Our church is running a new model of Kids Ministry on Sundays!

Children in Years K-6 remain in church as part of our whole Sunday morning gathering.

Theologically, we as a church are a `household´ of believers, a family gathered together around God’s word:

“ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household…” -Ephesians 2:19

Kids Sunday Ministry (KSM) serves two specific purposes:

Firstly, as a "household" gathering we serve each other by integrating children into Sunday gatherings.

Secondly, the integration of children will mean they will learn skills needed to serve in our gatherings and skills for service in the community as they are able (which reflects our whole church calling to be salt and light in the world).

In this we also consider the concept of ‘thick discipleship": this means we all serve one another to deepen relationships across generations and encourage a wider sense of our call to make disciples.

What does this look like during church?

Parents take responsibility for encouraging their children to engage and participate in the service.

Other ‘household’ members help families by being aunts, uncles or grandparents to the children during church.

Primary-aged children and teens may take an active role in the service.

If there is a topic or sermon not appropriate for children, they will be taken out by leaders for activities more appropriate for them.

What do kids do during the service?

Children are encouraged to sing the songs, listen to prayers and think about the words.

There is a kids’ spot with a special age-appropriate message and a kid’s song. The message is usually based on the sermon.

Children will be encouraged to listen to the sermon and to take away a key point/point. There is also a sheet with activities aimed at encouraging engagement.

We will try to avoid activities ‘filler activities’ (such as random word finds) and focus on activities that help the children interact with what is going on around them. This may take the form of a simple craft or writing or drawing activities related to a part or parts of the service.

We try to use words from the front that make sense to primary school-aged children.

Attempts will be made to challenge and change the culture of the Sunday gathering to accommodate this understanding. This will be done from the pulpit and the In-touch notices and announcements at the beginning of each service.