Children and Youth Programs
At Holy Cross, children and young people are not simply the future of the Church—they are a beloved and essential part of the Church right now.
We want every child and young person who comes through our doors to trust that they are known by God, loved exactly as they are, and welcomed into a community where their questions, gifts, laughter, ideas, and wonderfully holy noise belong.
Children at Holy Cross
Youth at Holy Cross
Children and young people are disciples, worshipers, leaders, and ministers in their own right. Through worship, storytelling, friendship, prayer, creativity, service, play, and shared life, we help children and young people encounter the stories and practices of our faith and discover how they connect with their own lives. We invite them to ask honest questions, explore their gifts, build meaningful relationships, and grow into the people God is creating them to be.
Our hope is not simply that children and young people will learn about God, but that they will come to know themselves as part of God’s ongoing story: rooted in love, growing in faith, and sent into the world with courage, compassion, joy, and wonder.
Questions are welcome. Wiggles are welcome. Different brains, bodies, backgrounds, identities, abilities, family structures, and ways of participating are welcome.
No two young people—and no two families—are alike. Whether your family has been part of church for generations, is returning after time away, or is exploring faith for the first time, there is a place for you here.
Come and discover a community where your children can be fully themselves— and fully part of the life of the Church.
Children @ Holy Cross
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Children of every age belong in worship and are always welcome to remain in the sanctuary throughout the service.
Wiggles, whispers, movement, and the sounds of children make our worshiping community richer. There is no need to step out or leave simply because a child needs to move, make noise, or experience church in a different way.
Children may participate in worship in whatever way works best for them and their families. Some listen closely. Some color or play quietly. Some need to move around. Some join wholeheartedly in the prayers and the music. All of these can be faithful ways of being present.
You and your children - in all your unpredictable glory - belong here, just as you are.
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If desired, our Soft Space, located at the entrance to our sanctuary, gives young children with families room to sit and play while remaining part of the worshiping community.
The space includes books, quiet toys, and comfortable places to sit, with speakers so that families can continue to hear, see, and participate in the service.
Children may use the Soft Space with a parent or caregiver at any point during worship. It is available as a resource, not a requirement. Families are equally welcome to sit together anywhere in the sanctuary.
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Children ages three through fifth grade - or any child for whom it is appropriate or desired - are invited to join us during the 10:00 am service.
Just before the Gospel, the children follow the children’s cross to the Parish Hall for a worship experience created especially for them, returning to the sanctuary in time for Holy Communion.
Children’s Chapel includes many of the same elements as our larger service—Scripture, prayer, music, conversation, and an offering of creativity—but presented in ways that invite children to wonder, ask questions, and make connections with their own lives.
Together, we explore:
The great stories of the Bible
The life and teachings of Jesus
The seasons of the Church year
Baptism, Holy Communion, and other sacraments
Prayer and worship
The many ways people live out their faithChildren are always welcome whether they come every Sunday, come occasionally, or are visiting for the first time. Parents and caregivers are welcome to come along, too, although it is not necessary.
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Our newcomer class introduces children to the people, places, symbols, and practices they encounter at Holy Cross.
Through exploration, play, wondering, and hands-on activities, children can learn what happens during worship, meet some of the people who help lead our parish, explore the sanctuary and sacristy, and ask any questions they may have about church.
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Baptismal preparation helps children and families explore the meaning of Baptism and the promises made within the Christian community.
Preparation is adapted to the age, understanding, and particular needs of each child and family. Through conversation, prayer, storytelling, and hands-on learning, children are invited to discover Baptism as a sign of God’s love and their belonging within the Body of Christ.
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In the Episcopal Church, baptized Christians of every age are welcome to receive Holy Communion.
Communion Enrichment gives children an opportunity to explore more deeply what happens at the altar. Children learn about the bread and wine, the words and movements of the Eucharist, and what it means to gather at God’s table as one community.
This offering is not a “first Communion” requirement. It is an opportunity for children who already receive Communion—or who are beginning to ask questions about receiving—to grow in understanding, confidence, and wonder.
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At Holy Cross, children are not only invited to attend. They are invited to participate, serve, and lead.
