Parish Nursery
At St. Mark, we believe that children are a gift from God and an essential part of our worshiping community. We view ourselves as partners with parents in nurturing the faith of our youngest members, and we want to support your family in fully participating in the Liturgy.
Our Nursery Ministry is offered free of charge to both parish members and guests. It is open during the 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Masses (please note that we do not offer nursery care during the 5:30 PM Saturday Vigil Mass). The nursery welcomes children from infancy through preschool—crawlers, toddlers, and young children are all lovingly received.
This ministry serves as a bridge between early childhood and Children’s Church, providing a safe and caring space where your child can begin to experience the love of Christ within the community of faith.
Items to Bring
Each child still in diapers should bring a labeled diaper bag with a change of clothes, socks, and diapers. Non-spill types of drink containers/sippy cups are welcome. We ask that food items and toys from home are not brought into the Nursery. Please let us know if your child is potty training and/or needs assistance using the bathroom.
Picking Up Your Child
Please plan to pick up your child promptly at the end of the service. For the sake of the group, we ask that children remain in the Nursery until dismissal time, as early pickups can lead to confusion or disappointment among the other little ones eagerly awaiting their own parents.
Before leaving, we also ask that children wash their hands or use hand sanitizer—especially if you’re heading off to enjoy donuts and fellowship afterward!
Supplies and Volunteers
As part of our ongoing efforts to care for our little ones and be good stewards of parish resources, we welcome donations of the following items: hand sanitizer, Lysol, Clorox hard surface spray, and Kleenex. If you have gently used toys in good condition that you’d like to donate, please speak with Renee.
While it is not required that parents volunteer, extra help is always appreciated, especially when a member of our Nursery Staff is unavailable. In order to maintain a safe and loving environment, two adults must be present at all times in the Nursery; if not, it will need to close for that service.
If you are interested in serving in this ministry, please contact Fe Guzman, Director of Religious Education, at 479-1010 to begin the VIRTUS certification process required for all volunteers.
Staff
Renee McCroskey is our Nursery Supervisor. Kathleen Seddon assists Renee in the Nursery each week and provides additional support for select parish events, as able. In compliance with the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, all staff have attended the VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children” training and support a safe, loving environment for our children.
Listed below are the regulations that we, as a program, follow in regard to the hiring of Staff:
A. All Staff hired either have years of experience teaching children in a childcare setting and/or have college education related to early childhood development.
B. All Staff are trained to recognize and report all signs of child abuse.
C. All Staff have a deep love for children and a desire to share God’s love with children.
D. All Staff have completed and passed a thorough background check, which includes a criminal history and Child Protective Services registry search.
Questions or Concerns
If you have any concerns with or suggestions for the Nursery, please speak with our Nursery Supervisor Renee McCroskey or contact Fe Guzman ( DRE ) , during normal business hours in the Parish Office at 479-1010.