Healthy connections to the community and our shared stories

Children’s Programming at St. Luke

St. Luke’s children’s program is a wonderful way for our youngest members to make lasting friendships with each other and with caring adults.  Our curriculum finds meaning in the old stories that come to us from the Bible, the earth and each other.

St. Luke’s focus on children and youth.  “Inspire more children and youth to lives of spiritual depth, wholeness, compassion and engagement with the world.”  This is one of St. Luke’s seven new key strategies that will drive planning for the 2009-2010 program year and beyond.  Our new Associate Pastor of Children’s, Youth, and Family Programs at St. Luke will help us develop and implement programs and activities to support children and their families in their faith journeys.  St. Luke is a community where families can grow together.

 Education Hour.  Sunday school runs from 9:15-10:15 am.  We start in the east room with gathering time, then split into three classes (preschool, K-2 and 3-4, with 5th graders choosing to help the younger classes or participate in the oldest class).  Elementary classes attend workshops—cooking, science, games, storytelling, arts or music—learning a single Bible story in a variety of ways. Preschoolers meet every other Sunday, starting September 20, with Martha Williams coordinating parents for teaching.

September 20 to October 11.  Our first unit will be about the great patriarch and matriarch of the Hebrew story, Abraham and Sarah.  Teachers will be Peg Keenan and Bev Ryther.  Todd Lindberg will coordinate.

October 18 to November 22.  A six-week unit on the story of Joseph, Abraham and Sarah’s great-grandson, will culminate in a mini-musical written and produced by the children, to be performed during worship on Children’s Sabbath, November 22.  Creative direction will come from AJ Pratt with musical direction from Jenna Williams and Chris Horgan, and support from Cindy Lowe and Tamara Rogers.

November 29 to December 20.  A unit on Christmas Around the World will be coordinated by Jennifer Kirk.  Contact her if you have a special holiday tradition from another country that you can share with the children.

 Activities
Faith Partners.  Children and adults are paired up for special attention:  friendly Sunday greetings, birthday wishes, occasional outings.  Call the office to sign your child up for his or her very own faith friend.

Intergeneration Dance - February 13, 6:00-10:00

Easter Party - March 28

 Our wonderful volunteers
We have an incredible group of volunteers who have been working extra hard between pastors.  A big thank you to all of them!  With the excitement of a new program year and the leadership of our new associate pastor, you’ll want to be part of the action at St. Luke.  Please consider volunteering to teach, lead a craft at Gift-Making Workshop, be a Faith Friend, help with the pageant, or offer an idea of your own to share.  Call the St. Luke office (952-473-7378) to get your name on the list (goal: 100 volunteers!) to support our new associated pastor in children, youth and family work.

If you have questions or comments or would like to get involved in any of the activities above, please contact Karen Larson, Children’s Elder for the St. Luke Session, at 952-475-4432 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 Contact person for children’s education: Jennifer Kirk.

 Next Meeting:  September 17 at 7:30 pm