CHILDREN

Children's programs resume on September 28!

9:30am Good Shepherd Atrium (ages 3-6) in the Narthex; children return to families at The Peace.

9:30am True Vine Atrium (ages 7+) near the cafeteria windows; children sit with families during the service.

10am Mustard Seed Atrium (nursery, ages 0-3) in the Courtyard

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY BLOG

We are a multigenerational church and welcome children as full participants in our community. Adults are practicing hospitality by welcoming the noise and wiggles of our youngest worshipers; children are practicing reverence by using whispers and quiet movements. We’re all practicing becoming like little children in God’s kingdom! We place a high emphasis on children's inclusion in worship for several reasons:

Including kids reminds us that church is not a performance, but a participation in God's kingdom. While it's great to listen quietly to a sermon or take in a beautiful liturgy, that's also one of the least effective ways to grow as Christians, and tempts us to view church through a consumerist lens. Instead, mature faith is formed in us as we actively practice the life of the kingdom and the way of Jesus. And so babies' cries and toddlers' stomping feet become an invitation to practice self-giving love and sacrificial hospitality toward the most vulnerable people in our midst: the kids.
Including kids reminds us that God has a real, living relationship with people of all cognitive abilities. This includes children as well as people with disabilities. All baptized Christians have a real relationship with God, and all baptized Christians have real gifts to bring to the church. It's important that we practice making space for those gifts so that we learn how to better see and appreciate them.
Including kids connects us to the global church, and makes us hospitable to people who feel like outsiders. Most Christians in the world worship alongside children, as has the church for most of its history. Welcoming children's noise and wiggles connects us to the global church and helps our worship feel more hospitable to people from different backgrounds. Adults at Incarnation often report that our children's presence makes our worship feel more hospitable to them, too, particularly when they are weary and struggling. They know they can show up just as they are, because they see our children doing that each week.
We take our baptism vows seriously. When we baptize infants, we promise to raise them together in the household of faith. Every Sunday is an opportunity to make good on those promises.

Children of all ages are always welcome in the sanctuary, and we also offer the following programs:

MUSTARD SEED ATRIUM (AGES 0-3)

Nursery care for our youngest children is available at 10am in the courtyard. The nursery moves indoors to Room 142 in extreme weather, but most of the time we follow the adage “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing” and remain outdoors — please dress accordingly! All children should be picked up from the nursery during the Passing of the Peace.

In the case of insufficient volunteers, the nursery is available on a self-serve basis; parents may use the courtyard, but must remain with their children. There’s also a small “nursery nook” for parents to use in the sanctuary during worship.

GOOD SHEPHERD ATRIUM (AGES 3-6)

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (a Montessori-based faith formation program) begins at 9:30am in the foyer outside the sanctuary and continues during the service until The Peace.

TRUE VINE ATRIUM (AGES 7-12)

Older children meet for prayer and bible study at 9:30am by the windows at the far side of the sanctuary. When church begins, children may take the provided materials to their seats to worship with their families.

Note: The Atrium year begins each fall after our church retreat, ends at Pentecost (usually early June), and takes a break over the summer. We offer Wild Wonder from 9:30-10am every Sunday over the summer.

WILD WONDER (SUMMER, ALL AGES)

On Sundays during the summer, children of all ages gather for Wild Wonder at 9:30am before the service. Wild Wonder is led by different people in the congregation who share their many gifts with the children (including music, wilderness survival, dog obedience, tango, snake husbandry, and gardening to name a few). The children pray, sing, hear scripture, and explore God's wild world together before bringing their discoveries into church and worshiping with their families.

YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

Children of all ages are invited to participate in the service and help in various ways. Older children (7+) may serve as Acolytes (carrying the gospel book, lighting altar candles), Crucifers (carrying the cross), Readers, Communion Servers, and more. Teenagers may volunteer to help with the liturgy, A/V, and the Atrium as desired. For teenagers interested in attending a youth group, we can recommend several local churches' youth programs!

CHILD-LED SUNDAYS

Children and youth help lead the worship service on special occasions such as Christ the King and Pentecost. These services give the kids an opportunity to practice the rhythms of the liturgy and the adults an opportunity to learn from our children. Many in our congregation say these are their favorite Sundays!

PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN

We are committed to the safety and protection of our youngest members. All nursery, atrium, and youth volunteers have cleared a thorough background check and have been trained in child-safety practices, and we follow the child-protection policies of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic.