RELIGIOUS EDUCATION & FORMATION
At St. Bart's we are committed to offering accessible and engaging religious educational opportunities for people of all ages. From customizable spiritual engagement plans, periodic programming, and seasonal events, there is no shortage of quality options to nurture one's mind and soul.
An Open Letter to Parents with Young Children:
Welcome! And thank you for exploring our education page. Did you know that the first stage of faith development (experienced faith) is the foundation upon which all future stages of faith flow? That means for young people, simply being in a church building and witnessing the sights, sounds, and even smells associated with the liturgy, points towards a lifelong experience and love of God.
We are a small church with a few young children. But we have many adults, including professional educators, who are eager to walk with you and your children on their journeys of faith.
As you enter our worship space, you will find a basket of activities, toys, and books for young children to access, play with at the pews and take home. Don’t worry, we welcome the noise. Under the supervision of a professional teacher, we also offer childcare in a dedicated classroom with age-appropriate activities & religious enrichment for those who wish to step away for a portion or the entirety of a Service.
Additionally, we are at the ready to launch a Children's Chapel for kids who may have “aged out” of our childcare classroom and would like to learn the Weekly Readings at their level and engage in a related activity. This could take place during the Liturgy of the Word section of the Service or even during coffee hour. Please contact our Director of Religious Education, Russ Tripi (rtripi@saintbartohio.org) if you think this would be something of interest to your child.
We would be honored to have you and your children experience faith with us. Know that wherever you are on your journey, your family’s unique gifts will be embraced and celebrated within our community.
Sincerely,
The Congregation of St. Bartholomew’s
FORMATION OPPORTUNITIES
Childcare & Enrichment
We offer free childcare during our 9:30am Sunday service for children in a dedicated classroom to give parents an opportunity to refresh, refocus, and reengage their spiritual well-being during the mass. Under the supervision of a professional teacher, the children are introduced to the fundamentals of religious formation by exploring rituals, stories, and weekly activities.
Drop-ins are welcome!
Saturday Sessions
Curious about a topic in religious studies? Join us for our periodic Saturday workshop series, where we explore theological subjects in engaging ways.
Soup & Studies
Fr. Steve Ashby will lead a 5-week Wednesday Lenten study, starting March 1, 2023, at Church of the Good Shepherd, 23599 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst, OH 44122.
The theme this year is “Spiritual Disciplines.” Each of the 5 sessions on Wednesday nights during Lent will be focused on one specific discipline, with the lineup being Fasting, Reading Scripture, Meditation, Generosity, and Service.
A variety of different soups are offered each week beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to parishioners of St. Bart's and Church of the Good Shepherd.
Brews @ Bart's
Challenging the perception that religion is dry, this social and educational event pairs subject matter with suds as we transform our church hall into a Happy Hour Event with all the fixings!
Hosted by Russ Tripi, the evening includes humor, theatrics, multi-media, audience participation (with occasional prizes), and of course beer samples as we learn about some random topic in religion.
MEET OUR DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
A graduate of John Carroll University’s Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Russ Tripi has taught secondary and post-secondary religious education for twenty years. His current interests involve exploring methods of evangelization in the modern world -- including how to engage teens and young adults in faith -- as well as ministering to LGBTQ+ Christians. As part of his ministry, Russ hosts speaking events on a wide range of pop-cultural religious topics and produces an online web series on theology. He is married, has three young children, and has been a parishioner of St. Bartholomew's since 2015.