Infant Care: Good Shepherd Nursery (for children under 3 years)
The nursery has seen a bit of a boom in the last year. With the addition of new babies came the need for new leaders, new reorganized toys, and a good clean.
Currently 10 parishoners rotate in helping staff the nursery. On average 5-7 babies and toddlers fill the nursery each Sunday, however the number that has used the nursery at some point throughout the year is roughly 14.
A crew was assembled in the spring to thoroughly sanitize the toys and cull through for broken and unwanted items. In addition, the carpet was cleaned and the walls were dusted. A few unused items were donated to the ACW’s’s rummage sale and a generous donation of new items sparked new interest in our playtime.
Thank you to all who help in the nursery and to the parents who allow us time with your little ones on Sundays! I am sure all who spend time in the nursery would agree that we have a very sweet and kind group of children at St Mary’s who are a pleasure to care for.
Children’s Care: Children’s Worship Centre (For children ages 3-6 years)
Jesus said in John 4:23-24, ‘But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as those to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The Children’s Worship Centre is a place where children and leaders worship God, are helped to better understand what worshiping God is all about and develop spiritually by experiencing God together.
The room is a specially designed space. The children learn to quietly enter their worship center and sit in a circle. This time includes the greeting, the call to worship, and songs of praise. The next part of the children’s worship time is presentation of the Word. The model for teaching Biblical literacy used in the in the Children’s Worship Centre is called “Godly Play”. Godly Play is a method for telling stories using three-dimensional wooden figures for the sacred stories and laminated two-dimensional figures for the parables. The children hear the story and see it unfold as the figures are slowly and reverently moved. Surrounded by these stories children are invited into the stories and connect with them though wondering and response times. Children’s responses are opened- ended, allowing leaders to meet different learning styles and needs through art, books, puzzles and retelling the story. Godly Play invites children to watch, listen, do, and remember. The children gather once more in the circle to read the Bible and pray. The children and leaders share a “feast” of water and crackers. The worship closes with singing “Go Now in Peace” and a personal blessing.
Two leaders each week prepare to lead the children in worship taking on the role of storyteller and greeter.
Thank you to these people who use their gifts for passing on the teachings of our faith.
The Worship Centre leaders held two Worship Centre training sessions this year for new leaders, parents and other interested people. There are 11 Worship Centre age children who attend St. Mary’s regularly. The average attendance in our Worship Centre is 8 per Sunday. On some Sundays the children join their parents for communion. At special services they worship upstairs for the whole time and can sit in the comfy corner at the front of the church if they wish.