The parish's Sunday School program is
called Godly Play. Godly Play is successfully used by several denominations in
churches around the world.
Godly Play was developed by an Episcopal Priest named
Dr. Jerome Berryman in 1984 at his home parish in Houston. This program was
inspired by Jerome’s many years of work with children and his advanced
Montessori studies with Sofia Cavaletti, a major Montessori contributor, in
1971.
Thanks to Dr. Berryman’s work, Godly Play is a
wonderful program for children, teachers, and families, and parishes involved in
the ministry. When a ministry like Godly Play benefits so many people in a
congregation, the rest of the congregation cannot help but be touched by that
ministry, too.
Everything that happens in a Godly Play classroom –
the classroom set-up, the carefully chosen and placed materials, and the
management of the community of children – serves the child’s relationship
with God.
Additionally, the Godly Play program supports the
teachers’ developing faith relationship with Christ. Teachers will no longer
be required to develop their own curriculum, crafts, and activities. They are
free to focus on spiritual preparation and relationship-building between
teachers, children, Christ, and families. This is the work Christ calls each of
us to.