Depending on their age and interests, children may train and serve as Crucifers, sing in the Choir, read Holy Scripture, help lead Children’s Chapel, participate in outreach and service projects, assist with parish events, and share their music, art, creativity, and other gifts.
We believe every child has something to offer. Our role is to help children discover how their interests, compassion, creativity, and growing faith can become gifts to the Church and to God’s world.
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Throughout the year, there are various opportunities for children to learn and to play alongside each other and their Holy Cross family. Our Parish Picnic, Christmas Pageant, Easter Egg Hunt, Trunk or Treat, and other annual events are fun for all.
Some events are created especially for children and families. Others bring together people of every generation.
These shared experiences help children develop relationships with trusted adults, older youth, and other members of the parish. They learn that church is not simply a program they attend, but a community to which they truly belong.
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At Holy Cross, anyone over the age of 18 who works or volunteers with our children is required to complete the national Episcopal Church’s safe church training. In addition, all members of the staff and vestry (our parish leadership board) also complete the training. Ensuring the safety of our children as they grow in their life and faith is part of our Christian responsibility and something the whole Holy Cross community takes seriously.
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There is no single “right” way to be a family at Holy Cross.
Your family may attend every week or only occasionally. Your child may know many Bible stories or none at all. They may be eager to participate, hesitant to join in, highly verbal, quietly observant, constantly moving, or most comfortable watching from the edges.
There is room for all of it.
Wherever you are on your journey of faith, Holy Cross welcomes you, just as you are, to share in the transforming power of God’s love.
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Holy Cross has partnered with Holly Brook for nearly 30 years. Though Holly Brook is a separate entity from Holy Cross, we consider members of the Holly Brook community to be part of our extended family. If you are looking for a quality pre-school for your children, we suggest you learn more about Holly Brook!
Youth @ Holy Cross
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At Holy Cross, young people are not simply preparing to become members of the Church someday. They are a beloved and essential part of the Church right now.
Our youth bring their questions, humor, creativity, experiences, doubts, convictions, energy, and insight into the life of our community. We take them seriously as disciples, worshipers, leaders, and ministers in their own right.
Our youth ministry theme for this year is A Place at the Table.
Throughout the year, we will explore questions about God, identity, community, belonging, and the kind of people we are becoming:
What does it mean to belong?
Where do we find God in the lives we are actually living?
How do we make room for other people?
What do we do when we feel uncertain, left out, or misunderstood?
What gifts do we bring to the table?
How might God be inviting us to help create a world in which everyone has a place?We do not expect young people to arrive with particular beliefs or easy answers. Questions are not obstacles to faith. They are often where faith begins.
Whether a young person comes every time, once in a while, or for the very first time, there is a place for them here.
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Holy Cross Youth Group welcomes young people in grades six through twelve for friendship, formation, service, and plenty of good times.
As our youth grow into who God has created them to be, we seek to walk alongside them as they explore their questions, discover their gifts, develop meaningful relationships, and consider how faith connects with the world around them.
Youth Group gatherings may include:
Meals and snacks
Games and recreation
Honest conversations
Scripture and prayer
Creative activities
Movies and popular culture
Outings and special events
Service projects
Seasonal celebrations
Time simply spent together
Some gatherings will bring all middle and high school students together. At other times, activities or conversations will be held separately for middle and high school youth.
There is no attendance requirement. Youth are welcome whether they participate regularly, occasionally, or for the first time.
Friends are welcome, too.
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Youth ministry at Holy Cross is shaped by curiosity rather than certainty.
Young people are invited to ask honest questions about faith, identity, relationships, justice, doubt, Scripture, belonging, and the pressures they encounter in daily life. Leaders do not pretend that every question has a simple answer.
Instead, we practice listening carefully, thinking faithfully, respecting one another, and making space for different perspectives and experiences.
We want every young person to know that they do not have to hide parts of themselves in order to belong.
Different brains, bodies, backgrounds, identities, orientations, abilities, family structures, beliefs, and ways of participating are welcome.
Youth may speak freely, participate quietly, join an activity, observe from the side, or take time to become comfortable. Each young person is treated as a whole person whose story and boundaries matter.
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Young people are an important part of our worshiping community.
Youth are welcome to sit with their families, sit together, assist with younger children, or participate in worship leadership.
