Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Prov 22:6
While moms are busy building new futures, their children are also hard at work. Each child we serve has faced a tough journey. It’s critical they know God loves them, that He is with them during all the ups and downs, and that he Has a vision for their lives.
Our amazing Children’s Ministry is uniquely structured to share that message. Child and Youth Coordinator Stacy Cox explains, “The overall vision of the program is to spread God’s love, especially through the relationship between the leaders (staff and volunteers) and the kids. Through those relationships, we hope kids can grow in faith and be their BEST selves.”
“Being our Best is our organizing principle,” Stacy shares.
BEST means:
B = Building relationship with God and each other
E = Exercising our minds, hearts, and bodies through
creative projects, cooking, and physical fitness
S = Supporting each other with kindness
T = Teaming our special gifts together to make us
stronger and our community better!
Stacy said that the activities might look random – basketball, spaghetti cook-offs, and making lava lamps – but “since we are so relationship-based, the adults and kids really come to know each other. They have the gift of seeing themselves as their best selves and encouraging each other in that way.”
Stacy and team have worked hard to make big changes in the last year. “We moved to organic discussions instead of direct lessons. We can do that because we have a very strong ministry team made up of many wonderful volunteers who are committed to the kids: they care about them, have developed relationships with them, and truly know them.” It’s also labor-intensive: on a given night we might have 18-20 kids paired with 15-18 adults!
Currently, the Children’s Ministry is leading a cooking initiative that provides each family on campus an Instant Pot meal. A win-win for both the kids and the campus!
Whatever the need, passion, or interest of the kids and the volunteers, we draw on those skills and gifts to create activities that are meaningful. Stacy concludes, “The more hearts we have pouring love into the kids, the stronger the team gets.”
