St John Early Childhood Center

It’s been a month since Easter … and we’re still talking about it!

Our kids have been learning about Jesus’ death and resurrection (as they do throughout the year) and what that means for us, even now.

Ms. Angela asked her class of 3-year-olds to draw what Jesus went through during Holy Week. To see it, think about it and put it into their own words.

Katherine drew this.

It's a powerful reminder for all of us …

The Tuesday after Easter weekend, the classroom felt full of that happy kind of energy that lingers after a celebration. Stories were waiting to be told and Ms. Melissa gathered her class together on the rug to talk about their Easter mornings.

One by one, little hands popped up. They shared about baskets, candy, and time with family. Then one small boy, barely four, raised his hand with something more to say. With complete sincerity, he explained, “I wrote the Easter Bunny a thank you note for my Easter basket.”

There were a few smiles and then he continued, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Then I wrote him another note telling him all about Jesus.”

Somehow, in the unfiltered faith of a child, he put everything in its proper place. Gratitude, joy, and the confidence that even the Easter Bunny ought to hear the good news!

During Holy Week, we stepped into the story that changes everything through our He Is Risen celebrations. The children heard all about Jesus’ death and resurrection. In one classroom, as the story was being read, one of our 3-year-olds, Spencer, quietly got up and walked over to sit next to Ms. Julie. With a concerned, almost troubled voice, he said:

“Ms. Julie, they hung Jesus on the cross and He didn’t even do anything wrong.”

From the mouths of babes! Jesus didn’t do anything wrong and yet, He chose the cross for us. We’re reminded again and again of the depth of Jesus' love for us. He is risen. Even the youngest among us are beginning to see just how amazing that really is.

"Our daughter attended St. John for several years from age 3 to 5, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. Every teacher she had—and the entire administrative staff—were truly incredible. She not only received a strong educational foundation but also developed important social and communication skills that helped her grow in confidence.

When she first started, she was a bit shy and hesitant to be away from us. Drop-off was often a tearful event! Nevertheless, St. John’s loving, understanding, and nurturing environment helped her come out of her shell and feel comfortable engaging with new people and other children. And develop some of her own independence. The impact on her development was outstanding.

We also loved the sense of community. Through the school, we met many wonderful families who have become great friends and an important part of our neighborhood lives.

We wholeheartedly recommend St. John, both for the regular school year and the summer program. It was a genuinely positive experience for our daughter—and for us as parents.

- James Grogan, Former ECC Parent

Planning ahead for the 2026–2027 school year? We’d love to connect with you.
Our St. John Early Childhood Center is now accepting interest for the 26–27 school year. While our summer program is full, it’s a great time to reach out and learn more about what makes our classrooms such a joyful place to grow and learn.
If you’re interested in enrollment for 2026–2027, visit https://stjohnecc.tv/enrollment/ or call the school office at 281-304-5546. We look forward to talking with you and helping your family take the next step.

A story from someone on staff:

Recently, I stepped into one of our classrooms just to drop something off for the teacher. One of the little girls looked up at me and studied my face for a moment, clearly noticing the stitches on my lip from a recent procedure. Then she looked straight into my eyes and, with all the seriousness in the world, said, “Ms. May, I’m gonna pray for your stitches.”

It stopped me cold. Scripture tells us that the prayers of the faithful are powerful and effective, and Jesus reminds us not to overlook the faith of children. In that moment, I was reminded that prayer does not have to be polished or complicated to be powerful. Sometimes it is simple, sincere, and spoken with complete trust. What a gift to be prayed over so freely and so boldly.

A story from Jake, Lead Minister at Cypress Chapel.

"On my way to drop off my son, JJ, at school this morning, I mentioned that I would be leading devotions for all the teachers at St. John ECC. I asked him if there was anything I should tell the teachers. JJ said he wanted to quiz them on 2 questions.

1) Does Jesus LIVE in our hearts.
2) Does Jesus WORK in hearts.

JJ was insistent that the teachers still knew Jesus was active and alive in their hearts. I immediately abandoned what I had planned to bask in the simplicity of the Gospel out of the mouth of a kindergartener. This opened the door for me to use Romans 8:9-11 as the basis of our devotion."

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:9-11

Today we say goodbye to Everett on his last day at St. John. For 12 years, he has poured his heart into serving this community, and along the way he has become such a beloved part of our family here. We will miss his presence and the many ways he has blessed us, but we are also so excited to see what God has in store for him in his new role. Everett, thank you for all you’ve given. We send you with our love, prayers, and God’s richest blessings!

Nurse Haley dropped by our ECC after Chapel last week to remind us that clean hands = healthy kids! She made handwashing fun while teaching the basics that keep little hands (and big ones, too) germ-free. Just like clean hands keep us healthy, Jesus cleanses our hearts and makes us new. Thanks, Nurse Haley, for helping us scrub up the right way!

At St. John ECC, we love seeing how Jesus works in the lives of our families. One of our students comes from a home where Spanish is mostly spoken, and Mom and Dad often rely on one of our teachers to help interpret. Their little boy has been learning more English at school and is even helping his parents learn along the way. Last week, as the family sat down to dinner, he folded his hands and began singing “God, Our Father” in English. His parents had never heard the song before and asked what he was singing and why. He told them that at school, they always pray to God before they eat. The parents later shared with his teacher that they had never prayed before meals, but now, following their son’s lead, the whole family sings the song together before eating. Even our smallest disciples are pointing their families to Jesus, reminding us that God works powerfully through the faith of a child.