Children and Youth
St. Mark’s offers programming for students ages K4 through high school during the school year, and nursery care for infants and toddlers from 9 a.m.–11 a.m. year-round. All programming for children and youth takes place on the second floor. Safeguarding God’s Children is a national program put out by Church Pension Group that helps in the education and training for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse in everyday life and in ministry. All St. Marks clergy, parents, youth workers, Vestry members, congregation members who are responsible for protecting children, employees of churches and church organizations, and volunteers responsible for planning, implementing or supervising ministries, activities or programs for children and youth, have participated in this program.
If attending Sunday School, Sunday Exploration, or bringing children to the nursery, we recommend arriving at St. Mark’s about 10 minutes early so you will have plenty of time to find your way around.
For parents and children who do not wish to join a Sunday School group or use our nursery services, children are always welcome to attend worship services at St. Mark’s. Each Sunday, a coloring page and crayons are available at the back of the church.
Sunday School
Sunday School is provided for children K4 through 4th grade. Everyone meets with their teachers during the first part of Sunday Worship beginning at 9:30 a.m., and each group will have an age-appropriate activity and lesson about our faith each week, finishing in time to join their families in church for Communion. Throughout the year, the children also participate in special projects and activities, such as our Christmas Pageant in December and a variety of activities during the Easter season.
Contact: Ginny Schrag
Sunday Exploration
Middle school and high school kids (grades 5 through 12) meet beginning at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the Gathering Room. This year they are exploring prayers in the church. The middle and high school students plan projects and activities with their leaders.
Contact: Jackie Adams
Children’s Chapel
Children’s Chapel takes place on the first Sunday of the month. The Sunday School and Sunday Exploration gather together for an age-appropriate worship service that they both experience and participate in. It’s a service complete with music, reading from the Bible, and prayers.
Contact: Ginny Schrag
Adult Formation
The Adult Formation Committee plans educational opportunities for adults. They host Mark’s Bistro during the school year on Thursday evenings. Mark’s Bistro features food, conversation, and Christian formation for adults. The Bistro meets for a delicious dinner, followed by an opportunity for learning and lively discussion about the topic for the week. All are welcome to join as they explore a variety of issues and how they relate to the life of faith. The committee also hosts educational forums after the service on Sunday mornings.
Contact: Michelle Mooney
Education for Ministry (EfM)
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four-year distance learning certificate program in theological education based upon small-group study and practice. EfM helps the faithful encounter the breadth and depth of the Christian tradition and bring it into conversation with their experiences of the world as they study, worship, and engage in theological reflection together. EfM meets weekly at St. John’s on the Lake, Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m.
Contact: Bill Stotts