Classes for Youth and Families at St. Gregory’s
Sunday, May 20, 2012 @ 09:30 AM
Sunday Morning Groups & Classes at 9:30 AM
On Sunday mornings during the school year, St. Gregory’s offers groups and classes between the services (9:30-10:30 AM) where people of all ages grow in friendship with God and one another. Our 2011-2012 groups and classes begin September 11, 2011 and continue through May 27, 2012. There will be no classes on Christmas Day (12/25), New Year’s Day (1/1), Palm Sunday (4/1), or Easter Day (4/8).
Make sure that every member of your household (ages 0-18) is included on our updated roster, by filling out our online Registration Form.
Decide to get involved. There are a variety of ways for everyone to be involved-from providing snacks for Christmas Pageant rehearsals or cooking a meal for new parents to creating a liturgy or teaching a class. Please take 5 minutes to prayerfully read and complete our online Volunteer Interest Form.
For additional information contact: , our Youth and Family Minister.
Nursery Family Group (Ages 0-3 with Parents/Caregivers) -meets the 1st Sunday of every month in the large classroom in the upstairs administrative building. We begin in a large circle to share songs and stories then parents (grandparents, godparents, etc.) move into the adjacent room for a time of fellowship, discussion, and encouragement. Children are welcome to remain with parents during the discussion time, or to enjoy more stories, art, and play with their 3rd-5th grade “Church Buddies”, under the supervision of our professional nursery care provider, Erika, and our children’s ministry intern, Angel.
Godly Play (Pre-K-Grade 2) -meets weekly in our Godly Play sanctuary, in the downstairs administrative building. Godly Play is a distinctive approach to spiritual formation for children, that has its roots in the Montessori tradition of religious education. Godly Play is deeply rooted in Christian faith, language, symbols, and stories. At the same time, Godly Play offers a spacious environment in which children can wonder, explore, and encounter the Sacred on their own terms. It is a discovery method that engages the whole child-hands, heart, mind, senses, intuition. Each session includes the sharing of a sacred story, a time of “wondering” together, an open-ended art response time, prayer, and a shared “feast” of fruit and cheese.
Chapel Kids (Grades 3-5) -meets weekly in the Chapel off the rotunda (under the wolf). In Chapel Kids, children become active apprentices in the work of the Church-cooking, making music, creating sacred art, bringing bible stories to life through drama and puppet shows, taking leadership in the liturgy, serving as “church buddies” for the youngest children in our community, and more. Through a rotating series of classes the Chapel Kids gain confidence as integral contributing members of the church community.
Middle School Group (Grades 6-8) - meets weekly in the “Upper Room” off the rotunda (above the kitchen.) In Middle School we are exploring the link between faith and action in the world. Through scripture study and regular participation in structured hands-on service work, middle schoolers actively engage heads, hands, and hearts and begin to discover that powerful things can happen when we join our personal gifts, talents, and passions with the wisdom of our spiritual texts and traditions to meet the needs we see in the world. As we study, work, and play together, we build strong relationships with each other, the St. Gregory’s community, and the community beyond the walls of St. Gregory’s.
High School Group (Grades 9-12) -meets three Sundays per month in the “Fabian Room” off the rotunda (under the tiger.) High schoolers and their adult mentors gather to discuss the real joys and challenges of teen life in an atmosphere of honesty, respect, and mutual support. Our theme for the year is “Can you Relate?” Together we explore how we relate with ourselves, our friends, and our families; how we relate our life stories with biblical stories; how we relate our life at church with our life at school and in the world.
Parents’ Group (for parents of children “in utero” through children in college) -meets the 3rd Sunday of every month in the small back classroom in the upstairs administrative building. Parents with children of various ages meet for a time of fellowship, discussion, and encouragement.
Other Groups & Classes: In addition to the special groups for parents listed above, parents are encouraged to feed their spirits through participation in other groups and classes for adults, including the Adult Forum, the Adult Bible Study, and more.
Meet our YFM (Youth & Family Ministry) Team:
Please take time to get to know and THANK the amazing teachers and volunteers who make our Sunday Morning Groups and Classes possible, and ask how you can support them!
Snack Coordinator: Daphne De Marneffe
Nursery Family Group: Cheryl Hendrickson & David Cowen (parent co-conveners), Erika Prado (nursery care provider)
Godly Play Team: Amy Baker, Holly Veldhuis, AnnaMarie Hoos, Lynn Dolce
Chapel Kids Team: Angel Jamaica, Megan Yip, Amy Jasper, Jessica Anderson (field trip coordinator), Jessica Beerbaum (teaching coach)
Middle School Team: Laura Manion, Thomas Lukens
High School Team: Charlotte Worsley, Reagan Humber
Special Events
Mark your calendars now for the following special YFM events:
Annual Youth Retreat: Friday, April 20-Sunday, April 22. All middle and high school youth from St. Gregory’s come together for a weekend of relaxation, recreation, and renewal at St. Columba’s beautiful retreat house in Inverness, CA.
Friends of God Camp: Summer, 2012. Children ages 4-9 join teen and adult volunteers to explore a sacred story through Godly Play and a variety of visual and performing arts in this high-quality, week-long, tuition free day camp. Creative planning team meets Sunday, October 9th , 2-3 PM, to make plans for next summer’s camp.
Learning opportunities for all ages. 