Faith Formation Family Programs
Sunday Morning
What to expect on a typical Sunday morning:
Families should enter through the lower level doors to visit our Faith Formation Welcome Table. All children and youth should sign-in for their Middle Hour sessions 10:15-11:05. If they will be coming down for Cooperative Play, that is a seperate sign-in sheet located by the sanctuary entrance, available for 2nd service only. Be sure to pick up their name tag/button (or make one) . Visiting families can sign in as well and join in for Cooperative Play and many of the sessions.
If you are bringing an infant through 3 year old, you can visit our childcare on the lower level before service starts. Our childcare staff will take care of your little one through service and Afterhour. Childcare is available 8:45 am to 12:30pm (two service hours). Please sign-in at the Faith Formation Welcome Table.
Our children and youth are invited and encouraged to join their congregation for the entire service. Being part of this time together fosters connections with our community. We have a Peace Center at the front of the sancturay with Soul Work to support our young congregants engage with the service. There are also Worship Guides to support children and Soul Work packets, these are available at the entrance.
During the service, our Time for All Ages includes a special tradition of opening the Wonderbox. All of our young friends are invited to come forward to help open the Wonderbox and participate during this engaging time together. Following the Wonderbox, our congregation sings our children to their seats or to transition to the lower level for Cooperative Play (during 2nd service only). Cooperative Play is for our younger children (typically 4 years old-4th grade), but please make sure they are signed in and have their nametags on.
Our children and youth have opportunities to connect and learn during our Faith Formation sessions. These run on Sunday mornings on One Service Sundays from 11:00 am-12:00 pm. On Two Service Sundays from 10:15 am -11:05 am.
Visit the Faith Formation Sanctuary or the Outdoor Classroom to pick up your child from Cooperative Play. All children up to 4th grade should be signed in and out with a parent.
If your children will be attending regularly, please register with our Faith Formation program. Registration will add your child to the sign-in sheet, have a name tag created, and support your child with contact info and allergy info. Register for 2023-2024 Church Year
What to expect on a special Sunday morning:
We hold several Multi-Generational Services during the year. These Sundays are whole congregation experiences, and there is no transition time to leave for cooperative play. We do our best to support all our young people in service.
In the fall, we gather for a Water Ceremony and Backpack Blessing during service. Winter begins as we gather for Stone Soup, both in service and during Afterhour; this beloved tradition includes story, potluck and craft projects, most importantly community.
Our youth and children are invited each December to prepare songs for the Christmas Eve multi-generational service. We gather in January for Wheels of Time service, where we recognize special events from the past year, like weddings, births, graduations and deaths.
In late winter our high school youth prepare a service, which is led by these engaged teens.
Spring brings our Multigenerational Service of Flower Communion, followed by our Spring Egg Hunt. The Faith Formation year closes with our Life Span service, which include COA credos, High School Senior Bridging, Child Dedications and Faith Formation Volunteer Recognitions.
During Summer months we enjoy special programs that are not sequential. Summer brings back One Service with After Hour time in our Outdoor Classroom.