TRINITY CHURCH
ANNUAL REPORT - 2022

Beth Chestnut

Director of Children's Ministries

Programs for Children

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• Godly Play continued in person. We had smaller numbers in Godly Play 1, so we combined Godly Play 1&2 for half of the academic year through May.  This new academic year has seen a great resurgence in numbers, so we are back to three classrooms. We also have FOUR new Godly Play Mentors in addition to our current group: Mandie Carlson, Lee Stockdale, Ann Trousdale, and Mark Daddona

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• Come Join the Circle: “Books With Heart”-summer programming for children-This past summer children explored different multicultural, secular books with a message “from the heart.” We met in the Undercroft, with the space set up into stations, with different activities related to the book throughout the room. 

• Nursery  - Ingrid Sanders, a long-time employee, continues in the role of Nursery Supervisor.  Sarah Bachler continues to be on staff as well.  All nursery staff are fully vaccinated and completed the required First Aid/CPR and Safeguarding God’s Children.

• Children’s Hour. This ministry continues through the academic year and breaks for summer with “Come Join the Circle”. Andrew Davis continues as pianist.  We meet in the Undercroft for a small snack as we allow time for other children who have not been to Sunday School to join us.  We process into the Redwood Chapel and use stories, songs, and movement to follow the liturgical calendar, or Biblical themes.

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• Godly Play Parent Pages incorporated this year with weekly parent emails (digital download) to support upcoming lessons.

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• Everybody Upstairs-This event takes place approximately three times during the academic year. It involves Godly Play Mentors and children telling the “sermon” in Godly Play style. In Jan-May we did, “The Parable of the Good Shepherd” and “The Mystery of Pentecost”.  Upcoming in November is the story of “Creation”.

V B S

Vacation Bible School

”The Golden Boxes: The Parables of Jesus”

Our format used last summer was such a success that we continued with the same framework for this summer’s VBS. This time our theme was based on three of the Parables of Jesus.  We used props from “Everybody Upstairs” as we explored these parables via Godly Play. We continued partnering with St.James Black Mountain and St. Mary’s Asheville. We had over 40 children and 40 volunteers throughout the four days.  The last day was a Water Play Day, with a partial closure of Aston Street for an inflatable water slide.

ALL SAINTS' CANDLELIGHT DINNER

 This year, we are celebrating All Saints’ Day a little differently. On Sunday, November 6th we will celebrate with an All Saints' Candlelight Dinner featuring a lovely autumn meal on tables laid with white tablecloths, lots of candles, and pumpkin saint o’lantern centerpieces. During the meal, we’ll learn a bit about traditional saints as well as saints of a more personal nature.  Families of children and youth will do the presentations. We’ll finish the evening with a candlelight walk to our Memorial Garden for a reading of the names of those interred there.

OBSERVING THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR

Advent Wreath Making-This annual celebration involves all families creating an Advent wreath for their home, as well as taking home a Devotional Guide (Godly Play based) to mark the season.

Children’s Christmas Pageant-The pageant is a perennial favorite and will continue, thank goodness, in person this Christmas.

Lenten Prayer Flags-Our families were mailed packets with a devotional for Lent and everything they needed to create prayer flags for their home for the season. We also offered lunch throughout Lent with the opportunity to walk the Labyrinth set up in Tuton Hall.

Palm Sunday Resurrection Gardens-Families of children and youth made their own “resurrection gardens” to take home, along with a devotional guide to use throughout Holy Week.

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Easter-Easter at Trinity for children involves two identical services (9am and 11 am).  At both services the children join the grand procession, flower a large outdoor cross, eat hot cross buns and have our own special service in the Redwood Chapel.  Sandwiched between these two services is the Easter Egg Hunt.

Kick Off Sunday- August 28th-This was possibly the largest Kick Off Sunday attendance-wise in recent memory!  We had all the usual bells and whistles: Chikomo Marimba Band, inflatable water slide on the street, traveling magician, face painter, balloon twister, fairy hair, lawn games, and a big picnic with Sunshine Sammies truck on hand for dessert!

Club 345- Our junior youth group for 3rd-5th graders continues to meet monthly during the academic year.  Activities have included: “Fake Sleepover”, washing and cleaning the church van, Riveter Climbing Wall, Montreat Team and Leadership, Adventure Center, Flat Rock Playhouse, other outreach activities.

Four for Families- This ministry happens four times a year, with the goal of gathering our families with elementary-age children and younger ones for fellowship and community.  This summer we attended the outdoor movie, “Ratatouille” at Rabbit Rabbit.

Children’s Choir -This choir remains active during the academic year. We started this year with many new children-enough for two choirs!

Children's Formation Page at trinityasheville.org