At St. John’s UMC we are shaping people in the way of Jesus. Children are an important part of our church. Here are a few of the ways children are involved in our congregation.

Sundays at St. John’s

Sunday School

In Sunday School children are exposed to God’s love and learn through stories, songs and crafts. We have FOUR classes for children and youth:

  • Toddlers-PreK (First Floor, next to nursery)

    • Ms. Kris Renfroe and Ms. Susanna Seals are so excited to welcome our youngest disciples to Sunday School! They have a special place in their hearts for our toddlers and preschool children.

    Kindergarten – 3rd Grade (Second Floor, Room 203)

    • Ms. Marilyn Damberg and Ms. Sarah Prevot have been team teaching for many years and welcome our younger elementary students to their class! This year, their class is expanding to include 3rd grade students.

    4th & 5th Grades (Second Floor, Room 207)

    • Ms. Natalie Cooper and Ms. Beth LaCour welcome upper elementary students to their classroom for another great year of growing together with Jesus.

    6th – 12th Grades (Second Floor, Room 201)

    • Ms. Heather Durham is the Youth Sunday School leader. She will have Connor Dean, our Director of Youth & Children’s Ministries, by her side as together they offer spiritual formation and support to our middle and high school students.

Our Sunday School Curriculum

  • Our toddlers, preschoolers and elementary-ages students are using the Celebrate Wonder curriculum again this fall. Celebrate Wonder engages children’s natural sense of curiosity to help them understand God’s love. It creates a safe environment for kids to ask big questions – helping them explore the Bible in ways that feed their imagination and encourage creativity. Through carefully-selected Bible stories, songs, videos, and hands-on activities, Celebrate Wonder gives children the tools to explore their faith while incorporating it into their daily lives.
  • Our Youth use various small group materials each week. Each session typically includes an icebreaker, a discussion based on scripture, and an active element designed to engage the imaginations of our students.

Children in Worship

Click the image above to read more about the Prayground at St. John’s.

To learn more about how St. John’s engages children in worship, click here.

Music Makers

Faith exploration through music for children and youth (first grade through 12th grade) happens every Sunday at 4:30 p.m. with Steve Rushing, our choir director. We start and end in the choir room. While we will be focusing on music for worship we will also be learning how to read and write music. It is going to be a fun-filled hour of learning about and making music through singing and playing instruments. I hope everyone can attend. If you can’t make it every week, don’t worry. There will always be some music for you to make.

Summer at St. John’s

Let’s take time to create intergenerational connections this season as we continue to ponder and discuss our legacy of hope.

Join us for a game night for all ages on Thursday, June 1, 5 – 7 p.m. in the Family Life Center. We will have board games, card games, and trivia games. We will also provide finger foods for everyone to grab as a snack supper. You are more than welcome to bring your favorite finger food to share and favorite game to teach everyone!

People of all ages are encouraged to join. We hope to see you there!

At the request of some of our students, St. John’s will be hosting a volleyball night on Tuesday, June 13th at 5:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Come wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. Although our youth and children might be most excited about this event, people of all ages are welcome! Even if you can only join as a spectator, we hope you’ll consider being a part of this fellowship time together.

Vacation Bible School

Family Camp – July 13-15

This summer, we will be hosting an event called “Family Camp”. It will take place July 13-15, which is a Thursday-Saturday. We will meet in the evenings on Thursday & Friday (July 13 & 14) from 6:00-7:30 p.m. and in the morning on Saturday (July 15) from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. This schedule was made in an attempt to work around the business of families raising children. We will gather in the Family Life Center each day for food, games, worship, Bible study, and other activities.

St. John’s is utilizing materials from a curriculum called “Compassion Camp” to inspire this alternative to a typical Vacation Bible School. The theme for Family Camp is “Every Living Thing”. We will discuss what every living thing needs to survive and thrive physically, as well as what humans need to survive and thrive spiritually.

Click here to download the registration form for Family Camp.

Registration is required for the event, but there is no cost to attend. You can scan & email completed registration forms to Connor (see below) or drop off completed registration forms to the church office.

For more information, please contact the Director of Youth & Children’s Ministries, Connor Dean. You can reach her by email at: connordean@stjohnsbr.org.

Children’s Ministry 2023 Summer Fellowship

All children and families raising children are encouraged to join us for fellowship activities this summer! We will meet every-other Thursday in June & July, starting June 8.

June 8 • 5-7 p.m. – Pool Party
At the Magnolia Woods Community Pool

Food will be potluck style on this night. Students with last names starting with A-H, please bring a savory dish to share. Students with last names starting with I-Z, please bring a sweet dish to share. It is recommended to bring enough food for at least 30 servings of each dish.

June 22 • 5-7 p.m. – Pool Party
Location TBA

July 6 • 5-7 p.m. – Ice Cream Social
St. John’s Family Life Center

July 20 • 5-7 p.m. – Pool Party
At the home of Pam & John Toney

Questions about children’s ministry? Contact Connor Dean.