Grace Church Starts Community Service Groups

News from Grace Episcopal Church about the start of its Sunday School program and community service groups for students:

This Sunday, the children of begin a new year of their "Sacred Journeys" Sunday School program. Classes are for all kids in grades Preschool to Grade 6 and meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. every Sunday. Over 100 children attend this program, which has classes for each age group.

Grace Gives Back, a community service group for kids in Grades 4 through 10, , 6, who is raising money for a service dog. In addition this group has planned to pack kits for soldiers, pick apples for the hungry and make fleece scarves for sailors at sea.

Children in Grades PreK to Three have created a sister service group which will meet on Friday, Sept. 21, from 4:15 p.m. to 6 p.m.  They will make their own dinner, make cards for soldiers and paint wooden crosses to send with the cards. Ongoing meetings are planned:  the next one scheduled takes place as part of a Pizza-Making/Evening Service event on Wednesday, Oct. 3, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Director of Family Ministries Mary Lea Crawley said the Sacred Journeys Sunday morning classes have inspired these service clubs. The classes help children “understand their connection to an all-loving God; the importance of their own inner voices, and that helping others is good for themselves as well as the community.”

In addition, classes help kids learn the parts of the Bible, the meaning and comfort of traditional prayers, and discuss the spiritual stories that encourage mature moral and ethical choices. Fun Sundays include a Biblical Wax Museum, Visiting Saints Day, Pajama Sunday and a Church Scavenger Hunt.

Grace’s Friday night dinner and social evenings are offered every month for three age groups: “PreK Dinner Parties” are for Preschool children; “Groovy Grace Nights” are for children in grades K-2, and “Far-Out Fridays” are for children in grades 3-6.

Grace Church also offers “Children’s Worship” for children in Preschool through Second Grade at the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services every Sunday in its Children’s Chapel. Third to Sixth Graders enjoy a Gospel Gathering at the 9 a.m. service. For babies and toddlers, two nursery care providers are available at the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

For information on the children’s programs at Grace Church, contact Mary Lea Crawley at 973-377-0106, ext. 15, or mcrawley@gracemadison.org.