Children
Children’s Ministries
The Family Ministries Team works collaboratively to provide a comprehensive array of program offerings that will facilitate families with children and youth as they seek to enrich their faith formation and spiritual development. Regular Sunday and Wednesday programming, along with many summer opportunities and special events, seek to educate our young members about our Episcopal Church heritage, as well as the sacred history and stories of the Christian faith.
As a team, we look for a variety of ways to introduce spiritual practices to families, to provide outreach opportunities, to illuminate liturgy and to create worship experiences together, all the while encouraging young people to take on leadership roles. Our aim is to serve the individual within the context of the family by increasing family and intergenerational activities, workshops and retreats, as well as parenting support classes and groups.
All children in 4th grade or younger must complete a registraton form to participate in Sunday or Wednesday activities. For more information on children’s programs, contact:
Anne-Barton Carter, Christian Education Coordinator
272-6149 ext. 221 or anne-barton@holy-trinity.com
The Rev. Joshua Varner, Clergy Liaison for Youth
272-6149 ext. 232 or joshua@holy-trinity.com
Family Worship Options
Families with young children who find it difficult to sit still through the worship service are invited to worship in All Saints’ Chapel at the 9 a.m. service. A live video feed allows adults and older children to follow along with the service while giving younger children a bit more freedom to move about and make noise. All worshippers in the Chapel are invited to join us in the Church for Eucharist.
For families with children attending worship in the Church or the Chapel, green Holy Trinity worship bags are available for our youngest members from the basket in the narthex or outside the entrance to the Chapel. These bags contain a variety of quiet ways to occupy small hands. Please return the bags and their reusable contents to the baskets after the service.
Nursery Care
A warm and welcoming environment demonstrates God’s love to even our littlest lambs. Nurseries are located on the first floor of the parish hall.
| Infants (Birth–Walking) | Room 105 |
| Toddler (Walking–2 Years) | Room 103 |
| Preschool (2–4 Years) | Room 102 |
Nurseries for children ages 4 and younger are offered Sundays from 8:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Lots of Love Companions, Inc. provides childcare service; parents are also assigned as nursery monitors each week. Nurseries are also provided from 4:30–7 p.m. on Wednesday nights (5:30–7, November 5–December 10) and by request during select special events.
Children’s Chapel
Children’s Chapel, offered during the 9 a.m. service, provides a place for children ages 4–7 to worship on their own level. The Children’s Chapel is located on the second floor of the parish house. Children attending Children’s Chapel will join their parents at the Peace for Eucharist. Parents of 4-year-olds may decide whether their children will be happier in Children’s Chapel or the nursery.
Sunday School Classes and Youth Groups
Sunday School classes are held at 10:15 a.m. The Fall 2008 term is September 14–December 14. Please see below for classroom assignments.
Children in pre-K through 4th grade use the Godly Play curriculum, a method of Christian education and spiritual direction designed to help children become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives through the use of parables, sacred stories, silence and liturgical action.
Fifth through 12th-graders use a curriculum entitled Language of Faith, which introduces many of the concepts taught by The Servant Leadership School. This age group also meet on Sunday evenings from 5–7 p.m. for fellowship and fun in the Youth Ministry Center. All ages are invited for small groups, worship and supper on Wednesday nights.
| 3-Year-Olds | Parish House, Room 209 |
| Pre-K–Kindergarten | Parish House, Room 210 |
| 1st–2nd Grade | Parish House, Room 211 |
| 3rd–4th Grade | Parish House, Children's Chapel |
| 5th–6th Grade | Youth Ministry Center |
| 7th–8th Grade | Youth Ministry Center |
| 9th–12th Grade | Youth Ministry Center |
Wednesday Nights For Families
Programs for all ages are offered on Wendesday nights during the program year. Worship with contemporary, youthful music begins in All Saints Chapel at 6 p.m. Supper is served in the Haywood Duke Room from 5:30–7 p.m. for $7 per person with a $25 family cap. Children under 5 eat free. The fall 2008 term of Wednesday nights is September 10–December 10. Please note that small groups for children and teens and covenant groups for adults are offered September 17–October 29.
See a complete listing of Wednesday night activities, including covenant group opportunities for adults.
Nursery Care
Childcare for infants and toddlers under age 5 is provided from 4:30–7 p.m. (5:30–7 p.m., November 5–December 10) in Room 104.Children and Youth Fellowship Time
From 4:30–5 p.m., September 17–October 29, children and teens are invited to spend time in fellowship with one another. The outdoor playground area will be open for children in 4th grade and younger (parents are asked to supervise play). Tweens and teens in 5th grade and up are welcome in the Youth Ministry Center, where supervision will be provided, to play games or "hang out."Small Groups for Children and Youth
Small groups for children and youth will follow the covenant group model, encouraging community building and individual reflection. A light snack will be served. Kindergarten through 4th grades meet in the Children's Chapel, 5th–12th grades in the Youth Ministry Center from 5–6 p.m., September 17–October 29.All Saints Choir (Grades K-5)
Under the direction of Dr. Ben Brafford, the All Saints’ Choir (for kindergarteners through 5th-graders) provides opportunities for our youngest members to be involved in the ministry of music. The choir rehearses on Wednesday afternoons from 4:15–5 p.m., September 10–December 10, and often performs at the 9 a.m. service. Contact Ben Brafford at 275-7009 for more information.
Solemn Communion (Grades 3-5)
Solemn Communion is offered 3rd through 5th-graders each spring as a way of helping the child better understand the experience of the Eucharist. The course is a series of five parable meditations (with an emphasis on the Parable of the True Vine) that help the child better appreciate the gifts of mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation. Solemn Communion will be offered in the spring. Please contact Anne-Barton Carter if you are interested in having your child participate.
Special Events for Families
Mark your calendars for these special events for families. Contact Anne-Barton Carter at 272-6149 ext. 221 for more information.
Youth Fall Retreat to Wilderness Adventure (Grades 5–12) – October 18–19 , 2008
Circles of Light: The Family Advent Wreath – Sunday, November 30 , 2008
Family Retreat to Valle Crucis Conference Center – February 6–8, 2009 (sign-ups begin this fall)