Christian Formation for Children
at ST. JOHN’S LAFAYETTE

Godly Play

Godly Play is a curriculum of spiritual practice exploring the mystery of God’s presence in our lives. The Godly Play curriculum engages what is most exciting about religious education: God inviting us into—and pursuing us in the midst of—Scripture and spiritual experience. Godly Play practice teaches us to listen for God and to make authentic and creative responses to God’s call in our lives.

Godly Play is a creative, imaginative approach to Christian formation and spiritual guidance.
Godly Play has a Montessori foundation with 40+ years of research and practice.
Godly Play values process, openness, discovery, community and relationships.
Godly Play models the worship life, stories, symbols and rituals of Christian congregations.
Godly Play allows practitioners to make relevant and personal theological meaning.
Godly Play nurtures participants to larger dimensions of belief and faith through wondering and play.

-From the Godly Play Foundation

St. John’s Godly Play classrooms are for ages 3 years old through 5th grade.

The classrooms are located on the Upper Level (above St. John’s Commons). Godly Play starts promptly at 9:15 a.m. Parents are urged to help their children arrive a few minutes early in order to have “settling-in” time. Classes end at 10:00 a.m. to give everyone time to prepare for worship.

The goal of Godly Play is to teach children the art of using the language of the Christian tradition to encounter God and find direction for their lives. Many education models teach biblical facts as if they will magically make people believe in God. This misses what is most exciting about religious education: God’s self in the midst of the words playing hide and seek with us. God invites us into – and pursues us in the midst of – scripture. The Godly Play method has been created to help children learn how to listen well, to hear what God is saying to them and then to make an authentic and creative response.

Godly Play is an imaginative approach to working with children. This approach supports, challenges, nourishes and helps guide their spiritual quest. Godly Play is different from many other approaches to children's work with scripture. Godly Play recognizes that children need deeply respectful experiences with scripture if they are to fully enter into its power. If we leave out the heart of the matter, we risk trivializing the Christian way of life. We also miss the profound fun of existential discovery, a kind of "fun" that keeps us truly alive! Godly Play assumes that Children have some experience of the mystery of the presence of God in their lives, but that they lack the language, the permission and the understanding to express and enjoy that spiritual experience in our secular culture. In Godly Play, we enter into our parables, sacred stories, silence and liturgy in order to discover God, ourselves, one another and the world around us.

Children at St. John’s have the opportunity for faith formation within the worship service by experiencing the full liturgy as well as opportunity for service as ushers, lectors, choristers, and acolytes in the regular schedule. 

For more information about Godly Play or to register, contact the church office by EMAIL or at 765.742.4079.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School takes place each summer. Check back for more information about next year’s program.

Children in Worship

St. John's welcomes children in worship.  For more information, CLICK HERE. For a copy of our children's worship book (a resource to help children join in worship) CLICK HERE.  

For more information, please contact St. John's Episcopal Church by EMAIL or at 765.742.4079.