Children, Youth & Families
At St. Benedict’s, we take seriously Scripture’s description of the Church as a family and household (see Matthew 12:48-50; Galatians 3:26; 6:10), as well as Jesus’ admonition to welcome and include children in the life of the Church (Mark 10:13-14). You will find that our parish is not just family-friendly, but that it feels like a family in which children, youth, and families are welcomed, treasured, and involved in all aspects of church life as fellow members of the household of God.
Worship
We believe that all who are baptized into Christ’s body belong together, and that children belong in worship as much as adults do. We encourage adults to engage kids in the holy drama of church: to sit up close where they can see the altar, teach them our prayers and how to hold a hymnal, and show them when to stand or kneel. We also provide “busy bags” with art supplies to allow children to pray with their hands and respond to what they see and hear in worship creatively.
There are many opportunities for elementary school children and teens to participate in various ministries at our liturgies. They serve as acolytes, ushers, readers, sound and streaming engineers, among other roles.
Nursery
While children of all ages are welcome in worship, we also provide nursery care for our youngest children starting at 7:45 am and running through the end of the 10:30 am liturgy.
Youth and Children’s Choirs
Children and youth from Kindergarten through 8th grade can participate in our children and youth choirs. High schoolers are invited to join the adult choir. See more information here.
Sunday School
During the program year, Sunday school meets from 9:15 am until 10:15 am. We have classes for all ages.
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (three years old through first grade): a Montessori-based, experiential, developmentally appropriate, child-centered exploration of Scripture, liturgy, and prayer designed to introduce young children to Jesus the Good Shepherd.
• Spark Classroom (second through fifth grade): by the makers of the Holy Moly curriculum used at St. Benedict’s School, this class explores key stories from the bible and their relevance to our lives today.
• Youth Formation (sixth through twelfth grade): We cover a variety of topics exploring what it means to live a mature Christian life.
Youth Group
Youth in middle school and high school gather once a month for a fellowship event or service project. Recent events include:
• Angel Tree Service Project
• All Hallows’ Party
• Bob Ross Painting Party
• Murder Mystery Dinner Party
• Kennesaw Mountain Hike
• Bowling
Second Sunday Family Fellowship
On the second Sunday of every month, families head down to Oakdale Park, right next door to the parish, after the 10:30 am Eucharist, for an informal time of fellowship.
Special Events
Sign up for our parish newsletter to stay informed about family-friendly events that are held throughout the year.
• Advent Wreath Making workshop
• Visit from Saint Nicholas.
• Mardi Gras Pancake Supper sponsored by our youth group.
• Path to Shine Top Golf fundraiser.
• Children’s Sensory Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
• More!
