- Worship Center – [Sunday School] Children up to 3rd grade
- Upper Room – 3rd grade through 6th grade
- Mentoring – 7th and 8th grades
- Confirmation – 8th through 12th grade
- The Herd – Middle and High School youth group
- Vacation Bible School – one week, evenings, usually in June, pre-school through 5th grade
- Education for Ministry – Adult class, led by a layman/woman, weekly September to May, ministry and Bible study
- Adult Study – After service and coffee hour on Sunday. Usually led by the priest.
Christian “formation” is the lifelong process of growing in our relationship with God, with ourselves, with others, and with all creation. Every experience in our lives can provide us with the opportunity to express our faith. The challenge we face is recognizing these opportunities and learning ways to live a sometimes counter-cultural life in the world, a world which puts the secular life above a faith-filled life. Every life experience can be an energizing and provocative opportunity to live out our Baptismal Covenant.
Worship Center (Sunday School) Children up to 3rd Grade
By incorporating song and stories, Worship Center is designed to teach children about the themes, characters, and stories from the Bible. Worship Center is offered three Sundays a month from September through May, beginning at 9:30am and continuing through the first half of the church service. There is no Worship Center the first Sunday of each month. Worship Center is an open program, with no registration required.
Upper Room 3rd Grade through 6th Grade
Upper Room class provide children with a transition from the Worship Center experience to mentoring and/or Confirmation. Upper Room is a three-year rotation of lessons that helps children become familiar with church liturgy, the Catechism found in The Book of Common Prayer, and selected lessons from the Bible. The aim of Upper Room is to encourage students through exposure and experience, to learn words and actions for participation in worship and liturgy. The illustrations used in the Episcopal Children’s Curriculum and the Reform curriculum are very appropriate. Clergy, churches, liturgical actions, text and language are all used and portrayed as people in Episcopal setting, as children are most likely to experience them. Selections from The Book of Common Prayer and the Bible are incorporated into every lesson. Upper Room is at 9:30 am on the first and third Sunday of the month, from September through May. Upper Room meets in the fellowship hall. On the second and fourth Sundays of the month, students are encouraged to join their families in worship, and to assist in the worship service as readers, acolytes, choir members, etc. Upper Room is an open program, with no registration required.
Mentoring – 7th to 8th Grade: Qualified members of the congregation provide mentoring to students. Mentors help to provide spiritual guidance, teaching and resources, and companionship for young people as they become young adults. Mentoring is intended to help children transition into the Confirmation Class but can extend into high school as desired. Mentors and students meet for an hour, once a month, at a public place, most often after church on Sundays. The mentoring program runs all year round. No registration is required, but parents are encouraged to talk with the clergy about pairing their student with a mentor.
Confirmation – 8th through 12th Grade: Students learn about the history, polity, and theology of The Episcopal Church, as well as the Bible. Students begin to develop their own personal faith and practice. Confirmation Class prepares students for the Rite of Confirmation, a public commitment of faith administered by the Bishop. Students may attend the Confirmation Class, even if they do not wish to receive the Rite of Confirmation. Confirmation is offered once every two years.
Vacation Bible School (VBS) – 3 Years to 5th Grade: This summer-time program transforms the church into a theme-based Bible scene. VBS is a five-day program of stories, song, crafts, and games centered on Bible stories. VBS runs from 6:15-8:10pm Sunday through Thursday. Registration forms are available in the church newsletter and on the church website beginning in May of each year. VBS is usually held shortly after the school year ends.
EfM – Education for Ministry – This is a lay-led adult learning opportunity. It consists of four 1-year study sessions. The reading curriculum includes one year each of Old Testament, New Testament, Church History and Current Events in the Church. EfM starts in September and runs weekly through May. The curriculum is prepared by the theology department of The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. EfM leaders encourage group discussion, as well as personal discernment and spiritual growth. All years meet in a one-room-schoolhouse format. Everyone learns from everyone.
Adult Study – after coffee hour on Sunday – Adults and discuss books, the Bible, theological topics, etc. Open to all.
If you have any questions or would like more information about St. Aidan’s formation programs, please contact Mthr. Esther or the church office at 262-673-7273.