children's ministry
At St. Paul's, we love children. And there are so many of them here! We strive to find ways to make the church experience welcoming and meaningful for all of God's children. Our children's programming is generally geared for students age 2 to grade 5.
Please scroll down to find more information on Sunday School, special activities, and seasonal events.
Questions? Contact our Minister of Spiritual Care & Formation, Dr. Meg Baker, at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext. 104.
Sunday School & Nursery News
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Students in grades K-5 will have Sunday School classes with their teachers. Childcare for infants and preschoolers is available in the Nursery, located on the second floor, during the 10:30 worship service every week. Parents/guardians should pick up their children immediately following the worship service.
Families typically worship together in the Sanctuary on the first Sunday of the month and for special occasions, so children grow in a community of faith and learn the full rhythm of the worship service. Busy Bags with quiet activities for children’s use during worship may be found at the Welcome Desk. Anyone restless who needs a break during worship may step out and make use of the Octagon room across from the Sanctuary doors. Families may also use the Library down the hall near the restrooms, where they can find children's books and activities.
During Sunday School time, we have Bible lessons, plus learning through drama, crafts, and service projects throughout the year. On a typical Sunday School day:
Grades K-2 meet in Room 200
Grades 3-5 meet in the Parlor.
Registration is open! Scroll down for the link! Walk-ins also welcome. To keep everyone safe and healthy, new families will be asked to fill out a form with emergency contact and allergy info. Forms can be filled out in the registration process online or on paper at the classroom.
For more information or to receive Sunday School emails, please contact Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext. 104.
Read more about Children's Choir on the Music page, or contact Children's Choir Director Christina Griffin.
Pancakes and Kids' Crafts
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024
The monthly all-you-care-to-eat Community Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the UMM will be serving breakfast dishes in the Fellowship Hall, 8:00-10:30 AM. Please make a donation at the door; suggested $20 per family of four.
Kids (and their responsible adults) are invited to visit the craft stations in Fellowship Hall and make Advent & Christmas crafts, 9:00-10:30 AM. Free, but donations are welcome!
For more info or to volunteer for craft time, contact Meg Baker (mbaker@stpaulsk.org, 301-933-7933 ext. 104).
Sunday School & Nursery
Registration for 2024
Welcome to Sunday School!
Most Sundays Sept.-May, during the 10:30 AM worship hour.
In-person classes for children Grade 5 and younger.
Walk-in registration available at any time.
New Sunday School Year starts September 15, 2024
Regular Sunday School programming will begin on September 15 and will include a time of worship in the Chapel, followed by classes grouped by age. In addition to Bible-based lessons, the Sunday School hour will occasionally include experiential learning through drama, crafts, and service projects. We are looking forward to learning and growing and playing together as disciples of Christ!
Please take a moment to register your child(ren) for Sunday School by clicking the button here:
Registrations will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis. Walk-in registrations and children who are not pre-registered should be accompanied by an adult on Sunday and will be warmly welcomed.
More detailed information is available in the sections below! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext 104.
It Takes a Village
The 2024-2025 Sunday School year begins soon, and we are seeking teachers and volunteers to help ensure a vibrant church school experience for all. Each teacher typically leads class once or twice a month during the 10:30 service. Those who have a child of Sunday School age are especially encouraged to consider serving in this way.
Please note that St. Paul’s policy requires all who work with children, youth, or vulnerable populations to complete online Safe Gatherings training and undergo a background check.
Contact Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org for more information. Thank you!
Sunday School & Nursery -
More Details
Children's Sunday School: Most Sundays from September to May, all children age 2 through Grade 5 will start Sunday School at 10:30 AM. Meg Baker, Director of Christian Education, oversees our rotating teams of caring, enthusiastic teachers.
Worshiping Together: There are Sundays when everyone worships together: special holidays, outdoor worship, or "Fifth Sunday, One Community" services. This way, children learn and absorb the rhythm of the full worship experience and worshipers of all ages can lean into the baptismal vows we make to support our youngest members of the church to grow in their faith. "Busy bags" full of quiet activities are available at the Welcome Desk for children to enjoy while they are in the Sanctuary. Caregivers with restless young ones may make use the Library (down the hall by the restrooms) or the Octagon room (across the Narthex from the Sanctuary doors) to take a break.
Children's Chapel: The DuVall Chapel offers us a brief Chapel worship experience with prayer, music, and short message.
