Pre-K – 1st Grade

Atrium I  |  Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

In their first Atrium, our youngest children discover Jesus as the Good Shepherd who loves and knows each of them by name. The Atrium itself is a beautifully prepared, sacred space – child-sized furnishings, artwork at children's eye level, handcrafted materials made with love by our church community – designed to invite both quiet, independent exploration and joyful communal celebration.

What Children Explore

  • The Incarnation. Using hands-on geography materials that establish Jesus as a real historical person, children wonder together, “What did Jesus want us to know?”
  • The mystery and beauty of the Eucharist. Our central ancient prayer celebrating God's love for us and for one another.
  • The joy of Baptism. and what it means to carry Christ's light into the world.
  • Jesus' parables. including the Pearl of Great Price, the Mustard Seed, and the Hidden Treasure - approached as keys to understanding God's kingdom, not moral lessons to memorize.

Our Method

Atrium I uses the contemplative, Montessori-based method of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) and a gentle “spiral” approach  – revisiting core themes each year with increasing depth as children grow. Children respond to these foundational concepts with remarkable joy and insight, building the groundwork for a lifelong spiritual journey. Visit cgsusa.org to learn more about this internationally recognized approach to children's faith formation.
Sundays, 10:15–11:15 am, September through early May.