Children and Youth
Nursery
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Youth Group
Spiritual formation + fellowship for students in 5th through 12th grade
Join us Sunday afternoons from 4 to 5:30 for Youth Group at St. Thomas! We will share food, faith and fun with leaders Stacey, Theresa, Jen, and Michael. Anyone in 5th-12th grade for the 2025-26 school year at St. Thomas is welcome to come and bring a friend to church! It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and shoes you can run around in. Please leave electronics at home or be prepared to stow them in a pocket or bag during Youth Group. You can email Jen with any questions you may have at Jen@StThomasSpringdale.org.
Youth Group is on Sunday evenings during the school year between August 10th and May 17th. We will not have Youth Group on a Sunday night before a Monday holiday including Labor Day, Indigenous People’s Day, Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Presidents’ Day. There is also no Youth Group during the following holiday breaks: Christmas Break - December 21st and 28th, Spring Break - March 22nd, Easter Sunday - April 5th, and Mother’s Day - May 10th. Special events and field trips may take the place of Sunday evening Youth Group at the church.
Stay tuned for summer 2026 meetups and special events schedule (coming soon)!
Children's Chapel
Bible lessons + snacks + crafts/movement based activities geared towards younger learners and neurodivergent friends
We offer Children’s Chapel during the 10:30 am service for children ages 3 and up. During Chapel, we have an abbreviated Bible lesson with a corresponding coloring sheet or other art, craft, or movement based game or activity. All children are also offered nutritious snacks in addition to access to sensory friendly toys throughout the time we are gathered.
We encourage parents/caregivers to join us as well during this time if they would like to help supervise or support their child(ren) who might be apprehensive to attend Children's Chapel. As the saying goes, "the more the merrier" as we strive to welcome and serve ALL children and families that join us at St. Thomas.
Children are also welcome to remain in the sanctuary to join in worship, too! Their movements and noises only add to the blessing of the whole gathered community.
Sunday School
Bible study + discussion + more snacks + games/skits + free play
We offer Sunday School during the school year at 9:15 am for students ages 6 and up. We use a curriculum by Illustrated Ministry, which follows the lectionary, so each week we read Scriptures that are read during Church that day. We encourage students to share their faith and thoughts in lively discussions during our time together. We also offer everyone the same snacks and sensory support offered during Children's Chapel. We frequently create art that is not your typical adult-led creations (ask about our bug hotels!) and always encourage students' curiosity and creativity when it comes to exploring topics of faith. We also believe in the power of play and the benefits both physically and spiritually for children, so we regularly carve out time to let students play on our new and improved playground or in designated green spaces around the church.
Oh, and snacks! Did we mention snacks already? We did?? Well, snacks are kind of important when it comes to kids, and we have no shortage. Our parishioners voluntarily keep our snack cart full so that any child who comes to St. Thomas with an appetite can be nourished both physically and spiritually. This is one of many ways we are trying to follow Christ's command to "feed his sheep".
Diocesan Events
Fellowship camps and retreats to connect with the church throughout the Arkansas diocese
We are blessed to belong to the diocese of Arkansas that has its own summer camp and retreat center on Petit Jean Mountain called Camp Mitchell. It is a truly special place with a rich history and beautiful stone buildings, cabins, a lodge, and a cliffside chapel. Camp Mitchell currently offers Youth Group retreats two weekends a year called Arkansas Youth Event (AYE) as well as summer camps for 1st through 12th grade. Scholarships are offered to help cover the costs to attend both through the diocese as well as St. Thomas. Visit their website for more info and email Jen@StThomasSpringdale.org for scholarship inquiries.
