Kids
KIDS MINISTRY
Birth - Grade 6
Sundays
10:30 AM
(Alongside our worship service)
What to Expect
10:20 AM
Recommended Arrival Time
If it’s your first visit we recommend coming 10 minutes early to get you and your children orientated. We’ll be happy to show your children their classrooms and introduce you to the teachers.
10:30 AM
All Begin Worship Together
Children join their parents into the main worship service for about the first 30 minutes. They get to experience God through song and prayer with the adults. We do this because Jesus teaches us to welcome children among us. It teaches children how to worship and teaches adults about child-like faith. (Matthew 18:2-5)
~11:00 AM
Children's Blessing & Transition to Classroom
About 30 minutes into the service (typically after prayer) we will give a blessing to the children, after which they are invited to join their teachers to their classrooms.
~11:45 AM
End of Service
After the service, parents will meet their children at their classrooms and sign them out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are my children required to go to kids ministry, or are they allowed to stay in the worship service with me?
Children are always welcome in the service! We certainly assume most will choose to go to kids ministry, but if for whatever reason they wish to stay in the service with their parents, that is no problem at all!
My child tends to be nervous about going to new settings alone. Can I join him/her to their classroom?
Yes! We’re happy to welcome you alongside them if that would make them more at ease. If your child is nursery age (birth-2 years), it is very common for parents to join their child in the nursery.
My kids can be noisy or squirmy. Is that going to be a problem?
No! That’s just kids being kids. If your child is chirping away, the #1 thing we want you to do is relax! Kids do not have to be like adults in order to be welcome among us. Their little chirps and squeals are a joyful noise to the Lord!
Of course, we can all agree that there is certainly a point at which the level of noisiness or squirminess might warrant a break from the sanctuary… not only for the congregation’s benefit, but also for theirs. We largely trust parents to make that call for their children. You are free to utilize the nursery to give them a play break or walk around the building with them.
Do you provide any activities for the kids to distract them during the worship service?
Technically, yes. We do have clipboards with coloring sheets and crayons in the back of the Sanctuary. You are more than welcome to use them.
However, we do recommend parents utilize them as a last resort. One of the benefits of having the children worship with the adults is it allows all of us (especially you, the parent) to model what it looks like to worship God. Rather than distract them away from the songs, why not invite them to sing the songs with you? Rather than distract them away from prayer, invite them to pray with you. Help them to learn how this time is not just for the adults, but for everyone!
What is your stance on children taking communion (the Lord’s Supper)?
Firstly, children are typically not in the worship service when we take communion. We generally take it later in the service after they have transitioned to kids ministry. However, from time to time we have services where we take communion and there is no kids ministry.
Looking at Scripture, we see no barriers to taking communion based on age, nor requirements that it be restricted to official church members, those who are baptized, or those who have achieved a certain level of spiritual maturity. We believe the only qualification Scripture gives us for taking communion is that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Given Jesus’ adamant statement to not hinder children in coming to him (Matthew 19:14), we believe that children are capable of professing faith in Jesus. Even if their faith might be characterized as “immature,” we don’t see a Scriptural disqualification for immature faith.
How do you ensure the safety of my children?
We take child safety very seriously! Here are a few measures we take:
- Abuse-prevention and safety policy based on “Plan to Protect,” the gold standard in abuse-prevention policies. Example: We ensure an adult volunteer can never be alone with a child.
- Screening for all volunteers, including a vulnerable sector police check.
- Requirement for new children’s volunteers to be at the church for 6 months prior to serving.
- Annual training of volunteers in our safety policies.
Meet the Kids Ministry Team Leader
