Children & Youth

Children and Youth are important members of our church. We value their perspectives and needs. 

Children’s programs are from birth to teens, and our Youth program is for teens until adult.

Children at St. Jude’s as part of our Services

Godly Play (Pre-K to 5th Grade): Caregivers and our Children and Youth Minister play with the children on the rug on the left side of our sanctuary near the piano, and also run our Godly Play program for children Pre-K to 5th grade. Children are always welcome in our services (we are comfortable with their joyful noises!) and there are often special moments in the service just for them.

Child Care (birth to Pre-K): We currently do not have childcare available for the very young, but they are always welcome in our service. 

During in-person services, children can:

  • sit with their families
  • enjoy playtime with our Children and Youth Minister, Kimble Helms;
  • enjoy the hands-on Godly Play program held in classroom 6;
  • use a small play area with quiet toys near the Altar, with plenty of space for parents to sit nearby (it is located on the left side at the front of our sanctuary, near the podium)
  • enjoy playing in the Narthex (entrance to the sanctuary) or the Parish Hall, which have seating and small toys/books. 

Children and youth are welcome in worship! We will often have special moments just for them in our services.

Children and Youth sow wheat seeds in early 2024, which will grow into the wheat used for our communion bread!

Younger children enjoy the Godly Play program twice a month during the first half of our service during the regular school year. Please see box on this page for more information about what Godly Play is. Please email our Associate Minister Annalise Deal here to find out more about Children’s programs at St. Jude’s.

What is Godly Play?

Godly Play helps children to explore their faith through stories, and to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual experience though hands-on play. Based on Montessori principles and developed using a spiral curriculum, Godly Play is for children preschool age up to 5th grade. For more information, click here for the Godly Play website.

Youth at St. Jude’s

Youth group is just for teens and has Youth Mentors dedicated to supporting this age.

The Youth at St. Jude’s enjoy many fun and enriching activities together, including games, cooking chili and outings such as bowling, ski trips and an annual boardwalk trip to Santa Cruz. 

We also have confirmation classes for Youth and many of our Youth are involved in the Acolytes group here at St. Jude’s.

The Youth meet on Sunday afternoons. Please see here for the upcoming Youth events or email our Associate Minister Annalise Deal here to find out more.

The Youth at St. Jude’s have pre-Christmas fun and make pies in late 2023.

Summer Day Camp

We hold our fun Summer Day Camp (SDC) every summer!

We just completed a successful Day camp in July 2023, with fun had by all!  Please look here for registration for next year’s camp in March.

For more information on St. Jude’s SDC, click here.

Our Summer Day Camp has lots of hands-on play, songs, bible stories, and more!

ST. JUDE THE APOSTLE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

20920 McClellan Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 252-4166
office@saintjudes.org

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