Kids and Youth at St James
For Kids
We love Kids at St James and have programs for all ages.
Playgroup
Playgroup offers a fun playtime for children 0-5 years and their parents or carers. Playgroup runs from 10am – 12noon each Monday and Friday in school term, with painting, play dough, educational toys, craft, stories and songs, and bike time. If families can bring a piece of fruit and a gold coin donation that is much appreciated. We aim to provide a safe and welcoming space for families, and we reflect the diversity of our local community. Look for us in the hall on the corner of Liverpool Rd and Highbury St. For more information about our Playgroups click here.
Creche
Creche is a safe place for young children to play in a room at the back of the hall while their parents are listening to the message in church and older children are at Sunday School. Generally children go to creche once they can sit up and move around, and move up to Sunday School at around 3 years of age. Rostered volunteers care for children, and SMS parents if a child is unsettled, and parents are welcome to remain with their child in crèche until they are comfortable leaving them. All volunteers have Working with Children Checks. 
Sunday School
Sunday School classes operate at both the 9am and 10.30am Sunday Church Services for preschool to year 6. The children start off in Church with their parents. A 3-5min Children’s Spot occurs 10-15mins into the service. Children come to the front of the Church to listen. They then leave for Sunday School where they are lead by experienced Sunday School teachers. The vision for Sunday School is that the children will come to know, love and serve God as their Heavenly Father through Jesus his Son. Children rejoin parents at the end of the Church service.
Friday Kids Clubs
- Friday afternoon 4:30 – 6pm: K to Year 4
- Friday Evenings 6 – 7pm: Years 5 and 6
Each Friday afternoon local children gather with their friends in the Church grounds to enjoy an hour and a half of fun filled games, craft and afternoon tea along with Bible stories and discussions. From time to time the older group has offsite activities things like Billy Karts in the park and Lazer Skirmish.
Croydon Summer Club
A program for children in crèche to Yr 6 Croydon Summer Club is a Kid’s Holiday Program program run on the Church grounds for crèche to year 6 where kids learn about God, play games, make craft, sing songs and have fun! And it’s free!
More Kids information
For Youth
We hope Youth will feel at home at St James
Radicality
Radicality is a Junior High Bible Study that runs at the same time as our morning services. The programs runs each Sunday of our School Term. Each morning we meet together after the opening bracket of the Church Service to play cards, chat and study the Bible. Any high school in years 7-9 is welcome.
Snr High Bible Study
The Senior High Growth Group meets each Sunday in School Term from 5:30-7pm. We have dinner together, study the Bible and then share in prayer time. After the group most members attend the Evening service which starts at 7pm. Anyone in high school, years 10-12, is welcome to join.
Friday Youth Group
Our Friday Night Youth Group meets at 7:30pm during school term and is a mixture of high intensity games, chill out time and learning about the Christian Faith. It’s a group which attracts High Schoolers from both private and public schools in the surrounding suburbs. On average we have over 50 youth attend and the program is run by University Students and Young Workers who are keen to talk about their lives and faith. Each night we hope to clearly describe what Christians believe and to establish long lasting, deep relationships through our various activities.
7pm Church
Youth Camp
Each year we run a camp for our Youth Group. We travel to Port Hacking for the weekend where we spend time building deeper friendships and starting new ones. We also spend a significant time thinking about what it means to be a Christian in our daily lives. This camp is open to anyone in High School or who will be attending High School in the following year.
More Youth information
Safe Ministry At St James
St James is committed to the highest standards of care and safety in our programmes for children and youth. All adult staff and volunteers in these programmes have a Working With Children Check as required by law. Additionally, they must also complete ‘Safe Ministry Training’ and have a refresher every 3 years. The church has a Safe Ministry Representative who monitors the currency and record-keeping for these accreditations.