Children at St Mark’s

Children’s formation is an important part of our parish family life. We want children to know God’s unconditional love for them and feel free to wonder out loud and ask questions about what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the 21st century.

A reminder that as a welcoming community, St. Mark’s celebrates the sounds of young children in the liturgy. “Make a joyful sound!”

Godly Play

Nursery

Nursery care is available most Sundays for children ages 1–5 (young toddlers- Kindergartners) from 9:15–end of Service. Our nursery is Montessori-inspired and follows a Godly Play approach modified to meet the needs of toddlers and preschoolers. Our licensed and SafeChurch-trained childcare providers strive to create a welcoming, safe, spiritually-enriching environment for our very youngest children!

Contact: Mtr. Holly Huff, holly@stmarksutah.org

Family Spaces

Coming to church with kids can be stressful! We have thoughtfully prepared spaces throughout our building with the needs of both caregivers and children in mind. We hope this can make the experience of coming to church a little easier for everyone.

The St. Mark’s Family Lounge (located on the lower level/undercroft) is available for parents and caregivers of infants and young children. Speakers provide audio of the service broadcast live from the sanctuary, so you have the option to listen in should you wish. Nursing and infant feeding supplies are available, as are glider chairs for nursing/feeding. The lounge also has a collection of faith-based picture and board books and an assortment of toys for restless toddlers.

Family-friendly restrooms are located throughout the building and are marked with a “baby-changing” symbol. These restrooms are equipped with changing stations, diapering supplies and step stools. We have high chairs available in the Parish Hall for use during coffee hour.

Family Worship Services

On the first Sunday of the month we offer a Family Service from 9:15–10 a.m in the Children’s Chapel (located in the church undercroft). This service is 45 minutes long and is especially designed for families with children ages 0–12! There will be a children’s homily and children are invited to actively participate in the service in various ways. This can be a great way to get kids acquainted with and excited about worship. Our first family service of the program year will be on September 10th at 9:15 a.m. in the Children’s Chapel.

Special events throughout the church year include: St. Francis Day/Blessing of the Animals, our Día de Los Muertos celebration, St. Nicholas Day service, Children’s Stations of the Cross, Easter Egg hunt, and Pentecost Birthday boxes for our food-insecure friends at Hildegarde’s Food Pantry.

Contact: Mtr. Holly Huff, holly@stmarksutah.org, with questions

Children’s Choir

Our children’s choir is a place for children to make a joyful noise and find God in music. Choir meets on Thursday nights at 7 PM. The choir members learn to sing a wide variety of sacred music and spirituals and are regular participants in Sunday worship services. They also learn basic musical skills like singing in-tune, correct vocal technique, beginning notation, and movement. Our choir director is Emily Spencer who brings thirty years of experience as a music educator. If you would like to learn more or to join the choir please reach out to Emily at emilyespencer@gmail.com.

Camp Tuttle

Camp Tuttle is an outdoor ministry of the Episcopal Church of Utah. Nestled at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon and run through the Diocese of Utah, Camp Tuttle offers retreats and overnight summer camps for children entering grades 3–12.

For more info about upcoming events visit camptuttle.org!