A Time for Children

Children of all ages are invited to join us at the altar for a special time of worship during the service before Worship and Wonder begins.

CHILDCARE

NURSERY

Children are always welcome to participate in all aspects of Sunday morning worship. Worship bags with helpful activities to engage children in worship are available as you come into the Sanctuary. In addition, Childcare for infants & toddlers is available in the nursery for all or part of the service.  Professional caregivers will make sure that your child’s stay is a safe and pleasant experience. Nursery sign in is in Room 106.  From the building’s entrance, turn right to go past the church office and enter the gym through the double doors. The nursery will be the second door on the right. Of course, any of our greeters would love to walk you to the nursery whenever you are ready.

CHILDREN’S WORSHIP AND WONDER

Children age 4 - fourth grade are encouraged to participate in Children’s Worship and Wonder, a special worship and education experience designed just for them.  Children will come to the sanctuary for the beginning of worship and then leave the service for Worship and Wonder after a short children’s sermon. Worship and Wonder is held in the church library, located just to your left as you exit the sanctuary. You can pick up your child from the library following worship. 

This ministry uses a Montessori approach of storytelling as a primary means for encountering God. God is experienced.  It gives appropriate freedom so young children can respond to stories of God through continued work with the story figures and art materials.  It enables young children to bring their life experiences into dialogue with God within the context of the biblical stories.  And, remarkably, it provides a way for young children to tell the stories of God to others.

A trained Storyteller and two Greeters lead the worship experience. Each child is personally welcomed by a Greeter as they prepare to enter the “Worship and Wonder” Center. The children and Storyteller sit in a circle on the floor.  Children praise God through music each Sunday. They experience the stories of scripture by expressing what they have learned through artwork or revisiting a previous story.  They share in this sacred worship service which concludes with a “feast” (crackers and juice).  Children may bring an offering to God or they may present their artwork as a gift to God during their worship experience.

 At the close of our adult worship in the sanctuary, parents/grandparents come and wait at the door of the “Worship and Wonder” Center. Each child receives a personal blessing from the Storyteller after which they are individually dismissed to their family.