Children and Youth
2024 Christmas Pageant
Join us in telling the story of the birth of Christ and the hope and love that he brings to the world even today!
Do you have a child or youth interested in participating in the Christmas Pageant? We welcome all children and youth from Pre-K-12th grade. Long time members, first time visitors, and everyone in between - are invited to participate. Younger children may also take part, with an adult helper in costume too!
We have roles for everyone – speaking and non-speaking and even some roles where they don’t have to be seen (the camels are a great way to be incognito!)
Rehearsals will be Sunday, December 8, 15, and 22 during Sunday School time (approx. 10:15 to 11:00 AM) with the rehearsal on the 22nd lasting until 1:30 PM with a pizza lunch!
The pageant will be during the 5 PM Christmas Eve service.
Please fill out form linked in the button below. It includes a section to tell us a bit more about your children and youth. Knowing a bit more about them will help us make the practices and pageant fun for all!
About Our Program
Happy, Healthy, Whole
St. Mary's has an active children and youth program. Key to our programs is the understanding that a healthy faith life contributes to happy, healthy, whole people. Our programs are designed to build healthy faith in our young people. Spiritual health is a key component of overall health. In these times of increased anxiety and mental health struggles, the spiritual foundation and engagement found at St. Mary’s is a tool and connecting point that offers community, stability, and direction.
In keeping with our Episcopal faith, our curriculum is focused on welcoming, honoring, and valuing the image of God in each person. Questions and curiosity are encouraged! Beginning with our nursery, we share the love of God, offering a safe, engaging environment where they are known and loved.
All baptized members are full members of the Body of Christ, therefore, our children and youth are encouraged to participate in the many ministries of St. Mary's, either with their families, or when appropriate, as individuals. We also have several educational and fellowship activities geared towards the various age groups.
Please join us for Sunday School at the end of the 9:30 service. All children are welcome to join at any point during the year.
Our 2024-2025 Program Year
Sunday School at a Glance
St. Mary's offers a comprehensive Christian education program for children and youth beginning at infancy. Our curriculum includes Weaving God’s Promises, Feasting on the Word, and the Journey to Adulthood program. During the school year, children and youth join everyone in church for most of the service and leave at the recessional hymn. While adults stay in the church for the lessons and sermon, the children and youth are in Sunday School until 11:05 AM.
The 2024-2025 Classes:
Pre-K (final year of preschool) - 2nd grade
3rd-5th graders
Rite 13 6th & 7th graders
J2A -8th & 9th graders
PAC (Pilgrimage and Confirmation) 10th & 11th graders
Mark Your Calendars now for our annual Christmas Caroling Adventure!
On Sunday, December 22, we will start by gathering as families at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Coburg Road, from 5 to 6:15 p.m. We will chat, have dinner, and go over the caroling plan. We will then caravan over to The Springs at Greer Garden, 1282 Goodpasture Island Rd, Eugene, for caroling fun from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
After caroling, our 6th through 12 graders will have their traditional Gather Youth Fellowship White Elephant Gift Exchange, cookies and cocoa, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Barnhart’s house. Please message us for the address if you do not have it!
Children’s Choirs
Joyful Noise Choir is for children and youth 3rd grade on up. They sing once a month at the 9:30 service. Rehearsals are from 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM every week (during the school year), with a once-a-month pizza lunch! Parents of motivated younger children should contact the director, Linnae Eckley, at leckley7@gmail.com, about joining.
Cherub Choir is for our youngest members. It is woven into Sunday School, with some music time woven into class time.
3 months to 4 years old: Nursery
9:00-11:00 AM
Our nursery is staffed by professional caregivers and is the first place where young people and their parents can feel welcome, safe, and loved. We encourage creative play, arts, and books that introduce our youngest members to the story of God’s love for them and for our world. Childcare is also available during special evening events for families by request.
Pre-K-2nd grade (grade levels may change each year)
During the 9:30 a.m. service during the program year.
At the start of the 9:30 a.m. service in the summer.
This class uses the Episcopal Curriculum “Weaving God’s Promises.” It is based on age-appropriate bible stories about God’s relationship with humankind. Children are introduced to biblical characters from the Old (Hebrew Scriptures) and New Testament with a different emphasis in each of the three-year cycles. Young people also learn about the saints, special feast days, what we do together in church (communion, prayers, baptism, etc. as well as the seasons of the church year.
3rd-5th grade (grade levels may change each year)
During the 9:30 a.m. service during the program year.
At the start of the 9:30 a.m. service in the summer.
This class uses the Episcopal Curriculum “Feasting on the Word” that follows the Revised Common Lectionary with the same scripture selections used in church on Sundays. At this level, young people are starting to have more conversations around who God is and what we are discovering about God and God’s relationship with us based on Sunday scripture readings. This is the beginning of more advanced thinking and wondering about who God is, how God acts in our lives, how we choose to act, and who we choose to be in response.
6th and 7th grade (Rite-13) (grade levels do change each year)
During the 9:30 a.m. service during the program year.
Monthly Gather Youth Fellowship events for socializing, community building, food and fun!
This class is the first to use the Episcopal curriculum, “Journey to Adulthood.” This curriculum focuses on the transition to young adulthood with a focus on three main areas: Self (Who am I?), Society (Who are those around me?), and Spirituality (Who is God?) and the interplay of all three of these areas in discovering, forming, and growing our identities as beloved children of God. Youth in this class prepare for a Rite-13 ceremony connected to their 13th birthday as the church community recognizes and affirms the difficulty, growth, and joy of this important transition in the lives of these teens and their families.
8th and 9th grade (Journey to Adulthood, J2A) (grade levels do change each year)
During the 9:30 a.m. service during the program year.
Monthly Gather Youth Fellowship events for socializing, community building, food and fun!
The focus on the three areas of Self, Society, and Spirituality continues. Teens are exposed to different spiritual practices and are encouraged to explore relationships between faith and issues important to them in our world today, ie. social justice, creation care, moral and ethical decision-making, etc. This class continues its affirmation and exploration of questions, doubts, and wonders about this time of identity, faith formation and differentiation in their teenage lives.
10th and 11th grade (Pilgrimage and Confirmation, P.A.C.) (grade levels do change each year)
Monthly Gather Youth Fellowship events for socializing, community building, food and fun!
This class continues with the Journey to Adulthood curriculum and the second year of the program focuses on preparation for confirmation and a group pilgrimage, a spiritual journey taken to discover and form faith lives of their own.
