Education

Godly Play classes are offered for children grades K-2 and grades 3-5 at the 10:30 am service. Godly Play is an imaginative and creative curriculum rooted in Montessori methodology that seeks to engage the whole child. Through storytelling, wondering together, and creative response time, the Sacred Stories of the Bible, Jesus’ Parables, and Liturgical Action stories are shared. These story materials can be found on the shelves all around the room along with creative response materials for the children to do their work each week. These are the children’s classrooms and it is God who invites them into Play.

Godly Play respects that children already have an awareness of the Mystery of God’s presence in their lives and seeks to foster a religious language system that will help them express and make meaning with their spiritual experiences and traditions. Each classroom is led by a team of co-teachers, a storyteller and a door person, who work together to support and guide the children in their spiritual formation.

• Grades K-2 meet in the Prentiss Whitman Room
• Grades 3-5 meet in the John Gloucester Room

If you would like to learn more about our Godly Play program or have interest in joining our team of classroom leaders please contact Amy Tardiff. You can also learn more about our methodology at the Godly Play Foundation website.

In Greek, Logos literally means “The Word.”  In John 1:1, Logos is translated “in the beginning was the Word and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”

Logos is a midweek intergenerational program that takes place on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year. The Logos program engages participants of all ages in the life of the church, providing opportunities to learn about God, have fun while sharing a meal, and create lasting relationships with others.

Our 2025-2026 program will be using the LIFT (Living In Faith Together) curriculum by GenOn Ministries, which follows the four-part program design of Logos to reflect the life of the early church as expressed in Acts 2:42

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

During each one hour session, we will gather to share a meal (Break Bread Together), discuss a Bible passage or story (Study the Word Together), enjoy table games, crafts or other activities (Play Together), and worship by praising God in prayer or song (Pray Together). These four parts, plus Sunday worship, make the whole. Participating regularly in worship as an integral part of the congregation is essential for all ages if we are to have a complete experience of Christian nurture.

For more information, please contact logos@arkanddove.org. We hope you will join us!

Vacation Bible School is a weeklong program for children and youth grades preschool through middle school. We meet in the early evening for fun and fellowship while learning about God’s loving grace and the Bible.

Watch here for announcements regarding our 2026 VBS program!

The Ark and Dove youth groups (middle and high school) meet for fellowship, food, learning and fun. We typically meet on Sunday evenings. The format of our youth gatherings can change throughout the year, so be sure to join the youth group mailing list for the most up-to-date information. Contact Pastor Jenn to be added to the mailing list.

Confirmation is an opportunity for high school youth to become members of Ark and Dove. Through study and fellowship, participants will learn about what it means to join in the mission and membership of the church. Confirmation students will write statements of faith to share with their peers and with the Session of the church as they claim their own unique understanding of how God is working in them and through them. The process of confirmation will also include mentorship, retreat, and mission opportunities. No homework required! Contact Pastor Jenn for more information.

2025 Confirmation Class Syllabus

Iris group is Ark & Dove’s LGBTQ+ focused group for middle school and high school aged youth. This adult led group meets twice a month with middle school and high school youth meeting separately to share a safe space in community, have fun, do activities or play games, and discuss queer theology. For more information contact Adora Grace Nilsen-Johnson.

This group is currently on hiatus

Our Wednesday morning Bible study meets weekly at 10am on Zoom. We typically discuss the scriptures that will be used in worship on the following Sunday. This group is also a place to share prayer concerns and pray together. Contact Pastor Jenn for the Zoom link or for more information.

Our conversations will be informal, non-judgmental, inclusive, theological, and lively. During some gatherings we’ll pursue truth, during others we’ll sit as non-anxiously as possible with doubt, and every time, we’ll be the church where all are called and where all are welcome.

For more information, contact Jenn McCullough.

Second Saturday is a prayer group that meets every second Saturday of the month at 10:00 am in the Ark and Dove Room. We usually practice one of several types of contemplative praying which we see as a means of developing our relationship with Christ “to the point of communing beyond words, thoughts and feelings and the multiplication of other acts” (Thomas Keating). These are frequently referred to as “prayers of the heart.” Some of the types of contemplative praying we have practiced in the past have included centering prayer, Lectio Divina (Divine reading or “doodling”), Praying the Hours, and Christian walking meditation. We conclude each meeting by praying as a group for our families and friends, as well as our church, community and world. For more information, contact Kim Champagne.

This group is currently on hiatus

During the four week season of Advent, Ark & Dove hosts a variety of small group Advent studies to choose from, each focusing on the season’s theme. These groups provide an opportunity to gather together in community, connect with one another, and grow our faith. Some groups gather together in the homes of the study’s hosts, others meet in person at church or online via Zoom. Our hope is to make these small groups accessible to as many as possible. The theme for Advent 2025 is “The Will to Dream,” and we are using a self-paced, at-home devotional.  Ark & Dove’s queer support group is also hosting a small group Advent study using Trans Advent by Justice Unbound. For more information, contact christianed@arkanddove.org.

Resources for winter 2025 Advent study groups available here!

Our Lenten study small groups are held during the six weeks of the Lenten season and include in-person as well as virtual gatherings. Some years, each group focuses on the same devotional and other years, the leaders of each group choose their own study resource. All are welcome and we encourage you to join in the discussions.

2025 Lenten season offerings are available here!