2023 Children & Family Ministry Offerings
God has blessed us with the gift of children who teach us about ourselves, the depth of love, and our loving Creator. We at Providence Presbyterian are glad to welcome your child and your family into our midst. We hope that Providence will be a place where your child learns the stories of our faith, experiences the love of this particular community of faith, and grows closer to God.
Sunday Morning Offerings
Available for children 18-36 months old
Our worship ministry offers your children a caring introduction into God’s community. Childcare is offered every Sunday from 9:45 am to 12:15 pm for children 36 months and younger. Our childcare providers are both paid staff and volunteer helpers.
On Sunday mornings, the nursery is divided into two rooms: the Infant room and the Toddler/Two room. Each classroom has age-appropriate books and toys for your child to enjoy.
If your child or grandchild benefits from our childcare program, we ask that you participate as a volunteer for a few Sundays throughout the year.
Available for children TK through 2nd Grade
We believe that worship is the most important activity of a faith community and that everyone has a place in worship. PPC’s Children’s Church provides an opportunity for children to worship together in a child-friendly space, to learn the order of worship and traditional liturgy like the Lord’s Prayer and the Doxology, and to have an active role in worship by reading Scripture, leading prayers, sharing musical gifts, and collecting the offering.
Children’s Church is offered September through May during the 11:15 am worship service, and children in transitional kindergarten through second grade are invited to participate. A team of eight adult volunteers take turns leading the children in a continuation of the worship service in the Children’s Chapel (CLC room 25 – downstairs). When the children finish their special service, they head to CLC room 7 for a worship-related game, craft project, or other activity, and parents pick up their child(ren) there after worship.
Available for children 3 years old through 5th Grade
Christian Education classes are offered every Sunday morning from 10:15 to 11:00 am for children ages 3 through 5th grade. Children are grouped into classes by age and grade and remain in the same classroom for the entire school year.
All of our children’s Sunday School classes use Reformed curriculum that is both educational and fun. The 3s and 4s class uses FaithWeaver curriculum, which is designed to help our little ones learn about God’s love through Bible stories, crafts, and games.
Our elementary school classes use the Reformed curriculum Walk with Me, which teaches children the stories of our faith and encourages them to explore what God’s Word means for their lives. Recognizing that children learn in a different ways, each session includes activities that appeal to a variety of learning styles and are both theologically sound and developmentally appropriate. Sunday School teachers are encouraged to model faith for the children and to learn from the faith the children model in their lives.
Throughout the year, Providence children and their families participate in a variety of child-friendly mission projects. Join us as we tour a Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, collect canned goods for the hungry in our community, and make cards to mail to our home-bound church members.
Seasonal Events
As part of Providence’s Advent celebrations each year, the children of the church participate in the Christmas Program and share the story of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus with the congregation. Children ages 5 through 5th grade are invited to participate, and information about the program is available in mid-November.
Following the program, we share fellowship time and enjoy Christmas cookies in the CLC.
The children’s Easter Egg Hunts are an annual Providence favorite!
Younger children (1st grade and under) eat breakfast together, watch a short Easter movie, and then have an Easter Egg Hunt of their very own on the church playground. Families are invited to stay for this fun morning.
Older children (2nd-5th grade) have a Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt at nighttime. We have dinner together, play games, create an art project, and watch a movie about Jesus’ Resurrection. Once it’s nice and dark outside, we head over to the cemetery with our flashlights and baskets to hunt for eggs.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
A summer favorite, Providence’s Vacation Bible School is a wonderful opportunity for children and their families to learn more about God and what it means to be a follower of Christ. Together, we read Bible stories, play games, sing songs, and make crafts. Children ages 3 through rising 5th grade are welcome to join us for a week of high-energy church fun!
One of the blessings of VBS is that it provides an opportunity for intergenerational fellowship. Youth, parents, and grandparents are invited to volunteer with us and help to make VBS happen. Every year, we recruit crew leaders, station leaders, music leaders, co-directors, snack helpers, decorators, etc. Whether you can be with us for the whole week or just one day, we’d love for you to be a part of the VBS fun!
Child & Youth Protection
As people who seek to live Jesus’ commandment to “let the children come to me” (Matthew 19:14), the members of Providence Presbyterian Church take seriously the importance of providing a safe and nurturing environment for all children and youth participating in our activities and programs.
The Child and Youth Protection Policy intends to protect the children in our Church community, the adult volunteers and employees who work with them, and the Church itself.
The Policy establishes standards and procedures for:
- Supervision of and interaction with children and youth
- Screening and training volunteers and staff
- Reporting of and responding to suspicious or inappropriate activity
All of our volunteers and paid childcare workers attend a Child and Youth Protection Policy review session, agree to comply by the policy, and undergo a background check before they begin working with our children and youth.
