At First Parish, we offer childcare and programming for all ages from birth until high school graduation. On Sunday mornings, babies and toddlers/pre-school are welcome in our professionally staffed nursery while children in grades K-12 are welcome to stay in worship or join the religious education classes held during the 10:30 AM service.
Babies/toddlers can be dropped off in our nursery before the service. Typically our K-12 graders start off in the main sanctuary for a short while before departing for church school. Upon your arrival, stop by our greeter’s table near the main entrance so a member of our Welcome Committee can help direct you.
New(er) to First Parish?
Please fill out this same-day registration for our children’s program to provide basic details and emergency contact info.
Nursery
Professional nursery care is provided for babies through Kindergarten by Robert Jones, our Youth & Family Ministries Coordinator. In alignment with our Child Protection Policy, we always have additional volunteer childcare providers present as well, which include both high school aides and adult church members who love babies!
Children can be dropped off in the nursery before the worship service begins, or can remain in worship with you, if you prefer. We have a beautiful nursery space with wonderful toys and lots of natural light, and a phenomenal playground right outside the nursery.
Please feel free to reach out to Robert Jones directly with any questions, or just take a few minutes to meet with him as you drop off your child. You are welcome to stay in the nursery with your child as long as you’d like, of course!
K-8 Sunday Morning Religious Education
Your K-12 graders will start off in the Sanctuary or go immediately to their religious education program. Most Sundays your children will join you for the beginning of worship to share hymns, congregational prayer, and readings. We typically conclude with a story or children’s message before the children depart for their classes.
Your child can expect to be warmly welcomed in church school, to learn about the Bible, world religions, caring for the environment and one another, and other ethical and moral values. First Parish does not hold a specific creed, so we do not tell children what to believe or what is “true.” All beliefs and backgrounds are welcome.
Guests and visitors are invited to join us at any time. Some parents like to accompany their children to children’s worship or to their religious education classroom the first time. Others prefer to connect with Rev. Sarah Napoline, the Assistant Minister for Families and Community Outreach, ahead of time. We ask all visitors to fill out this same-day registration form with names, contact info, and allergies. (Families attending First Parish regularly should click here for our full church school registration form).
For an overview of our Sunday morning religious education programming, and middle and high school youth programming beyond Sunday mornings, click here.
9-12 Grade
Our High School Youth Group meets about twice a month on Sunday mornings from 9 – 10:15am in the Youth Room with Robert Jones, our Youth and Family Ministries Coordinator. Many stay around to help teach Religious Education in Church School. The intention of the group’s regular meeting is to offer a safe and sacred space to connect and support one another in fellowship, and to explore themes of the group’s choosing to help them on their lifelong spiritual journeys. This is a special time to be themselves authentically – to be rather than to do – in contrast to the time they spend in school or other goal-oriented activities. The group chooses their own service projects and fun events, and they have the opportunity to join longer service-learning trips, as well!
For more information about all our programs, please see our Families with Children page.