Children's Ministry General Information

All children age three-fifth grade are invited to attend Sunday School!  Sunday School teachers use the Spark curriculum published by Augsburg Fortress.  Spark empowers kids' creativity and imagination as they explore Scripture through exciting activities that reinforce the lessons. Additional children’s resources are used to create meaningful learning. Sunday School is held from 8:45-9:45 on Sunday mornings. 

Each week a Sunday School offering is collected. Children are encouraged to give a portion of their own money during this time. If your child receives an allowance, please encourage him/her to use some of that money for our Sunday School offering. Our goal is to help children practice the routine of joyfully and faithfully giving of what we have.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is offered to fourth and fifth grade in the fall and first and second grade in the spring each year during the Sunday School hour. OWL helps children in Grades 4-5 understand the physical and emotional changes of puberty. Participants explore values, communication and decision making, as well as physical health and development. It helps young children identify their attitudes, values, and feelings about themselves, their sexuality, and others’ sexuality.

KIDZ@SJLC and Joyful Noise are offered for children ages three through second grade. These programs meet from 6:30-7:30 following the Beloved Community meal on Wednesday evenings. Connections of worship, education, and our church year help learners to link faith to their daily lives through music, stories, movement, crafts, and games. This year we will be continuing our use of the much-loved Godly Play curriculum during the last half hour of our time together!

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is held each summer at St. John’s in collaboration with Lutheran Lakeside Camps! These shared days are spent looking at the ways we can use our gifts, words, and actions to serve both God and others.  Children and adults alike participate in songs, games, devotions, meals, crafts, and skits.  VBS will be held AUGUST 2-5, 2021.

Junior Confirmation Camp will be open to all 3-5th graders this summer at Lutheran Lakeside Camp! Children will spend a week at camp participating in songs, games, devotions, crafts, skits, water activities, and much more! For more information about available weeks please email Ann, astrom@stjohnsdsm.org or Maggie, mevans@stjohnsdsm.org.

Rehearsals for the Children’s Advent Program are used as a tool to help children learn more about the meaning behind some of our Advent hymns and songs.  These hymns and songs along with Bible readings and reflections are shared at the Children’s Advent Program in mid December.  

People of all ages and walks of life are invited to be a part of this ministry.  For more information contact Ann Strom, 243-7691 ext.334.