Children and Youth

Our Time with Children

Every Sunday during our 10:15 service, we have Our Time with Children. Children and youth are invited to sit up front on the chancel steps for conversation with the pastor and an age-appropriate message. They will then be dismissed and escorted downstairs for our youth programming – Connect 3.

Sunday School — Connect3

Sunday School takes place during the service. Following Our Time With Children, children up to 6th grade are welcome to join us for special activities and music. Abbie Lampe, parents, and members of our Board of Educators serve as teachers and activity leaders, and we invite our middle school and high school youth to volunteer as helpers with the children’s class!

Vacation Bible School

VBS is a century-old tradition at St. John’s!

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we offered take-out packages of activities for families to work on at home throughout the summer. In recent years, we’ve continued to offer a “carry-out connection” program, as well as a meetup each month during the summer for in-person activities.

In 2025, we had a one-day extravaganza called “Building on the Rock” – with songs, crafts, and lessons about having Christ as your firm foundation.

Keep an eye out for information about VBS 2026!

Confirmation

Our pastors lead a confirmation class every few years for seventh and eighth grade students. The schedule follows the school year from September to Pentecost Sunday in late May or early June. For our youth, confirmation is one more step in an ongoing journey of faith, culminating in an “affirmation of baptism.” Christian development is a life-long process with lots of periods of faith and doubt. Confirmation is a way to take that next step toward maturity in faith.

Youth Group

Our Youth Group is for teens from middle school and up. We have monthly meet ups where we balance faith, fun, and service projects. So far, our Youth Group has had a mini golf day at Freddy Hill Farms, a Pizza Making Competition, Prepared the food for Fellowship the following Sunday, went bowling at Lansdale Bowl, and prepared care kits at the Mennonite Resource Building. Our 2026 Youth Events are all lined up, contact the Youth Group email if you are interested!

Permission Forms are available digitally below and in the church library on the YA shelf. All participants and their gardens must fill out a form before taking part in Youth Group. One form is good for all local Youth Group Events!