St. Andrew's Children's Ministries

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Children’s Ministries at St. Andrew's seek to teach our children how God’s Word revealed in Jesus Christ is relevant to their lives today. Bible classes are offered for toddlers through 6th graders, with memorable stories from both the Old and New Testaments and activities designed for varied learning styles and ages. The teaching methods used are designed help children apply timeless Bible truths to their lives. Classes take place on Sundays at 9:30 and 11 a.m., after which children join the congregation to participate in the Holy Eucharist.

Godly Play
Our Christian formation program for children ages 3½-years-old through 6th Grade is a Montessori-based approach to religious education that allows children to enter into sacred stories from the Old Testament, the parables of Jesus and the liturgy of the church in order to help them discover God, their place in salvation history, and their role in Christian community.

Our goal is for each child to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus, and to learn to hear his voice so that they may live their life according to his will. Rather than simply helping them come to know about Jesus, we want to help them grow in relationship with him as their Lord and their Savior.

Our curriculum comes from Godly Play, which was developed by the Rev. Jerome Berryman.
Fr. Berryman studied under Sofia Cavaletti, the developer of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and a pioneer in Montessori-based religious education. Bible stories and lessons about the liturgy of the church are told using multi-sensory materials, and a period of wondering together about the stories follows. Each child brings to the wondering time a unique perspective and a different response each time the stories are told, and their responses are deeply honored.

Following the wondering time, children are invited to respond to the story in a prayerful way. In Godly Play, a child's response is personal, not prescribed. While a variety of art materials are available for them to use in the response time, there is not an organized craft. Neither is there a "right" response. Some children will play (or work) with the lesson materials; others will create a piece of art or write in a journal. Some will choose a different activity each week; others will work on the same activity week after week.

Because Godly Play is concerned with a child's long-term growth, the core lessons are presented in all three years at each of the three levels of Godly Play, beginning with children 3½-years-old through Kindergarten. Children will discover deeper meaning in the Scriptures and the liturgy of the Church at each age level. This will empower them to apply the lessons to their own lives as they grow deeper in relationship with our Lord Jesus.

Enrichment lessons are available for older children, which provide for a deeper understanding of the core lessons, moving beyond the stories themselves to allow children to incorporate them into their life experience.

For children 18-months-old through 3½, we offer a Young Lambs class, with a simplified curriculum to meet the needs of younger children.

Families are provided with a Parent Page for each lesson presented. These parent pages offer information to help parents understand both the methodology and purpose of Godly Play, and provide an overview of the what the children are learning in the classroom so that they can reinforce the lessons at home. The Parent Page is also ideal for use in family devotions.

To learn more about Godly Play, click here.

Nursery
A nursery, staffed by volunteers, is provided on Sundays for children age 4 and under during our 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services. Parents are welcome to take advantage of this service, or to keep their children with them during the liturgy. Children in the Nursery join their parents for communion.

Dedicated Volunteers
Your children’s teachers are volunteers from our parish who have a heart for Jesus and a passion for passing on his love to our children. Because we want to do all that we can to ensure the safety of our children, we do a background checks on all volunteers who work regularly with children. You may join the Children’s Ministries team by volunteering as an room assistant or a nursery aide. It is only through the dedicated efforts of more than 30 Children’s Ministries volunteers that we are able to provide these vital ministries to our children.

Parents Role in Children's Ministries
We are partners with you in your child’s religious education, but you have the greatest influence on their lives and the greatest impact on their faith. We encourage you to bring your child to church each Sunday, and ask them what they are learning in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Parents are also welcome to visit their child's atrium at any time, and we encourage you to take an active role by volunteering in an atrium or with any of the special activities we have throughout the year.

For information about Children’s & Youth Ministry at St. Andrew’s, contact Judy Baird, Membership and Communications Director, at 614-423-4250, ext. 103, or jbaird@standrewspolaris.org.