Children
Children are vital members of our community.
During the 9:30 AM Sunday service, children have the option to stay with their families or come a bit earlier for Sunday school. Sunday school runs from 9:15-10:05 AM, when children rejoin families for the Holy Eucharist. Books, fidget toys, and children’s bulletins are available at the back of the sanctuary.
Find more ways to connect with the Christ Church community below!
Tis the Season …
To sign your family up for the annual Christmas Pageant! Head over to our pageant page to learn more.
Sunday School
Explorers (3K-1st) meet at 9:15 AM in Room 12 to hear a story, sing songs, and explore faith and friendship further through themed activities and free play.
Children in the Seekers (2nd-5th) class meet at 9:15 AM in the Youth Room for an opportunity to explore faith with their peers. We read and discuss stories, play games, make crafts, and build friendships.
To locate the classrooms, go down the stairs between the elevator and the Great Hall, take a right, and follow the hallway to the end. Please sign your child in at drop off and, if this is your child’s first day, provide your contact information. Children will be returned to their parents in the sanctuary before the Holy Eucharist.
Contact our Sunday School Coordinator Julie Davis with any questions.
Handing Down the Faith Sundays
Once a month, Sunday school will be suspended so that all children can attend the 9:30 AM service with their families. During Handing Down the Faith Sundays, children are invited to participate in the service in a variety of ways, listen to a child-focused sermon, and learn about the liturgy through experience and parental support.
Making Friends
There are many different opportunities for intergenerational relationships to form! We eat donuts together after every service, and we celebrate major feasts with food, fun, and friends.
Communion
The 1979 Book of Common Prayer proclaimed baptism as full initiation into the Church, including access to holy communion. In the Episcopal Church, parents are able to decide when children should begin receiving and at Christ Church there is a wonderful diversity of perspectives. (Read more from Fr. Seth’s background on communion.)
Every four years we cover liturgy and communion as a part of our Sunday school curriculum. This is an opportunity for everyone to deepen their understanding of this sacrament, and for some families it serves as an opportunity for children to begin taking it. Please be in touch with us if you would like to discuss this further.
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” Matthew 19:14
Our Program
Our children’s programming follows an annual theme, both in the Sunday School classrooms and in special events throughout the year. We follow a 4-year cycle around the following themes: liturgy, baptismal promises, saints & service, and prayer.
This year’s theme is Saints & Service. Throughout the year we will be learning about the great cloud of witnesses whose lives show us ways to love God and love people. We will explore areas of service including: sacred creativity, advocacy and giving, daily acts of faith, and evangelism. Saints within our own community will join us to share their talents in these areas. Throughout the year we will learn more about our own talents and how we fit into God’s family and the mission of his church.