Family & childrens ministry information and blog


What's happening & what we're thinking about!

A bit of background: We are an evangelical church - that means we believe the Bible is the accurate record of God's dealings with people, and it's also his message to us, and not musty irrelevant stuff - it's just as fresh today as when it was written. We believe the Bible tells us how we can have a real relationship with the God who really exists, really made us, really loves us, and really visited earth 2000ish years ago, as the man Jesus. We believe Jesus died for us, so that nothing we've done can stop God from loving us. We believe he came back to life, and he's going to come back, and give us life like that too. And we reckon that if all that is really true, then we've no right to keep it to ourselves! Jesus said that kids can be friends with him too - he didn't send them away - actually, he said adults have got a lot to learn from kids, about being friends with God.So, if you like what you see, why not come and visit us in person? We're on the corner of Lygon and Palmerston Streets, Carlton - that's in Melbourne, Australia.For more information, please email kpeken@stjudes.org.au or telephone 03 9347 5152 during business hours.

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Programs for Kids on Sundays


St Jude's has two 'family' congregations, meeting at 9am and 11am each Sunday. During these meetings, "Thrive" programmes run for children from c.9 months to 12 years (or the end of primary school). Click on the buttons to the right for more information.

Family & childrens calendar 2010

  • 12th September, Sun: Grade 6 ceremony - kids welcomed to Youth program
  • 17th September, Fri: School Term 3 ends
  • 19th & 26th September: Relaxed Sunday 'Thrive' program
  • 3rd October, Sun: Term time kids 'Thrive' program starts again!
  • 4th October, Mon: School goes back - Term 4
  • 10th October, Sun: 'Toolbox' Parenting Seminar
  • November, Sundays at 9am and 11am: Social justice focus in Thrive groups
  • 20th November, Saturday: Film & Pizza social night for Grades 3 to 6 - visitors welcome!
  • 3rd December, Friday: Christmas Presentation for Christian Religious Education Princes Hill Primary School
  • 8th December, Wednesday 10am: Playgroup Christmas celebration
  • 11th December, Saturday 7.30pm: Carols in Curtain Square, bring a picnic!
  • 19th December, Sunday 9 and 11am: Celebration Service - we celebrate Thrive kids groups and leaders of 2010
  • 24th December, Friday 6-7pm: Kids Carols - all welcome!
  • 25th December, Saturday 9.30am: Family Christmas service - all welcome!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Easter at St Jude's

Easter is an ideal time to check out a church (actually, any time is ideal - but during the school holidays it can be easier to have a change of routine!). We had a great time this year, thinking about Jesus' generous self-sacrifice for us - people have gone our own way and tried to be our own "Lords", but Jesus let himself be punished instead of us, so we can be friends with the real Lord - our Father and Maker - again.






On Easter Sunday we were reminded again of the amazing news that Jesus didn't stay dead - he was alive again, and people saw it - and the first one weren't the 'important' people of that culture, but women, who wouldn't have counted as witnesses in the legal system of that time.







Two of our congregation members, helped us to experience the Easter message in a different way - while we sang and listened to the Bible being read and explained, they drew terrific pictures.


The kids got in on the act too, they coloured and pasted bright tissue onto an enormous 'Empty Tomb' collage.