Children's Ministry
Sunday Morning Church School
Church School is from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. each Sunday in
the Education Building. Signs and greeters will direct you
to your class.
Church School Classes
- Infants, One Year Olds are hosted in the Nursery
(1st floor, Room 112)
- Two Year Olds Four Year Olds are invited to the
Pre-K Class for Biblical Lessons, crafts, and play
- Kindergarten 1st Graders are invited to the Godly
Play Class (2nd Floor, Room 216) for special biblical
lessons set in an atmosphere of spiritual wonder and
awe. The children upon hearing the word and seeing the
story in cloth and wooden figures are then encouraged to
respond to Gods word with artistic expression.
- 2nd Graders 5th Graders are encouraged to attend
our Stepping Stones of Faith Class starting at the
Fountain by the Prophets Playhouse. The children learn
to use the Bible, look up verses, memorize verses and
learn key content of each Biblical story.
Stepping Stones of Faith
Stepping Stones to Faith is the St. Stephen Presbyterian
Church unique approach to the Sunday School Workshop
Rotation Model, a recent design philosophy in Christian
education that encourages young Christians to explore
traditional Bible stories through kid-friendly, interactive
workshops. St. Stephen has carefully crafted a four-year
curriculum to bring children
a well-rounded experience.
 Interested in learning more about Stepping Stones of
Faith? Download a
brochure by clicking on the icon to the left.
Free Random Elementary Excursions on Sundays
The Christian Education Committee has launched a group
building body for our elementary children about once a
month. The children and their parents are welcomed to
visit the zoo, or see a sporting event, or experience a
museum together.
Special Events
The Christian Education Committee has several Annual
Events that are specifically for pre-schoolers and
elementary ages including:
Spring Festival on the Lawn A Palm
Sunday/Easter Event held on Palm Sunday to celebrate new
life with games, and bounce houses, Easter Egg Hunts,
crafts, petting zoos and more.
Vacation Bible School and Extended Care Camp
St. Stephen offers a June Vacation Bible School (typically
the 3rd week in June), June 16 20, 2008, for children ages
2 years old 5th graders. We offer music,
cooking, recreation, crafts, Bible Story, mission, movies,
and fun in the morning. All this is Adult led and is
free from 9 a.m. 12 noon. However, if you wish to have
your children stay all day, the youth of St. Stephen offer
an extended care option. From 9 a.m. 5 p.m., your child
can experience both the VBS in the morning and the youth-led
activities in the afternoon including slip and slide fun
(bring swim suits), more recreation, more crafts, more
snacks, movies, quiet time, and more music. Loads of fun.
The cost of $60 per child benefits the annual Youth Mission
Trip this year to Camp Ferncliff in Arkansas. Multiple
child discounts are available to bigger families. A tee
shirt is offered to all participants.
Fall Festival usually the final Sunday
in October, (this year, October 26, 2008) children are
welcomed to take advantage of our bounce houses, face
painting, tattoos, haunted house, pumpkin decorating and
more. Lunch is offered after church and costumes are donned
for loads of fun and picture ops!
Advent Family Celebration usually the
Sunday following Thanksgiving,
(this year, November 30, 2008) families enjoy a simple meal
and then together make Advent Crafts and food for decorating
the home or for giving away to loved ones. A big audience
participates at this event. Fun for the whole family.
Advent Saturday Usually Advent
Saturday occurs the first or second Saturday in December,
December 6, 2008, this year. Children are dropped off at
9:30 and stay until 2:30 for stories, music, cooking,
photos, recreation, mission, and fun, fun, fun. This fills
up quickly and tee shirts go in a hurry. Sign up
early.
Victorian Christmas A fun event for
the entire family, come feel the magic of the Advent Season
as it is almost time for Christmas and the birth of Christ.
Usually the week before Christmas on a Wednesday, this event
features costumed players, sliding down the hill, apple
cider, decorating and hand drilled yule logs, crafts, the
Biblical Story in the Sanctuary, horse drawn carriage, and
more. The entire lawn is decorated in lights. Come, come to
the stable
and learn about the Coming Birth of Christ. This
year, December 19, 2008, 6 8 p.m.
Children's Choirs
Cherub Choir (3 yrs. old - Kindergarten)
Rehearses each Thursday from 4:15-5:00 p.m., September
to May, in Room 223 of the Education Building. Average
enrollment: 10 singers
Basic instruction in music including recognition of musical
signs and symbols; study of church symbols; "singing"
repertoire is taken exclusively from Presbyterian Hymnal -
learning the first verses of many hymns - plus a few
"silly-songs." Our aim is to acquaint each child with the
hymns and service music of the church so that when they do
begin to sit with their parents in church there are
"anchors" throughout the service which are familiar to them
and in which they can participate, even if it means singing
the first verse of a hymn four or five times as the rest of
the congregation sings the different printed verses. This
group sings at the Advent Lessons and Carols Service, Easter
Lessons and Carols Service, and 2-3 times per year in the
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service. Bethlehem Choir (1st grade - 3rd
grade)
Rehearses on Tuesday or Wednesday, 4:15-5:00 p.m.,
September to May, Room 223 of the Education Building.
Average enrollment: 10 singers
Rehearses with the Junior Choir (4th & 5th grade). Group
meets twice each week to give parents a choice of which day
to bring their children. This group sings in the 11:00 a.m.
Worship Service about seven times per season. Repertoire
consists mainly of hymns and service music from the
Presbyterian Hymnal. They also participate in Advent Lessons
and Carols Service, Easter Lessons and Carols Service, as
well as an annual musical production held prior to spring
break.
Junior Choir (4th & 5th grade)
Rehearses Tuesday or Wednesday, 4:15-5:00 p.m.,
September to May, Room 223 of the Education Building.
Average enrollment: 10 singers
Rehearses with the Bethlehem Choir (grades 1, 2, and 3).
Group meets twice each week to give parents a choice of
which day to bring their children. This group sings in the
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service about seven times per season.
Their repertoire consists mainly of hymns and service music
from the Presbyterian Hymnal. They also participate in
Advent Lessons and Carols Service, Easter Lessons and Carols
Service, as well as an annual musical production held prior
to spring break. |
