Children
Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. – Prayer for the Care of Children, The Book of Common Prayer, p.829
Christian formation is the lifelong process of growing in our relationship with God, self, others, and all creation. Every experience in our lives can provide us with the opportunity to express our faith; the challenge we face is recognizing these opportunities and learning ways to live a sometimes countercultural life in a secular world.
One way we that we are formed as Christians is by participating in Sunday school on Sundays during the program year. The Christian Formation hour is from 9:15-10:15 on Sunday mornings and includes age-appropriate classes, groups, and meetings for all people from age 3 through adulthood.
We welcome our youngest as we strive to fulfill His commission when Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…” We have a soft space located in the east transept of the church for families with young children. This sacred space is carpeted, has soft toys, and offers easy access to bathrooms. Parents and children can participate [...]
Godly Play is a creative, imaginative approach to Christian Formation in the Montessori tradition. Godly Play at St. Paul’s is for children from age 4 through grade 5. Drop off is at 10:20 a.m. on Sundays in the Godly Play room. Children return to the main service of Holy Eucharist at the Peace. Godly Play takes a break for the [...]
We currently offer one Sunday School class for kids between 4 years old through 5th grade. We pull from several different curricula and use flexible techniques to offer lessons appropriate to whichever ages are represented on a given Sunday. Ministry Leaders Nothing Found Children Soft Space & [...]
TeenText is our Sunday school offering for middle and high schoolers. TeenText uses the same readings that we use in Church on Sunday mornings (sometimes called the lectionary.) The teens discuss the lectionary reading and see some supplemental material, such as relevant YouTube videos, pieces of music, or poetry. Nothing Found Grow Parish [...]
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Gretchen Hvastkovs
Preschool Director
Gretchen Hvastkovs grew up in California and attended college in Wyoming. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming in Family and Consumer Sciences. After college, her family relocated to Connecticut before settling in Greenville. Gretchen and her husband are very active with their three children. Prior to moving into the director position, Gretchen was the lead teacher in the two year old room. She looks forward every day to playing, learning, and growing with St. Paul’s Preschool family.
The Rev’d Jen Houser, CoB
Minister for Children, Youth, and Families
Jen Houser grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, attending a nondenominational church where she sang on the worship team, volunteered in the nursery, and attended youth group regularly. Jen graduated from Messiah College (now University) near Harrisburg, PA with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries with a concentration in youth ministry and a minor in human development and family science. They graduated from Duke Divinity School with a Master’s of Divinity with a concentration in Christian Education. Jen married Zech in 2016 and they have moved all over the country from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to Indiana to Illinois and now back to North Carolina. Jen and Zech have a ten year old tortico cat named Molly. Jen is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren (CoB) and has served as a pastor, children’s pastor, youth pastor, librarian, and an archivist.
The Rev’d Josiah Daniels
Associate Rector
Josiah was raised as a pastor’s kid in the Church of the Nazarene. Sensing a call to ministry early on, he studied theology, philosophy, and Greek at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City. He received his Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 2015; joined the Episcopal church at St. Peter’s (Charlotte) in 2016; and received his diploma of Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2022. He was drawn to the Episcopal Church’s liturgy and its commitment to including those who are often excluded from the fullness of the Church’s life. Josiah and his wife, Riley Beetner, love listening to live music, spending time outside, and debating how many treats their 10-year-old rescue pup, Nilla, deserves.
