Children and families are welcome at the Cathedral. We believe that children are an essential part of the community and that nurturing children’s spirituality starts with being known and loved at church.
Sundays | 9:00-11:30 am | birth-age 4
On Sunday mornings, nursery care is available during the 10:15 am service for babies through age 4. We believe it is important to love and nurture the spiritual growth of the youngest children. While in the nursery, children are cared for by Lauryn and Parris, our child care leaders, as well as volunteers from the Cathedral community.
All children are also invited to join their families in worship if that is your preference. There are activity bags available in the narthex, and you'll find this is an community that embraces children in worship. Additionally, you can bring your child to the nursery at the start of the service and pick them up to join you at the Eucharist.
Meet our Nursery Caregivers!
Lauryn Keller
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where my love for early education began. I was raised in a big family with lots of siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews. During the summers I would spend time babysitting family members or working the Vacation Bible School program at the local church. When I turned 18, I packed up a U-Haul and moved to St. Petersburg to attend Eckerd College. I graduated in 2023 with a degree in Political Science and International Relations. My original goal was to teach high school history and politics, but I quickly fell in love with my Montessori Preschool job. Outside of teaching, I love to read, write, crochet, do yoga, and swim.
Sam Keplinger
I’m from a small, rural town in West Virginia and recently moved to Florida for a fresh start. In college, I studied psychology and education while being the forefront of a program designed to teach young children about parts of their brain and mindfulness for 2+ years. I’ve been caring for children (infants—middle schoolers) since I was a child myself and have been professionally teaching toddlers for 3+ years. I’ve fallen in love with the curious minds of toddlers and plan to make it a lifelong career. I’m currently teaching young 2 yr olds at Magnolia Day School. I aspire to write children’s books and find other ways to make a lasting impact on young children. In my free time I enjoy staying active, being outdoors, creating art and going to concerts and live events.
The Cathedral is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for every child. Please be sure to sign your child in and write down any important information we need to know about your child (for example, any allergies or preferences). If desired, leave your cell phone number and a caregiver will text you if you are needed for any reason. Additionally, all volunteers and staff are required to be Safeguarding certified, an Episcopal training and awareness program about keeping kids and vulnerable adults safe in church environments.
If you have any questions about nursery care, would like to request childcare for another event at the Cathedral, or would like to know more about opportunities for children and families at the Cathedral, please contact Michelle Thomas.