Families with Children

We teach to all ages:
Children and youth of all ages are integral to our life as a community. We provide a loving, multi-generational and inclusive environment where young people can explore the stories and teachings of our faith, ask questions, and figure out what it means to live authentically in the world. We encourage the presence and participation of children and youth in worship, education, music, service and fellowship. We intentionally schedule church school for pre-k through 8th grade during the hour before worship, so that all may attend and participate in the 11am worship service.

We invite children to come as they are:
Kids can be noisy and wiggly – we believe that the sounds of children in our worship services remind us of Jesus’ call to “let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” If you or your child need to get up and walk around during worship, please do so! To help keep busy hands engaged while experiencing worship, we provide children’s activity bags at the entrances to the Sanctuary, and a sensory library over in the prayground.

We support families in worship:
Our Prayground, located at the front of the Sanctuary, has a child-sized table and chairs, a sensory library filled with items to help children engage and self-regulate (weighted blankets, coloring pages, prayer beads, marble mazes, etc), and is attended by one of our nursery staff during worship. There is also a larger ‘toddling space‘ to the right of the chancel, with rocking chairs and additional books/toys. For those with fussing babies who would like a quiet place to rock or nurse (or for anyone who needs to step out for a quiet moment), there is also a “Family Room” in the Lindsay Room across the hall from the Prayground, complete with a crib, changing table, and livestream of the worship service.

We offer free nursery care on the second floor for children from infants to five years old starting at 9:30am. Please bring a labeled bag with diapers, change of clothing, pacifier, bottles, and anything else that will help our staff provide loving care for your child. We also provide rocking chairs at the back of the sanctuary for the comfort of parents who choose to keep their young children with them during worship.

Parents of Young Children

The Parents of Young Children group is for parents of children from birth through pre-school. The goals for this group include: Social connection, community and mutual support; Conversations around intentional parenting; How is our parenting shaped by being a part of a faith community; How to incorporate beliefs, practices, values; Developing mentorships with parents of older kids; and Intergenerational relationship-building. Contact Associate Pastor Amy Norton-Benfield at amy@upbrookline.org.