Nursery & Family

Ministry

at St. Luke’s

Priest Will you who witness these baptismal vows

do all in your power to support these

children in their life in Christ?

People We will.

Welcome to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

Nursery and Family Ministry! We are delighted to have you here and hope

you will find this a loving, safe commu-nity that values education and service for all ages.

Our program serves newborns through Kindergarten-age children with a variety of activities including Baptism, Sunday School, Sunday morning childcare, choir practice, programs for parents, as well as family events throughout the year.

This booklet details the many moving pieces of our ministry. On its pages you will find information on when we’re here, what we’re doing, and how things work. If you have any questions, I invite you to contact me by email or phone any time!

The Rev. Heather ChaseAssociate for

Children and Family Ministries404-873-7622

heather@stlukesatlanta.orgwww.stlukesatlanta.org/childrens-who/

Nursery -PreschoolCalendar

October 5St. Francis Celebration The Park | 5-6:30 p.m.

November 21-23

Annual Parish Retreat at KanugaHendersonville, NC

November 30

St. Nicholas Visits St. Luke’s Wilmer Chapel | 5 p.m.

December 12

POLO/Young Adult Advent PartyThe Roberts’ Home | 7 p.m.

December 24

Christmas PageantCostuming | 3:15 p.m.

Service | 4 p.m.

January 11, 2015Festival of Light Epiphany Service

Nave | 6:30 p.m.

April 5, 2015 - Easter Day

Flowering of the Cross Bell Tower | 8:45 a.m.

Egg Huntfollows the 9 a.m. service

June 2015

Vacation Bible School

S U N D AY S C H E D U LE

Fall 2014-Spring 2015

Worship Service | 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Childcare is provided by the Nursery staff for all babies and children up to 5 years old Sunday mornings beginning at 8:40 a.m. and ending at 12:30 p.m.

Children’s Chapel | 9 a.m. | Fall-SpringChildren 3–7 years old are welcome to participate in a simplified worship service with multi-age leadership in the Wilmer Chapel. Following the service, children may join their parents at the Peace in the sanctuary or be guided downstairs by staff to the Nursery for the remainder of the service. (Children’s Chapel does not gather on the first Sunday of each month because the 9 a.m. service is a specialintergenerational liturgy.)

Christian Formation | 10:15–11:10 a.m. • Infants and Toddlers (up to 2 year olds)

Childcare is provided for infants and toddlers all morning in the Nursery.• 3–4 year olds

Preschool Sunday School curriculum is offered by the Nursery staff in the preschool room.

• 5 year oldsGodly Play curriculum is offered by volunteer Sunday School teachers in

Room 105.

Childcare is provided by the Nursery staff for all children, infants through 5 years olds, during Sunday 2.0 starting at 3:40 p.m. and ending at 6:45 pm.

Faithful Play | 4 year olds-2nd grade | 4–5 p.m. Weekly program, led by church staff and volunteers, is based on the lectionary with seasonal outreach opportunities. Room 111

Adventures in Music | 2-4 year olds | 4:30–5 p.m. Basic music education including playing rhythm instruments led by church staff. Room 107

Preparatory Choir | 5 year olds-2nd grade| 5–5:45 p.m. Basic music education and choral singing with seasonal performances on Sunday mornings led by church staff. Room 107

Dinner and Compline | 5:45–6:45 p.m. Dinner in the Parish Hall, followed by an intergenerational “evening prayer” service with music. Church

*Occasionally, seasonal events will require changes to the schedule. Watch for updates and details in the “Shepherd’s Notes,” the parish’s weekly email newsletter. If you do not recieve the “Notes,” email Hala at hala@stlukesatlanta.org to be added to the list.

Sunday 2.0 4 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.

Nursery NecessitiesWhen leaving children in the Nursery, please bring a diaper bag packed with everything your child will need during his/her time with us. Your diaper bag should include the following:

•Disposable diapers•Change of clothing appropriate for the season•Bottle and formula with specific instructions or a sippy cup•Pacifier or item of comfort, if needed

You are welcome to leave these items in the Nursery at all times. Be sure to label all items with your child’s name. All formula bottles must be prepared prior to arrival. We have a refrigerator to store bottles of milk and formula.

