The mission of our Youth Program is to nourish their developing spiritual awareness and understanding through sharing in circle, singing, storytelling, reading, affirmative prayer, yoga, free play and art. Young people of all ages are welcome, and parents are invited to join. (We ask parents to accompany children who are not potty-schooled.)
Children's Program Teachers
Janie Lundy
She has been co-facilitating the Children’s Program since 2009. She has a varied educational background, holding degrees in Psychology, Environmental Studies, and Premedical Sciences. She is also trained in Massage Therapy, Facilitating Women’s Circles for Embodiment and Empowerment, Effective Communication Skills, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. She is passionate about Waldorf education, meditation, honoring the wisdom of the body, yoga, animals, and building loving and accepting communities. Janie is committed to honoring the beautiful and sacred unfolding of Life as it is experienced in each human being, trusting that this is a natural and perfect process. She strives to support the individual in finding love and trust within, in the practice of trusting one’s own inner light.
Karen Shihadeh
She has taught in the Youth Program at the Center for Spiritual Awakening since 2014. Her education in Biology and Anthropology, training in Science of Mind, and experience as a mother of two blend to create a warm, welcoming, enriching experience for children at CSA. Karen’s passion for art, nature, spirituality and storytelling are infectious. Karen’s intention as a teacher is for each child to feel heard, to feel safe, to feel and recognize their own unique Spirit Self and to realize how important his/her gift is to the Universe.
These amazing women are dedicated mothers to their own children, and their dedication extends to the loving and teaching of Science of Mind Principles to all youth. Please don't hesitate to talk to either Janie or Karen. If you have a warm heart or soft lap, please join them on Sunday mornings!
Upcoming Programs
This winter we conclude our year-long study of the steps of affirmative prayer with the last and most important step: letting it go and giving it to God. We teach using affirmative prayer, sharing, storytelling, craft, visualization, breathing and movement. WINTER 2019: RELEASE AND LET GO Sunday, December 23: Believe
Monday, December 24, 6:30 - 8:30 pm: Family Christmas Eve and candle lighting service (no children's program)
Sunday, December 30: Release
Monday, December 31, 5 - 6:30 pm: Burning bowl ceremony (no children's program)
Sunday, January 6: Trust
Sunday, January 13: Faith
Sunday, January 20: Reap
Sunday, January 27: Receive
Sunday, February 3: Rely
Sunday, February 10: Depend
Sunday, February 17: Support
Sunday, February 24: Relax
Sunday, March 3: Flow
Sunday, March 10: Grace
Sunday, March 17: Let Go
Find more information about this season and to view our take-home practices, please visit and/or signing up for our newsletter
A powerful take-home practice that we use in Junior Church is Treatment, or Affirmative Prayer. Treatment has 5 steps: recognition- know that God is all; unification- know that you are God, statement, gratefulness, and releasing. Here is how to do it at home with your kids:
Step 1 Recognition: God is (hands raised to the heavens) Step 2 Unification: I am (arms square hands up around the head) Step 3 Statement: I believe (hands in prayer at heart) Step 4 Gratitude: I am grateful (hands crossed over heart) Step 5 Release: I release and let go (arms sweep down to the ground)
According to Religious Science principles, as you state it, it becomes, so by releasing the statement you give it over to a universal Power and allow it to manifest.
Get Involved! Find us on Facebook,https://www.facebook.com/groups/csayouthprogram keep the practice going at home with your children and join in the discussion. Learn about our book recommendations and suggestions and great links for take home practices. Post your own comments too! We’d love to hear from you! Also there, find out how join our mailing list to get our newsletter in your inbox.
Waiver We ask that parents sign a waiver of liability, give permission to walk off grounds on some days and photographic release. Link
Getting Acquainted Please also take the time to introduce yourself to the teachers. We want to get to know you and your child better.
A Typical Sunday
Children are invited by the teacher to follow them from the Sanctuary to the Children's Room. The community sings them a departing song before leaving. Although the curriculum will vary depending on the teacher, we typically start our morning with a share circle where the topic of the day is introduced. We then move into Affirmative Prayer, yoga and storytelling. We end with deepening their experience of the material through art or meditation followed by a topic review through movement. Parents pick up their children after service from the Children’s Room. Anyone arriving late may use the back entrance through the garden gate on Fountain Avenue behind The Mindshop.
HISTORY Since its inception in 1989, wherever we have gathered, our young people have always been a priority. Whether we were at Robert Downey School, York School, The Barnyard, the PG Community Center and finally, in 2004, our own building here at 522 Central in PG, every Sunday our children have enjoyed a wonderful hour of exploration with caring, fun-loving teachers, who have taught from a selected Religious Science curriculum interspersed with stories, yoga, treatment, artwork and games.
Thanks to our teachers past and present: Vijaya Stallings was a founder of our Youth program. Many others have guided our children through the years, including Carol Arredondo, Margo Phillips, Katherine Loomis, Sherry Boe, Brooke Cole and our current dynamic team Janie Lundy and Karen Shihadeh.
