Growing in Faith Together
Children & Youth Ministries Newsletter
St. Andrew's on-the-Sound Episcopal Church
November 2026, Preparing for Advent & Christmas
Welcome, Children & Youth Ministry Families!
What a wonderful beginning we've had to our program year at St. Andrew's! Our children and youth have been learning, growing, asking thoughtful questions, building friendships, and discovering new ways to live out their faith together.
As we approach Advent and Christmas, we're looking forward to a meaningful and fun season together.
We're also excited to introduce this newsletter as a new way to keep families connected with everything happening in Children and Youth Ministries. Here, you'll find updates on what our classes are learning, upcoming activities, special events, and ways to get involved.
What We've Been Learning
Nursery, Ages 4 & Under
Our youngest children have been exploring the beautiful story of Creation, discovering God's love through stories, play, and age-appropriate activities. As Advent approaches, they'll begin learning about the Christmas story and celebrating the joy of Jesus' birth.
Kindergarten-3rd Grade
Our elementary students have been exploring the teachings of Jesus, especially through parables that help us understand love, kindness, faithfulness, and what it means to live as followers of Christ. They've also participated in activities celebrating the seasons and traditions of the Church. As we enter Advent, we'll turn our attention toward preparing our hearts for Christmas and the birth of Jesus.
4th-5th Grade
Our fourth and fifth graders have been journeying through the Old Testament, exploring the stories of Creation, God's covenant with God's people, Moses, and other important figures and events. During Advent and Christmas, they'll explore the story of Christ's coming. In the new year, they'll begin learning more about the life and ministry of Jesus.
Middle School
Our middle school students have been studying Extraordinary Youth, exploring the lives of young people in Scripture who answered God's call and made a difference. They've also been learning about and participating in important celebrations of the Church year, including All Saints' and All Souls' Days. In the new year, they'll begin a new unit exploring extraordinary leaders of the Bible and what their stories can teach us about faith and leadership today.
High School
Our high school students have been working their way through the Gospel of Mark, studying the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus and discussing how Scripture connects with their own lives. As we move into the new year, they'll continue their exploration of the Gospels with a study of Luke.
We are so grateful for our teachers, volunteers, families, and especially our children and youth, who bring so much life and joy to our ministries!
Coming Up: Important Dates & Events
Sunday, November 15: Advent Wreath Making
9:00 a.m., Sunday School
Our K-3rd grade and middle school students will come together for a special Advent wreath-making activity!
As we prepare for the beginning of Advent, we'll learn about the meaning of the Advent wreath and how its candles help us mark the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Sunday, November 15: EYC at Biggers Market!
4:30-6:00 p.m.
Biggers Market, 6250 Market Street, Wilmington, NC
Parents and youth, join us for a special outing this Sunday!
All middle and high school youth, along with their parents, are invited to join us at Biggers Market for a fun and relaxed evening together.
Biggers will be decorated for the holiday season, and there will be opportunities to enjoy food, snacks, drinks, and the festive atmosphere. Most importantly, this will be a wonderful opportunity for our youth to spend time together and for parents to connect and get to know one another.
We hope to see everyone there!
November 20-22, Wilmington Area Youth Advent Retreat
Trinity Center, Salter Path, NC
Our Wilmington Area Youth (WAY) Advent Retreat is almost here!
Middle and high school students from Episcopal churches throughout the Wilmington area will gather at Trinity Center for a weekend of fellowship, worship, reflection, and fun as we prepare for Advent.
Our retreat will center on Acts 2:42, exploring how the early Church devoted itself to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer, and how we continue those practices in our lives today.
If your youth has not yet registered, please do so as soon as possible!
We would love for all interested youth to have the opportunity to participate. Please contact Caroline with registration questions or scholarship needs at cjohnson@saots.org
Sunday, November 22, Sunday School Schedule
Due to the WAY Advent Retreat, there will be no middle school or high school Sunday School classes on November 22.
Our Nursery, K-3rd grade, and 4th-5th grade classes will meet as usual.
Sunday, November 29, Patronal Feast & First Sunday of Advent
9:00 a.m. Parish Breakfast
On Sunday, November 29, we'll celebrate our Patronal Feast and the First Sunday of Advent together as a parish family!
