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Children come to us full of wonder and joy, and already knowing something about God. Our task is to nourish the seeds of God's love that have already been sown, and to help our children find ways to strengthen their relationship with God throughout their lives. We do this through the stories of the Bible and our Church, by encouraging their wonder and helping them discover their deep joy, and by welcoming them as full members of the Church of the Good Shepherd. We cherish their presence here, and it blesses us when we do.
Youth are in a special category--no longer children, not quite adults. The goal of our youth programs is to help our young people journey into their adulthood knowing that this community cares about them and will help them to become the best people they can possibly be. Our pledge to them is to love them and to make this a place where questions are welcome and faith is something to grow over a lifetime. Our programs reflect their needs and our pledge to help them grow into loving, compassionate people. We show them (not just talk about) the Christian message.
Ages: Nursery is designed for infants from newborn to 18 months old. Our toddler room, located right next door to the Nursery, is for toddlers 19 months - 3 years old.
Hours: September to May hours are Sundays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm; June to September hours are 9:30 to 11:30 am; During special services and events throughout the year.
Staff: There are two trained caregivers in each room. Most of them have worked for Good Shepherd as paid staff for several years.
Children's Chapel is optional for children ages 3 through third grade. It is offered during the 9:00 and 11:30 am services, and during the 10:00 service in the summer. Children begin in the Nave with their parents and come forward following the Collect of Welcome (just before the 1st Reading). They are led upstairs to the Children's Chapel where they have their own Liturgy of the Word. Parents are always welcome in Children's Chapel anytime. Children light the candles, hold a cross and contribute to the Giving Can, while an older child reads. The Gospel is always read followed by an interactive sermon or activity. The Nicene Creed is recited together in a child friendly manner, and prayers and thanksgivings are offered in creative ways. Children exchange the peace before returning to the Nave during the Peace. When the ushers come to let them know it's time to return, 2-3 children are chosen to go with the ushers to the back of the Nave to bring the bread and the wine and the Giving Can up during the Offering. Children are full members of the church and are welcome to receive the bread and the wine during Holy Communion. If you have any questions about this, please contact our clergy.
Toddlers: "See & Hear" from Living the Good News is designed for toddlers. During the 9 and 11:15 am services, children in the toddler nursery experience the Gospel lesson through pictures, song and movement.
Children: "Godly Play" is offered for children preK through 3rd grade on Sunday mornings from 10:15 to 11:00 am. In three specially equipped classrooms, children learn the classic rhythm for living modeled in the Bible: a balance of action and reflection, engagement and prayer. The heart of Godly Play is to create sacred space, to build and work in community, to learn religious language and to use that language to make meaning. For children to be "ready" for Godly Play, they need to be able to leave their parent(s) for 45 minutes. For more information about this wonderful program go to www.godlyplay.org.
4th and 5th Graders: "All Things New" helps students learn the best-loved Bible stories and Episcopal basics, such as the Book of Common Prayer, fellowship, the church year, Baptism, reconciliation, Eucharist and outreach. Classes are from 10:15 - 11:00 am Sundays.
6-12 Graders "The Journey to Adulthood" is a comprehensive program that Good Shepherd has used for several years. It's a program of spiritual formation that attracts, instructs and nurtures young people at the ages when they are most likely to drift away from church. It gives our young people real work to do, while celebrating and nurturing the gifts they already possess. The program is based on two key concepts: manhood and womanhood are free gifts from God, but adulthood must be earned. It includes in depth exploration of Self, Spirituality, Sexuality and Society. Our mission is to form young people as practicing Christians and full participants in the life of our congregation and community. It is a complete youth program that includes Sunday morning lessons from 10:15 - 11:00 am; Movie Nights; Rites of Passage; Pilgrimage; Community service projects; and lots of fun!
6th and 7th Graders "Rite 13" assists middle schoolers as they take the first steps away from the roles they have played in their families and into some new roles. It includes a liturgical rite of passage around their 13th birthday, celebrating the gift of womanhood and manhood.
8th and 9th Graders "J2A" is the heart of the program--it blends action and contemplation in teaching young people faithful living. To prepare them for adulthood, they learn six basic skills: active listening, negotiation, assertion, research & information management, partnership and leadership. Teens learn to apply Biblical and spiritual truths in their own everyday lives.
10th-12th Graders "YAC" stands for Young Adults in the Church. These teens are encouraged to take on more adult responsibilities in all aspects of congregational and community life. They choose a ministry and ministry mentor, lead the congregation in implementing a mission project and develop a Credo for what they believe. YAC culminates in a "sending forth" rite of passage as youth leave their parental home for work or college.
On Sunday mornings Christian Formation classes for adults are offered at 9:00 and at 10:15-11:00 during the Christian Formation "hour" from September--May. Topics are mostly centered on Bible Study, and also delve into Church History, World Religions and topics that are of interest to most Episcopalians. Check the bulletin for current Sunday morning offerings. Additionally, Christian Formation for Adults offered throughout the week includes women's bible study, Wonderful Wednesday classes, and contemplative type prayer that includes Lectio Divina.
Those who come from different faith traditions can become full members of the Episcopal Church either by Confirmation or Reception. Confirmation is the rite in which we make a considered adult confession of our faith in Jesus Christ and state our intention to be a part of the Episcopal Church. The bishop presides at this service once each year. Those who have already made an adult confession of faith in a different denomination are also received into the Episcopal Church at this service. The Inquirers class is required for adults interested in either confirmation or reception at Good Shepherd. This Episcopal 101 class will very briefly cover the ins and outs of the Sunday service, the Book of Common Prayer, and the history of the Episcopal Church.
EfM is a distance learning theological education program of the School of Theology of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
Participants commit one year at a time to meet regularly in seminars led by a trained mentor. Completion of the program takes four years, during which participants study the Bible, church history, theology and ethics. Classes st each Fall at Good Shepherd. Please contact Dale Chapman for more information: (859)252-1744 or dchapman@goodshepherdlex.org
Programming for Children, Youth and Adults emphasizes relationship within our shared Christian story and avoids telling people what they must think or believe. We carefully structure our programs with copious amounts of reflection time so that even small children are permitted to have their own relationship with God.
For further information on these programs, or to find out how you can help, contact:
Kristina M. Smith, Minister of Christian Formation
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