Christian Education for Children and Youth
Church School: Ages 3 - High School
For more information on Church School and the Trinity Youth Program contact Family Ministry Coordinator Charissa Simmons, 503-478-1220. Visit our Worship page for information on childcare at Trinity.
2011-2012 Godly Play Trainings and Community Gatherings
Godly Play community brown bag every 4th Monday
You are invited to a Godly Play community brown bag every 4th Monday at Trinity Cathedral.
Gather for informal conversation with other Godly Play adults. Bring your lunch and your wonderings! 12:00-1:30 in the St. Benedict room upstairs
Seasonal reflection days
Come for some spiritual refreshment as you enter Advent, Lent, and Easter. We’ll use the Godly Play seasonal stories to get ready for the seasons of the church year.
Watch the announcements for dates and times.
Introduction to Godly Play
Designed to meet the needs of those inquiring about or beginning Godly Play by providing experience with a Godly Play session and by introducing the essential elements of Godly Play.
Offered in winter and spring. Watch the announcements for dates and times.
Core Training
Designed for those who want to grow in fluency and understanding of the art of Godly Play. Attendees will come away having practiced and presented one of the core Godly Play stories and with a deeper understanding of the environment, relationships and spirituality of children.
Offered in July. Watch the announcements for dates and times.
SUNDAY MORNINGS
Childcare
Infants – Toddlers
Sunday mornings
8:45 – 11:30am
Nursery in the lower level
Childcare staff care for our youngest members every Sunday during the 9:00 education hour and the 10:00 service. There is sleeping and creeping space and lots of room to toddle, as well as toys, games, snacks, and lots of tlc from our qualified staff. Parents are given vibrating pagers just in case they are needed in the nursery.
Contact: Charissa Simmons, 503-478-1220, charissas@trinity-episcopal.org- Click here to download the Nursery Brochure
Kaleidoscope
Children in grades 1-8
Sunday mornings, September – May
9:00 - 10:00am
Studio C in the lower level
A studio art time that explores all kinds of media while we look as through a kaleidoscope at the many designs of God’s handiwork.
Contact: Charissa Simmons, 503-478-1220, charissas@trinity-episcopal.org
Acolytes
Grades 6 - 12
9:40-11:30a.m.
Acolytes serve about once a month at the10am Eucharistic service. Trainings occur throughout the year, and experienced acolytes take on additional responsibilities.
Contact: Helen Sudbury, helensudbury@comcast.net
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Choristers
Grades 1 – 5
Sunday mornings, September 11 – through May
9:00 – 9:50 am, the Children’s Chapel
The last Wednesday of each month (for 3rd – 5th graders)
5:30 – 6:30 pm, the Children's Chapel
The Choristers, open to all children, 1st through 5th grades, provides music leadership for services in Kempton Hall each month, including Christmas Eve in the Cathedral. Under the direction of Amy Polo, the Choristers explore traditional Episcopal hymnody and service music, as well as sacred contemporary and world music. The Choristers also work on introductory part singing and vocal technique. It is a dynamic, inclusive, and energetic group of young singers and is a wonderful way to explore church leadership through music. New! Choristers, 3rd – 5th grade, will sing regularly for the 10:00 am Eucharist in the cathedral on the last Sunday of the month. Participation includes an evening rehearsal the last Wednesday of each month from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
Contact: Amy Polo
Coventry Singers
Grades 6 – 12
Wednesdays, September – May
5:30 – 6:30 pm, Choir Room
The Coventry Singers join the Trinity Choir for the 10:00 am Eucharist in the Cathedral the last Sunday of the month, September – May. This choir is open to all youth from 6th grade to seniors in high school. Mia Hall Savage, the founder of Pacific Youth Choir, directs Trinity’s Coventry Singers. You do not need to be a musician to be trained as an outstanding singer and join this energetic choir. All are welcome.
Contact: Mia Hall Savage
Acolytes
Grades 7 - 12
9:40-11:30a.m.
Acolytes serve about once a month at the10am Eucharistic service. Trainings occur throughout the year, and experienced acolytes take on additional responsibilities.
