Family Ministry at The Parish endeavors to care for parents, children, and teens as they walk together in the way of Jesus. We take seriously the privilege of coming alongside parents as they apprentice their children in God’s family.
To protect children, all Parish Family Ministry volunteers are background-checked and receive extensive training. If you’d prefer, children are always welcome to stay with their parents/guardians in the worship service.
learn about each family ministry area
Family Ministry
Parish Kids
Stages of Formation
Our Parish Kids stages draw cues from an ancient model of spiritual formation first outlined by Teresa of Avila in her classic The Interior Castle. Each room/area of Parish Kids is named after a stage in the classic spiritual journey of formation which also echoes their development as growing people. The stage names are adapted from Mansions of the Heart, a book aimed to modernize Teresa of Avila’s model.
- New Beginnings (in the family of Jesus)
- Follow (the way of Jesus)
- Discover (the love of Jesus)
New Beginnings – Babies & Walkers (Infants – 2’s)
As all new beginnings bring wonder and joy, so do our youngest children in The Parish. One level below the sanctuary, the babies and walkers wing is led by loving, well-trained volunteers.
Follow – Preschool (Older 2’s – Younger 4’s)
Our preschool children have a kid-friendly environment with age-appropriate toys and caring leaders. We call this area Follow because it is a life stage of learning by imitation. In this stage, children learn together to follow the early stepping stones along the way of Jesus.
Discover – Elementary (Pre-K – 4th Grade)
We emphasize discovery for our Pre-K through 4th graders because they are in a life stage that invites them to awaken more deeply to life with God. Curiosity and excitement mark the journey through this formative phase of growing, so we laugh, play, and adventure through God’s Big Story to discover the love Jesus has for us.
Our Parish Kids model is based on “storying”, which creates space for students to hear, embody, and explore a story from Scripture told in everyday language. Each week, after a time of singing and stories, kids break into age-based groups to build friendships and practice simple habits they can use to cultivate life with God. Toward the end of the morning, elementary kids are guided back into the main gathering to join parents for communion and closing prayers.
Our Parish Kids teachers and small group leaders generously commit to being with the kids multiple weeks per month over the school year. It’s a big commitment, but we think consistency makes a real difference as our leaders cultivate meaningful relationships with the kids in their small groups each week.
5th & 6th
5th and 6th graders sit in the transitional space between elementary and middle school. As they ask different questions and bring different maturity than both their younger and older peers, we have a dedicated space just for them during the 11 am gathering only. Over donuts and age-appropriate conversation, we explore the life of Jesus in the context of their lives.
Family Ministry
Parish Youth
7th & 8th Graders meet Sunday mornings during the 11 am service only in a casual, small-group environment. This area engages our home-grown spiritual formation curriculum, A Big Enough Story. Together, we explore the five major acts of Scripture to see how God is at work to rescue and renew his good Story, and how we have a role to play in that.
Parish Youth creates intentional spaces for teenagers as they navigate the final chapters of life before adulthood. We believe teens hunger for both belonging and formation, so we alternate between small and large group contexts to encourage both.
- Small Groups: High School Small Groups (grades 9-12) gather in multiple locations around the area every other week. These provide spaces for connection, spiritual practice, group discussion, and sharing a meal in a relaxed, relational environment.
- Large Gatherings: Once per month, Middle & High School students (grades 7-12) meet for a combined youth gathering. Over food and fun, we worship together, learn the way of Jesus through teaching, practice, and discussion, and build deeper community.
We also encourage our high schoolers to participate in the main worship gathering on Sunday mornings. Each Sunday morning, we provide donuts for a High School Hangout time in between gatherings (approximately 10:20-10:50am in the sanctuary).
Our Catechism for teens is called Rooted: Good Soil for the Christian Story.
It involves three parts that will together prepare our students to take this important step:
- A Catechism Retreat that focuses on building a theological framework that will grow with you.
- Six sessions paired with a mentor to walk with you through how God is coming to you in your real life.
- A leadership experience that can give you a space in our community to practice and grow in your spiritual gifts.
To learn more, please fill out this interest form.
