Family Programs for Spring 2012
High Seas Summer Adventure Camp
Set sail for a wild week of discovering God's love through snacks, crafts, games, songs, stories and fun with friends!
Who: Children age 3 to rising 5th graders; and lots of youth and adult volunteers!
When: August 6 -10, 9am to noon at St. John’s.
Cost: Only $50 per child or $100 per family for the whole week (Scholarships are available - contact Katie for more information).
Register: Registration forms are available at the church office, at Sunday coffee hour or you can print your own here. Don’t miss the boat: register by the priority deadline Friday, July 13th.
Volunteer: We need your help to make the adventure happen. Adults and youth entering 6th grade and older can sign up to help by being group leaders or activity leaders, bringing snacks, decorating and more. Print your volunteer form today!
For more information, contact our Youth and Family Minister, Katie Trinter at youth@stjohnsross.org.
RESULTS OF OUR FIRST-EVER FAMILY MINISTRY MINI-CONFERENCE
On Saturday, May 5, a group of parishioners from across the ministry spectrum met to playfully assess and evaluate our Family and Children's Ministry program. The morning mini-conference was full of good conversation, high hopes, and honest questions. Here's a few highlights:
WHAT ARE WE ALREADY DOING?
We asked the group to name all the things that we already do which include, involve, or pertain to Family and Children's Ministry. The list, in no particular order, is pretty extensive:
9am Family Service
Helping Hands
Couples Group
R.E.S.T Program
Parish Weekend
Youth Group
St Hildegard Choir
Parents’ Book Group
VBS Summer Camp
Godly Play
Mission Trips
Fundraisers
Coffee Cart
Summer picnics
Mill Street meal
Easter Baskets
Giving Tree
Christmas Pageant
Baptism
Confirmation
Communion
Special liturgies (including St Francis and Maundy Thursday)
Sunday 10am service (including acolytes, readers, prayer leaders)
WHAT ARE WE NOT DOING THAT WE WANT TO DO?
Among the good ideas that surfaced during this conversation were: Family Mission Trips, Focused Retreats (for moms, for dads, for families), and more creative, all-parish liturgies.
ONE-WORD APPRAISAL
At the end of the meeting we asked people to offer a one-word evaluation of the mini-conference. We think this list is so encouraging that it deserves to be carved in stone and laid at the foundation of some important building somewhere. Check it out:
Productive
Gratitude
Communicating
Expansive
Exciting
Connecting
Inspiring
Exploring
Fellowship
Enlightening
Fun
Thoughtful
Uplifting
Relational
Gratifying
Welcoming
KATIE AND STEVE'S TAKE-AWAYS:
Our long-term strategy is to build bench strength in the community so that our programs and ministries are expressions of our community's desires, resources, and interests (in conjunction with our overall mission as a Christian community). In the meantime, as the staff members who oversee Children, Youth, and Family Ministries, we (Fr. Steve and Katie) have begun working on these three areas which seem important to us, and which were identified as priorities at the mini-conference:
1. Ministry Map of the whole program:
•Identifying resources, opportunities, needs, and “sweet spots.”
•Showing the relationship between different areas of Family Ministry.
•Look for ways to improve system-wide management of the whole program.
2. Improve coordination between Family Ministry and other community and service opportunities.
3. Improve communication about Children and Family Ministry:
•Design information system that relates to ministry map (above).
•Plan program year with key dates, programs and plans in place.
•Communicate “early and often” to targeted family groups based on interest.
Family Programs Year-Round
Children's Choir
September - May
Our Children's Choir serves two aims: providing children with a foundational education in music and singing; and incorporating children into worship in an intentional way. The choir rehearses once a week and leads the congregation in singing at or 10am service once a month. Click here to learn more about the program and the incomparable leadership of Dr. Lenore Alford.
Christmas Pageant
December
The Christmas Pageant is an annual tradition in the church and is widely regarded to be the best thing that came out of the Middle Ages. Children and youth, under the direction of adult leaders and in cooperation with the children's choir, tell the story of Jesus' birth.
Parish Weekend
Late Summer
At the Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg: an all-ages weekend of fun, fellowship, and faith formation. Click here for more.
Ongoing Family Ministry Programs
September - May
Under the general heading of "Spirituality of Parenting," we offer book groups, classes and discussion groups for parents and families of all kinds to support one another in the demanding and miraculous work of raising children. Click here for the upcoming events schedule, or contact Fr. Steve to learn more.
Intergenerational Worship
Every Sunday at 9am
This weekly gathering is designed especially for families with young children, though we have found that it works for anyone who likes to be part of the action! Together we participate in making music, telling stories, sharing prayers, and building community by breaking bread together. All ages are welcome - adults and children will find meaning and value in participating in worship together.
St. John's Ross
14 Lagunitas Ave. (at Shady Lane) | P.O. Box 217 | Ross, CA 94957 | (415) 456-1102 | contact us