Children's Ministry
At JCPC we believe children are uniquely gifted in sharing God’s love. We believe their presence is a sign of God’s love and their specialness in purpose is to help adults recover a level of freshness in spiritual awareness.
Children model for adults what it means to wonder, to play, and to imagine. They remind us to suspend what we are doing and fully focus on the surprising, the new, and the wondrous. We believe play is a form of paying attention, of having fun with an idea, taking the idea and stretching it in different ways.
Play helps to envision God’s future and purpose, often at odds with the routine and restriction of daily life. Children’s reciprocity lies in their ability to teach adults over and over to practice the prayer like qualities associated with play, which is crucial to our congregational life.
As congregation desiring to follow Christ our Savior, we pledge to make JCPC a sanctuary for children and their families. We offer:
a centering time for nourishing one’s internal life through worship, faith formation, and play in our peaceful wooded setting in the heart of Annandale,VA.
a protected space where one is affirmed in their selfhood and as a beloved child of God.
a belief in a larger cause, providing opportunities for families to be involved outreach to those who are hurting, homeless, or lonely.
the shaping of responsible decision-making, which resists consumerism and exploitation.
A balance of affection and structure as well as belonging and freedom.
Intergenerational spiritual formation opportunities
Godly Play during the program year from September-May
As a practice of hospitality to young children and their families, JCPC opened its doors to Sleepy Hollow Preschool in 2013, with a renovated play space both inside and out.
If you would like more information about the Children's Ministry at John Calvin Presbyterian Church, please contact the church office by phone (703-256-3644) or email