Children’s and Youth Programming Begins!

by | Aug 9, 2023 | Children & Youth

Hello Grace Church Community! 

This Sunday, we are keeping step with the school year and beginning our Children’s and Youth Ministry Programs. Our Grace Garden has been active and tended all summer under the direction of Gayle Davies with support from Yesenia Gomez, and now our young children will gather again in the atrium with their catechists, Sandy Baxter and Susan Calkin in Level 2 with support from Sara-Sita Sanders. Our middle school and high school students will also reconvene with our youth ministry team: Diana Deen, Melissa Muñoz-Matheny, Scott Nelson, Michael Roche and Genevieve Schlanger (doesn’t that sound fun?? perhaps you wanna come too!?!)

While I am still in touch with Erika (she says hello and wants to let you all know that she is settling in very nicely!) I am fully directing children’s, youth and family ministries here at Grace, and happily so. I have decades of experience and lots of crazy, juicy ideas and I am pretty excited about my new role among you. I am working on adult and whole family formation possibilities as well, which will be something new for Grace. Rev. Amy and I will continue to formalize the program year planning with our most excellent staff in August, and we welcome your ideas and suggestions. We really do. Now is the time! We plan the year in step with the school calendar…um, NOW, so even if your idea is half-baked or no more than a wisp, do drop me an email at [email protected] (new email!) or come over for a visit. If you have a great idea in March, it might be hard to implement with other plans in place for the year. 

So! Bring your whole family to church this Sunday and re-member all the prayer, formation, connection and community joy that lives here at Grace for everyone in your household. If you’ve been away for all or some of the summer, we are so excited to see you all again soon. 

Sarah Christopher Neidhoefer,

Director of Formation

NOTE: Maria Phelps, our Level 1 catechist with support from Suzanne Oggenfuss, will NOT begin the program year until Sunday, August 27. She is attending to some health issues. Gayle Davies will also be away from the Grace Garden on those Sundays. Please bring your young children to Zoe Montelongo in our nursery on August 13 and 20. Zoe is lovely and excellent with children of all ages!