| |
FIRST TIME
VISITOR?
WORSHIP
WITH US
CLASSES
CALENDAR
DIRECTIONS
ABOUT US
CONTACT US
HOME
|
| |
| |
children in worship |
| |
|
| Children Are Welcome |
| |
Worship is a place for kids! Not only those children “who are seen, and not heard” but for the ones that have “ants in their pants” too. God put the wiggle in kids, so don’t feel that you have to suppress it in God’s house! We want children to feel that they are a treasured part of our congregation.
We want children to attend both worship and Sunday School. We want you to attend both Worship and Sunday School. We want to provide the support your family needs to worship together. Through our Children's Time each week and our special worship bulletins just for them, children of all ages find worship here a growing experience. The older children may participate in the Late Service as acolytes.
At special services throughout the year, children are invited to read the Scripture lesson. At our worship during each Sunday of the Advent Season, children may also participate in lighting the advent candles with their families. We also provide a safe and loving nursery for children from birth through age five during all of our worship services, and also during the Sunday School hour. |
|
|
 |
| Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me. |
|
| Mark 9: 37 |
|
|
| |
| Children's Time |
| |
A regular part of the Late Service on Sunday mornings is Children’s Time. This is when the children in the congregation are invited to join the pastor (or a special guest) at the front of the sanctuary for a brief devotional message just for them. The message is shared creatively, while being responsive to the joyful thoughts and ideas of the children. The congregation enjoys watching and listening to the children as they encounter God in their own way. Children’s Time is not offered on Communion Sundays, which are usually the first Sunday of each month. Communion presents another great opportunity for children to actively experience the love of God. There are no rules about what age a child should start taking communion. Without regard to whether a child takes communion or not, our pastors will offer a verbal blessing like “God loves you very much.” |
| Children's Worship Bulletins |
| |
Special bulletins are available for children age 3-6, and another version for children age 7-12. Both are filled with pictures, codes, puzzles, seek-and-finds, mazes, dot-to-dots, hidden pictures, and word games based on the Bible lesson for that week. Clipboards with crayons and pencils are also available from the ushers. |
| Acolytes |
| |
Children who are in third grade and older are invited to serve as acolytes during the Late Service on Sunday mornings. These children carry “Christ’s light” into the sanctuary, a symbolic reminder to all of us of God’s presence in our daily lives and at our worship. They carry the light out of the sanctuary at the end of worship as a symbol of our willingness to take “Christ’s light” out into the world. Serving as acolytes is a wonderful opportunity for children to begin learning about stewardship, and what they can do to help the church. If you would like more information about being an acolyte, please contact our Acolyte Coordinator. |
| Child Care |
| |
The nursery is located in room E201. It is a big room with cribs, a changing table, and of course lots of toys and laps to sit on. In order to provide the safest environment for your children, we ask that only parents, or adult caregivers, sign-in and pick-up children from the nursery. As a courtesy to our childcare providers and volunteers, we ask that children be picked-up within five minutes after the worship service or Sunday School is over. |
| Illness Policy for Children |
| |
Children should be free of fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes for 24 hours, and also free of extreme congestion or coughing before being left in the nursery or Sunday School classrooms. If a child has any of these symptoms after being checked in, someone will locate the parents. The church childcare providers are not allowed to administer medications of any kind. Parents of a child with chronic health problems should talk to one of our pastors to make special arrangements that meet the child’s needs. |
| Children with Special Needs |
| |
In order to create the most positive experience for all children, it is extremely important that we are aware of any special needs a child may have. Parents are asked to inform the pastors and teachers of any special conditions such as allergies, asthma, epilepsy, hearing or vision impairments, learning disabilities or any mental, physical or emotional challenges. This information will remain confidential. |
|
|
|
|
