Children, Youth and Families
Church School and Youth Group
At Plymouth Congregational Church, children, and youth matter! We work to ensure that they are seen and heard throughout our building. When we say that the kids and teens are the future of Plymouth Church, we mean it, and we work hard to create a community that they love being part of!
For more information, contact our Director of Children and Youth Ministries Nina Jonson, ninaj (at) plymouth.org.
Midweek Mingle
Plymouth’s Wednesday evening programming provides a way for children, youth, and adults to participate in our rich musical and fine arts traditions.
For information about music programs offered for our youth, please contact Marie Scholtz maries (at) plymouth.org.
Important information
Church School begins September 14, 2022, at 10 a.m.
On Sundays, our children spend time learning about the expansive, liberating love of Jesus and how God is still working and speaking in the world. Our classes are created through a lens of equity and social justice, with a goal of decentering whiteness and amplifying marginalized voices. Classes are tailored to the many learning styles of children, with a curriculum created in-house by our Director of Children and Youth Ministry, a licensed teacher. All classes contain the following components:
Message: Each week, our curriculum helps the children understand the scripture used to shape the sermon in a way that makes sense for their developmental level.
Meaning: What is this scripture or story teaching us about who we want to be in the world?
Movement: A game or activity that helps work our bodies and supports children’s need to move.
Making: A craft or project using our hands and creativity.
Meal: We share a communal snack each week. This typically includes graham crackers and goldfish for our little ones and a wider variety of snacks for our 3rd graders and up.
More: How do we take this story and connect it to our world? More might include conversation questions with family, how the scripture ties into the news of the world, or a to-do for the kids that will help improve our world.
Classes are currently broken up by age in the following ways:
Ages 2-5
meet 2x a month from 10-10:50 a.m. in room 209
Grades K-2
meet weekly 10-10:50 a.m. in room 204
Grades 3-5
meet weekly from 10-10:50 a.m in room 205
Grades 6-8
meet weekly from 10-10:50 a.m in room 207
Grades 9-12
meet weekly on WEDNESDAYS from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the basement Youth Room
Confirmation for grades 8 and 9 will begin in January 2023, with young people confirmed in December 2023. More details to come.
The youth of our congregation are actively living their spirituality, exploring relevant issues, and learning the history of the Christian faith. Our Children and Youth leadership develops and offer service activities, retreats, and camps to benefit our young people’s spiritual development and meet them exactly where they are on their journey. We make sure that they have a place at the table, including being on boards and committees. When we say that the kids and teens are the future of Plymouth Church, we mean it, and we work hard to create a community that they love being part of!
Grades 9-12
meet weekly on WEDNESDAYS from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the basement Youth Room
Confirmation for grades 8 and 9 will begin in January 2023, with young people confirmed in December 2023. More details to come.
We help develop strong social connections through seasonal outings, lock-ins, summer canoe trips, service projects, and more!
We also have a variety of special events during the year, including:
- Halloween Party
- Potluck Brunches
- Living Nativity
- Christmas Festival
- (W)intergenerational programming in January and February
- Easter Egg Hunt
- Youth Sunday
- And more!
In addition to Sunday programming, children and youth can be involved in the life of the church during our Midweek Mingle and our many summer offerings. We also have a variety of special events during the year, including:
- Halloween Party
- Potluck Brunches
- Living Nativity
- Christmas Festival
- (W)intergenerational programming in January and February
- Easter Egg Hunt
- Youth Sunday
- And more!
Volunteers
We are always looking for exceptional people to help support our growing program! Intergenerational relationships enhance the lives of both adults and young people! Please reach out to our Director of Children and Youth Ministry, Nina Jonson ninaj (at) plymouth.org to learn more!
About Our Director of Children and Youth Ministry, Nina Jonson:
Nina is a 5th generation Plymouth member who fondly remembers being baptized with her teddy bear at 3 because she was afraid of water. Being Mary in a nativity play at 5. Eating too much candy in the youth room in high school. Walking down the Sanctuary’s center aisle for her wedding and watching her children be baptized here. Her husband and daughters are also very involved in the church. She has taught every age of church school and currently runs the Senior High Youth Group. A licensed teacher, she has a background in adolescent health, was a sexual health educator for over a decade, and is currently a trained OWL (Our Whole Lives) educator.
Lifelong friendships were formed at Plymouth, and her goal is that every child is included, welcomed and celebrated and that every child knows they are beloved by God and a beloved member of the Plymouth Community.
When she is not at work, she is involved in community theater, volunteers with Girl Scouts, serves as PTA president, and loves going out dancing with her friends or traveling with her family.
Preschool Peace Camp (ages 2.5-5):
Half-Day Camp (mornings only)
June 26-28
$25
Tall buildings, interesting people, busy sidewalks, zooming busses–cities are such exciting places, and since we are lucky to be smack dab in the middle of one, let’s learn about the bright bustling city we live in, and how to be a good neighbor to those around us!
Join us for this NEW summer offering from Plymouth Church–preschool Peace Camp!
Peace Camp (Kindergarten – completed grade 4, FRIENDS welcome!)
July 24-28
$40
Join us for Peace Camp this summer!
While we are still very much in the process of planning our Peace Camp this summer, but based on interests of our current kids, we are planning on a theme of the intersection of faith, science and magic! Sure to be a super fun time!
Musical Spectacular (grades 4-12)
July 31-August 4
$75
After the success of last summer’s show, we are doing it again! Over the course of a week, we will create mini-scenes, rewrite song lyrics, perfect our own talent acts, and put together a not to be missed show!
Our goal is to have two shows on the last day–a morning show (around 10:30 a.m.) as well as an afternoon/evening show at 4:30.
This activity is open to kids grade 3 and up, and no prior theater experience is required.
All kids will have opportunities to work on tech (costumes, set, props, etc.) and be onstage in the show.
Camps!
Camp Programs
/in Camp Registration, Children, Youth and Families /by Elizabeth BlanchettePreschool Peace Camp (ages 2.5-5):
Half-Day Camp (mornings only)
June 26-28
$25
Tall buildings, interesting people, busy sidewalks, zooming busses–cities are such exciting places, and since we are lucky to be smack dab in the middle of one, let’s learn about the bright bustling city we live in, and how to be a good neighbor to those around us!
Join us for this NEW summer offering from Plymouth Church–preschool Peace Camp!
Peace Camp (Kindergarten – completed grade 4, FRIENDS welcome!)
July 24-28
$40
Join us for Peace Camp this summer!
While we are still very much in the process of planning our Peace Camp this summer, but based on interests of our current kids, we are planning on a theme of the intersection of faith, science and magic! Sure to be a super fun time!
Musical Spectacular (grades 4-12)
July 31-August 4
$75
After the success of last summer’s show, we are doing it again! Over the course of a week, we will create mini-scenes, rewrite song lyrics, perfect our own talent acts, and put together a not to be missed show!
Our goal is to have two shows on the last day–a morning show (around 10:30 a.m.) as well as an afternoon/evening show at 4:30.
This activity is open to kids grade 3 and up, and no prior theater experience is required.
All kids will have opportunities to work on tech (costumes, set, props, etc.) and be onstage in the show.