The Parish Office, Church Lane, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8DN   |   01932 856399

Sunday School

Sunday School for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years, takes place in the small hall of the parish centre every Sunday at 10am, except the 1st Sunday of the month, which is our Family Eucharist.  There are no sessions during the school Summer holidays or on the Sunday between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. 

All children, toddlers and babies are taken into the hall, before the service, by a parent/carer.

Sessions begin at 10am when the leader, helpers and children process into church with the Sunday School banner and one of the children lights the Sunday School candle on the nave altar before the children leave for the parish centre during the first hymn.  Sunday School worship continues in the hall, generally following the lectionary Gospel readings used in church, but it is varied to include Old Testament stories or to reflect a special occasion such as Remembrance Sunday, Mothering Sunday, or Homelessness Sunday.  Sessions vary, but usually contain the bible story with relevant craftwork and activities, such as games, music, singing or drama.

A collection is taken at each session and this is distributed to various charities, e.g. sending chicken, goats and beehives to families in Africa with World Vision UK, the Nassolo Children’s Ward of The Mengo Hospital in Uganda and WaterAid.  The children discuss and help to choose the charities concerned.

The children return to church at the beginning of the Eucharist for a blessing at the altar, often joined by their parents.   The group then sits in the front pews so they can easily see what is happening and feel part of the church family.  They are invited to ‘show and tell’ about their Sunday School session following the end of the Eucharist.  

Leaders and helpers in the Sunday School and crèche all have DBS clearance.  There are one leader and two helpers at each session.

 

Creche

The creche, for babies and children up to the age of three, is not currently organised separately from the Sunday School.  If there are babies and toddlers in church on any Sunday School day, we provide a creche area in the parish centre with toys and games which one of the Sunday School helpers can run.  Creche babies and toddlers do not join the procession into church at 10am, staying in the parish centre until they are collected by their parent/carer as the Eucharist begins. If parents stay with little ones, they can all join in with the Sunday School session if they wish and it is hoped that this will also make the transition from crèche to Sunday School easier when children reach the age of three.