Children’s Faith FormatioN

Godly Play

Sundays from 9:45-10:20 a.m.

What is Godly Play?

Godly Play is a Montessori-based method that invites children to explore their faith through story, wonder, and play. Through classroom rituals, stories and play time, children discover the mystery of God’s presence in their lives, in a way that they won't have to unlearn and relearn stories of our faith as they mature.​

Children are greeted by name before gathering in a circle to listen to one of four types of stories (Sacred, liturgical action, focal shelf, and Parables), told simply and fully, with beautifully crafted props that the storyteller unpacks from a box or basket, as if opening a gift. After, the storyteller asks “wondering” questions, pausing and affirming answers in between each. These questions often include:

• I wonder which part of the story you like best?

• I wonder which part is the most important?

• I wonder which part of the story is about you?

• I wonder if there is any part of this story we could leave out and still have all the story we need?

The children are then invited to work on something in response: to play with the props or create with the available art materials, before closing with a “feast.”​

This experience allows children to see themselves in the stories we share as a faith community, immerses them in theological language, encourages them to listen for and discover God, and gives them a chance to make authentic and creative responses to God’s call in their lives.

Learn more about Godly Play at godlyplayfoundation.org.

Join us for Godly Play on Sundays from 9:45 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Godly Play (pre-K through 4th grade) will meet on the second floor of Walker Hall for a time to wonder together.

Re:form

Sundays from 9:45-10:20 A.M.

In re:form our 5th–8th graders study Scripture and our faith tradition guided by a three-part sequence: Encounter, Engage, and Respond. The lessons of re:form are designed to help our kids see similarities between themselves and their faith ancestors found in the Bible, the everyday folks whom God chose who were faithful yet imperfect. They are not unlike us today. Who knows who God will call next?

In each re:form lesson, students encounter the biblical story—this year from the New Testament—through rather humorous animated videos, engage their faith creatively with journaling and crafting, and respond by discussing guiding questions to conclude each session.

The lesson titles show the playful way re:form helps early adolescents engage Scripture. Here are just a few on deck this year: Simon Peter: The Earnest Blockhead, Syrophoenician Woman: The Mama Bear, Mary & Martha: The Bickering Sisters, and Mary Magdalene: The Unsung Apostle.
These lessons reinforce that levity is an essential aspect of God's story, in Scripture and still today. We can take God seriously without taking ourselves too seriously! The folly and frailty of our faith ancestors ultimately remind us that God is the Bible's most interesting character. Indeed, God is the main character. Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 

We hope you will come and learn what this means in re:form this year!