Nursery Care, PreK-5, Vacation Bible School, Special Events, Registration & First-Time Visitors
 
St. Paul’s Darien offers weekly Nursery Care and PreK-5 Sunday School during the 10:30am worship service. The curriculum is designed to be appropriate for all age levels and learning styles.  Sunday school runs throughout the school year and breaks during the summer months.  Throughout the calendar year we also offer special events for all ages.

First-Time Visitors Overview Information

Nursery Care (6mths - 2yrs)

Nursery care is available during Sunday School for babies through age 2. Parents bring their little ones down to the nursery at the end of worship (when the Sunday School children are led to their classrooms).  Parents pick up their babies during the Peace (or immediately following the Prayer of Confession, which concludes the Prayers of the People).

If you prefer to have your infant or child stay with you during the service and then need to leave to comfort or feed your child, you can go to the Fellowship Room next to the entrance of the church (Greeters can direct you).  You will be able to listen to the service via a live feed.

Nursery volunteers watch over and play with the babies in a safe, friendly environment— they read stories to the older babies, play children's worship music, and care for your children with love. How old does your baby need to be to be in the nursery?  We leave that to the parent, but most babies are 6 months or older.
 

Sunday School  (PreK-Grade 5)

Your child would be part of one of four age groups:
Kittens – Ages 6 months to 2 years
Cats – Ages 3 to 5 (PreK-Kindergarten)
Cougars – Ages 5 to 8 (Gr. 1-2)
Lions – Ages 8 to 11 (Gr. 3-5)
 
At St. Paul’s we use the Children’s Supernatural Curriculum from Bethel Church in Redding, CA. We believe that children are never too young to have a supernatural relationship with Jesus. From the earliest age group, we focus on teaching our children to talk with God, not just talk at God.
 
In every age group, the children not only learn from the Bible, but also practice praying alongside our teachers and for each other. At the same time, the boundaries are flexible between age groups as well as parents and teachers as they work together.
 
For an in-depth look at the curriculum, please check out this website: http://itreasures.org/blog/resources/supernatural-curriculum/

Vacation Bible School

This is always a highlight of the whole year both for our children and the children of the community. Well over 100 children attend every summer. VBS runs for one week the end of June. It is designed around a new theme each year that focuses on teaching children how to enjoy the Bible with games, skits, songs, and crafts.
Check this link to see the promo video of the 2013 VBS theme, “Gotta Move!”

Many teen graduates of VBS choose to return and be junior counselors (see Teens).

For more information please contact our VBS Director, Jaclyn Cerretani at 203-655-8773 x17 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Special Events

Because St. Paul’s is a family, many of our “events” arise organically and spontaneously. A few of the most popular events include:

• Blessing of the Animals – Whole families bring their pets (even pet rocks!) for Fr. Jordan and Fr. Christopher to bless them. This is a motley and fun-packed rite.
• All Saints Family Service – Children and Youth lead all aspects of our worship on this special Sunday—Bible readings, music, prayers, and service around the altar. We’re putting the Hallows back in Halloween and you’ll even see some children/teens dressed up as real saints!
• St. Nicholas Party – In early December, “You Know Who” (the historic version of St. Nic) comes to visit the children.
• Community Caroling – Mid December, the whole church goes out after the Sunday service to sing about the birth of Jesus to the town of Darien.
• Christmas Pageant – Who doesn’t love watching their children run around in sheep, angel, and wise-men costumes? Now add a beautiful choreography and thoughtful Scriptures, and you have a truly memorable experience.
• New Year’s Eve Party – Bring in the New Year right!  We dance, we sing, we have a huge bonfire and celebrate Holy Communion. It’s better than the Time Square event by leaps and bounds.
• STPSTPSTS – A.k.a. St. Paul’s Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Talent Show! Whew! Before Lent begins the church gathers to eat Breakfast for Dinner and entertain each other with our various “talents.”
• Easter Vigil – Like the Christmas Pageant… only better. Once again the children lead us in worship in every form – readings, drama, music, and dancing. Only this time we’re celebrating an event even more spectacular than Jesus’ birth – Jesus’ resurrection!
• Father’s Day Picnic – Bring in the summer with the biggest family BBQ of the year!
• Camps Farthest Out – This is a camp unlike any other. It is camp for the whole family to unplug and recharge. Many of our families have gone for years, and they all say their lives have been transformed.      

Registration and Check-In Process

The registration and check-in process is important for the safety of your children and to help us efficiently keep everyone accounted for.

Initial Registration:  The first time you visit, you will need to register your children with our Nursery Care Director, Meg Newton, or Sunday School PreK-5 Director, Janet Hartery. 

Attendance & Check-In:  Once registered, your children can join the other children when they exit the 10:30am service and report to their Nursery Care or Sunday School teacher.