Church School for Children
Our 2026-2027 Church School program includes Music Chapel with Gretchen Dekker followed by Story Time (Godly Play) for younger children and Lesson Time (Living Discipleship: Exploring the Bible) for older children.
Review our Sunday schedule for children and families HERE.
What is Godly Play?
Godly Play is a Montessori-inspired spiritual formation program that passes on the Christian faith through story, parable, ritual and silence. Here at St. John, young people ages 3-6 are invited into the sacred space where they can simply be with God and with others as the scripture stories of God give meaning to their own lives.
Godly Play meets Sundays following Communion during the 10AM service.
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Here at St. John we seek to build up a mixed-age circle of children and youth, from preschool through early elementary school, who grow alongside one another in the knowledge and love of God.
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A typical session includes gathering, sharing a feast (snack), hearing sacred stories, wondering together about them in community, and responding through art materials, play or meditation.
Godly Play was designed to provide ample space for young people to explore the stories of God and their own spiritual lives.
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The Godly Play framework has served St. John families for more than a decade (and now is practiced in more than fifty countries!).
The spring and summer of 2022 were times of reinvestment and renewal in St. John’s Godly Play. Thanks to the generosity of time, talent and treasure of a few people, we began the 2022-2023 program year with:
*eight wooden shelves built as an Eagle Scout project, improving the aesthetics and functionality of the original Godly Play room
*more than thirty new stories from across Godly Play’s eight volumes, given in memory of a loved one
*hand-sewn desert bags for the stories of God’s people in the desert
*fresh art supplies and a new meditation corner
We are grateful for this growth and investment in our young people. All of this growth builds on the early days of Godly Play at St. John, when shelves were gathered, materials were purchased or made by members. Devoted storytellers have provided stability of leadership over the years and care of the prepared environment.
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Godly Play meets Sundays following Communion during the 10AM service.
QUESTIONS?
New to Godly Play or have questions? Contact our Godly Play Administrator, Tory Dunkle, at secretary@stjohnyork.org.