Seeking energetic, thoughtful, and adaptable volunteers who enjoy spending time with children aged 6 to 9 to serve the St. Paul’s Children’s Ministry as Storytellers and Doorkeepers in the Wonder Room Godly Play class.

The ideal volunteers are:

• Experienced in working with early elementary school-aged children.
• Familiar with and/or willing to learn Bible stories.
• Able to gently manage a classroom of inquisitive and excitable students.
• Prepared to adapt a planned craft or activity to suit the ability of the students.
• Committed to growing in their own faith by leading and learning with children.

Description

The 1st through 3rd graders thunder down the hall towards the Wonder Room (also known as the Evans Room) every Sunday morning around 9:50 a.m. One volunteer (The Doorkeeper) will meet the children at the door and ask them to line up in an orderly fashion. The Doorkeeper greets each child and then invites them over the threshold to join the other volunteer (The Storyteller) waiting in the room. The Storyteller welcomes each child and invites them to sit in a circle. When everyone has arrived, The Storyteller facilitates the circle, tells a Bible story, and then instructs the children on their “work” (usually a craft or game) for the day. Meanwhile, The Doorkeeper supports the circle by re-engaging distracted children. The Doorkeeper is also responsible for preparing the snack, assisting with the work, and helping with anything else that might be needed.

Requests

Volunteers are asked to dedicate 5 hours a month for the church school year, September 11, 2022, through May 22, 2023. (Each volunteer is asked to be in the classroom two times a month. Every lesson takes approximately an hour to learn/prepare. Each class period is an hour long and requires about 15 minutes of setup and/or 15 minutes of clean-up.)

• Volunteers are asked to take (or to have already taken) a Godly Play training course.
• Volunteers are required to take Safeguarding God’s Children, an Episcopal Church training course that teaches church policies and best practices to ensure the children’s safety.
• Volunteers are asked to find their own replacements if they have a scheduling conflict.
• Volunteers are asked to serve with a gentle, curious, and joyful disposition.