Christian Education

St. Clare’s Episcopal Church

Pleasanton California

To Grow In Christ

We believe we have a God-given obligation to provide our young people with a safe environment in which to ask questions, grow in faith and share in the ministry of our church.

Nursery Care:

For toddlers and infants, one of our dedicated preschool teachers offers loving nursery care during the 10 a.m. service, capably assisted by a teenage helper.

Sunday School:

For children from preschool through 5^th grade, a comprehensive chapel-based Sunday School program is taught by adult volunteers and teen assistants in one multi-age classroom. Designed to help our children grow together as a group and become more familiar with our Episcopal liturgy, Sunday School begins at 10 a.m. with a 10-15 minute “chapel time,” similar in format to our regular church service. During this time, we will be taking a collection each week to raise money to purchase animals for families through the Heifer Project as well having as a reward program for weekly Memory Verses, bringing friends, etc. After chapel, the children have a choice of three activity centers, offering everything from crafts, to a game, to creating a prayer etc. At the end of the craft time, children will join their parents in church for Holy Communion.

There is no Sunday School on the first Sunday of each month, when St. Clare’s offers a Family Service at 10 a.m. On that Sunday, children of all ages and their parents are invited to take an active part in our celebration of Holy Eucharist by singing in the new Family Choir, reading the lessons, serving as acolytes, presenting the gifts, handing out bulletins, greeting all who enter our doors – or just joining together for joyful family worship.

 

Youth Programs:

Our middle school and high school age youth are encouraged to participate fully all aspects of our Sunday worship – as readers, choristers, ushers, acolytes, nurserycare, Sunday School assistants, or in enthusiastic worship from the pews.  In addition, St. Clare’s invites all our teens and young adults to partipate in our two youth groups. For more information, visit the Youth Ministries page.

 

Adult Education

Learning to live more fully in Christ is an on-going process, and not all parishioners think alike on many of the issues confronting us and the Church. Together, we engage the hard challenges of our times and struggle to understand God’s call, even as our values are nurtured by our diversity. St. Clare’s offers exciting educational opportunities for adults throughout the week, including:

· Sunday morning classes offered periodically during the year. Past courses have included in-depth study of particular Gospels, their historical context, and their relevance to our modern life.

· Wednesday evening classes. Recent offerings have included: Touching the Sacred:Christian Practices of Meditation; Radical Spirituality; and The Jesus I Never Knew.

· Lenten Programs, often accompanied by a simple shared meal of soup and bread. This year’s class is titled: Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective. In 2006, we shared a virtual Holy Land Adventure: Journey to Jerusalem.

· Epiphany Groups. These small groups meet in the homes of parishioners, and are open to all. Each group of 8-12 people has two leaders who guide the group in study and discussion of a scripture that is cross-referenced with modern events. The Study Guide and scripture verses are e-mailed (or mailed) to all participants. Days and times vary, to accommodate most busy schedules.

· Wine and Divine. This small group meets monthly for bible study.

· St. Clare’s Book Club. Open to all, this group reads thought-provoking books, followed by stimulating discussion.

· Women’s Bible Study. This group gathers on Saturday mornings to study the scriptures and share candidly about their faith.