Welcome to St. Timothy's Family

This section of our website will answer your questions about families with young children at St. Timothy's Anglican Church in Agincourt. We hope you find the information you need to figure out if St. Tim's is the right church for your family.

Family mission statement

Our mission is to help children increase their knowledge of Christ and God in a safe and caring environment so that they can blossom into faithful Christian adults.

Answers to common questions

Our children programs

• What are the Sunday programs for children?
• What is a typical Sunday experience for the children?
• What happens at special days, like Christmas and Easter?
• How are the winter and summer programs different?

• What steps are taken to ensure a safe and caring environment for my child?
• What facilities are present in the church for kids?

• When does baptism and confirmation happen?
• What is involved in getting a child baptized?
• What does a confirmation candidate go through?

What are the Sunday programs for children?

Our Sunday school programs cover 3 age groups:

0-2yrs - newborns and toddlers may be left in our nursery during services while parents attend the service upstairs.

3-5yrs - our pre-school program emphasizes interactive singing, prayer, Christian story telling and crafts.

6-11yrs - our elementary grade school program has singing, prayer, participatory story telling and crafts.

What is a typical Sunday experience for the children?

Typical Sunday Schedule

Infants and Toddlers

• Parents take their young ones to the nursery in the basement.
• Each child must be signed in and out by their parent, grandparent or guardian.
• We have an experienced and certified care giver. Any special instructions and diaper bag are given to the care giver.
• The space has a playpen, change table, soft rug and a variety of colourful and safe toys. There is a television, CD player and VCR.

Pre-schoolers and Elementary school kids

• The pre-schoolers and elementary school kids go to church with their parents.
• Right after the procession song and announcements, the children are invited to the front of the church for Kids Focus, which is a Christian story and lesson.
• After the Kids Focus, all children follow the kids church cross to the East Hall in the basement for prayers and songs.
• After songs, we take attendance and proceed to the classrooms. Pre-schoolers meet in the library room in the basement. Elementary school kids stay in the East Hall.
• After Sunday School activities, parents must go to the basement to pick up their kids. Teachers do not allow kids to leave the basement on their own.

Our Sunday School Programs

Pre-school program

• Each session involves a teach telling a Christian story followed by questions and answers about the story.
• After the story, we do a craft followed by a snack.
• The stories and craft follow the one room Sunday school pre-school program. (example story and craft)

Elementary grade program

• Each session involves participatory reading of a Christian story. Every student takes a turn reading and questions are discussed during the reading.
• After the story, we do a craft followed by a snack.
• The stories and craft follow the one room Sunday school elementary program. (example story and craft)

What happens at special days, like Christmas and Easter?

Easter: There is a special event held during the Easter season, normally on Good Friday. While the adults participate in a solemn service upstairs, the children participate in singing, prayers, crafts and activities with an Easter theme.

Christmas: The children normally stage a Christmas pageant during Advent in which they are actors in the nativity story.

Drama or Choral performance: Every month or two, the children perform a short drama or series of songs that they have practised during their Sunday School.

How are the winter and summer programs different?

From September to May, we have the winter program, which follows the One Room Sunday School program. Classes start at 11am in the winter.

From June to August, we have the summer program, which does not follow a particular program and is more oriented around story telling. Classes start at 10am in the summer.

What steps are taken to ensure a safe and caring environment for my child?

We follow the Diocese of Toronto's Sexual Misconduct guidelines and do training related to this.

All Sunday School teachers have police background checks and safety training. Discipline and orderly conduct is maintained at all times.

The nursery is always tended by a certified care giver who has First Aid training. The toys in the nursery have been screened to ensure safety for toddlers.

What facilities are present in the church for kids?

Washrooms are located in the basement a short distance from the school rooms.

There is a book/video library for both children and adults.

The nursery is equipped with toys, a playpen with change pad, TV, VCR and DVD player.

When does baptism and confirmation happen?

Baptisms happen twice a year, in the Spring and in the Fall. They are normally scheduled close to Easter and just before Advent.

Confirmations happen once a year, usually in the Fall.

Please contact the Church Office for exact dates.

What is involved in getting a child baptized?

Parents conduct an interview with the rector to discuss the process and to get to know more about St. Timothy's.

The parents and god parents should attend the baptism preparation classes which span 4 weeks. These classes are used to explore the theological and historical background of baptism, to meet other parents whose children are being baptized and to familiarize themselves with the service.

The parents and god parents should attend the services while they are attending the baptism preparation classes.

The parents and god parents attend a practice service prior to the baptism.

Then, the baptism itself!

What does a confirmation candidate go through?

There are a series of classes followed by confirmation by the bishop.

If you did not find the information you need, please use our feedback page or contact Rev John Stephenson (416 293 5711 X23) or Mark Regis (416 293 5711 X22).