Christian Formation for all ages is a top priority at St. Alban’s, and we believe in the full participation of all in the life of the parish.  Our Christian Formation ministry is designed to prepare our children and youth to participate fully in worship, learning, education, fellowship and ministry and prayer.  We also recognize that God doesn’t finish working on us when we graduate from school.  We take adult Christian Formation seriously, knowing that our relationship with God deepens as we get more involved in parish life.

Nursery

On Sunday Mornings we offer two nurseries -- an Infant Nursery and a Toddler Nursery -- both opening at 9:15 a.m. and remaining open until the end of the 10:30 a.m. service at approximately 11:45 a.m.

Each nursery is staffed by a professional child-care worker.  In addition, parent volunteers take their turns caring for our children in the nursery.

Our nursery is open and staffed for many parish events.

Children's Sunday School - Ages 3 – 5th Grade

Christian Formation for children ages three through fifth grade takes place from 10:15 - 11:15 a.m. in our Sunday School classrooms during our 10:30 a.m. service.  Following their classes, children are accompanied by their teachers to the service, where they return to their parents so that they might receive Holy Communion as a family.

Our Sunday School classes use the Episcopal Children's Curriculum, which is grounded in the Baptismal Covenant and assumes that Christian formation is a lifelong process.  The role of the program, through the teachers, is to help children discover and proclaim God's presence in us.   In addition, our programs encourage a sense of community -- both in the fellowship shared together and in outreach beyond our church doors through gifts to a food pantry or creating art for those on our prayer list.

We enrich our curriculum with manipulatives from Godly Play, a Montessori-based experiential approach to children's religious formation. Children are in Sunday School to study, but also to worship and to wonder. Through the materials, we can tell parables, play with Noah's Ark, and gather in prayer before a table.

The Christian Education Committee, comprised of laity and clergy, meets regularly to guide our planning.

Youth Formation – Middle School and High School

We use slightly modified Rite 13 and J2A curricula. Teams of laity help teach the Sunday school classes. In addition to Sunday school, there are both service and social events that happen monthly. There are also opportunities to gather with other youth from the diocese of NC. Visit the Youth Ministry web site of the Episcopal Diocese of NC.

We want our youth to feel at home and comfortable in church on Sunday mornings, and we encourage them to be involved in our Sunday liturgies as acolytes, ushers, lay readers, chalice bearers and members of the choir.

We emphasize full participation for all in the life of the church, involving our young people in education, worship, fellowship and ministry. As they mature, their needs and questions change. St. Alban’s is a place where questions about the faith and about God are encouraged.

The High School and Middle School Youth meet separately on Sunday mornings for education from 9:15-10:15 a.m.

Adult Education

We see all of our adult ministries as opportunities for growth and learning what it is to be a Christian man or woman. Sometimes we learn by mopping a floor or setting up tables for our annual Fall Festival.   We learn through worship as we sing, pray and serve the church in the Altar guild, or as an usher, acolyte or lay reader.  We learn as we pray the daily office and on Sunday mornings and as we pray our way through the church year.  We also provide regular opportunities for learning through study, including:

Adult Forum

Each Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. our Adult Forum focuses on topics of interest that have included studies of particular books of the Bible, church history, religion in America, music in the church, studies of the world’s faiths and an examination of issues within the Episcopal church.

Via Media

Via Media is a program designed for those new to the Episcopal Church or the Anglican tradition. We use Via Media as an opportunity for those new to St. Alban’s to get to know our clergy, and other parishioners while seeking to address the many questions they may have such as “how is this church different from a Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist or Presbyterian churches?” Via Media is a seven-course series of conversations. Some sessions are held on Sunday mornings during the Sunday School hour, while others are held in the evening.

Disciple

Those interested in more extensive small-group study are encouraged to join one of our Disciple groups. \ Each 35-week Disciple course provides the opportunity for deep Bible study with a close group of parishioners. We learn a lot from one another when we read the scriptures together.

Education for Ministry (EFM)

Education for Ministry is a four year lay ministry development program provided and administer by the University of the South Divinity School. The coursework includes the Old Testament, the New Testament, early history of the church, and recent history of the church. It is a serious commitment to a faith journey that is life changing. Graduates receive a certificate from the University of the South. We do not have an active EFM program at this time, but it is under consideration.