Young people are more than the future of the Church–they are an important part of the Church right now. For this reason, we make children and youth ministry a high priority. Though we are a smaller church, we offer many programs and opportunities for young people to grow in Christian faith and responsibility. We also work to make our regular worship services accessible for young people and work to include them as much as we can. Here are some of the ministries to children and youth our church is involved in:
Nursery
Children aged 0 – 5 are cared for by nursery volunteers during the 10 a.m. Sunday service. The nursery is open all year, but only staffed from September to June.
Our Nursery
Parents are welcome to stay with their child(ren) if they wish, as the service can be heard through a loudspeaker in the nursery room. Of course, children are always welcome to remain in the worship service according to the parent(s) wishes.
Nursery is currently not staffed during the 3rd Sunday of each month, but remains open if parents wish to remain with their children.
Sunday School
Meeting in the classrooms on the lower level of the church, we provide Christian instruction for children ages 5 to 12. These classes are staffed by dedicated teachers and assistants, and take place during our 10 am Sunday services. The Sunday School season lasts from September through June, with a short break at Christmas & New Year.
Those wishing to bring their child(ren) to Sunday School should bring them to the beginning of the 10 a.m. service, where the rector prays for the kids before they head off to Sunday School. They are brought back upstairs by their teachers in time for them to take communion (if desired by their parents).
Roughly once per month (from September to June), we also schedule a family service during the 10 am Sunday service. This is a special worship time, which follows the same basic format as our regular service, but in a simpler and more youth-friendly way. Here, children lead the readings and prayers and we feature a children’s talk rather than a grown-up sermon. The family service gives parents the opportunity to worship together with their children, and allows the adults of the congregation to enjoy participating in our kids’ faith development. Please contact the church to find out when our next family service is scheduled.
Youth Group
Our youth group is open to young people ages 12 – 18, and meets from September to June. In youth group, we grow in faith, enjoy time with friends, and have a lot of fun. Our group meets during the 10 am Sunday services, downstairs during Sunday school time. We also help out with family services, which take place on the 2nd Sunday of each month during our 10 am service.
We also meet once a month on Friday for “Youth Underground”, a project undertaken in co-operation with other churches in the area. We travel to different churches or locales for each meeting, and share responsibility for leadership among the participating churches. This typically meets at the 2nd Friday of each month, with a break over the summer.
Playgroup
Christ Church hosts a playgroup, for kids aged 6 and under and their caregivers. It is open from 9 am – 12 pm, and takes place every Tuesday, in the lower hall of the church. The playgroup is a drop-in meeting, where parents & caregivers (including daycare workers) can meet for companionship and conversation while their children enjoy supervised play. This is offered free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it.
The program is fully supervised, and is run by the Ontario Early Years Centre (a branch of the provincial government). They provide staffing, while the church supplies the space, toys and some materials. Resources are also available for parents wishing to learn more about early childhood development, nutrition, education, and other issues important in child-rearing. For more information, please contact the church or the Cornwall Early Years Centre (Tel. 613-930-9211).
