Children's Education

Children are absolutely vital to the life of our church. Passing our life of faith on to the next generation is a key priority of St. Mary Magdalene. We invite you to bring your entire family to St. Mary Magdalene and share with your children these awesome opportunities here at St. Mary Magdalene.

Sunday Morning Children's Chapel and Classes

Each Sunday begins with a Children's Chapel service for all age groups, in which the children experience the beauty and tradition of Anglican worship in an environment that welcomes, rather than intimidates.

This is a kid-friendly worship during which children sing hymns, pray, and collect an offering used to fund their own service ministries. The worship leader introduces the day’s lectionary lesson using a variety of resources, including biblical storytelling methods and felt board figures, all designed to place kids within the narrative and give them a sensory experience of the story.

After chapel, children break into four age-specific groups for Sunday School using the lectionary-based curriculum, “Living the Good News.” This program supports an integrated learning environment in which the children study the same lessons the adults hear in “Big Church” and explore those themes through various age-appropriate activities, including art projects, dramatic play, games and interactive discussion with fellow students and adult group leaders.

Students receive take-home sheets at the end of class designed to encourage families to further explore the themes at home, and to facilitate their understanding of Scripture and their pursuit of faithful service throughout the week.
 

While all children are welcome to remain with their parents in “Big Church,” we offer nursery care for children from infancy through age two. Our objective with these children is very simple: to help them feel comfortable and secure in church and to feel God's love for them through the hands and hearts of loving volunteers. We strive to make the first encounter children have in church a warm, supportive experience, where kids feel safe and loved.

Ages 3-5

Our preschool group includes children from age 3-5, or through pre-kindergarten, and our objective with this age group is to introduce the stories of faith. We strive to help the children know God loves them and that he sent Jesus to earth to show them just how much!

Grade K-2

Our primary group includes kindergarteners-2nd graders. We continue to help the primary kids to become familiar with the basic stories of the Bible and to experience God as love. More key biblical stories and characters are introduced, providing a firm foundation for learning and faith formation.

Grade 3-5

Our upper elementary group serves children in grades 3-5. Continuing with the story-based curriculum, this class begins to introduce the children to ways in which the lessons of Scripture can shape and form concrete decisions and actions these children make in their daily lives.

Grade 6-Junior High

Our junior high group serves children in grades 6-8. Because they are capable of more abstract thinking, we use the basic stories of the faith heard in the younger grades to encourage the children to put them into action--what does my faith look like in everyday life? How does my faith inform my behavior? Basically, the same thing we all learn in church!