer (see below) to the Children’s Chapel on the 2nd floor. There, they will hear the Gospel, followed by a brief homily or message and some songs and prayers. They will re-join their families at the Peace.

During the 11.15 a.m. service:
Preschoolers (3, 4 and 5-year-olds/kindergartners) will gather with the Nursery
Workers in one of the Preschool rooms for a Bible story from 11.20-11.30 a.m.

Elementary children will have Children’s Chapel in the same format as during the
9.00 a.m. service. There will be no Children’s Chapel for elementary children during services when Baptisms occur: children are important members of the Body of Christ and are therefore encouraged to be present to welcome the newly-baptized.

Elementary-age children are invited to sign up to carry the cross (be the Crucifer) for Children’s Chapel for both the 9.00 and 11.15 a.m. services. There will be a sign-up sheet on the Children’s Ministries bulletin board in the Main Hallway.

Birthday Blessings During both the 9.00 and 11.15 a.m. services there is a time for acknowledging special anniversaries in our lives. Families are encouraged to bring children forward at this time for a birthday blessing. The Children’s Chapel services will finish in time for children to be present at this time. top