Discovery Time kids baking yummy cookies!
Discovery Time is our ministry to children from birth through 5th grade. It is carried out by the Children’s Ministry Team, working in partnership with parents and families to lead, teach, and nurture children as they develop into fully-devoted followers of Jesus. The team also strives to help children realize that they are blessed to be a blessing to others. To accomplish our mission, the team emphasizes three key areas with our Discovery Time program: education, outreach, and fellowship. For more information about Discovery Time or if you’re interested in volunteering for this vital ministry, contact our Children’s Ministry Team coordinators, Dawn Padden (dpadden@shpchurch.org) and Barbara Johnston (barbjohnston@cox.net).
Education: Discovery Time begins the Sunday after Labor Day and runs through Pentecost Sunday. All children in preschool through 5th grade are invited to participate. Children are dismissed from worship after the children’s sermon and are divided into several different classes. Teachers rotate weekly and are assisted by adult and teenage volunteers. Older children are invited to remain in worship on Communion Sunday, typically the first Sunday of each month. A nursery is available for our little ones ages 0-2 during the entire worship gathering in our downstairs area. In addition, in our upstairs “youth lounge” we invite parents with crying babies to sit and watch (and listen to) the service on the flatscreen TV in comfort and privacy.
Outreach: Children are involved in several outreach projects each year. They participate in a weekly offering during Discovery Time that benefits a charity they help to select. They also hold fundraisers to raise additional money for the designated charity. To help emphasize that they are blessed to be a blessing, children are also invited to participate in several events in the local community that help to enrich the lives of people in need.
Fellowship: Success in our education and outreach program depends, in part, on the relationships that children and families develop through the church. As a result, several events are planned over the course of the year to help strengthen ties between families. Past events have included bowling, miniature golf, camping, pajama parties, and parent’s night out.
Discovery Time Corner…
Discovery Time is such a blessing – we certainly enjoy your children and marvel at their spiritual growth each Sunday – If you have a child who has not yet received his or her first communion and you are interested in this (generally rising second graders and older), please contact Dawn soon so we can schedule a class with Pastor Bob. Also, if you are interested in leading Discovery Time in the coming year, please contact Dawn or Barbara – we have been so priviledged to serve as co-point people for the last several years but we will be ready to “pass the torch” for the coming year. Please let us know if you are interested in serving our church family in this capacity. Finally, we hope many of you will be able to join us for our annual Pancake Supper – it is so much fun! Enjoy the coming month as we prepare for the beautiful things Spring brings!