Children's Sundays: About once a month on Children's Sunday, all children begin in the Sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. with their families and participate in the Children's Message before moving to their Sunday School classes with their teachers. The Children's Choir may presents an anthem at this service.
Sunday Morning Youth: All youth will be in worship in the Sanctuary during the 10:30 worship hour, and are encouraged to volunteer as Lay Readers, sing with the Sanctuary choir, assist the A/V team, welcome and greet people, or offer to help in some other capacity.
Just visiting or joining a class? Drop-in visitors are always welcome, and children can join a class at any point during the year. There is no need to register ahead of time. If you're new, simply stop at the Visitor's Desk by the main front door and they can point you to the right classroom. To help keep everyone safe and happy, our classroom teachers will ask new visitors to write down children's names, parent/guardian emergency contact numbers, and allergy info.
For the littlest ones: Nursery care is available for pre-K and children age 2 and under during the 10:30 worship service year-round. Our professional nursery workers love babies and love to care for them. The nursery is located in Room 202.
In the summer: June, July, and August feature a “One Room” (or two-room) Sunday School class for children age 2 through 5th grade. Our popular "Kids with Compassion" series includes hands-on community service projects such as making sandwiches for Interfaith Works, packing Smart Sacks for school lunches, creating fleece blankets for Project Linus, and similar activities.
Finding your classroom: For Nursery through Grade 5, take the elevator or use the stairs near the Library to reach the second floor. Signs on each door (and helpful teachers and parents) can help you locate the specific room for your young student. You'll notice that we also share our classroom space with Brookewood School, an independent girls' school in residence here during the weekdays.
Week-Day Summer Fun
Under normal circumstances, St. Paul's offers a variety of short-term summer opportunities for faith-filled fun and fellowship!
VBS: Traditionally, St. Paul's hosts a popular Vacation Bible School program each summer for campers age 2 through rising-grade-5. For 2023, we have partnered with friends at Bethesda UMC to enjoy "Hero Hotline" VBS camp at their facility on Old Georgetown Road.
Musical Theatre Camp: After two years away due to covid, we are pleased to announce that Musical Theatre Camp will be back in operation in 2022! Please CLICK HERE to visit the Musical Theatre Camp webpage with the application and more information. Campers audition, memorize roles, learn choreography, fix up props, enjoy snacks and fun activities, and perform for an audience in our Sanctuary. Camp usually takes place the second or third week of July. Campers must be available for all dates - sorry, we cannot accept cast members who are unable to commit to the Sunday presentations. For more information about Musical Theatre Camp, campers (and parents) should contact camp director Robin Mayhew directly. Camp registration is limited to the first 24 campers and spots fill up fast!
For information about our "campership/scholarship" financial aid to help cover all or part of St. Paul's activities, please contact one of the pastors for a confidential consultation - see Meet the Staff for our contact info!
Staying Connected!
Sunday School Email List:
If you aren't getting special Sunday School emails and would like to, please let us know! This is the best way to stay on top of the Sunday School schedule and receive supplementary educational materials like handouts and activity flyers. Contact Meg at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or phone 301-933-7933 ext 104.
Weekly News:
Children's Programming highlights appear alongside other announcements of churchwide activities, plus the Pastor's message and the week's Scripture passage. Go to stpaulsk.org/community/epistle-weekly-news to read right on your screen, or sign up to receive it in your in-box each week.
Kids’ Connection:
These short videos were filmed during the early covid lock-down period, and feature friends of St. Paul's sharing a variety of talents and projects. They might be telling stories, teaching songs, demonstrating crafts, or even leading kid-friendly yoga! Scroll down to see the Kids’ Connection videos, then just click and enjoy!
Photo below: Bible Story Time from 2019.
Kids' Connection!
Check out our current Kids' Connection Videos!
Children's Sundays
About once a month, we designate a 10:30 a.m. Worship service "Children's Sunday." Our children share songs and music with the congregation. Older children help lead worship as lay readers. The children are invited to participate in the "Young People's Message," after which they are welcome to transition to their Sunday School classes for the rest of the worship hour.
Past Activities
We offer many special events designed for young ones (and their families). Some past activities include:
Sharing our building: Brookewood School
Brookewood School is an independent Catholic school for girls, kindergarten through 12th grade. They are our tenants in residence, using the classroom, library, and fellowship hall areas of St. Paul's building weekdays during the school year. For information about Brookewood, please visit their website: www.brookewood.org
