Trinity Lime Rock's Sunday programs for young people

Middle School

Elementary Ages

Nursery Ages

Confirmation Class meets on a schedule tailored for the particular needs of the young people who are participating.

Confirmands attend services on Sunday (usually participating as acolytes, ushers, or readers) or they assist with the programs for the younger children, such as Sunday School and Summer Sports.

Occasionally, we collaborate with other nearby Episcopal parishes to have a larger confirmation class than would otherwise be possible. 

At present, we have three young people in the confirmation class that is in progress with several area Episcopal churches, with Confirmation scheduled for May 2010.

Most Sundays there is a special activity for this age group.  In the winter, spring and fall, we usually have have Sunday School.  In the summer, the Sunday School goes on vacation and in its place we have Summer Sports. 

On Sundays when there's nothing special scheduled for kids -- or when there is a special event that would interest them in the regular service, we worship as a family at Trinity.  These Sundays, our children over nursery age sit with their families or with other children. 

There is a variety of age-appropriate materials, both books and craft items, available in the back of the church or from an usher. 

Older elementary-age young people often participate in the service as acolytes or  junior ushers.

Nursery care is provided in the nursery, which is in the new addition to our building.  It's for the youngest ones, up to age five. 

We're happy to provide it when needed, but most babies seem to do fine right in the church service! Our Vicar is the mother of four, and our Wardens between them are mothers of seven, so we are definitely baby-friendly.

If you still feel that you're going to need to leave your baby in the nursery, it's a good idea to call ahead to ensure that nursery caregivers will be available when you come.   The parish phone number is (860)435-2627.

But, just to say it one more time, your tiny ones are always welcome in church with you.

During the Summer months, middle school and elementary school students (as well as some high school students) participate in our Summer Sports program or attend services with their families.

Parents -- 

Increasingly, parents are realizing that attendance at church is an important experience their children should have.  You may remember going to church or Sunday School from your own childhood, you may have heard or read about what church is like today, or you may simply feel that childhood exposure to religion is too important a part of growing up to overlook.   

The schedule of our activities above gives you the framework of our activities for young people, but it doesn't really give you the flavor of the experience.  Take a look at the pictures on this website.  We hope that they will give you a better sense of what it young people can do at Trinity Lime Rock.

People ask:  will my children be welcomed at your church -- REALLY welcomed?   

In a word, YES. 

We're a friendly and totally inclusive parish, and we welcome kids to our church every bit as much as we welcome adults to "big people" church. 

It makes no difference whether you're full-time residents of the area, whether you're weekenders, or whether you're just passing through.  It makes no difference if your children usually worship elsewhere, if they have religious experience in a different faith or denomination, or even if they have never been inside a house of worship before.

Trinity Lime Rock was founded back in the 1870s with the objective of being a church where everyone was welcome regardless of background or social position, and we've never forgotten why we're here.  If you're interested in the historical aspect of Trinity, our History pages will help you understand why we're one of the most genuinely welcoming churches of any denomination you are likely to find.

People ask:  will my children be left out of the learning process because they're not here every Sunday?  

It's a fact of life today that many students can't make it to church every Sunday.  Some of our families live in New York City and come up only occasionally in the colder months.  And most kids (and their families) today have many  commitments so 100% attendance  just isn't a reasonable possibility.  We accept this reality, and we plan accordingly. 

If you will let us know that you are coming and bringing your young person, we can make  special bulletins, tailored to the Bible readings for each Sunday, available during the worship service -- that is, if they choose to attend the service instead of Sunday School or Summer Sports.   We schedule many activities for young people, such as Christmas Pageant rehearsals, on weekends so that children who don't live here all week can participate fully.  We don't hold our acolytes to a rigid schedule; but we do treasure them when they can help us worship.  And we celebrate the accomplishments of our young people, both at Trinity and in the world outside. 

To sum up, both our Summer Sports program and our Sunday School are very flexible about attendance.  For special services, we may request that acolytes commit in advance.  The nature of Christmas Pageant requires reasonable attendance at rehearsals, as well as a willingness to memorize lines and music.  But even for Pageant, we understand that 100% attendance at rehearsals isn't always possible.

People ask:  will the fact that we are not an Episcopalian family keep our children from being accepted at your church?  

At Trinity it makes no difference if your background in the Episcopal Church goes back for generations, if your religious background is in another faith, or if you have no religious affiliation at all.  At Trinity you will find that our members come from a wide range of religious backgrounds and quite a few have family members who are active members of other denominations.

Your kids are welcome at Trinity regardless of your affiliation (or lack thereof).  If you are concerned that your child may not have been baptized yet, you need not be!  In fact a member of each of our most recent confirmation classes was baptized the same year they were confirmed -- one at the actual confirmation service!

People ask:  my children frequently have weekend guests when we come to the area.  Can can we bring them along too?

Absolutely!  We'll make them welcome and involve them in the day's activities.  Furthermore, we understand that your child's guest may be from a different religious tradition.  You may want to explain to them that they are not alone in coming to Trinity from another religious tradition -- many of the adults in our church are too!!

So, by all means encourage your children to bring their friends! (That applies to Summer Sports and Sunday School as well.)

People ask:  we're here mainly in the Summer.  What can kids do at Trinity then?

Young people come to (and are welcome at) Trinity all year long.   But in summer we do something really special for young people.  We've now finished up our fifth year of our innovative Summer Sports program and we're formulating plans for our sixth year. 

We at Trinity do think that church and Sunday School are important experiences for kids to have -- particularly today.  Would you like to give your child an opportunity to meet other kids from a wide variety of backgrounds, but having in common the fact that their parents care enough to provide them with an exposure to church?  Would you simply like to see what it's like for kids on a Sunday morning at Trinity Lime Rock?  Would you like to meet other parents who whose kids attend church and Sunday School at Trinity?

Come see us some Sunday morning, and by all means bring your children.

They will be very welcome -- and of course you will be too!

Why not return to the main Trinity Kids page?  As well as our Sunday School page, be sure to see the photos from our Christmas Pageants, read about our young people learning to be acolytes, take a peek at our Summer Sports program, and sample all the other things our kids do at Trinity Lime Rock!

Or, see some photos of our Trinity Kids.  You'll see our Trinity Kids  involved not only in learning and worshiping, but in activities that affect all of Trinity Lime Rock (and the world!).

(As a parent, you will be reassured to know that Trinity Lime Rock, like all Episcopal Churches in the United States, has a clear and explicit "Safe Church" policy.  We, along with all of the churches in the Diocese,  emphasize making our churches a safe place for all, but particularly for young people.  Please take a moment and read Trinity Lime Rock's Policy for the Protection of Children and Youth.)