| The
Stepping Stones Children’s Ministry seeks to cultivate children
for a joyful life in Christ through intergenerational relationships,
and creative learning that is biblically-based and wrapped in
prayer.
We do this through a model of children’s
ministry that is called the rotation workshop. This model is an
intentional approach to teaching the same biblical truths in creatively
different ways. Each year the monthly lessons focus on a different
Biblical theme. The five year sequence of themes is: Discipleship,
Grace, God’s Faithfulness, Sovereignty and Faith.
The ministry is centered in a variety
of learning centers called workshops. Each workshop is designed
for a specific type of learning that meets the needs of each individual
child. In a given two month period we will utilize 6-7 of the
following workshops--art, science, performing arts, music, nature,
cooking, audiovisual, and games. In the specific age appropriate
groups, children rotate each week to a different learning center.
They will spend 1-2 months on a particular Bible lesson but experience
it through these various different mediums.
Stepping Stones is for preschool
children (ages 3-5) through the sixth grade and takes place each
Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. All the children begin the morning
in the gathering time together, and then are divided into smaller
groups based on age - Preschool-Kindergarten, 1-3 grades, and
4-6 grades. Each group is led by an adult guide known as a Shepherd
who provides the central relational building block for the ministry.
For children from birth to three
years of age, there is a nursery that is provided during both
the worship service hour at 9:30 a.m. through the Sunday school
hour that ends at 11:45 a.m. It is located in the lower level
of the church in the children’s ministry area. The nursery
staff is there to supply infants and toddlers with the comfort
of being cared for and introducing them to the love of Christ
even at this early life stage.
|