Godly Play is our Sunday School program for children from age three through the fourth grade. Review the current Education Brochure.

Class time is a regular time to be still in the presence of God and to learn the stories of faith that are essential to a child who needs a sense of being surrounded and upheld by God's love. Among the things we offer in Godly Play are the stories of the Bible and the religious traditions that have sustained people's spirits for generations. The quality of time and relationships that the children experience within the classroom is the most important lesson presented in a session of Godly Play.

The Sunday morning schedule follows this plan for all classes:

•     Getting Ready
  
•     The Story
  
•     The Response Time
  
•     The Feast and Sharing Time
  
•     Dismissal
  

We tell stories with multi-sensory materials to appeal to a broad range of learning styles: auditory, because the story is spoken aloud; visual, because the handmade figures represent what is happening in the story; kinesthetic, because the storyteller moves the materials around. Later, any child who wishes to learn to tell the story can use the materials and respond in the same style. These stories are focused upon the stories of the Bible, the teachings of Jesus, and the liturgical traditions of the Church such as baptism and Holy Eucharist. The story-telling style, words, colors, and materials used in Godly Play all teach children about the language and symbol structures of the Christian tradition.

In the Response Time, those students who work best together are grouped to work on creative projects. Those who work best alone have the time and space to concentrate on projects by themselves.

We gather the children in a circle for the storytelling, and at the end for a feast, because they thereby learn about being in a community and working together. Everything we do in Godly Play contributes to learning.

Godly Play meets in the downstairs classrooms of the Parish Hall. Because the quality of time is such an important part of Godly Play, we ask that parents bring their children to class on time at 9:00 a.m. At the end of class, parents may either pick their children up at 10:10, or children will be brought into the church to join their parents at “the peace” and participate in the rest of worship. We encourage children to take communion with their parents. There are crayons and papers for coloring or drawing available for children in the church. If you don’t know where these are kept, ask an usher.

To meet the needs of our oldest Sunday School children the fifth graders will be participating in a dynamic Sunday School curriculum led by Ms. Nancy Madeira and Mr. Dan LeGallo.  This class will creatively explore the Bible, Church traditions and history throughout the year. 

As a community we are called to support each other through all life's events, parenthood being a unique vocation in the Christian life. We have developed two additional resources for parents: Kids, Sports and Church authored by The Rev. Dr. Robert “Odie” Odierna and Your Home Church by Pastor Alanna. Please know you can always contact the clergy for more spiritual formation ideas and support.