We strive to offer our K-8 children a Church School program which actively engages their minds, hearts and imaginations as living members of the Body of Christ, and challenges them to see the spiritual and moral applications of the Bible and our Christian faith in their everyday life! We meet every Sunday from 10:45 to 11:30 before entering the service during the Passing of the Peace.
Who Can Come? All kindergarten through 8th grade children are welcome in the St. Mary’s Church School! We divide this age group into two classes, a K-3 group taught by Katelyn Clooney and weekly volunteers, and a 4-8th group taught by Linden Rayton, and the Rev. Ricardo Avila.
Our Church School program is a grounded in the Bible and Christian tradition, but we seek to apply that every week to our “Monday to Saturday” lives. Each liturgical season (such as Advent, Epiphany, Lent, etc.) we focus on a different theme. For example, our September-November during Pentecost 2011 was focused on “Community.” We developed behavioral norms for our Church School, did teambuilding exercises, and talked about what makes a community everything it is. During Lent 2012, our theme was “Temptation” and the many ways and places we encounter that in our lives. Highlights from this unit include a lively morning of skits about shoplifting.
We do different activities every week, all designed to engage different ways people learn. In the 4th -8th group, sometimes we do crafts (we’ve made Advent wreaths and a banner to hang in the parish hall), sometimes we do role-plays (everyone likes theater) and sometimes we have group discussions. Our K-3rd ministry is developing, and we currently offer a comfortable space with Christian books and coloring supplies.
Registration: You can register your child for Church School by speaking to The Reverend Frank Fornaro on any Sunday when you come!
FAQ
How does Church School work?
Children meet their teachers in the parish hall at 10:45. From there, we move downstairs to our Church School classroom until 11:30, when we rejoin the congregation at the Passing of the Peace.
What will Church School be like for my child?
Every Sunday there will be at least two teachers in a classroom. We as teachers share the teaching and disciplinary responsibility, and hope to make Church School a fun and welcoming place for all children by incorporating a range of activities into our curriculum, ranging from arts and crafts to discussion to skits.
What other activities are there for my children at St. Mary’s?
We strive to offer activities and events for children outside of Church School at least once a month. In the past, these have included participating in Diocesan retreats at the Barbara C. Harris Camp in Greenfield, NH, attending Diocesan youth events, going bowling, bike-riding, indoor rock-climbing and participating in the Walk for Hunger! We are also planning monthly movie nights.You can contact Linden if you have any questions about upcoming youth events.
How do I have my child baptized or confirmed?
If you are a parent or caregiver interested in baptism or confirmation, please contact our Interim Rector, the Rev. Frank Fornaro at ffornaro@aol.com.
The St. Mary’s group at the 2011 Diocesan Middle School Youth Retreat.
Cyrus, left, and Caleo get ready to throw their paper airplanes off the balcony at the St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston on Family Fun Day 2012.
To celebrate Epiphany, both church school groups created a huge “Alleluia!” banner that now hangs in the parish hall.
Josh makes an Advent wreath.