At the end of 2018, our congregation made a decision to reboot our children’s ministry. Our desire was to meet our full potential and to pass on the faith to the next generation. We gathered for town hall meetings. We completed a book study of Sustainable Children’s Ministry by Annette Safstrom. Our Christian Education Committee has been exploring ideas like retreats for families, parenting workshops, intentional fellowship for kids, better communication, and an exciting new curriculum, If you would like to be part of the fun, please contact members of the Christian Education Committee.
As part of the reboot, the committee developed a set of commitments about our children’s ministry. The session approved the list unanimously. Essentially, this is a statement of our values regarding the work we do. These commitments will serve as guardrails for the ministry. We will use them to evaluate existing programs and inspire future ideas. In the craziness of day to day ministry, we hope to stay focused on what’s most important. This is the culture we want for our children.
OUR COMMITMENTS (A Statement of Values)
Gospel – We are committed to the good news of Jesus Christ. We will share the story of God’s love with our children. We will encourage our children to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Application – We are committed to applying the faith in our lives. We will help our children make ethical and moral decisions. The faith is not a hobby.
Church – We are committed to living the faith in community. We will find time for fellowship together. We will participate in the seasons and the traditions of First Presbyterian Church. We will seek opportunities for inter-generational and cross-cultural worship and service.
Encouragement – We are committed to creating a welcome and encouraging atmosphere where all children feel accepted and free to explore God’s truths surrounded by love.
Family – The first teachers of the faith are parents, grandparents, and extended family. We are committed to equipping and encouraging families to share and practice their faith together.
Mission – We are committed to living out our faith in compassion and witness. We seek out opportunities to serve others, both in our church and community. It’s never too early to love our neighbor.
Safety – We are committed to providing a safe environment for our children.
Scripture – We are committed to teaching our children the Bible – both Old and New Testaments. We will read the Scriptures, share the stories, and memorize key verses. We want our children to have the tools to engage the Scriptures for themselves.
Wonder – We are committed to exploring the faith with our children. We will encourage questions. We will express our faith through physical activities, nature and the arts.
Worship – We are committed to helping our children participate more fully in worship. We will sing and pray together. We will talk about Baptism and Communion together.