That which we have heard and known, and what our forebears have told us,
we will not hide from our children. We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of God, and the wonderful works God has done.
(Psalm 78:3-4)

Click here for the 2009-10 Church School registration form (PDF)

To download the Children's, Youth & Family Ministries newsletter, click on the button below:

At All Saints Parish we celebrate the vital role of children and young people in our community of faith. Our ministries to and with children and young people tap into the unique gifts of our younger members: a sense of wonder about the sacred, a curiosity about issues of faith, a desire for ritual, and a passion for justice. From an early age, children are encouraged to become active members of the parish family.

A Prayer for the Care of Children

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the
joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient
wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love
whatever is just and true and good, following the example of
our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer, p.829)

CYFM

Volunteers prepare lunch for 75 campers and staff
at the Church of St. Augustine & St. Martin in Roxbury

CYFM

Our B-SAFE partnership culminated in a day-long field trip that included a hike at Walden Pond

A Children's Charter for the Church is a call to the church to respond in new and intentional ways to Christ's mandate to care for, respect, and bring all children to Him. This study guide is designed to help us understand more thoroughly the meaning and implications of that mandate.

Click on the sign above or the following link: THE CHILDREN CHARTER to go to the Children Ministries page of the Episcopal Church web site where you can download information about the children charter in different formats (PDF, Word document, Power Point, Postcard).

Children and Worship

Each week at All Saints Parish we look forward to the chance to worship God and to share the table fellowship that is part of the Holy Eucharist liturgy. We celebrate the wonderful diversity of our community gathered as one body, in Christ's Name.

Everyone is welcome to receive Holy Communion, regardless of age or baptismal status, at All Saints. Parents may question whether their young children should receive the sacrament. The Rector or the Director of Children's, Youth & Family Ministries is available for conversation about this and other matters related to raising children in the faith. Please feel free to give them a call or reach them by email.

Baptism

Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body the Church. The bond established by God in Baptism is indissoluble. Anyone who is baptized at any age is marked as Christ's own forever.

Baptisms normally occur in this parish when the community gathers to worship on four liturgical feast days: All Saints Sunday (November); the first Sunday after the Epiphany (January); Holy Saturday/ Easter Eve (April); and Pentecost (May). Alternative dates for baptisms can be arranged by contacting the parish office. The Rector always meets with parents for pre-baptismal instruction.

Nursery Care

Our Nursery is open every Sunday morning, starting at 9:30 a.m. It is a clean, safe environment where children 3 years of age or younger can play and be cared for during choir rehearsals, Church School classes, and the worship service. Childcare is offered free of charge.

Our Nursery is staffed by four paid childcare providers. One large space is stocked with toys and equipment for children who are walking and potty trained (or on their way). Another adjacent space is set up for babies who are not yet walking and/or who need to nap during the morning.

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Church School

At All Saints Parish we know that children and young people experience God in their lives. However, we also know that they may lack the scriptural knowledge and religious vocabulary that can help them describe and understand God's mysterious presence. Adult teachers and mentors guide them in this aspect of their faith formation. Our Christian education program helps children and young people to

Become familiar with scripture and discern its relevance to their daily lives;
Appreciate the sacramental life of the church as they engage fully in it;
Learn spiritual practices that deepen their personal connections to God; and
Use their unique skills and talents to respond compassionately to human need in the world.

Contact: Ms. Becky Taylor, Director of Children's, Youth & Family Ministries
Monday-Thursday, 10:00am-5:00pm, 617-738-1810 Ext. 104, reled@allsaintsbrookline.org.

Sunday Morning Schedule

9:30am   Schola rehearsal — Nursery opens for childcare
10:15am   Church School classes (Grades 2-10)
10:30am   Cherub Choir rehearsal, worship begins
10:40am   Cherubs go to Godly Play
11:00am   Grades 2-10 go to worship
11:15am   Cherubs go to worship
11:45am   Occasional youth meetings — Fellowship in Guild Room

Cherubs (Pre-School to First Grade)

We introduce our 3 to 6-year-olds to the Church School program by using Godly Play. Developed by an Episcopal priest over 30 years ago, Godly Play is a method of Christian education and spiritual direction that is especially well-suited for young children. In Godly Play sessions, children listen to and reflect on

Sacred stories about encounters between God and God's people;
Parables that Jesus told about the Kingdom of God;
Liturgical actions that show how Christians worship God; and
Silence.

All the activity in our Godly Play classroom takes place in a circle on the floor as adults and children wonder together about the sacred in their lives.

