Christian formation and education are important for all ages. Clergy, staff, and volunteers at St. Thomas work together in this important ministry, providing age-appropriate venues for children to learn about and experience their faith. To view our list of Sunday Schools lessons for Spring 2012, click on the document above, titled "Weaving God's Promises, Jan-May 2012". We hope to see you at Sunday School!
Sunday Mornings All children ages 4 through 5th grade are invited to attend rotation-style classes on Sunday mornings during the school year. Classes begin at 9:15am and conclude by 10:15am, at which time children join their parents for church. Rotation style is a model based on the theory of multiple intelligences and experiential learning. It involves designing learning space in creative ways for thematic learning: storytelling room, computers, puppets, crafts, and games. Children move from week to week to different areas (rotations) while teachers remain with the same method. Children's Church, which features a children's sermon and special activities, is offered every Sunday at the Sequence Hymn; the children return to the service at the Peace so that they may experience Holy Communion.
Wednesday Evening: Food, Fellowship, & Formation Wednesday evenings at St. Thomas are a great mid-week break! Be refreshed with the Holy Spirit and carry it with you for the second half of the week.
The evening's schedule begins at 5:30pm with Holy Eucharist in the Chapel, followed by family supper at 6:00pm in the parish hall. Programs begin at 6:30pm.
Childcare is provided for children under the age of 4. Children 5 and older are asked to attend Children's Choir rehearsal.
Nursery The nursery is open each Sunday from 8:45am to 12:30pm. Paid staff and parent volunteers are present to welcome children from 6 weeks through age 4. For the convenience of parents and staff, electronic pagers are available. The nursery is also open on Wednesday evenings when dinner and programs are ocurring, and during special services and events throughout the year.
Children create special arts and crafts at Palm Sunday workshop, April 17, 2011
"The Friendly Beasts" prepare for the Christmas Pageant
Special Events for Episcokids and their Families Programs for families and children occur throughout the year. The Sunday School year begins in the fall with Rally Day when students and parents can meet teachers and other families. A festive hot breakfast is held before church, and features games, crafts, and fun activities based on the year's theme.
Episcokid Workshops are held several times throughout the year. Previous workshops have included: Preparing the Way at Advent, A Walk through Holy Week, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: A Lenten Study and workshops focusing on the sacraments of the church.
The Blessing of the Bookbags happens during the 10:30 service in August. Students and teachers are invited to bring their bookbags for a blessing as they begin a new school year. Sunday School and Children's Chapel teachers are commissioned as well.
The Blessing of the Animals is held on the last Sunday of September or the first Sunday in October celebrate the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assissi. During an afternoon service on the lawn, children (and adults!) bring their pets and/or favorite stuffed animals to receive a special blessing.
Trunk or Treat is when several families get together at our church building, park their cars in the parking lot, open up the trunks of their cars, and kids come around to each car to Trunk-or-Treat. We provide a hot dog supper with lots of fixin's and goodies to go around. Families also participate in a trunk decorating contest.
All Saints Day Celebration takes place on the Sunday following Halloween. Our children reflect on those we love who have died in the past year. We also take time to study the saints in history by learning the hymn, I Sing a Song of the Saints of God. During the service while this hymn is sung, the children process into the nave dressed as the saints portrayed in the hymn.
The Children's Christmas Pageant invites children to tell the nativity story during the 5:30pm Family Eucharist on Christmas Eve through song and drama.
An Epiphany Celebration is held each year. Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are counted from the evening of December 25th to January 6th - the Twelfth Night. We celebrate the arrival of the kings to Bethlehem with the traditional eating of the King's Cake. Kids also make crowns and the parish participates in a bonfire of the Burning of the Greens.
The Easter Egg Hunt is usually held Easter morning during the Sunday School hour. Children enjoy a delicious hot breakfast and hunt for hundreds of eggs, grouped by ages.
Vacation Bible School is offered every summer for children age 4 through 5th grade. In 2009, we participated in Wizards and Wonders which compared the heroism of Harry Potter to Biblical heroes.
"Preparing the Way"
Off to see Polar Express!
VBS Wizards and Wonders: The Sorting Hat
Church School Outreach Opportunities for outreach are available to children throughout the year. During Advent children participate in the Angel Tree program. Children decorate angels which are hung on a tree in All Saints' Hall. Each angel displays a wish of a family member provided by the Chattahoochee Valley Episcopal Ministry (CVEM), an outreach ministry of the convocation. Parishioners purchase gifts for the families and the children deliver the gifts, decorate the homes and provide a meal before Christmas.
During Lent 2009, Sunday school children filled water bottles with coins to support the Ikowa Well Project, assisting a village in Tanzania, Africa, to renovate its ancient well and distribute clean water.
St. Thomas Episcopal Church - 2100 Hilton Avenue - Columbus, Georgia 31906
