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.
Select a Family Ministry Area to Learn More
Babies & Preschool
Loving, well-trained leaders care for newborns through 4 years at the 9am and 11am gatherings.
Parish Kids Elementary
Parish Kids is our space for Pre-K through 4th Grade students and is available at both the 9am and 11am gatherings.
Middle School
5th-6th and 7th-8th graders explore the story of Jesus over donuts during the 11am gathering.
High School
High Schoolers join the primary worship gathering on Sunday mornings and meet throughout the month in a cadence of small and large groups.
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)
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 (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.
Parish Kids (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 and 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 catechism 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).