Grades 2-5

With children ages 7 to 11 we use Workshop Cycles, developed by LeaderResources, an Episcopal Christian education organization. Workshop Cycles is designed as a "rotation model" program. Instead of meeting in grade-level classrooms all year, children divide into small, multi-age groups of 6 to 8, each guided by an adult "shepherd." These small groups visit different learning stations, or "workshops," over the course of a few weeks. The rotation model enables children and adults to work together on the same story or concept for a sustained time period, using different learning approaches. Each unit of study includes workshops that use art, drama, music, storytelling, computers, movies, and cooking.

St. Luke's & St. Margaret's

In July 2009, when the Honduran mission trip was cancelled, the mission team worked for a week in Brighton refurbishing a house that will be used by a group of relational evangelists sponsored by the diocese.
The team takes a much-needed lunch break!.

Journey to Adulthood for Youth

At All Saints Parish we use Journey to Adulthood, a program designed to foster the formation of Christian spiritual identity in teens and prepare them for lay ministry in the church and in the world.

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Young people in Grades 6-8 participate in the first two years of the program Rite-13. The goals of Rite-13 are:

To celebrate God's gift of manhood and womanhood.
To affirm the power of creative energy and to explore the thoughts and disciplines that allow people to be change agents in the world.
To teach, by word and example, the principles of freedom, responsibility, and friendship

Our middle school teens also participate in the Charles River Deanery Youth Collaborative, a youth group for kids who worship in Episcopal churches in Brookline, Dover, Needham, Newton, and Wellesley. Youth Collaborative events in 2009 – 2010 include:

September 26: Day trip to the Barbara C. Harris Camp in New Hampshire
November 15: Pie-making for local food pantries at All Saints, Brookline
March 5-6: Overnight retreat and service project at St. Paul's, Newton Highlands
April 2: Good Friday worship and meal at Grace Church, Newton Corner
May 2: Participate in Project Bread's Walk for Hunger

High School Grades 9-12

High School young people continue their journey to adulthood by learning the skills that will make them responsible adult members of society:

Active listening
Negotiation
Assertion
Research & information management
Partnership
Leadership

In small discussion and bible study groups they explore the mystery of our Christian faith and discover how to put that faith into action, both in the church and beyond. As they move towards the end of their high school career, the question "What's next?" permeates much of their day-to-day thinking and activity. The Church plays an active role in their discernment, offering opportunities for leadership as well as adult mentors to serve as companions and guides.

Middle School and High School teens assume leadership roles in the worship and ministry life of the parish. The clergy, vestry, Schola Director, and Director of Children's, Youth and Family Ministries help them discern how their gifts of time and talent can best be used at All Saints.

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Confirmation

Confirmation is a sacramental rite in which baptized members of the Church make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commit themselves to the responsibilities of their baptism. The rite includes the laying on of hands by a bishop.

It is the policy of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts to confirm young people and adults in multi-parish liturgical events. In 2010, young people from All Saints Parish can be confirmed on Saturday, May 1st.

All high school young people in the parish can prepare to be confirmed by attending confirmation classes, starting in January. More information will be forth-coming later in the fall.

Acolytes

Anyone in 4th Grade or older is welcome to become an acolyte. Acolytes lead the altar party procession into the worship space each week and assist, as needed, during worship. Training is required and offered during the year.

Contact: Meg Bridge, Acolyte Coordinator, margaret.bridge@post.harvard.edu

Nightwatch

It is a special tradition at All Saints Parish for children and young people (Grades 3 and older) to keep an overnight vigil in the church each year from Maundy Thursday evening to Good Friday morning. Participants in Nightwatch gather for supper and fellowship before participating in the Maundy Thursday liturgy, which includes the foot washing ritual. For three hours they walk the Stations of the Cross and meditate on the events of Jesus' trial, suffering, death, and burial. Then the sleeping bags are unrolled in the worship space, and yes, sleep eventually comes. Nightwatch ends on the morning of Good Friday with a simple Way of the Cross liturgy. Nightwatch 2010 will take place on April 1-2. Details will be available in early March.

Contact Information

Becky Taylor is Director of Children's, Youth & Family Ministries. She is a graduate of Andover Newton Theological School and has extensive Christian education/formation experience with children, young people and adults in parish settings. Becky can be reached Monday to Thursday at 617-738-1810, Ext. 104, or by email at reled@allsaintsbrookline.org.

Keith Glavash, Schola Director since 1981, is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. Keith may be reached at 617-738-1810, Ext. 107, or by email at glavieri.home@verizon.net

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with one or both of them to learn more about the parish's ministries with children and young people, or how to get involved.

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