All Souls Fellowship: Relationships: Children's Ministry

Children's Ministry

Our Philosophy

Children of all ages are a vibrant part of our community here at All Souls Fellowship! We value and take great delight in our children's personalities, abilities and immense potential for spiritual understanding. They are loved and welcomed. Jesus' admonition in Matthew 19 "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these," is a foundational, energizing theme of our children's ministry.

Our Sunday Morning Programs

Nursery
Childcare for infants and toddlers up to age two is available at the beginning of both Sunday morning worship services. An infant room and a toddler room are staffed by at least one professional worker and All Souls volunteers. A childcare monitor is scheduled each week to make sure all is running smoothly and to notify parents of any issues, if necessary. A name tag system is used for your child's protection and safety.

Preschool Classes
Children who turn two-years old by September 1st of each year will be included in weekly "Sunday School" classes. We currently have two classes: Lambs (ages 2-3) and Lions (ages 4-5). These are taught each week during both services by All Souls volunteers. We use the Great Commission Publication's "Show Me Jesus" curriculum with all of the children. For more information about the Great Commission Publication curriculum, please visit www.gcp.org.

We believe that preschool-age children are willing and able (even eager!) to participate in worshipping God with their entire church family; therefore, these classes begin at "intermission", a break in the worship service designated in the worship guide and announced by one of the pastors. During this break, you will have plenty of time to take your child to their class and even grab another cup of coffee or say hello to a new friend.

Bible songs, crafts, games, snacks and lots of love and fun are components of our class time. Together with parents and families, our goal is to pass on the truths of the Scripture, the Good News of Christ, to the next generation.

Elementary Classes
Like the preschool age children, we believe the elementary kids are willing and able to participate in worshipping God with their entire church family; therefore, these classes also begin at "intermission" (see "Preschool Classes" above). We have two elementary classes designed to meet the needs of our young people: Elementary (1st-3rd grades) and Upper Elementary (4th-5th grades). The Elementary class meets during both services, but the Upper Elementary class only meets during 1st service.

The Elementary (1st-3rd) class is designed to teach the love of God and enable the children to explore issues that are relevant to their everyday lives. This class meets each week. We use the Great Commission Publication's "Show Me Jesus" curriculum with all of these children. For more information about the Great Commission Publication curriculum, please visit www.gcp.org.

Because 4th-5th graders are starting to desire more autonomy and independence, the Upper Elementary class has been constructed to allow them to explore questions about spirituality and faith on a more personal level in a small class environment. Unlike the other classes which meet each week, the Upper Elementary class meets the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sundays of each week. We feel it is important for the children to participate in the full worship of God as a community of believers so the 4th and 5th Sundays are reserved for the family to worship together. The 4th and 5th graders are encouraged to participate in the entire worship service on these weeks. We use the Faith Alive Resources' "Walk With Me" curriculum with the Upper Elementary class. For more information about the Faith Alive Resources curriculum, please visit www.faithaliveresources.org.

We look forward to meeting you and your children. Please contact Susan Trotti at susan@allsoulsfellowship.org with any questions or for more information on any of these classes.