The nursery is available for children from infancy through four years old. It is open Sunday mornings from 8:45 a.m. through the end of the 11:30 a.m. service. Families who wish to do so may bring their children into the later part of the church service to participate in the Eucharist. We also have a “PrayGround” area at the back of the sanctuary for families with young children to use during the service.
In the Trinity Nursery, two or more experienced caregivers offer loving care to our children. Filled with toys, books and craft materials, the nursery is a cheerful area with an atmosphere of warmth and fun. The children look forward to being in the nursery during services. The nursery is also used during evening meetings and church functions so that parents with young children may, more easily, participate in the full life and ministry of the church.
Our goal is to offer the children a safe, nurturing Christian environment, and to provide their parents the comfort and opportunity to pursue their own spiritual enrichment. Caregivers have passed a background check and have completed a diocesan training session called “Safeguarding God’s Children.” The nursery is also free from nuts (peanut and tree nut) during the church services to ensure the safety and well-being of all our children. The nursery is cleaned after each use and masks are encouraged for children ages 2 and older.
For more information about the nursery you may contact our nursery coordinator, Kim Clay.
Children’s Chapel is offered during the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service. Designed for children ages 4-9, Children’s Chapel is a place where young people can understand the liturgy in an age-appropriate way, helping them to grow as faithful Christians.
Children’s Chapel is more than an excuse to leave “big” (and sometimes “boring”) church. It is more than a rest for parents who need a break from squirmy children. It is an opportunity to experience God in another, sacred way. It is the chance for children to be children and to come to Christ, as they are, worshiping in a space that has been set apart for them.
The structure of the Children’s Chapel time parallels the happenings in the sanctuary. After the second reading in the service, following adult guides, children process to the chapel upstairs during the Sequence hymn before the Gospel reading. Once there, they sing songs, hear the Gospel story and a short reflection on the reading. Prayers of petition and thanksgiving are offered, many of the prayers coming from the children themselves. The children then return to “big” church for The Peace. We invite you to come worship with us and experience the sacred space of Children’s Chapel.
Interested in assisting or leading in Children’s Chapel? Please contact us at children@trinitybloomington.org or at 812-336-4466 ext. 110 for more information.
Sunday School is an integral part to our children’s faith formation. It lays a strong foundation to a person’s education as a Christian, an education which is a life-long process.
(Note: Groups may sometimes be combined, depending on attendance/volunteers)
Pre-K to 2nd grade in the Sinai Room (Upstairs)
3rd to 6th grade in the Ararat Room (Upstairs)
7th to 12th grade in the Harvest Room (Main level)
This grouping is flexible, and we want to work with our families to to place every child in the environment where they’ll thrive. If you’re a parent or caregiver and your child is on the cusp of a grade level (e.g., 2nd/3rd or 6th/7th), and/or has special needs or accommodations, you’re welcome to choose the group that you feel best suits their needs.
The curriculum we’ve chosen reflects our commitment to integrating faith into all aspects of life. Our Pre-K to 6th graders will be using the Sparkhouse Whirl curriculum, while our 7th to 12th graders will engage with the Spirit & Truth curriculum. Both are lectionary-based, which means that the Scriptures that our children are exploring in Sunday School will align with what we’re studying and praying over in our liturgies. This creates a more integrated experience of spiritual formation in our community, and allows for deeper discussions in parish fellowship and at home, bridging the gap between church and daily life.
Each week, all kids (Pre-K through 12th gd.) will bring home from Sunday School resources that offer practical ways for families to engage with faith and Scripture together. These take-home materials are designed not to act as more tasks to add to our to-do lists, but as tools to support us in our daily walk with God.
Even if you don’t have a child in our program, feel free to drop by before or after Sunday School to pick up a take-home sheet. They’re designed to function across many generations and will be aligned with the readings from Service that day. (Plus, it will give you a chance to better get to know the younger members of our community.)
We believe that nurturing a relationship with God is a journey that we walk together as a community, and that weaving our spiritual lives with our daily lives makes that journey all the more rich.
Questions about our vision or programming? Interested in joining the Children’s Formation Ministry?
Please contact Megan Canonica, Director of Spiritual Formation for Children & Youth at children@trinitybloomington.org or at 812-336-4466 ext. 110 for more information.
The Christian Education Commission at Trinity offers regular fellowship opportunities for children and their families. As our baptismal covenant reminds us, all of us (parents, grandparents, and parish members alike) are called to support the children of Trinity as they learn and grow in faith. Sunday School teachers and Children’s Chapel leaders do this when they provide formal (and fun!) lessons for children and youth on Sunday morning. But children also need time to get to know each other and the rest of the church community in a more relaxed atmosphere. Often it’s easiest for children from birth through elementary school to do that in the form of fellowship activities that include the entire family.
Trinity has offered social activities geared to children and their families for several years. These events welcome people of all ages, whether or not they are parents, but the timing and activities are intended to be especially comfortable for children and their parents. Join us whenever you can!
Do you have questions or suggestions? Would you like to get involved? We’d love to hear from you.
Contact Megan Canonica with questions at children@trinitybloomington.org
Looking for more ways to bring your faith home? Explore this resource for Episcopal families: Grow Christians: A Community of Disciples Practicing Faith at Home at www.growchristians.org. Gathering reflections, stories, images and recipes from diverse Episcopalians, this group blog inspires generations to come together as they celebrate the presence of God through the Christian year.
Looking for more ways to bring your faith home? Explore this resource for Episcopal families: Grow Christians: A Community of Disciples Practicing Faith at Home at www.growchristians.org. Gathering reflections, stories, images and recipes from diverse Episcopalians, this group blog inspires generations to come together as they celebrate the presence of God through the Christian year.
We’re on the corner of Grant and Kirkwood.
Join us for a service or stop by for a visit.
111 S. Grant Street, Bloomington, IN 47408
