how GraceKids works

GraceKids raises children to participate in the broader family of Christ's people. We bring dedicated adult volunteers into relationships with kids at different ages.

Starting in September 2007, GraceKids changed its Sunday format. Now, kids entering 1st through 6th grade leave worship during the announcements. They gather together for children's worship... songs and teaching geared for kids. After children's worship, the kids split into smaller groups for age-appropriate discussion and activities. The curriculum that we use comes from Kid's Connection; it's designed to walk the children through every major portion of the Bible in fun, interactive and memorable ways. Every Bible story points to Jesus as the goal and hope of faith. As the children mature, the material gets more complex and personal.

Every part of GraceKids intends to point children to Jesus, to show them how he answers their every need. We carefully avoid a moralstic, simplistic attitude toward children.

sunday class schedule

• Infants and One-year-olds - Nurseries are provided during the entire Sunday worship service time by qualified, trained caregivers.
• Toddlers - Two-year-olds get their own space to explore and enjoy. This also runs during the entire service.
• Preschool- Three-and-four-year-olds begin the transition to more organized play and class time.
• Pre-K and Kindergarten- Children begin in the worship service and then go to class for a Bible lesson and fun.
• 1st- 6th grade - These children begin worship with their families and then break out to a kid-friendly children's worship immediately before the sermon. After singing and teaching time, kids break into smaller groups that include discussion as these kids interact with Scripture applied to their life.
• Junior High - We have a cool new Junior High program that launched in September 2007.
• Senior High/ GraceTeen - While not officially part of GraceKids, high school students meet after church to discuss key topics and plan activities.  Check out GraceTeen for more information.

After the main worship service ends, parents pick up their children and gather with the whole church for refreshments and friendship-building. We don't have an after-worship time with children, although we are open to that if there are new leaders to plan and guide additional children's Sunday environments.

GraceKids during the rest of the week

Youngs lives don't change only in 90 minutes on a Sunday. We encourage families to grow during the week in a variety of ways.

• Families in Community Groups - Several of our Community Groups include children along with parents. They worship together in homes, pray together, serve together. During Bible Study, the groups split into different ages. These groups are wild, fun and amazing community builders. Kids witness how the gospel makes a difference.
• Resources - We encourage family worship and instruction through providing resources: books, tapes.
• Moms' Group - Our biweekly moms' group encourages young moms as they raise children in a hectic world.
• Marriage and Parenting Seminars - The most important influence in any child's life is the parents. We host occasional seminars for married couples and parents to help give a solid foundation to families.
• Involvement in Neighborhoods - Kids don't need to be isolated. Most GraceKids are heavily involved in their neighborhoods, schools, sports teams and other activities. While we certainly don't want to fall into the trap of mere busyness, these activities can be great ways to apply God's grace in real-world situations.