Formation for Children and Youth at Saint Mark’s
Formation Classes
At Saint Mark’s, we consider it a joy to share in the formation of children and youth as disciples of Christ. To that end, we offer a comprehensive formation program on Sunday mornings from September to June, from 10-10:45 a.m.
We believe that the Christian faith is strengthened through both teaching and the experiences of daily life. We are keen to encourage and facilitate continued faith formation at home, outside of Sunday morning, by providing helpful materials and resources. We hope, too, that children and youth will participate in Sunday worship and educational offerings on a regular basis, so that their spiritual lives are enriched as much as possible.
As a parish within the Episcopal tradition, the Anglican understanding of faith through the lenses of scripture, tradition, and reason naturally guides a vision of children and youth formation at Saint Mark’s. We pray that our formation offerings will aid children and youth in joining together both heart and mind in their Christian life journeys.
As such we seek to:
provide families with resources to engage in faith formation at home; introduce children to the Christian narrative and the church’s liturgical life through prayer, song, wonder, and play; give children a strong acquaintance with the Biblical text through engagement with Holy Scripture and individual, creative responses to Biblical stories; encourage youth to explore the meaning of the Christian faith in the context of Scripture, tradition, and reason, as well as to engage in opportunities for service and outreach.
Schola (ages 3-6)
Schola is a unique Christian formation program that combines music, games, and storytelling to explore the Christian faith. In Schola, children learn to make a joyful and beautiful noise to the Lord, learn simple songs to sing together with their classmates and also as a family at home. Schola is also when children begin to encounter the larger Bible narrative in a systematic way in Godly Play, an imaginative Montessori-based curriculum that emphasizes wonder and play in exploring the great stories of the faith. While Godly Play is rooted in Scripture, it is deeply liturgical and sacramental in its understanding of the Christian faith.
Elementary (ages 7-11)
This class offers an opportunity for children to gain a more hands-on familiarity with the Bible as a text, while continuing to gain a deeper appreciation of the overall Scriptural narrative in conjunction with basic theological concepts. Children are encouraged to delve more deeply into Bible passages using Storymakers, a curriculum that invites children to use their imagination to enter God’s story. Children will have the opportunity to be creative as they encounter Biblical stories and learn how to apply what they have learned to their own lives.
Youth (ages 12 and up)
Youth Confirmation classes are usually offered in the spring, in preparation for the bishop’s annual visitation. Classes are generally held on a weekday evening, to be determined in consultation with participants’ schedules. In Confirmation, youth publicly affirm their baptismal vows and make a mature profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, with an intention to lead a life of Christian discipleship by God’s grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
For more information on children and youth formation at Saint Mark’s, please contact Mother Mazur.
Liturgical Ministries for Children and Youth
Guild of Young Acolytes
All children who are 8 years of age and older are welcome to serve as acolytes for liturgies at Saint Mark’s. Participating in this ministry does not pose a conflict with participation in the Choir of Boys and Girls. Training is provided as needed to accommodate the schedules of children and youth. For more information on serving as an acolyte, please contact Mother Mazur.
Boy & Girl Choristers
The Boy & Girl Choristers provides children and youth ages 7 and up with outstanding professional choral training, music theory, leadership development, choir camps and trips, and a stipend for each chorister. It is also a vibrant means of Christian formation. Choristers participate as musicians on a regular basis at Mass and at Evensong and Benediction. For more information, please contact Donald Meineke, Organist & Choirmaster