Sunday Morning
Worship: Children are welcome at all worship services. Younger children should be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult. Children's bulletins and crayons are available in the narthex (rear of the church) and by the side (baptistry) door, and there are coloring cards in the pew racks, or bring along a favorite book or soft toy. Even small children absorb a lot of what goes on in the liturgy if they have something to occupy them quietly during the boring parts! If an infant or toddler cries or makes a disturbance, don’t be embarrassed - just remove the child from the service and return when he or she has calmed down.
Childcare: Care for infants and toddlers (up to age 3) is provided from 8:30 am until 12:30 pm on Sunday (9:15 - 11:45 am in the summer) in the nursery on the church level. The nursery is staffed by one or more adult childcare professionals, assisted by a parent volunteer. You are invited to stay in the nursery with your child the first time or two if you wish, and to observe (or volunteer!) whenever you would like.
9 O'Clock Children's Chapel: Children ages 4 - 7 have a worship service of their own in the Chapel of the Epiphany on the lower level, during the first part of the 9 o'clock service. Drop them off between 8:50 and 9:00 in the designated downstairs classroom. After some free play and get-acquainted time, they will be taken to the chapel for a brief service of song and story (usually the same Gospel lesson you are hearing in "big church") and then they will be brought into the main service at the Peace to join the rest of the family for Communion.
Coffee Hour: Following the 9 o'clock service there are refreshments and social time in Nieman Hall for children and adults. Low tables and chairs are set up for young children, and they have juice and cookies while the adults enjoy coffee and conversation. There is a "children’s corner" with oversize blocks to play with and books to read.
Church School: A bell at 10:25 signals the end of coffee hour, and children proceed to their classrooms. Godly Play, a Montessori-based curriculum, is used with children ages 3 through kindergarten. Children in grades 1 through 6 use Living the Good News, a lectionary-based Episcopal curriculum. Junior and senior high youth use the Journey to Adulthood program, with two of the groups, 7th and 8th grade "Rite 13" and 9th and 10th grade "J2A," meeting during the Church School period; and the oldest group, "Young Adults in Church" (YAC) meeting later in the day. Seminars and other offerings are available to adults during the 10:30 - 11:05 education period.
11:15 Children's Chapel: A story and prayer time for children ages 4 through 7 is offered during the first part of the 11:15 service. Drop off children in the designated classroom on the lower level between 11:05 and 11:15. The children will join the 11:15 service at the Peace for Communion with their families. Some families with young children prefer to arrive at 10:30 for Church School and adult seminar, and then stay for the (smaller and quieter) 11:15 service, rather than coming at 9 o'clock.
Children and Communion at Grace Church: All baptized persons are invited to receive Communion at Grace Church, and that includes children of all ages. The decision about whether to allow a child to receive is left to the parents, and it is the parents' example of reverence that is ultimately the child's best teacher, although first Communion instruction is offered periodically in children’s chapel, and the clergy are always happy to offer individual instruction by appointment. Even if you do not wish your child to receive at this time, bring him or her to the altar for a blessing. The signal for not receiving is to cross the arms over the chest; for younger children, you may indicate your wishes to the person administering Communion.
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