Children's Ministry At Celebration-Harderwyk
These days, children come from a variety of circumstances
and situations. Our calling is to join
Jesus in welcoming children of all ages and situations, as well as the
families, parents, grand-parents and care-givers who bring them. With the new school year about to start for 2002, this seemed like a good time for me to review the Celebration Children's Ministry offerings.
For each Sunday Morning Service
Nursery – Clean, safe space for kids ages birth thru
4 years. The smiling face
welcoming you will be Shaina Heerspink or Olinda
Sheldon. Snacks, cribs toys and
more. Everything your child needs to
feel comfortable while you worship. Nursery
is located down the stairs and immediate left from the covered North Entrance
of the Red Brick Building. There will be
helpers to get your child registered with emergency contact information for
during the service should a need come up.
Depending on our need, the next step would be to collect a team of “once-a-month-on-rotation”
Celebration volunteers to keep a 4:1 child to adult ratio in this group.
K-3rd Children’s Church – NEW -- Beginning September 11, we will open a new classroom for this age-group led by Maddi Stegenga and/or Emma Bareman.After the Children’s Message, kids will be dismissed to head downstairs for an interactive lesson coordinated with the message in the Worship Service. We will be following curriculum called The Story that will include material for families at home as well. In the fall, we hope to build another team of “once-a-month-on-rotation” Celebration volunteers who will assist the teachers and keep a 6:1 child to adult ratio in this group.
Children’s Message – During the service itself, Pastor Bill or a special guest will invite the kids down to the front row for a special story and prayer. This may not happen when we have communion or a missionary moment, but we always love to include our kids. From there, kids can return to the seats or head downstairs to our Nursery or K-3rd Class.
Renovated Balcony Space – This project is now
underway to refurbish a portion of our balcony to provide flat, quiet and
protective space so anyone who brings kids can more easily let them “be kids”
while they stay with them in the balcony.
Squirmy is not a problem here! There
will be a “living room feel” with thick carpet, kid-sized chairs and tables as
well as quiet crafts, resources and learning materials. We hope to have this completed by
mid-September.
Discovery Binder – Pick one up for each child in the Narthex
as you enter. There will be pencils,
paper and Bible activities suitable for use in the pews
Available Roles For Volunteers
Nursery Assistants
No preparation, simply presence. Our Nursery Leaders will know each child and
our resources. You can serve from a
rocking chair, read a story or hand out snacks.
Children’s Church Assistants
No preparation, simply presence. Our teachers will be gifted, prepared and
equipped to teach and lead our children into a deeper relationship with
Jesus. Assistants are needed to be
present and assist as needed. Help a
child stay focused. Help with
distributing materials. Provide some
extra attention and encouragement.
Prayer Team
We are looking for a person or persons with the gifts of
service, administration and/or intercession who can organize and focus the
prayer life of the Celebration community for our Children’s ministry staff,
volunteers, children and their families.
Serve Children In Our Other Worshipping Communities
The opportunity to serve Harderwyk children is at more than
just Celebration. Would you consider
worshipping at Celebration, then joining a Children’s Ministry Team at
WaterShed or Fusion on a rotating schedule?
What is Your Interest?
Perhaps you have a particular passion or dream for ministry:
a way to serve our children with the love of Jesus. Do you have a particular gifting, experience
or training that the Father could use?
Feel free to talk with Becky or Pastor Bill or both!
Each of Us Involved and Supporting - How We Think About Volunteers
The Scriptures teach that each member of the Body of Christ has a God-given gift for serving in the mission of God. Our goal is to help each person in the Celebration Community identify their gift, develop it with biblical understanding and support so that they can invest it with God in His work in a way that is appropriate to each person’s interests, availability and maturity.
Three Values that empower our volunteers:
- Serving With Others – Teams provide encouragement, accountability and support. We aim to bring people together in service as we pursue the mission of God together.
- Serving With Support – We aim to provide the materials, training, direction and teamwork that make volunteering a positive experience.
- Serving With Sabbath – All of us need refreshment with our service. We aim to schedule our volunteers with a healthy pace of service in mind.
Harderwyk Children’s Ministry Director Becky Visser wants to know and pray for each staff and volunteer member of our Children’s Ministry. She will want a time for conversation with each volunteer in order to share life stories, identify interests, gifts and availability as well as review practices, policies and ensure a good experience for all. Harderwyk policy includes a background check for all staff and volunteers who serve with our children. Contact Becky through the Harderwyk Office or email her directly: Becky@Harderwyk.com
Celebration Children's Ministry Assistant Janet Glassford is a dedicated presence for the Celebration Service - our "boots-on-the-ground" for all questions Children's Ministry. She can help you find a classroom, bathroom or an answer. You can contact here by email: Janet@Harderwyk.com
Vacation Bible School For 2023
June 26 - June 29
