Children's Ministries
Children in Worship
We love to have children in worship; their wiggles and noises are welcome and often evoke a smile or helpful hands from the community. We are most fully the people of God when we are gathered for worship, service, learning, and fellowship together with all ages. We learn, worship, serve, and build community best when we honor the perspectives and gifts of all ages.
We invite families to use any of the following options as needed:
Liturgical Library
The liturgical library makes space for a variety of responses in worship, acknowledging that our brains and bodies all have different needs when it comes to focusing, learning, listening and worshiping.
The library is filled with neuro-affirming items to engage people of all ages in worship. The items aren’t toys; rather, they are tools for regulating sensory input and for worship engagement.
Grab a bag and add items that you’d like to use to engage in worship. After worship, return your bag to the basket at the base of the library (keep any paper/creations you’ve made but return other materials with the bag).
Sensory Room
Our children’s sensory room is a carefully designed space that minimizes overwhelming sensory input, offering a calm and controlled environment for individuals with sensory sensitivities or those who need a break from sensory overload. It is located near the first floor restrooms (just to the left when you exit the sanctuary). A TV with a livestream of the worship service enables you and your child to continue worshiping while in the sensory room. Read more about our sensory rooms by clicking here and looking for the Team Neurodiversity tab.
Nursery
A nurturing and well-equipped space for our youngest children (generally birth to age 3) is available each Sunday morning in the Preschool hallway (room 116 – turn left when entering the Preschool area from the Multipurpose Room).
Childcare for children ages 0-4 will be available during summer worship services in Room 101, located down the first-floor south hallway of the main building, just past the restrooms and the Fair Trade Store. All nursery workers and volunteers have completed our Child Protection Training, and at least two adults (18+) are always present with the children.
Childcare is also available during congregational meetings, trainings/workshops, and some fellowship events (Dine with Nine in particular), as well as during choir rehearsals and in-person evening committee meetings on request through the Church Office.
On a Sunday morning or for a non-worship event, you will be asked to leave your contact information along with any allergy or other pertinent information for your child with the nursery workers.
If you have questions about our childcare facilities, please contact Kristyn Yerger, Church Administrator.
For children aged 3 to 3rd grade
During the 11 a.m. worship service following the Time with Children. (mid-August to mid-May)
Children and Worship is designed to give children age-appropriate ways to praise, pray to, listen to, and respond to God. We hear and see stories of God from the Bible as the Storyteller uses wooden figures, simple structures, and even a small piece of the desert to share the ancient stories. We dive deeper into the Bible stories by wondering aloud about biblical stories and the mysteries of God. During Response Time, children have a chance to work with the story materials themselves and engage with the stories through artwork, puzzles or books.
The children will follow the worship banner out of the sanctuary and be met by volunteers, who will lead them to the Westminster Room for age-appropriate worship and activities. Parents may pick up their children in the Westminster Room at the conclusion of worship, except on days when Communion is offered, when children will rejoin their families in worship to experience the wonder of the sacrament and come to understand Christ’s welcoming of the children to the table.
Enjoy Children and Worship videos with your children at home.
Sunday School – Sundays from 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. (early September to mid-May)
All children ages 4 to 5th grade begin in the Worship Center (first floor, between the Hospitality Center and the Multipurpose Room/Preschool) for Gathering Time at 9:45 a.m.
After a time of fellowship and singing, children will go to their classes with their teachers at 10:00 a.m. Parents can pick up their children at 10:45 a.m. in the Worship Center.
Faith Kid-nection (Pre-K to Kindergarteners)
Children are invited to join in play, games and songs as we explore God’s love, grow in faith, and learn how to share God’s love with others using the Dwell curriculum. This class meets in room 122 in the preschool wing.
Spirit Link
(For 1-5 graders)
How do children learn? The answer to the question can be almost as varied as the children in a classroom. Some learn best through words. Others through music. Still others through nature or movement.
Because we know this, children in our SpiritLink classes spend 5-6 weeks with the same Bible story, looking at the story from a variety of perspectives and activities – through listening to a story, acting it out, conducting a science experiment, cooking, creating through art, playing games, music, or more! Teachers vary based on what rooms are open, but our shepherds faithfully tend to our children each Sunday as a consistent relational presence.
Children's Faith Milestones
Baptism: As families decide
Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Your Body Belongs to You
3rd Grade:
We present our third graders with a bible during a Sunday worship service in the fall semester. An "Exploring your Bible" class is to follow.
3rd-5th Grade: Communion (note: this is an opportunity for learning more about Communion and not a first communion class. Children are invited to participate in the Lord’s Supper at any time.)
3rd-5th Grade: Ready, Set, Worship!
Faithful Families
The family is the number one influence on the faith life of children and youth. FPC is here to equip you and support you in this important role. On our Faithful Families website, you’ll find resources to engage in faith conversations and activities with children and youth, in addition to a number of resources specifically for parents/grandparents.
A safe, positive, and nurturing environment for our children and youth is important to us at First Presbyterian Church. Our staff and volunteers provide at least two adults per room for proper supervision, and all who work with our children and youth have completed training and a background check per our FPC Child Protection Policy.