Kids Church/Nursery
Welcome to Kid’s Church “KC”!
Wow! It’s been almost four months since I became your Kids pastor and I still have to pinch myself every so often to believe that it’s true! Although I’ve been involved in GodSong’s Kids Ministry since 2009, this stepped it up to a new level both for me and the program, and I love every minute of it. I can’t wait to see what 2012 will bring!
I believe, unshakably, that children’s ministry is vital to the growth and health of God’s Kingdom, not only in the future, but right now. One of GodSong’s core belief is that “the same Spirit that raised Christ resided within you.” This is not nly true for grown-ups. Our kids are already spiritual beings, complete and fully able to connect with god. They have dreams, talents and a longing to find a place where they can make a difference. it is such a privilege to be able to help them grow up into their inheritance!
Ministry to kids is a lot like being a missionary because although the lesson topics are the same as for adults, the context must fit within children’s culture and experience. For example, last Spring, I mentioned “Abraham” in a lesson and the children assumed I meant “that guy with the tall funny hat.” In another lesson, I asked who Peter was and more than half responded with black looks, until one was brave enough to venture, “Umm…Rabbit?” These names weren’t a part of their culture.
That isn’t as alarming as it may sound and is no reflection on our amazing KC staff. Children under the age of ten can’t draw life lessons from stories without a lot of help, so many curriculum programs focus on principles instead. Our kids knew the Fruit of the Spirit, the Spiritual Armor, and the Greatest Commandment. They knew how to quiet themselves to seek God’s presence and they love to pray for others and worship. They were just weak on basic Bible knowledge, so we began including it more purposefully. Even the younger children have “sword drills” for pictures in their story Bibles.
Last Fall I painted an oversize map (you’ve seen it if you’ve been in the Annex), added a timeline and we set out to teach the kids about Abraham and his connection to us…and incidentally introduced the concept that the Bible is a part of History with real people and real places. In the process, we also learned about covenants (for most of them, their only knowledge of the word was in connection with a video game), prophecy, and true friendship with God. We capped it off with four Christmas lessons about how Jesus came to fulfill everything that had been promised in the Old Testament.
In 2012, in order to serve all 25 of our “regulars” at their own developmental stages, we have divided KC into two age groups. The 4-7 year olds are learning about Jesus’ life in a more structured “Sunday School” format. The 8-11 year olds are continuing to use the map and timeline to learn abut Peter and Paul’s missionary journeys as we study the principles in Paul’s letters. We will also keep using the arts to help them express what God is saying and doing in their own lives.
Helpers Needed! We have seven teachers/helpers and thrww helpers who rotate by the week in pairs, but dividing the age groups doubled the number of on-duty teachers each week. We really need 2 or 3 adults who are experienced with kids so that we can keep to our once a month rotation.
Blessings!
Anna Loving – Children’s Pastor
Nursery:
2011 was truly a year of UPGRADE in the nursery. We implemented some great new policies to insure a safe, clean and nurturing environment for each child. I have enjoyed creating an atmosphere where children of all ages can enjoy the power, love, salvation and healing of our God. I also have loved getting to know so many of the new moms and dads better. Sometimes we forget that the first contact a couple has with a local church is the nursery. It has been my desire to make that contact the best experience it can be.
I have been especially grateful for the incredible staff we have going into 2012. They are a great group of young moms and loving caretakers who truly love your children. They hav ebeen such a huge support to myself and to GodSong as they faithfully nurture our children on a weekly basis. We are looking for a few more dedicated staff members. if you have a desire to work with infants and toddlers, please talk to me or call the church office.
We all believe God’s power is in no way limited to the adults in the sacturay. i believe the prophetic and supernatural healing power will be more and more present in the lives of our babies and toddlers. From personal experience, I know my daughter sees angels! Our children know God’s voice. We have a responsibility to help them learn how to listen and communicate what God says to them.
The past several weeks, our nursery has been full! We are taking steps to make the most of our space. Currently, we separate the toddlers from the babies to allow a save environment for both age groups to have interactive play and age-appropriate toys. As we continue to grow we will be looking at reative ways to use our Annex to accommodate all our children’s ministries on Sundays.
It’s an honor to serve GodSong and your children.
Our nursery is open at 9:30 on Sunday mornings through the morning service. We are also available during most GodSong events.
Melissa Sainton, Nursery Director