Children’s Ministries at St. Matthew's seeks to teach our children how God’s Word revealed in Jesus Christ is relevant to their lives today. Bible classes are offered for toddlers through 6th graders, with memorable stories from both the Old and New Testaments and activities designed for varied learning styles and ages. The teaching methods used are designed to increase retention and help children apply timeless Bible truths to their lives. Classes take place on Sunday mornings at 9:15 and children whose parents are in worship while they are in Bible class are dismissed in time to join the congregation for Holy Communion.

Catechesis of The Good Shepherd
This fall, we introduce an expanded spiritual formation program for children featuring Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. In this, our third year of offering this extremely successful ministry of religious formation for our children, we will be introducing Level III, for children in 4th through 6th Grade, as well as Young Lambs, a toddlers program that introduces young children to the Catechesis way of learning. We will continue Level I, for children 3 1/2 through Kindergarten, and Level II, for children in 1st through 3rd Grades.

Children gather in their “atrium,” a room prepared for them, which contains simple yet beautiful materials that they use. You may be wondering how these materials help the religious life of children? If an adult hears a beautiful passage from the Bible, the adult might take a Bible, find the passage, and read it slowly again and again. He or she may think deeply about the words and perhaps speak to God in a thankful or hopeful prayer. But a little child, sometimes too young to read or comprehend the passage in its fullness, needs another way. In an atrium the child can ponder a biblical passage or a prayer from the liturgy by taking the material for that text and working with it — placing wood figures of sheep in a sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, setting sculpted apostles around a Last Supper table, or preparing a small altar with the furnishings used for the Eucharist. Older children who do read often copy parables from the Bible, lay in order written prayers from the rite of baptism, or label a long time line showing the history of the kingdom of God.

Children join the congregation at The Peace to participate in the Eucharist.To learn more about The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, please visit the Catechesis web site at www.cgsusa.org.

Nursery
A nursery, staffed by parent volunteers, is provided on Sundays for children age 3 and under during our 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services. Parents are welcome to take advantage of this service, or to keep their children with them during the liturgy. Children in the Nursery also join their parents for communion.

Dedicated Volunteers
Your children’s Bible class teachers and worship leaders are volunteers from our parish who have a heart for Jesus and a passion for passing on the love of Christ to our children. You may join the Children’s Ministries leadership team by volunteering as a teacher or praise crew leader, providing snacks, or assisting in the classroom or chapels. It is only through the dedicated efforts of more than 30 Children’s Ministries volunteers that we are able to provide these vital ministries to our children.

Parents Role in Children's Ministries
We are partners with you in your child’s religious education, but you have the greatest influence on their lives and the greatest impact on their faith. We encourage you to bring your child to church each Sunday, and ask them what they are learning in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Parents are also welcome to visit their child's atrium at any time.

For information about Children’s & Youth Ministry at St. Matthew’s, contact Judy Baird, Program Director, at 614-882-2706, ext. 25, or jbaird@stmattsanglican.org.