Children’s Ministry at the Cathedral is centered on the belief that children are a vital part of the church. We believe that each child should feel known and loved and that God’s love is revealed through the relationships we experience in our faith community.
Children’s Formation on Sundays
Nursery care is provided for infants through age 4 from 9:45-11:30 am.
Children's Chapel engages children ages 4 through 2nd grade in the rhythms of worship, music, and prayer during the 10:15 am service.
Children ages 3rd-5th grade are invited to worship with their families and serve as acolytes. Worship bags are available in the narthex.
Questions about children and family ministry? Contact Deacon Hillary Peete, Director of Christian Formation (hpeete@spcathedral.com).
Meet our Children’s Ministry Leaders!
VBS 2024
Our dedicated Children’s Ministry Leaders bring so much talent, creativity, and love to our programs. They are all involved in different ways and for different reasons. But one thing is the same: they love having fun! Click the button below to learn more about them.
April + May Gatherings
Messy Church for Families
Thursday, March 10 from 5:30-7:15 pm
Messy Church is an opportunity for families to come together and explore God’s story through art, science, movement, and games. This month is all about love! This month we’ll explore Holy Week with painting and shadow play. Dinner is served from 5:30-6:00 pm and messy activities from 6:00-7:15 pm. Please RSVP to Hillary Peete (hpeete@spcathedral.com).
Holy Week for Families
Families are encouraged to participate in Holy Week services.
Maundy Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 pm — Foot washing and stripping of the altar. Nursery care available for babies-2nd grade.
Way of the Cross, April 18 at 7:30 am — Stations of the Cross led by the Cathedral youth through downtown St. Petersburg.
Good Friday, April 18 at 12:00 pm — We remember Jesus’ crucifixion and come forward to pray at the cross. Nursery care available for babies-2nd grade.
Moving Up Sunday
Sunday, May 4 at 10:15 am
This is a wonderful time to celebrate faith milestones for our children and youth. Families will be invited to come forward for a special blessing. We will recognize:
4-year-olds moving up to Children’s Chapel
Rising 2nd Graders receive a Children’s Bible
Rising 3rd Graders moving up to EYSeedlings
Rising 6th graders moving up to EYC
Rising 10th Graders receive a Student Bible
Tacos & Tie Dye for Pride Family Day
Sunday, May 18 at 11:45 am
Following coffee hour, all ages are invited to join us in the garden to tie-dye scrunchies, headbands, shirts, and bandanas to hand out at Family Pride Day on June 7. A taco lunch will also be served!
Cathedral Arts Troupe Easter Performance
Compassion Camp Performance
Children’s Ministry Celebration Bags
We delivered 53 goody bags to 29 families in May. The bags differed by age and interest, but here is a list of what we included. You may want to share some of these goodies with children in your life!
Books
Love is Patient, Love is Kind
All Creatures Great and Small
When God Made You
When God Made the World
When I Pray for You
Just for Fun
Mad Libs
Bubbles with a Bubble Prayer: Let God's love bubble up over in your heart! Who can you share God's love with today?Who can you pray for as the bubbles float up, up and away?
Play-Doh and Air-Dry Clay
Resources to Download
Play-Doh prayer mat (we laminated this page to make clean up easier)
Guide to Self-Care at Home for Families at Home
Prayer + Faith Formation
Small Prayer Journals
3 Minute Gratitude Journal
Comic Book Journal — Prayer is a conversation with God. This journal provides a space to creatively record where you see God in the world, as well as conversations and questions you have for God.
A blessing for our children after participating in the Bread and Cup Eucharist Instruction Series
Today we celebrate the hard work of these children as they, over the past 5 weeks, have deepened their knowledge of our Episcopal Worship. They have explored and found joy in scripture, in worship, and in our traditions. As they experience the mystery of the table, our hope is that they would know the love of Jesus found there.
To the children:
Friends, I have a few questions to ask you. Do you know that Jesus loves you?
Do you promise to love yourself?
Do you promise to love your neighbor?
Will you share with us Jesus’ love at this table by receiving communion?
To the parents: Adults, will you continue to model for these young ones love and forgiveness?
Will you share with them the nourishment at this table?
To the congregation:
Will you continue to share with these young persons the joy and wonder in all of God’s creation?
Let us pray: Be present, be present O Jesus, our great high priest as you were present with your disciples, and be known to us in the breaking of the bread; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Praise! Fine Arts VBS | August 2019
We are so proud of our kids! We had a blast exploring all the ways we praise God through sharing our talents, remembering to say thanks, and seeing the beauty of God’s creation. Here’s a slideshow that captures some highlights and a video of their performance of Uyai Mose during worship on August 11. Enjoy!
Faith at Home
Curious about how to incorporate faith at home? A great way to start is by building a library of children’s spirituality books. They don’t need to be read separately, just weave them in naturally to bedtime stories or whenever your family reads together. This is a list of carefully chosen books that reflect God’s unconditional love for us and all people. Enjoy some summer reading!