Children
Children’s formation at All Souls has at its center our Sunday School classes, but finds its fullest expression in the celebration of the seasons and holy days of the church year. Our preschool through third grade children encounter God through story and theological reflection using the Godly Play curriculum. Fourth and fifth graders explore their maturing faith using the All Things New curriculum which focuses on Episcopal basics and exploring scripture through seasonal overarching storytelling themes. But beyond that our children are formed through the many activities of the parish throughout the year.
Some of these teach our children how to put their faith to work in the world, such as:
- Bringing food every week for the Berkeley Food Pantry
- Advent ingatherings where we collect toys, art supplies, food and socks for those in need
- Our annual Lenten discipline of saving money for the purchase of animals through Heifer International, and most recently, through donations to purchase anti-malaria nets from NetsForLife through Episcopal Relief and Development
Other activities invite our children to share in community and celebration, such as:
- Joyful Noise, our children’s choir, that performs three to four times a year at our Sunday service
- The Feast of St. Francis (one of only two days a year that we don’t have Sunday School) when we all bring our pets to be blessed and celebrate the example of Francis in loving all creation
- Making ofrendas in celebration of All Souls Day
It is through this ongoing life of faith together that our children form strong foundations of Christian identity.