Depending on their interests, youth may train and serve as crucifers, read Holy Scripture, lead prayers, sing in the choir, assist with Children’s Chapel, help prepare for worship, participate in special services, or share music, art, writing, or other creative gifts.
We believe worship becomes richer when young people are not merely present, but trusted with meaningful roles and invited to help lead.
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Confirmation Class is an opportunity for middle and high school students to explore what they believe, ask honest questions, and consider what it might mean to claim the promises made at Baptism as their own.
Over five engaging sessions, participants explore:
Scripture
Prayer
Worship
Baptism and Holy Communion
The Episcopal tradition
The Baptismal Covenant
Service and Christian vocation
The questions and promises of Confirmation
Sessions include conversation, creative practices, visits to different parts of the church, and familiar stories drawn from film and television.
The class is designed for curiosity rather than certainty. Participants do not need to arrive with all the answers—or even be sure that they want to be confirmed.
Taking the class does not require a young person to receive Confirmation. Together, we learn, wonder, laugh, practice, and prepare for the possibility of making a mature affirmation of faith.
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At Holy Cross, youth are not only invited to attend activities. They are invited to help shape the life of the parish.
Youth may participate in service both within the church and in the wider community. Opportunities vary throughout the year and may include meal preparation, packing projects, holiday giving ministries, shopping for families in need, and parish workdays.
Some service opportunities are designed specifically for youth. Others are intergenerational and allow young people to work alongside adults and younger children.
We encourage youth to move beyond simply completing a task. Together, we ask why the work matters, who is affected, what we can learn from the people we serve alongside, and how service can become part of a life shaped by compassion and justice.
Every young person has gifts to offer. Our role is to help them discover where their interests, compassion, creativity, questions, and growing faith can become a gift to the Church and to God’s world.
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Being part of the Episcopal Church connects our youth with a community much larger than Holy Cross.
Throughout the year, young people are invited to gather with youth from other Episcopal congregations in the North Fairfax Region.
These events allow youth from smaller parish groups to experience the energy of a larger community while remaining accompanied by trusted leaders from Holy Cross.
Friends are welcome, and young people do not need to attend every Holy Cross gathering in order to participate in regional events.
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Each summer, older youth have the opportunity to participate in Moving Mountains, a weeklong service experience in southwest Virginia.
Working alongside Episcopal youth, adult leaders, and local community partners, participants serve through projects that may include home repair, accessibility improvements, community ministries, and projects identified by residents in the Appalachian region.
Moving Mountains is about more than completing a project. Youth are invited to listen, learn, work as a team, encounter people and communities whose experiences may differ from their own, and reflect on where God is present in the people they meet.
The week includes hard work, shared meals, prayer, laughter, worship, reflection, and community-building. It can be demanding, joyful, messy, and deeply transformative.
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Youth are part of the whole life of Holy Cross. In addition to regular Youth Group gatherings, young people are invited to participate in parish-wide celebrations and intergenerational events such as the parish picnic, Trunk or Treat, the Christmas Pageant, Advent and Christmas activities, the Easter Egg Hunt, special worship services, and parish meals and celebrations.
Youth may participate, volunteer, lead, or simply come and enjoy being part of the community.
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Our care for young people does not end when they graduate from high school.
Through our College Care Package Ministry, Holy Cross continues to remind college students and other young adults living away from home that they remain known, loved, prayed for, and connected to their parish community.
Care packages offer a small but tangible expression of our commitment to accompany young people through changing seasons of life.
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At Holy Cross, anyone over the age of 18 who works or volunteers with our children is required to complete the national Episcopal Church’s safe church training. In addition, all members of the staff and vestry (our parish leadership board) also complete the training. Ensuring the safety of our youth as they grow in their life and faith is part of our Christian responsibility and something the whole Holy Cross community takes seriously.
There Is a Place for You Here
Young people do not need to be certain about what they believe before joining us.
They do not need to know the Episcopal liturgy, have attended church before, or be ready to speak in a group. They do not have to fit a particular image of what a churchgoing teenager is supposed to look like.
They may arrive full of faith, full of questions, skeptical, hopeful, tired, enthusiastic, awkward, quiet, or unsure.
They are welcome.
At God’s table, there is room for their questions.
There is room for their gifts.
There is room for their whole selves.
There is a place for them here.