Children & Families > Calendar of Family Events

June 29, 2008. (Left to right) Luca, Mark, Grace, Nicki, and Donna pose atop their colorful structure -- after a sermon-time lesson in St. Bart's Chapel, during which children and teachers shared their thoughts about building lives and communities on a firm foundation, with Love as the cornerstone. They agreed that welcome, kindness, caring, sharing, mercy, voice (as in advocating for others), paying attention, gratitude, patience, helping, hope, fairness, justice, peace, sensitivity, creativity, fun and rest would be in keeping with God's plan! - photo by Kathy Bozzuti-Jones Farewell, Anne Karoly St. Bart's Children, Anne Karoly, former coordinator of "Godly Play" for Children, Youth and Family Ministries, was called to a position at Virginia Seminary, where she has "hit the ground running," defining her roles as strategist and organizer --  part of a new team developing an institute for Christian formation and leadership, there.  Since 2002, Anne has served St. Bart's as as chalice bearer, lay reader, Parish Council member, education table leader, artist-in-residence presenter, and co-teacher for Baptismal and Confirmation preparation.  Anne brought to her ministry here laughter, a kind heart, and humility about her many accomplishments in church settings, both local and national.  She successfully piloted Godly Play at St. Barts and helped to train our first group of classroom storytellers and helpers. We know that the children will miss "Miss Anne" very much, as will our teachers and me. The photo of bread that Anne baked for each of the children, as a remembrance of how they shared sacred time on Sunday mornings, is an indication of the love and care that Anne brings to her work. -- Kathy Bozzuti-Jones, PhD, Director, CY&F "Godly Play" (Not Your Father's Sunday School) St. Bart's Children, Youth & Family Ministries is winding down the pilot year of it's Godly Play classroom (K-1). Godly Play is a complex curriculum that involves storytellers memorizing scripted stories, using various story objects, teaching the art of silence and ritual, and encouraging children to wonder aloud about the meaning of our Christian stories. Because it is not didactic and the lessons are 'caught' rather than taught, children have a unique opportunity to develop their own spiritual and religious language. The curriculum is designed to help children express their own experiences of God, in a Montessori-style interactive classroom. Pictured here, Bob Potter tells the story of the "Good Samaritan" and the children respond to questions such as, "I wonder who is the neighbor in this story?" and "I wonder where you are in this story?" Afterwards, they share a feast of homemade bread and juice. Bob is one of 7 specially-trained Godly Play instructors at St. Bart's. Formerly coordinated by Anne Karoly, the 2008-9 Godly Play coordinator will be Elizabeth Lewin, who plans to spend the summer enhancing our collection of our story objects, preparing the weekly story rota, and assisting me with training. Our hope for the year 2009-10 is to add a second classroom. -- Kathy Bozzuti-Jones

They agreed that welcome, kindness, caring, sharing, mercy, voice (as in advocating for others), paying attention, gratitude, patience, helping, hope, fairness, justice, peace, sensitivity, creativity, fun and rest would be in keeping with God's plan!