Education Children are welcome in all Episcopal Churches. Different congregations offer different programs for children. At some congregations, children participate in Godly Play, the state of the art program for spiritual formation of children using Montessori-like models. Other congregations offer Living the Good News, a Bible-based program with age appropriate sessions based on developmental psychology. Other congregations make up their own program. Look around. We hope you will find the congregation with the right approach for your child.

 All our education programs aim to strengthen children’s capacity for spiritual experience and give them the raw materials of our stories. Our classes are not intended to indoctrinate a child in a rigid system of thought. When we baptize little ones we pray that God will give them “an inquiring and discerning heart.” That’s what they develop in our classes.

Worship We welcome children in the whole life of the church, including worship. Children are free to participate in all our worship services, but some congregations offer special services for families with young children. These especially kid friendly times of prayer make for a family bonding experience and are spiritually enriching for the parents too. In our regular services, there is still a role for children to play. Some serve as acolytes helping at the altar, others read Scripture lessons, act as ushers, take the elements to the altar, sing in choirs, and participate in other ways that give them a sense of full inclusion and respect. All baptized children are welcome to receive Communion, but we also have First Communion services for families who follow that tradition.

Camp One of the best parts of our children’s program is Camp Galilee. Our kids from all over the state and even in Arizona go each summer to the shores of Lake Tahoe for fun, fellowship, and faith. Check it out at www.galileetahoe.org. Our professionally managed camp, with trained counselors, a camp nurse, and a bona fide chef in the kitchen, is a rare treat at a bargain price. One week each summer, we have Family Camp, an intergenerational experience for the whole family. Yes, that includes grandparents.

Making Transitions In Young Lives We mark transitions in children’s lives with special observances: thanksgiving for a birth or adoption; baptism; Rite 13 for entry into adolescence; and confirmation, not to mention birthday blessings, backpack blessings before the new school year, the blessing of pets on St. Francis Day, and others. Our church is a special place to be a child.