St. Bede's Episcopal Church

Soulwork, St. Bede's program of Christian education for adults, nurtures our spiritual lives and helps us grow into the full stature of Christ. Members of the church, clergy, staff, or guest speakers facilitate 3- to 5-week series on various topics suggested by parishioners, allowing for deep exploration of a subject from several angles. As we learn together, we wrestle with some of life's biggest problems, and we come to know Jesus more fully and follow him more closely. Soulwork meets on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in Lehman Hall; childcare is available by advance request. Companions in Christ is a 28-week study that offers a powerfully transforming small-group experience in opening yourself to God's presence and guidance. Explore classic spiritual practices and develop new daily patterns that will deepen your relationship with God and with your group.

Sunday morning children’s and youth programs take place in Wyatt Hall, on the west side of the courtyard. (The church is on the south side of the courtyard.) The Children’s and Youth Ministry program for the 2017-2018 school year will explore an agricultural theme of “Tending and Growing God’s Creation.” Our lesson plans will follow the liturgical calendar and the lectionary—the church’s seasons and the weekly Scripture lessons. Children and youth will be learning about the same lessons read in worship services. Sunday School begins at 10:15 a.m. Our younger children, aged about 3-6, enjoy learning through Godly Play. The program includes visual Bible and liturgical storytelling that is designed to activate reflection through artistic expression. Godly Play this year will be generally guided by the liturgical calendar and the lectionary. Our older children, in grades 2 through 5, are using Weaving God’s Promises, a curriculum written for The Episcopal Church. The class time includes gathering, lesson time, reflection through activities, artistic expression, and preparation for participation in worship. This allows the children to really begin to seek an adult understanding of faith formation. The nursery is available from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. During Sunday’s 10:15 service, infants and toddlers may be cared for in our professionally staffed nursery, just steps away from the church sanctuary. Our nursery is equipped with a variety of storytelling and imaginative playtime equipment to engage children for their earliest church experiences. Engagement with the lectionary takes the form of reading and creative play among the older children in this group. Youth Group starts at 10:00 a.m. Youth group meetings begin with a check-in and continue with worship and reflection time, followed by planning time for missional service and activities. Local service opportunities will include organizing parish-wide engagement, experiences of interfaith and ecumenical youth group service in the community, and growing awareness of the place of faith in the world. Local projects will help our youth prepare for a one-week pilgrimage and mission trip next summer with Sierra Service Project to San Diego.

Prepare and serve dinner, provide childcare and socialize with adults, or spend the night as an overnight host for families staying at a local church or synagogue as part of Home & Hope’s transitional shelter program. Volunteers serve as a group on a quarterly basis, or more frequently by request. Learn more about Home & Hope at homeandhope.net

Children who rely on school breakfasts and lunches as their main food source can go hungry over the weekend and during summer break. Pack the Bag provides healthy snacks for children in low-income families, in partnership with Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto. Volunteers purchase food and pack up to 25 bags per week, which EHP distributes to families.

Volunteers bake Christmas cookies, decorate cookie bags and deliver them on Christmas Day to inmates and staff at the San Mateo County jail.

The performances in our concert series vary from the intimate to the large scale, from instrumental to choral, from early to contemporary. Our concert space is warm and hospitable, with a lovely acoustic. Parking is free and plentiful, and each event is followed by a reception in our parish hall with opportunities to chat with each other and the performers. In this series, we seek to engage our parishioners, our neighbors, and the wider community in the enjoyment and appreciation of the beauty and mystery of human experience as expressed through the extraordinary medium of music.