Children, Youth & Families
Children are important to St.Helen’s and they (along with their noises and their wanderings) are always welcome at any of our services. We have a special children’s corner with toys, colouring pages, books, and some extra floor space – children and their grown-ups are welcome to sit there or to take material to their seats anywhere in the church.
Sunday School
From September to June, Sunday School is offered every Sunday during the 10am service in a “one-room school” format. We welcome kids ages 4+ – younger children can come too but they need to bring their own grown-up with them. Sunday School teachers greet children on arrival, welcoming them into the Grace Room (the room right inside the church, with a window and door onto the sanctuary). They rejoin their grown-ups during the offertory hymn.
Our Sunday School curriculum is written by our priest, the Ven. Rhonda Waters. Each month, the children focus on one story with a different activity offered each week. Repeating the stories helps children learn more deeply and the variety of activities keeps things interesting! Music, crafts, games, tea parties, and gardening – you never know just what you might get to do in Sunday School!
Our Sunday School teachers include our clergy and a team of dedicated volunteers. Two adults are present with the Sunday School each week and everyone involved has an up-to-date police check.
Training and mentorship is provided for adults interested in participating in this ministry.
"Parties For Children & Their Grown-Ups
Throughout the year, we hold special events for children and their grown-ups. These Parties are a chance for folks to learn together, get to know each other, and have some fun outside of Sunday morning limits.
If you have any questions about Christian formation for your children or would like to contribute to St. Helen’s ministry with children, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with Rhonda, by email or by phoning the office.
Youth
Our Youth Group meets irregularly throughout the year — and that term “youth” is difficult to define. We mix fun events and more focused events as we have time, interest, and space.
Focused conversations have led to Confirmation in the past, and those conversations still need a place to continue after people are confirmed so, about once-per-month, after our 10am service, the Youth get together to continue those conversations. This can take place through informal discussions, or the more intense “Hot Seat” events, where a selected adult is grilled by the youth present about anything they can think to ask.
Also about once per month, we get together to eat and watch a movie, then we discuss that movie, thinking about how that movie views the world, how Christians view the world, and whether those two opinions have anything to say to each other.
Keep an eye out for upcoming events!