Nursery Drop Off ProceeduresThe nursery greeter will meet you at the desk when you drop-off your child. One of our Nursery volunteers or staff will greet child and bring him/her into the appropriate classroom.

Be sure to check-in on the computer system or written log and tell the greeter any pertinent information about your child. Remember to let us know about any special needs your child may have at any given time, especially regarding feeding and potty training.

Print labels for both your child and their diaper bag or other belongings, then leave as quickly as possible. Please remember children, even those with some anxiety, transition better when parents don’t linger. We offer a pager system so that we can be in contact with parents during the worshipservice if necessary. If you prefer, you can leave your cell number.

T H E N U R S E RY

Pick-Up for Nursery, Sunday School and Sunday 2.0Please plan to pick up your child promptly after your activities. Delays often result in anxious and worried children. Pick up from Sunday School begins at 11 a.m. If your child is not picked up by 11:10 a.m., he/she will be escorted to the Nursery. Pick up from Faithful Play and Adventures in Music is 5 p.m. and children not picked up by 5:10 p.m. will be escorted to the Nursery by a staff member.

If you would like to grant permission for someone other than parents or legal guard-ians to pick up your child(ren), please indicate this on your child’s Nursery registration or Sunday School registration form. This is to ensure the safety of your children. We appreciate your cooperation with this policy.

Health and SafetyOur staff is required to take CPR, care and hygiene training. Hygiene policies are stressed in diapering, sanitizing toys/equip-ment and proper cleaning of the rooms on a routine basis. Parents can be assured that our staff and volunteers provide a sanitary, safe and loving atmosphere for your children.

In order to avoidconfusion and to provide proper care and safety for the children, no one is allowed past the gates into the nursery with the children and workers except nursing mothers.

The Nursery also has an important no-shoe policy. Please help us keep the nursery clean by refraining from entering the play spaces with street shoes.

Registration

All children who are left in the nursery must have a completed registration on file. Parents can complete this online or fill-out a “hard” copy. The online registration can be done on any computer. If needed, please ask one of the staff for help completing this process. A complete registration includes information about your child’s health that the child-care staff should be aware of, such as allergies or special needs. You must also indicate who is authorized to pick-up your child at check out. Only those listed on the registration will be allowed to leave the nursery with your child.

Sunday School is offered most Sundays* during the school year for children 3 years old through 5th grade. Class begins after the 9 a.m. service (usually around 10 a.m.) and lasts until 11:00 a.m. We use the Godly Play curriculum in Kindergarten-4th grade and the Re:Form curriculum for the 5th grade class. Godly Play is a Montessori-based Christian education program that focuses on the stories of the Bible and engaging children in theological reflection. The Re:Form curriculum discusses a variety of topics on theology and the creeds. We also incorporate opportunities for children to be involved in worship and outreach through special events throughout the year. Our 3rd-5th graders experience hands-on programs, such as leading the Christmas Pageant and engaging in service projects. Children’s Sunday School at St. Luke’s is a is a structured program that builds one year to the next.

CLASS LOCATIONS

Age group Location Curriculum3 year olds Preschool Room in

NurserySpark

Rotation

4 year olds Room 104 Bible Story

Kindergarten & 1st grade

Room 109 Godly Play

2nd-3rd grade Room 111 Godly Play

4th Grade Room 108 Godly Play and service projects

5th Grade Room 103 Re:Form

*On Sundays when we celebrate baptisms there are no Sunday School classes; instead, we gather as a community in the Parish Hall to make sandwiches for Crossroads. Working together on an Outreach project honors the newly baptized and affirms our own baptismal covenant.

S u n d a y S c h o o l

Snack and Food AllergiesChildren in the nursery are offered a healthy snack while they are in our care. The Nursery is a nut-free zone. Sunday School children in the Godly Play program enjoy their simple snack toward the end of the lesson. We call this our feast. Please alert Rev. Heather Chase if your child has a food allergy and be sure to note allergies on all registration forms.

IllnessFor everyone’s health and protection, in particular your children’s, we adhere to strict health and hygiene policies. If your child has been sick, he/she should be free from symptoms 24 hours before attending church. Please keep your child home if there are any signs of the following symp-toms: diarrhea, sore throat, discharging or pink eye, vomiting, undiagnosed rash, earache, or a fever of 101 or higher in the past 24 hours. Thank you in advance for helping keep the Nursery a healthy place for everyone.

