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 – 2nd Grade (Second Floor, Room 204)

    • 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.

    3rd – 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)

    • Gabe Guillory is the primary Youth Sunday School leader. We have a rotation of supporting leaders for the youth Sunday School class as well. This means our students are able to build relationships with many other active members of our church!

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 (Kindergarten – 5th 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.

This year, our Music Makers are scheduled to perform in worship on September 24th, October 22nd, November 26, and December 17th.

Fall Events for Families With Children at St. John’s

C.H.A.O.S. is coming…

St. John’s UMC is launching a new series of ministry/discipleship events for Fall 2023 called “C.H.A.O.S.”! This is an acronym which stands for…

C.H.A.O.S. – Christ Here And Other Spaces

C.H.A.O.S. is all about finding unique and creative ways to apply the teachings of Jesus to the lives of today’s children, youth, and families. These discipleship events will include a group Bible lesson, meal, creative activities, music, and more fun. This ministry model is designed to show children, youth, and families how the teachings of Jesus can be applied outside the walls of the church and into our everyday lives.

Join us for C.H.A.O.S. on the fourth Sunday of each month this fall: August 27, September 24, October 22, and November 26!

We will rotate which C.H.A.O.S. events are designed for full-family engagement and which events are drop-off. Adults are expected to stay with students and participate during the full-family engagement events. During drop-off, events, though, adults are welcome to leave after students are checked in.

August 27th – Full-Family Engagement

September 24th – Drop-off

October 22nd – Fall Fest/Full-Family Engagement

November 26th – Drop-off

Volleyball Night

St. John’s is hosting a volleyball night on Wednesday, September 27th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. We use a regulation-size volleyball net, so this activity may not be appropriate for younger students. However, 4th & 5th graders should be able to hold their own throughout the game! 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.

Fall Fest

St. John’s is hosting a Fall Fest on October 22nd from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. We look forward to hosting our families and families in our community for games, snacks, and other fun, Halloween/Fall-themed activities!

Be on the lookout for more details about this event coming soon…

(Fall Fest will take the place of C.H.A.O.S. for the month of October.)

Questions about children’s ministry? Contact Connor Dean.