Children's Ministries

 

   

Help the children in Haiti!
 

Fish banks are here! Children in Sunday School received banks and sharing calendars to help learn about the needs of those affected by natural disasters and poverty. The congregation is invited to support the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, which provided some of the first relief to Haiti, through using a fish bank or one of the OGHS envelopes in the pews (or mailing a check marked "OGHS").  Extra banks are available in the church office and at the information center on Sunday mornings. Funds will be received on Palm Sunday, March 28th.

Music & Discovery Program - Winter Registration

Music & Discovery meets Wednesday afternoons from 3:15 - 5:15 pm, September through May.

Winter Sessions begin January 13
Winter registration is open for SMCC’s Music and Discovery experience for children in Kindergarten to 5th Grade. Work will begin soon on the spring cantata. Registration and information brochures are available at the information center, church office, and online at www.smccpby.com Since 1991 Music & Discovery has provided musical and art instruction to the children of the church and wider San Marino community. The children are able to form friendships through weekly fellowship time and monthly pizza nights. Each program day opens with devotional time during which the children learn about Christian values and Biblical stories. The children share their gifts through caroling at several local Senior Citizen Residential facilities. Music and Discovery is open to all children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The goals of SMCC's Music & Discovery are:


 

• to introduce children to the music of the church and its worship,
• to help foster an enjoyment of singing and participating in choirs,
• encourage expression through varied art medias,
• and to provide a welcoming environment in which children can fellowship together and foster Christian friendship and values.

The Music & Discovery participants showcase their musical talents in worship several times a year, at the Advent Celebration in December, and the Spring Children's Cantata.

 CLICK HERE for M&D Registration Form

Contact: M& This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Children’s Choir Director Karen Hogle Brown: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  
 

 
 

Children’s Sunday Worship Services

Children and their families are a priority for San Marino Community Church and providing enriching and age-appropriate care and encouraging children in their faith through teaching and age appropriate worship are the keys of the church’s education ministry. Sunday School is the cornerstone of that ministry. All classes are 9:15 am to 10:15 am. CLICK HERE to download Sunday School Registration Form.



 C. S. Lewis Focus in February!

Children, youth, and adult education ministries will focus in February on the writings of celebrated Christian author C. S. Lewis. Children’s Sunday School will concentrate on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Families may wish to begin reading this timeless classic together in preparation.

Here are our learning and worship activities for children's age groups:



Interactive Childcare, Infants and Toddlers

Nursery Childcare 9:15 am to 12:30 pm
Infants through 2 1/2 year olds are cared for by our loving and dedicated nursery staff. Even the youngest members of our community enjoy learning about their faith through song and story. It is here that we begin to live out our baptismal promises to these infants to raise them in the faith.

 

Godly Play for 3-year-olds through Kindergarteners

9:15 am to 10:15 am
Some of our young members learn the stories of their faith through Godly Play and Young Children and Worship. These innovative curricula were developed by Jerome Berryman and Sonya Stewart and are based on the work of Maria Montessori. Godly Play is intended to involve children and their imaginations in the stories of our faith in a non judgemental and non threatening manner. Three and four year olds, and Kindergartners each have their own classes. They are taught by trained volunteers. Classrooms are located in the Lower Courtyard.

 

The Treehouse for 1st through 3rd Graders

9:15 am to 10:15am
Young elementary age children participate in the opening elements of 9:15 am worship service including the call to worship, passing of the peace, the prayer of confession, assurance of pardon, and time with children. They then go to the Treehouse, our newly remodeled state of the art classroom where they are able to enjoy meaningful and transformational worship of the triune God . Classes conclude at 10:15 am and parents are asked to pick up their children  at the Treehouse.

 

 Club 45 for 4th and 5th Graders

9:15 am to 10:15 am
Our 4th and 5th graders participate in the opening movement of worship with our younger elementary school children. They then go to Club 45 for a time of conversation and relationship building where they are invited to discuss topical issues and look for Biblical answers. 

 

Become An Acolyte

Acolytes are 4th and 5th graders who assist in the 9:15 am Sunday worship service as candle lighters. The acolyte training workshop is held in September. All interested children are encouraged to sign up and be an active participant in the work of the church. This is a great opportunity for your child to be a leader in their faith community and to begin to discover how they are called and gifted for Christian service. Contact the church office at (626) 282-4181 or the acolyte coordinator at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

  

Baptisms 

Please CLICK HERE to learn more about Baptisms at San Marino Community Church.  

Communion

San Marino Community Church welcomes children who have received instruction on the meaning and significance of communion to participate in the Lord’s Supper with the entire congregation. Children return from Sunday school to worship on weeks when communion is served (usually first Sunday of every month).

Informational seminars on the meaning of the sacraments are held for children and their families between services on the last Sunday of each month. Kindergartners and their families are especially encouraged to participate in these workshops. Contact Director of Christian Education Jennifer Baer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.   

 

Vacation Bible School/Youth Day Camp
 

The Vacation Bible School Planning Team is beginning advance preparations. Provide leadership and input! Contact Director of Christian Education Jennifer Baer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (626) 282-4181 x 13.

Monday, August 2 - Friday, August 6, 2010 
Vacation Bible School/Youth Day Camp is a special summer ministry for children in Pre-K through Grade 6 and is open to members and non-members alike. During the week-long morning program children explore lessons that bring alive stories from the Bible that tell of God’s love for all of humanity. Learning activities include:

• An Opening Ceremony
• Storytelling
• Music
• Arts and Crafts
• Games
• Science
• Closing ceremonies

VBS is a time for children to be steeped in their faith and to build relationships with their peers and adults that will guide them through their lives.

Youth Day Camp is an extension of VBS offered to children entering grades 4 - 6. It is a fellowship and service ministry where children are encouraged to live out their faith. This year’s activities included game day, water fun, painting a labyrinth, baking cookies for those in need just to name a few.

The children are encouraged to bring friends with them and to make new friends throughout the week.  The VBS/YDC week culminates with a Family Celebration on Friday evening where children and parents enjoy a wonderful family-style dinner and listen to songs presented by the children.

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Third Grade Bibles

Psalms 119:105 says, 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path'. During the fall of each year, SMCC’s third graders are presented with their own Bibles as part of worship. Parents of third-grade children are encouraged to add their children to the list of recipients. Sign-ups should include how the child’s name is to be printed in the Bible. Contact Director of Christian Education Jennifer Baer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.
 

 

Special Children’s Events

Advent Celebration Christmas Concert

Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Advent Celebration is held in early December. This is a delightful afternoon for young and old, which  fills the church with lots of laughter and good fellowship. Elements of the afternoon include a family dinner in Fellowship Hall, a concert by the children of Music and Discovery, and the Advent Workshop, where participants create crafts such as banners, advent wreaths and ornaments to teach and reinforce the meaning of Christmas and the Advent season.

Christmas Eve Pageant

At the 5:00pm Christmas Eve service, children of pre-school age and up participate in telling the story of Christmas. The 5th grade Sunday School Class leads, with all interested children playing the part of angels or shepherds. Participants are asked to arrive up to one half hour prior to the start of the service to receive costumes and instructions.

 

VBS REGISTRATION FORMS for 2010 and MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON