Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; Teach me Thy paths.
Lead me
in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation;
For thee I wait all the day.
Psalm 25: 4,5
Goals of St. Peter’s Christian Education
. To deepen an understanding of, and personal relationship with, God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and of His Church
. To welcome every young person and adult into this Parish Family and the
Christian Church, and especially within our Anglican Episcopal tradition.
. To provide a nurturing and loving atmosphere for all.
You,
and each member of your family, are welcome to participate in Christian
Education every Sunday at 10:15 a.m., and throughout the week as noted below:
St. Peter's Sunday School and
Youth Groups offer an array of fun, meaningful programs that reinforce lessons
of God's love. A team of volunteer parishioners leads our children each week
in Sunday School, using the Episcopal Children's Curriculum and the Episcopal
Curriculum for Youth. This curriculum covers the important faith stories in
the Old and New Testaments, and stresses both the Sacraments of Baptism and
Eucharist as well as Church History. Our children and young adults learn how
to live out their faith through leadership in worship as members of the choir,
readers, and acolytes, as well as through various Outreach opportunities, such
as our annual Habitat for Humanity trip.
Opportunities for youth include:
NURSERY
(Lower level of the Barn): A professionally
staffed nursery allows to parents with infants and very young children to
attend services and adult Christian Education without distraction.
CHILDREN'S CHAPEL, offered during the 9:00 a.m. service
in the Barn, provides a
fun environment for our younger children (ages 3-6) to experience worship and
storytelling. Our parishioners pair up for 6-8 week blocks to co-teach
pre-kindergarten through 6th grade during our Christian Education hour on
Sunday mornings at 10:00. New teachers and helpers are always warmly welcome!
PRESCHOOL (ages 3
& 4) (Lower level of the
Barn): Bible
stories come to life, and each Sunday is filled with games, songs and crafts
that bring alive God's love.
KINDERGARTEN
(Lower floor of the Barn): The
children hear Bibles stories that make God's active role in people's lives
accessible and interesting. Godly play and hands-on creativity feed
inquisitive minds and reinforce lessons.
GRADES 1
& 2 (Lower floor of the
Barn): Exploration of Bible stories through crafts, games, and discussion
fills each Sunday lesson, making the people of the Bible and the Church come
alive for the children.
font face="Times New Roman">GRADES 3 & 4
(Lower floor of the Barn): As Bible stories become more familiar to them, older children actively
discuss their meaning and impact on children and the world around them.
Creative crafts, role-playing, and reading enliven each class.
GRADES 5 & 6
(Lower floor of the Barn): Building on
earlier lessons, fifth and sixth graders examine in greater depth their
relationship to God the Father, His son our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP (Grades 7 & 8) and
SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP (Grades 9-12)
(Rector's and
Associate Rector's offices in the Parish House): As our children grow into
adolescents and young adults, they begin to challenge and question the world
around them. This class seeks to explore questions of their faith and how to
live out that faith, grounded in their Baptism, in an ever-changing world. We
strive to give them the tools to make good and life-giving decisions as life
becomes more complex. Youth group activities throughout the year range from
church lock-ins, ski trips, a trip to St. John the Divine Cathedral in New
York City, outreach opportunities in Coatesville, PA, and our yearly Habitat
for Humanity mission week. You will find a
variety of youth group activities throughout the year highlighting aspects of
service and mission, fun and fellowship, and faith development.
There is also a wide array of
ADULT CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
opportunities
including:
Our
Adult Forum
takes place at 10:10 a.m. every Sunday from September to June. Held during children's Sunday School studies, parishioners
can either stay after the 9:00 service or come early for the 11:15 service to
attend. Our parish takes our continuing adult Christian education seriously,
and we welcome you to join us!
Operation Christmas Child, an early Christmas outreach project in which our youth (and any
interested parishioner) will be participating this year, provides an opportunity for families to get involved in a simple, hands-on outreach
project that reaches out to children around the world by providing a gift-filled shoebox to a child who is a refugee of civil war, survivor
of a natural disaster, or a victim of extreme poverty. Families can work together to fill a shoebox with small toys,
school supplies, hygiene items, and other small gifts for either a girl or a boy in a specific age category. Details,
labels, and empty shoeboxes are available in the Barn. Additional details will be provided to all Sunday School classes.
The shoeboxes must be returned to the church on or by November 11. Questions can be directed to Debi Lynch
(or 484-320-8299).
