During the school year, St. Paul’s offers Church School at 10:00 service for children from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Our mission is to give the children of St. Paul’s a foundation of knowledge about the Christian faith, show children that they are important to God and an important part of the church community.
Children begin in church and exit for Church School prior to the reading of the Gospel. The children return to receive communion when it is offered. Primary school classes are held in the two bright, renovated classrooms and the middle school class is held in the choir room. All of these rooms are below the fellowship hall. In 2017, we have averaged 16 children total per classroom day.
There are three blocks (fall, winter and spring) of 5 or 6 classes plus 7 or 8 group activities scheduled on Morning Prayer Sundays, which have longer lesson times. Class is not scheduled on Family Service Sundays, when the Children’s Choir usually sings. Class is also not scheduled on typical 3-day holiday weekends or during public school vacations.
Teachers are volunteers, many with an educational background, most with CORI checks and Safe Church Training. We use the Episcopal Children’s Curriculum, which covers the Old and New Testament, Church History and the Sacraments. Children are given age-appropriate activities that expand their knowledge and exploration of faith in a fun-filled environment. The lessons are based on the lectionary schedule for the curriculum which is available online, but teachers are welcome to give their class a spin that they think will work best for their class.
The preschool through second grade class is geared for our non/early readers. There are crafts, games, snacks and songs. This class introduces them to the Lord’s Prayer, the concept of praying, and how to talk with God.
The third through fifth grade class focuses on reading the Bible with age appropriate conversations and worksheets creating a biblical foundation for lifelong learning. We present Bibles to graduating fifth graders at the end of the school year as a reminder of where their faith education began.
The middle school class, held in a more relaxed couch setting, also follows the readings of the lectionary schedule with reading the Bible and discussion.
Our program is non-cumulative, so students and visitors can drop in and not feel like they’ve joined the party mid-stream. Parents are welcome to sit in on the classes if that makes their child more comfortable.