There will be no Sunday School classes for any age group during the Education Hour. Instead, we encourage all children, youth, and families to join us for the Patronal Feast breakfast and fellowship.
The Nursery will be available during the 10:15 a.m. service.
November 29, Wreath & Garland Fundraiser Distribution
Our annual wreath and garland fundraiser has been a wonderful success! Thank you to everyone who placed orders and supported our youth ministries.
Sunday, November 29, will be a wreath and garland pickup day.
Youth Volunteers Needed!
We need all hands on deck to help distribute wreaths and garland to the families and parishioners who placed orders. If your youth has not yet signed up for a distribution shift, please contact Caroline by text or email to select a time. We are asking all of our youth to participate in helping make this fundraiser a success from beginning to end.
Thank you for your support!
December Celebrations
Sunday, December 6, Gingerbread House Decorating & St. Nicholas!
Registration Required
One of our favorite St. Andrew's traditions is almost here!
Join us for a joyful time of gingerbread house decorating, fellowship, and a special visit from St. Nicholas, who will share his story with our children and families.
We encourage you to invite neighbors, friends, and extended family to join in the fun!
Important Details:
Registration is required to reserve a gingerbread house.
One gingerbread house will be provided per family.
A suggested donation of $5 per house, or any additional amount families wish to contribute, will help offset the cost of supplies.
Each family is asked to bring a gingerbread decoration to share, such as pretzels, cereal, candy canes, marshmallows, gumdrops, licorice, or other fun decorating treats. Please, no nuts.
Volunteers Needed!
We're also looking for volunteers to help assemble gingerbread houses on Friday, December 4, from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall.
Additional help is needed on Sunday, December 6, for setup from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and cleanup from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Please email Caroline if you can help. It's always a fun time of Christmas music, laughter, and fellowship!
Christmas Eve, Children's Christmas Pageant
Thursday, December 24, 3:00 p.m. Family Service
Our beloved Christmas Pageant will take place during the 3:00 p.m. Family Service on Christmas Eve!
We invite children and youth of all ages to participate as we celebrate and share the story of Jesus' birth.
Interested in a Featured Role?
Kindergarten-5th Grade: Children interested in a main role in the pageant should contact Caroline.
Middle & High School: Youth interested in reading Scripture during the pageant are encouraged to participate.
Please email Caroline by November 20 if your child would like one of these roles. We will begin organizing parts and preparing for the pageant after that date.
Want to Participate Without a Speaking Role? Just let us know when you arrive!
Our Christmas Pageant is a pickup pageant, which means children can participate without signing up or attending rehearsals!
On Christmas Eve, families can bring their children to the Church Hall, where costumes will be available for angels, shepherds, and animals.
Children can choose a costume and join the pageant that day. No advance preparation is needed for these roles!
Whether your child wants a featured part or simply wants to join the Christmas story, we would love to have them participate.
A Quick Sunday School Classroom Update
As we prepare for our Christmas Pageant, we're using one of our classrooms to organize costumes and pageant materials.
For the time being, our K-3rd grade class will meet in the three-year-old preschool classroom in the Education Wing, just down the hall from their usual classroom.
Thank you for your flexibility as we prepare for this special season!
Stay Connected!
Thank you for being part of our Children and Youth Ministries at St. Andrew's. It is such a joy to watch our children and youth grow in faith, build friendships, serve others, and discover their place in our church family.
We have so much to look forward to this Advent and Christmas season, and we're grateful to share it with all of you!
If you have questions, would like to volunteer, or need more information about any of our upcoming events, please reach out.
Caroline Johnson
Director of Christian Formation
St. Andrew's on-the-Sound Episcopal Church
Growing together in faith, fellowship, and love.
My heart is full as I read about all the classes and the topic each one is focusing on. To know that we are providing classes for all our youth from toddlers to high school is truly amazing...and that we have dedicated parishioners who are leading them every Sunday and all lead by our very talented Director of Christian Education, Caroline Johnson! Our youth are the future of our church and with these programs leading the way, our future is looking very bright! God bless you all, Elaine Henson, former Sunday School teacher at St.Andrew's on-the-Sound 1970s-80s