Contact: Helen Sudbury
Church at the Commons (see above)
Most First Sundays of the month, October – May
10:00am
Kempton Hall
A hands-on, child-friendly Eucharist designed to help children join more completely in the Eucharistic service.
Church School, Welcome to Stories in Common
Click here to download a Sunday School Registration Card
Click here to download the upcoming Stories in Common Schedule
Click here to download information about the Commons Garden
Click here to download the Parable Poems
Explore the Bible, Experience God
Stories in Common is Trinity’s church school program. It follows a monthly rhythm of worship and activity choices. It’s a time for our children to form a community of friends while delving into a new Bible story each month. The story serves as an overall theme for activities that help children explore a key theological question, discovering their own answers through their experiences. This year we’ll learn stories of Jesus’ life.
Stories in Common:
•Focuses on one Bible story each month.
•Lets children choose from a range of activities, such as drama, art, poetry, worship and gardening, to stimulate deeper understanding of the Bible’s teachings among friends, familiar and new.
•Is organized in a multiage format to enrich the experience for everyone.
Month at a Glance
Typically, the schedule will look like this, but check emails and church communications for special events and variations:
•First Sunday, Church at the Commons, 10 a.m., a family-centered Eucharist in Kempton Hall that also introduces the month’s Bible story.
•Middle Sundays, Stories in Common (grades 3-12) or Godly Play (ages 3- 2nd grade), 10 a.m. High schoolers may alternatively participate in a discussion group.
•Last Sunday, EVERYONE grade 3 through adult in cathedral for 10 a.m. Eucharist; there will be a tie-in to the Stories in Common theme. Godly Play continues on the last Sunday for those age 3 through 2nd grade.
3 year olds – Second Grade
Children aged 3 (by September 1) through 2nd grade participate in Church at the Commons on first Sundays and Godly Play the rest of the Sundays every month. There are three classrooms: 3-4 year olds, K-1st grade, and 2nd grade.
Third – Eighth Grade
Older children and youth, along with their families, are invited to Church at the Commons every first Sunday. Leadership in this service is provided by children and youth. Anyone who has an interest in participating is encouraged to sign up to work with an adult mentor to learn these skills.
During the middle weeks of each month, 3rd-8th graders choose from a variety of activities rooms to explore the month’s story. The rooms are multiage and staffed by an adult shepherd and an activity leader. Activities change monthly based on the story. Some examples: art, gardening, creative writing, drama, engineering, and meditation.
The last week of every month 3rd – 8th graders attend the 10:00 cathedral worship with their families. Interested children and youth are encouraged to participate in this service as well, working with an adult mentor from a worship guild, or offering some of the work they’ve done in the activity rotations during the month.
High School
9th – 12th graders, along with their families, are invited to Church at the Commons every first Sunday. Leadership in this service is provided by children and youth. Anyone who has an interest in participating is encouraged to sign up to work with an adult mentor to learn these skills.
During the middle weeks of each month, high schoolers are invited to participate in the activity rooms (see above), either as a participant or as an activity leader. An additional option for high school only is a discussion room.
The last week of every month youth attend the 10:00 cathedral worship with their families. Interested high schoolers are especially encouraged to participate in this service as well, working with an adult mentor from a worship guild, or offering some of the work they’ve done in the activity rotations during the month.
Confirmation
Confirmation classes will be offered in Spring 2012 for interested high school juniors and seniors. Classes will be scheduled outside of Sunday mornings. Class attendance is mandatory for Confimation. Confirmation will be held on Sunday, June 3, 2012 for those who choose to be confirmed.
Church School Volunteers
There are lots of opportunities to share your interests and time with kids in church school. The roles our adult helpers play are:
Shepherds: these adults stay with a classroom throughout the year and are responsible for greeting children and classroom management
Activity Leaders: share your passion with a group of kids for a one month time period
Design Team: help plan, organize, and run one month of church school
Storytellers: of any type
Hospitality/Safety: welcome families and patrol church school areas for safety
Music Leaders: lead group music and singing during gathering time at 10:00
Guild Mentors: members of worship guilds mentor children interested in learning those roles
A criminal background check and participation in a half-day child safety workshop are required. Contact Charissa Simmons, 503-478-1220, charissas@trinity-episcopal.org
Visit the Youth Activities page for a listing of activities.