Family, Youth & Children’s Ministry
Children of all ages have their own time during our worship service and are then invited to sit together during the sermon in a supervised, kid-friendly area of the sanctuary for quiet worship-time activities.
Our Christian Education programs depend on your child’s age. (Use this form to register your children for the year.)
Infants through age 2
Children of all ages are welcome in worship any time. But childcare is available from 9:30am to 12:30pm for infants and toddlers before and during worship so parents who choose can participate fully in worship knowing their babies are safe and secure in our professionally-staffed Nursery and Toddler rooms. Tracy Long, our Nursery Supervisor & Caregiver will greet, soothe, and care for your children.
Ages 3, 4 & Kindergartners
We offer a Children’s Worship program for younger children during the 11:00am Sunday worship service. Children experience a short worship service and respond to Bible stories through songs, art, questions and active retelling of the stories.
Grades 1 – 5
Children in these grades can attend our Pathways to the Promise Land classes from 10:10-11:00. Pathways is a kid-friendly, teacher-friendly way of teaching Bible stories and truths. It’s active, engaging, and thought-provoking..
YOUTH
Grades 6 and Up
In addition to their Sunday School program, small groups, retreats, mission trips, and fellowship, the youth are involved in service to the church, local outreach and mission, and may take part in Sunday worship through Sine Nomine (Youth) Choir, reading Scripture, greeting, ushering, and more.
Youth in grades 6-12 meet on Sunday mornings from 10:10 to 10:55am to consider Biblical stories and current social issues through discussion, study, and fellowship.
Outings: The group often gathers for dinners out, games, movies, and places like the trampoline-filled Sky-Zone or the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Chalk Fest.
Summer Mission Trips
Most summers, the Senior Highs (rising 9th – 12th graders) engage in a week of mission or study. In 2017 and 2018, they traveled to the Montreat Conference Center. Previously, they’ve gone to Washington D.C., Harlan, KY; Leon, Nicaragua; the Presbyterian Triennium in Indiana; Cherokee, North Carolina; South Dakota, and Juarez, Mexico.
Confirmation Classes
Confirmation classes are offered to help youths choose their own faith journey. They are offered every other year and provide a comprehensive overview of Christianity, along with opportunities to grow closer to adult mentors and youth friends.
Youth Permission Form: REQUIRED for all off-site youth activities. Please print and return to David Wigger, Interim Dir. of Family, Youth and Children Ministries.
Many thanks to our volunteers for the hours they spend teaching our children. Each is a well-known participant in our congregation who has received annual training in our Child Protection Policy requirements.
Curious about the paintings on the walls of our Christian Education wing? The first floor evokes a New Testament town in the style of ancient Jerusalem. Classrooms include:
Temple Square – a replica of a temple courtyard with a Bedouin tent.
Art in Heaven – space for children to create real art.
Mary and Martha’s Kitchen – small kitchen adjacent to the Bodwell Hall meeting room.
Also on this level are the Christian Education offices.
The second floor has an Old Testament theme with camels, a desert oasis, and children listening to stories. It includes the Chapel, Nursery and Childcare rooms, and Children in Worship (ages 3-5) classroom, along with a new small group classroom for adults.
