PARENTING FROM the PEW
Our worship is a celebration for all ages, and can be described as “family integrated.” We take great care to involve everyone on Sunday (and beyond), while also offering age appropriate teaching and activities (please see our Gatherings and Ministries sections for some of these offerings).
We view our commit to our children as part of the church’s calling to “do” discipleship in community. Our children are our first calling in this commitment. Children are the church of today, not just the church of tomorrow!
Teaching our children the joy of worship can be challenging, but the first step is bringing your children with you to worship with us on Sunday. We want to partner with you as you help your children learn to love worshipping the Lord.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Relax! God made children with all their wiggles, fidgets, and loud whispers; please don’t feel like you have to suppress it in God’s house. All are welcome to worship here!
- Quietly explain parts of the worship as we go along. As they begin to understand why we worship the way we do they will be able to enter into worship and make it their own.
- Help them follow along in the bulletin, explain words that might be confusing, and trust that God will speak to their hearts in a way they can understand.
- Sing, pray, and fully enter into the worship yourself! Children learn the joy of worshipping by watching and emulating you.
- Remember that the way we welcome children in church directly affects the way they respond to God, to worship, and to one another. Let them know that they are at home in this house of worship; they belong here just as much as the adults!
Find out more about our approach to discipleship for kids over at our Discipleship for Young & Old page.
NURSERY
Again, if you are a parent, we encourage your entire family’s participation in the worship service this morning – regardless of age. However, nursery is provided during the entire worship service for children ages 3 and under. We ask that kids ages 4 and up remain with the adults during worship.
Why do we do this? Although this may seem like a high bar to set, we do this because we’re trying to be very intentional about making our children part of the life and worship of the church. Parents play the central role in this by teaching and encouraging their children to participate, sing, respond, and listen throughout the entire service.
OUR CHILDREN and TEENS
Before the Ministry of the Word, we take the time to talk with our kids and pray over them. Please keep in mind that at the discretion of the parents, younger children are welcome to stay in the service for the sermon.
When celebrated, younger children rejoin Sunday worship in time for Holy Communion. Otherwise, they rejoin us for the closing song and the dismissal during Morning Prayer.
CHILD SAFETY
New Creation is proud to be a Ministry Safe member church. All of our nursery volunteers and staff who work with children are required to go through a thorough, four-part onboarding process which includes application, interview, reference checks, abuse awareness training via Ministry Safe, adherence to our own Children’s Ministry Policy, the diocesan Child Protection Policy, and a mandatory background check.
