Our Godly Play room is a special place for children where they can explore their faith. We believe it is sacred space that will help children know God, not just learn about God. It is a discovery teaching method engaging the whole child; heart, mind, hands, senses, and intuition. We invite the children to discover what the biblical story means for them and to respond to their own thoughts and creativity.
Godly Play is appropriate for children from Preschool-aged to 12 years old.
Check in for Godly Play begins at 10:00, and our session starts at 10:15.
The Godly Play room will be open at 10:00 with that Sunday’s designated team.
Please arrive before 10:15 for children to be ready for Godly Play and for the adults to prepare for worship in the main sanctuary.
Children will rejoin families in the church worship service at the Eucharist.
If you arrive late, the Doorperson will meet you outside the door to let your child in. If the story has already started, your child will sit with the Doorperson at the table so the circle is not interrupted. The Storyteller will be able to share the any parts of the story missed with your child at the circle during work-time.
What Happens in Godly Play…
The Godly Play room is designed for children. We try to keep everything on their level. For this reason and for your child’s safety, the only two adults in the room are the Storyteller and the Doorperson.
Each child is greeted by the Doorperson and invited to join the circle.
We ask parents to say goodbye at the door outside of the classroom. If your child is new or hesitant, our well-trained Doorperson and Storyteller will help your child feel welcome. Be assured that if your child is having a hard time our team will reach out to the parents or caregiver.
The story circle is sacred space. Once the story begins, we want children to engage with the story with as few distractions as possible. For that reason, children who arrive late will stay at the table with the Doorperson until the story is over. We also ask that all cellphones be left at home or with parents.
The story is a special time to listen and wonder. After the story, the Storyteller invites the children to reflect with words or in silence.
Following storytime there is creative response time. We encourage children to choose what they will do and work on their own at the tables or at the story circle. Any work unfinished or still wet will be left in the room until the following week when there will be time to finish.
We then pray and celebrate the feast. Children serve, and each child will receive a napkin, gluten-free cracker, and cup of water. We pray before we eat.
At the end of the session, children leave the circle one at a time and gather by the door with the Doorperson to be led back into the worship service for Eucharist, usually during the peace. If the Eucharistic liturgy has already started, children will sit together with the Doorperson in the back of the church near the nursery until their caregivers gather them to participate in Eucharist.
The Storyteller and Doorperson are available after the worship service. Look for us in the greeting area after the worship service to talk, answer any questions, or give a tour of the Godly Play room.
For more information about this program check out the Godly Play website here or if you have any questions contact us.