An inclusive community for all
Trinity Episcopal Church
CHILDREN
At Trinity, children and their parents find a place where they can experience the holy, learn the sacred stories, build friendships, and practice spiritual rituals at church that they can replicate at home. Trinity’s Children’s Ministry seeks to offer the kind of spiritual support to children, parents, and families that equip them to recognize and delight in the Spirit both within them and around them. We take special care to provide a safe and comfortable environment for children. Our staff and parishioner volunteers are Safe Church trained and abide by all childcare best practices as laid out in the ECMN’s Safe Church Policy. You can learn more about Safe Church here.
NURSERY
HOURS
The nursery is open from 9:00 am until ten minutes after the end of the 10:15 am service during the program year (Labor Day–Memorial Day). Summer hours are 8:15 am until ten minutes after the end of the 9:30 am service.
Children, ages infant through 5,
are welcome in the nursery.
CHILDREN'S CARPET
Children and infants of any age are always welcome in Trinity's worship services. To help with the transition to more mature worship, children are invited to the Children’s Carpet, located in the southeast corner of the sanctuary. There, children can play quietly while also taking in various portions of the service and liturgy as they’re willing and able. Parents may sit in the pews bordering the carpet to be near their children.
TRINITY PLAY
Trinity Play meets every Sunday morning from 9:15–10:00 am during the program year (September–May) and is for children ages Kindergarten-4th grade grade. We use a curriculum called Shine: Living in God’s Light to nurture children in their faith formation and explore what it means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Our classes are led by amazing parish volunteers who help children know, love, and serve God by engaging them in the language and habits of worship, respecting them as partners in ministry, and encouraging them to engage directly with scripture. In our program, children are poised to consider how God is working in the world and how they are invited to participate in that work. Children thrive on the predictable structure of each class: a gathering exercise, the sharing of a bible story, wonder and reflection, and time to process and respond to the story through art, movement, retelling, and other activities.
TRINITY PLAY CHILDREN'S CHOIR
Trinity Play Choir is our vocal ensemble for elementary children. Rehearsals are Sundays,9:00-9:15am in the Choir Room, preceding Trinity Play. The choir sings a variety of repertoire, with themes drawn from the liturgical year, and performs during the 10:15 am Sunday service at various times throughout the program year.
MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH
The Twelve
Community Building and Discipleship
Sundays: 9:15-10:00 am
(Grades 5-8)
Youth engage with scripture, prayer, and understandings of liturgical and spiritual practice. Adult leaders facilitate discussion and, through this weekly encounter, develop significant and trusted relationship with the youth.
Outreach
The Twelve also participate in leading parish collection drives for ICA Food Shelf. We invite donations of pet food and supplies to celebrate the feast of St. Francis. At Thanksgiving, we collect funds to support the provision of Thanksgiving dinners to local families in need. During Lent, we collect donations of items in high demand. Trinity youth make posters, make announcements, and help organize!
Worship
Youth can participate in Sunday worship as acolytes as early as 4th grade. Middle and High School Youth can also serve as lectors (people who read the scripture), and instrumentalists. Maundy Thursday, youth lead all aspects of the liturgy on one of the church’s most sacred days of the year.
LIFT Youth Group
LIFT stands for Love in Fellowship and Truth. LIFT Youth Group is hosted at Trinity in Excelsior on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, and St. David’s, Minnetonka on the 4th Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 pm. We share a meal together, learn together through peer ministry and have time to play games and just hang out. Youth Group is a space for young people to create community, have fun, talk about life and faith, and bring their full selves.
All are welcome!
SENIOR HIGH YOUTH
Trinity uses several curricula, including Journey to Adulthood and training in Peer Ministry, through which youth deepen their relationships, strengthen their connection to the scriptures, and practice their faith through prayer, sharing and learning.
1
Confirmation
Trinity offers a Confirmation Class for youth 14 and older, which is an opportunity for our young people to make a public and mature affirmation of their Christian faith. This class is a time to question and learn. A diocesan service is held at St. Mark’s Cathedral on the last Saturday in April.
Contact Sally Hockinson:
for details about Confirmation.
2
Ecumenical Youth Ministry Fellowship
E.Y.M.F. is a collaborative group formed by the youth ministers and youth groups from Trinity, St. David's Episcopal Church in Minnetonka, Excelsior United Methodist, and Mount Calvary Lutheran Church. This group focuses on ecumenical connections, learning about different expressions of being the church in the world, and working together toward a common purpose and call.
