During the 10 A.M. worship service, infants through age 2 are cared for in the nursery by a rotation of volunteer parents and teen assistants. The nursery is located on the lower level of the Church School building.
Three-year-olds through first-graders start Sunday morning with church school followed by Children’s Chapel, both in the church school building.
Children in grades 2-6 begin Sunday morning with church school and join their families midway into the regular Sunday services.
Periodically, we have Family Services for which church school children are in church for the entire service.
Seventh and eighth graders participate in Confirmation class Sunday mornings at 9 A.M., then attend the 10 a.m. worship service or assist with programs for younger children during the service.
Confirmation usually occurs in May. After their confirmation, young people are welcomed as adult members of the parish.
There are no church school or confirmation classes in the summer.
Our program for senior high youth (grades 9 – 12), led by adult volunteers, offers opportunities for socializing and building mutual support during these challenging years. Open to the young people of the parish and their friends, Senior High Youth Group meets twice a month on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the lower parish hall for activities and conversation. High points include intergenerational bread-making and holiday pie-baking. We also have a strong tradition of service to St. Michael’s as well as throughout the Greater Boston area.
Faith formation is designed to support mature Chrisians along their spiritual journies. Opportunities include:
- Bible study every Thursday at 11 A.M. in the upper parish hall
- Wednesday evening programs such as Inquirer’s Class and the Lenten series
- Sunday forums following the 10 A.M. service
- Small gatherings such as the Prayerful Parenting, Benedictine Cell, and bereavement groups.
The Benedictine Journey
Fifteen centuries ago, St. Benedict’s beliefs and instructions on religious life were collected in what is now known as the Rule of Saint Benedict. As part of the Benedictine Journey, a group of St. Michael’s parishioners meets monthly to discuss and reflect communally on passages from the Rule of Saint Benedict.
Each member of the group commits as little or as much time as they like to the Benedictine practice throughout the month. We meet once a month on a weeknight evening from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m, each taking a turn sharing our interpretation and reflections on a passage that we all have studied over the last month.
At a past meeting, we had noted Benedictine educator Dr. Suzanne Wilcox present and discuss with us the film, The Benedictine Journey: Listening with the Ear of the Heart. We discussed with her how we try to discover a sense of God in the hustle and bustle of work life, family life and daily obligations, through our reading of the Rule. We also discussed the medieval concepts of humility, silence, and obedience practiced by St. Benedict and how we can see these concepts having a role in today’s modern world.
Part of the Benedictine practice is hospitality, a welcoming presence that we hope to share with others at St. Michael’s. We invite you to join us. If you are looking for a way to incorporate some time for spiritual reflection in your busy life, this is a great way to do it.