Children

Nursery and Childcare

For infants and very young children
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sunshine Nursery

Volunteers provide tender loving care for babies and children while parents are attending church and adult education. Our nursery provides picture books, a crib, art supplies, music and a host of toys.
If you would like to help out in the nursery, please contact Dianne Barnes in the church office (215-887-1765 or DianneMotzBarnes@aol.com).

Good Shepherds' Ministry

For ages three - second grade
September 2007 through May 2008
During the 10:00 a.m. service except the first Sunday each month when children worship with their families
Place: The Atrium in the Undercroft
Facilitators: Laurel Mosteller, Gayle O'Keefe, Virginia Trimble

Our Good Shepherds' Ministry is a spiritual formation program for our youngest children using the "Godly Play" approach, developed by Jerome Berryman. It is an experiential approach where children and adults use all their senses to learn and love the story. In this hands-on method, stories such as "The Deep Well", "The Mustard Seed", and "The Good Samaritan" are explored through the use of visual aids. Godly Play also helps the children become familiar with and appreciate the seasons of the Church's liturgy.

One of the goals of Godly Play is to create a safe place for children where their ideas, opinions and gifts are deeply respected. It teaches children the art of using religious language - parable, sacred story, silence and liturgical action - helping them become more fully aware of the mystery of God's presence in their lives. The children join their families in the church in time to receive communion together.

Older Elementary Class

For grades 3 - 5
September 2007 through May 2008
After the 10 a.m. service
In the Rectory Kitchen
Facilitators: Kimberly Wyszkowski and Abby Hartung


The inspiration for this class comes from the book Cooking with the Bible: Biblical Food, Feasts and Lore by the Rev. Rayner "Rusty" Hesse, Jr. (a chef and ordained Episcopal priest) and Anthony Chiffolo.

If food connects us to each other, to our families, and to our history, then Cooking With the Bible, helps to connect us to biblical stories and peoples. Selecting passages from Genesis through the Gospels, authors Chiffolo and Hesse first offer an accessible, easily understood commentary on the context of each story and then, using easily found ingredients, create menus with recipes to invoke the meal highlighted in the selected passage.

Along with the Bible lessons, Kimberly (who used to teach cooking in New York) will teach the children basic culinary arts and important life skills such as kitchen safety, using recipes, nutrition and cooking. By year-end, each child will have assembled his or her very own Bible-based culinary arts manual.

This class also uses Seasons of the Spirit which brings the week's common lectionary readings into their lesson.

Younger Elementary Class and St. Cecilia Choir

For ages 4 - second grade
September 2007 through May 2008
After the 10 a.m. service
Room 13 (lower level of Parish House)
Facilitators: Kelli Gottemoller, Joan Harkinson, Sue Magill, Amy Wall, and Caroline Williams


After a snack, the children in this group go to choir practice for about 15 or 20 minutes and then to the Younger Elementary Class for about 30 minutes. They will be using the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum, which explores the mystery and meaning of the Bible through the weekly lectionary readings. At each lesson the children will learn about the same passages they heard during the worship service. They will have opportunities to learn at an age-appropriate level through imagination, discussion, and activities about the life of Jesus and how the Church celebrates his life in the cycle of the Church year. The children enter into the readings using the Bible, tradition, science, technology, and the arts.

Parents pick up their children from the Younger Elementary Class after the Adult Education session has ended.

website design and content copyright 2006 by aj olson, heather o'donnell, & pat sampson.
technical difficulties or inquiries: email us