Children

The Vision We Hold

Our vision for children's ministry at Church of the Good Shepherd is rooted in Christ's words in Mark 10:14: "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." We believe that Jesus loves children and desires them to come to him in repentance and faith. Out of this conviction, we seek to bring the gospel to children in order that they may be saved and become followers of Christ.

The Climate We Create

We seek to promote this vision by creating a climate in our church in which children are treasured and valued. We believe each child is precious as an individual person created in the image of God. Thus, we want to know, love, and serve each child who walks through our doors! We seek to nurture an environment in our church in which children are noticed and engaged by our entire church community. We want them to feel safe and loved by our congregation. We also want them to understand that the Bible and spiritual things are for them as much as they are for adults.

One of the ways we do this is by including children in our main worship gatherings. We believe children can glean wonderful things by participating in "big church." We want them to experience the worship of God as they sing the songs, listen to the prayers, and receive the Word preached. In these worship gatherings, we believe their young minds and hearts are shaped to better understand the greatness of God, the beauty of Christ, the power of the Spirit, and the wonder of the gospel of grace.

The Ministries We Offer

Nursery

During our Sunday School, morning service, and evening service, we offer nursery for children ages 0-4. Our caregivers are all trained volunteers who love to minister to children! They do this by praying over them, reading to them, and engaging them in fun and safe play. Even at this young age, we believe children can experience the love of Christ through the care they are shown.

We regard safety and health as being of the highest importance and thus seek to care for children according to carefully developed policies and procedures. You can read our children's ministry manual here.

Sunday School

We love to teach children the Scriptures from even the earliest ages! We are so thankful for the weekly opportunity we have to teach toddlers, pre-school, and school-aged children in our Sunday School class. We offer classes for children from pre-K through 6th grade on Sunday morning at 9:15am. These classes are centered on teaching the truths of the Bible, especially emphasizing the message of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ

All of our Sunday School classes are staffed by trained and gifted members of our church who are passionate about raising up the next generation of followers of Christ!

Vacation Bible School

Each July, we offer a four-day Vacation Bible School that is one of our favorite weeks of the year! Our VBS is for children potty-trained through 5th grade. The time is oriented around a Scriptural theme that is woven throughout the week. It is a time full of teaching, singing, crafts, games, and all kinds of fun for the kids! VBS meets from 9am to 12pm Monday through Thursday, and then concludes with a family night Thursday evening.