About the Pray Ground
and More!!
We have a new space in the back of the sanctuary, The Pray Ground.
What is a Pray Ground?
A Pray Ground is a place in the sanctuary where worshipers (most often children) can experience worship through age-appropriate worship materials and tools that will help keep them engaged in worship.
Who may use the Pray Ground?
Young children who are not comfortable sitting in a pew or leaving the worship service. Parents, other adults, and older students may choose to sit in a nearby pew, or on the floor with the children as worship is happening.
What is in our Pray Ground?
In our Pray Ground you will find age-appropriate worship materials and tools that will help keep them engaged in what is happening — materials such as children’s Bibles and books, coloring/drawing materials,
soft toys, Children's Worship Bulletins and items related to
the scripture theme.
What about Sunday School?
St. Philip’s offers Sunday School for school aged children every
First and Third Sunday. All school aged children are welcome to go to Sunday School. If your child not ready to attend Sunday School
then the Pray Ground is perfect for them.
Families worship together all other Sunday's of the month.
What about opportunities to serve and participate in Worship?
There are opportunities for our children to participate fully in worship by serving as Ushers, Greeters, Gift Bearers and Acolytes.
On the Third Sunday, beginning in Lent, we will offer a Children’s Sermon before dismissing the children to Sunday School. This will give them an opportunity to share more fully in the worship of the church and to be ready to talk more about what they heard in Sunday School.
What do people in other churches with Pray Grounds say?
Other churches around the world have discovered that:
- Children are more attentive and active in the service when they are in church.
- When children who are separated out of the worshiping community get to an age to decide for themselves if they want to be a part of worship, they often decide not to be part of worship because it hasn’t been part of their life.
- Offering a Pray Ground is a statement to the entire congregation that we are making physical and spiritual space for families.
- Pray Grounds offer an opportunity for spiritual formation to begin at an early age.
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