Christian Education for Children

At First Pres, we believe children are not just the future of the church—they are part of the church right now. When a child is baptized, our entire congregation makes a promise to help nurture and guide them in faith. That promise shapes how we welcome and include children in worship and in the life of our church.

Here are a few ways we can all support and celebrate children in our community:

Say Hello

Take a moment during the Passing of the Peace, Social Hour, worship, or Christian Education events to greet families. Learn names. Start conversations. Let them know they’re seen and valued.
Serve in Sunday School
Sign up to teach or assist in our Sunday School classes. Your presence helps form lasting relationships and shapes young faith.
Be a Guide in Worship
Children are still learning how worship works. Help them find their place in the bulletin, locate hymns, and follow along with prayers and liturgy
Celebrate God’s Beautiful Diversity
Not all needs are visible. Some children (and adults) may express themselves with sounds or behaviors that are unfamiliar. Instead of discomfort, let’s respond with grace and curiosity. Encourage children to ask questions and help them embrace God’s wide and wonderful world.
Remember Your Own Faith Journey
Think back to the adults who shaped your faith. Now it’s your turn. Help create a space where children feel safe, loved, and free to grow in Christ’s love—just like we all do.

Click here for a guide to help you and your children feel at home during the sanctuary service or here for a guide to the chapel service.
Inside, you’ll find an overview of what happens in worship.

Our Sunday School classes for children PreK-8th grade are built around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s curriculum called Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living. “This curriculum is based on practices Jesus did and taught us to do as faithful followers. Written for people of all ages who wish to live out their faith, this curriculum examines where these practices are found in the Bible and how they have been used in Christian faith then and now.”

Each week, all grades will be learning about the same biblical principles and stories in age-appropriate ways, allowing us to be in conversation about what we are learning together.

We’ll all begin in worship together and then, after the Word for the Children which follows the second scripture reading, all children who wish to participate in Sunday School may head to their classrooms on the second floor of the Christian Education wing (the northeast corner of the building) with their classroom shepherd.

Classes end when worship ends and we ask that students through 4th grade are picked up by an authorized person once worship has ended so our teachers might also enjoy fellowship time during Social Hour.

For kids entering 3rd grade and younger, our Wiggly Worship Tables offer hands-on materials like whiteboards, markers, erasers, and soft felt building supplies to help keep little hands busy while hearts and minds engage with worship. These tables are thoughtfully placed to give children a clear view of what’s happening up front, and are located near pews where families can sit together, modeling and encouraging age-appropriate participation in the worship service.

We encourage kids entering 4th grade and older to support our youngest worshippers by sitting in the pews after picking up a Summer Worship Kit from the narthex. Older kids are also welcome to borrow a Bible from the Wiggly Worship tables to follow along and grow in their own worship experience.

Our hope is to send a clear and joyful message: worship is for everyone—especially children. Our worship of God isn’t complete without them. The Wiggly Worship Tables are designed to meet kids where they are, just as they are, inviting them into our shared experience of faith.

Cherub Choir Pre-K - 1st Grade

Directors: LeAnn Malecha & Isabelle Esquivel Thursdays 4:30-5:00 p.m. in the Chapel.

The choir sings for worship every six weeks or so from September through April, plus special services including the annual Christmas Pageant.

Faith Choir 2nd - 6th Grade

Director: Gloria Song

Thursdays 4:20-5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

The choir sings for worship every six weeks or so from September through April, plus special services such as the Christmas Pageant.

Alpha Omega Chimers 2nd - 6th Grade

Director: Gloria Song

Sundays 11:00-12:00 p.m. in the Bell Room.

This beginning training group for handbells is open to anyone in 3rd through 5th grade. It provides a chance to start learning the fun of handbell ringing.