Children's Formation

Welcome to the 2019 - 2020 Faith Formation Year!

Children's Formation, or Sunday School, meets from 9:15 am to 10:15 am on Sunday Mornings, September 8 through May 17.

Children and Youth from Pre-K to Senior High have formation options during this time. An adult forum and book group also meet at this time. Young people and students move through our classes in cohorts, fostering long term relationships and friendships while growing in faith. New children may join at any time.

Classrooms:

Godly Play | PreK - 2nd Grade | "Stage Room" across the hall from the church office

The Godly Play program, which applies Montessori methods to children in preschool and kindergarten, creates sacred space for children, provides religious language, and fosters creativity and imagination. 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 and intuition. Godly Play is a way to offer children language to describe things about faith and God that they already know, and honors the questions, play, and wondering of each child. Learn More about Godly Play

Love First Workshop | Grades 2 - 6 and 11 & 12 | Left Atrium Classroom

Love first is a year long workshop on the Greatest Commandment. We begin by discussing how and why we practice love of self. In the winter and during Lent, we engage in hands-on service projects to practice love of Neighbor. In the Easter season, we will discuss what it looks like to love God. This class focuses on the ministry of children in the wider church, giving kids the opportunity to do their unique work in the faith community. The class is designed intergenerationally, pairing late-elementary school students with senior high students in their work. Students in both 2nd and 6th grade have the opportunity to choose either the younger or older class, depending on what cohort they feel most attached to. The registration form provides a place to indicate which class your child prefers.

Confirmation | Grades 6 - 9 / 10

Please see  the youth page for further details on Confirmation.

[ Register for Classes using the form below. ]

More than Just Sunday School

Nursery

Young children (and their accomanying noises) are always welcome in worship. However, if parents or kids find themselves needing a break, or not particularly ready for church today, our nursery is staffed by two childcare professionals each Sunday from 9:15 until the time of the Peace.

Children's Chapel

Young people experience the Word in a way different from adults. To give children the  opportunity to hear stories, move, sing and pray, Children's Chapel meets every other week this year. Children are dismissed at the Gospel Acclamation, and will return at the peace. Parents are welcome to accompany children to chapel. Children's Chapel is a co-operative parent effort, with each parent serving once or twice a season. We post sign ups and order of services on Church Community Builder in the Families With Young Children group. 

Chapel Dates this fall are:
Sept 8, Sept 22, Oct 6, Oct 20, Nov 3, Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 15

Parents Group
Parents of young children have organized a support and social group that meets monthly at the church. Please contact Maggie at maggie[at]stmatthewsmn.org to be put in touch with the group leader.
 

Learn more about Sunday School for Children and Youth by contacting Maggie Nancarrow, Director of Children, Youth, and Intergenerational Formation at maggie[at]stmatthewsmn.org. Newcomers are always welcome at 9:15 on Sunday mornings, but if that's a little daunting, please feel free to come for worship at 10:30 to check us out first. Maggie would be happy to chat with you about your family and whether or not you'd like to begin Sunday School.