Should your child develop any of the symptoms listed above while in the nursery, we will notify you so that you can pick up your child immediately. Please notify The Rev. Heather Chase if your child contracts a contagious disease shortly after being in the Nursery so parents may be notified of possible exposure to their child.

Special NeedsWe strive to provide an environment where every child has the opportunity to learn about the love of Jesus and feel comfortable worshipping. If your child has a health or learning need of which we should be aware, please talk with The Rev. Heather Chase.

H e a l t hS a fe t y

and other helpful information

BaptismBaptism is one of the fundamental sacraments of the Christian faith and we welcome children of all ages to be baptized at St. Luke’s. Baptism occurs five times each year on specific feast Sundays:

All Saints’ Sunday November 2, 2014

The Baptism of Our Lord January 11, 2015

Easter Day (Vigil only) April 5, 2015

The Day of Pentecost May 24, 2015

The Transfiguration of Our Lord August 9, 2015

All Saints’ Day November 1, 2015

The Baptism of Our Lord January 10, 2016

Easter Day (Vigil only) March 27, 2016

The Day of Pentecost May 15, 2016

The Transfiguration of Our Lord August 7, 2016

All Saints’ Sunday November 6, 2016

In order to prepare for baptism, we require adults and older children seeking to be baptized, the parents of children to be baptized, and spon-sors or godparents of candidates, to attend our Baptism Preparation class on the Saturday immediately preceding the baptism.

For more information or to download and print a copy of the baptism form, please go to: StLukesAtlanta.org/baptisms/. Once the form is filled out, please send it to Michelle Jemmott at the church. If you have questions, please contact Michelle in the church office (404-873-7600 | michelle@stlukesatlanta.org).

Faithful PlayStorytelling, crafts and outreach opportunities are offered for kids 4-8 years old each week during Sunday 2.0. This program, which is led by church staff and volunteers, is based on scripture and the liturgical calendar and meets in Room 111.

More programs for your kids

Music for PreschoolersAdventures in Music (AIM)AIM offers music and fun for our 2-3 year olds each week during Sunday 2.0.

Preparatory ChoirPrep Choir is the first stop on your child’s musical adventure at St. Luke’s and lays the foundation for participation in Junior Choristers and Senior Choristers - and is just fun! The choir rehearses weekly during Sunday 2.0 and offers seasonal performances during worship.

Colleen Kingston, assistant for children’s music, is devoted to music and the kids! She is a music educator in the public schools and past soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Choir. The kids love her dearly and she is a great teacher. Feel free to contact Colleen (colleen@stlukesatlanta.org) if you have questions about the music program for young children at St. Luke’s.

Nursery GuildCaring for our littlest ones and their families is the ministry of the Nursery Guild. Members of this guild volunteer in the nursery. All guild members must complete the church’s Safeguarding God’s Children training and have background checks, as well as training on care and hygiene for children, before helping in the nursery. Contact Liz Opsahl (esopsahl@msn.com), chair, to volunteer or get more information.

Parents of Little Ones (POLO)Having young children is a special - and sometimes stressful - time in a family’s life. Join other families from St. Luke’s in community as we navigate together the ups and downs, ins and outs, of parenting little ones. Through social gatherings and small group activities, friendships get started that could last a lifetime. For more information contact Ashlee Holbein, the chair of POLO (peache2937@aol.com), or Jenny Stevens-Scott, vice chair (jennifer.stevens@gm.slc.edu).

Special EventsSeasonal events provide great opportunities for creating and deepening church relationships. Intergenerational programs throughout the year include: Advent Wreath making, St. Nicholas Visits St. Luke’s, The All Saints’ Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, the pet blessing on St. Francis Day, and Mass on the Grass. Volunteers are welcome! To get involved contact Beth McDon-ald, chair of Special Events (bethmcdonald@comcast.net) or vice chair, Lorraine Miller (miller.lorraine@comcast.net).

Vacation Bible SchoolChildren, youth and adults are welcome to join in the fun each year for a time of playing, singing and learning together. Children 3 years old to rising 5th graders explore stories from the Bible and create new friendships.

Wherever you and your family are

on your spiritual journey,

St. Luke’s welcomes you!

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church435 Peachtree Street NE | Atlanta, GA 30308

404-873-7600 | StLukesAtlanta.org