St. Thomas Kids
We want to partner with parents and families in our church as we raise children to know and love the Lord. We do this through our offerings on sunday Mornings, special seasonal events, and by providing resources to use throughout the week in your home.
SUNDAY MORNINGs
We are delighted to use God’s Big Story (GBS) for the teaching and catechesis of our children on Sunday mornings. GBS invites children to enter into the narrative of God's abounding faithfulness and love for all of his beloved children. Our aim is that children might hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and experience the fullness of new life in Christ as part of His body, the church. To learn more check out God’s Big Story.
St. Thomas Kids currently meets upstairs in our own hallway in our new church home (105 Timothy Place, Athens)! You can enter the main building and go up the stairs or enter from the upper level outside near the Fellowship Hall.
This Fall, we offer 4 multi-age classrooms for children 3 months to 10 yrs (as of 9/1/25). Grouping the children in this way creates developmentally appropriate classrooms for all. Our youngest children, in the nursery have the space to feel God’s love as they are nurtured, play and learn. The older children explore God’s word through the God’s Big Story Curriculum in an environment that promotes wonder and discussion while fostering community within their social peer group as they grow together in Christ. Our Little Ones, Explorers, and Navigators classes follow a yearlong curriculum in which children are invited to join based on their age as of September 1, 2025 and remain in that class for the entirety of the academic year. Below is list of our current class offerings:
Nursery for 3 months- 2 yrs 5 months
Little Ones for 2 ½ yrs – 3 yrs
Explorers for 4 – 6 yrs
Navigators for 7-10 yrs
Our Navigators class joins the service for communion and can be picked up from their classroom after The Peace. Parents will need to show their printed security tag when picking up any child in our care. Children in the other classes may also be picked up to join us for communion, but they can also remain in their classroom for the entirey of the service.
communication and Event registration
Monthly Newsletter and Curriculum Overview
View and download this month’s Newsletter.
Events and Registrations
We offer seasonal gatherings for St. Thomas Kids and their families outside of Sunday morning. Our STAC Kids Spring Retreat will be on Saturday, April 18 - 9am - Noon at the Church (105 Timothy Pl. Athens, GA). Registration Below.
Children in the Explorers and Navigators classes are invited to join us for a morning of fellowship and fun! We will meet at the church on April 18th at 9:00am. Our morning together will include a special scripture presentation related to the Lost and Found parables told by Jesus, singing, and activities. We will serve a mid-morning snack so please let us know of any dietary restrictions or allergies. We hope the children will deepen in their understanding of the loving character of our Lord and His desire to seek and save the lost. Further questions? Email Dana: dana@stacathens.org
St. Thomas Parenting Conference
Join us on April 24th & 25th for a conference on parenting led by licensed psychologist and Anglican Deacon, Ken Wilgus, PhD. Dr. Wilgus has 30 years of experience as a practicing adolescent psychologist, and is the author of Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teenagers Into Adulthood. The conference will focus on the goals and approaches that distinguish “good parenting” from Christian parenting. We will meet at the church and the first session will begin at 7 PM on Friday evening. We will meet from 10 AM - 3 PM on Saturday (lunch provided). Sign up using the form below. Note that there is a suggested donation of $60 to help cover some of the costs of the conference. You can put that in the offering plate on Sunday or make a general $60 donation online.
Children’s Choir
The STAC Children's Choir is gearing up for our next season with rehearsals starting on March 15. This spring we will be preparing to sing during the 11:00 am worship service on Pentecost Sunday, May 24. Rehearsals will be upstairs in the STAC Kids choir room each Sunday between the services from 10:20 - 10:40am. If your child hasn't been a part of the choir and would like to participate, this is a great time to join! Children 4 and up are welcome. Please let us know that your child(ren) would like to join us and are available to sing on Pentecost Sunday by registering below.
Volunteering
We couldn’t care for our children without the help of our parish family! Volunteers must be members in good standing, have the ability to pass a background check, complete online sexual abuse awareness training through Ministry Safe, and participate in a yearly training specific to serving in St. Thomas Kids. Learn more here: Volunteer FAQs. Reach out to Dana for information on the next training for St. Thomas Kids Volunteers.
Seasonal Resources
Our monthly newsletter always has a curriculum overview and often has resources for home. We also want to resource you for key seasons of the church year. Here is a document with several options for the upcoming Season of Lent.
Family Worship
While Children are ALWAYS welcome in worship at St. Thomas, there are certain Sundays when we intentionally suspend our Sunday morning programming and invite children to worship alongside their families. Our hope is that by experiencing worship alongside their parents or caregivers, children will grow in their understanding of what it means to gather as the body of Christ and worship Him. We encourage you to bring your children to worship on these Sundays and teach them! Whisper explanations and instructions. There will be materials and books available for Family Worship Sundays but it's always a good idea to bring a few things that will help your child stay engaged and content.
Childcare available for children who would normally be in our Nursery, Little Ones, or Explorers classrooms. We will welcome your children at any point during the service!
Upcoming Family Worship Services:
Sunday, April 12
Family Worship for the Summer: May 31 - Fall Kickoff
Our Family Ministry clergy contact is Fr. Bill Stanford, our Associate Rector.
St. Thomas Kids is led by Dana Finocchio.