VISION
Along with parents and in this community of believers, we strive to equip children to become daily Christ-followers, growing in their relationship with Him and learning to care for their peers and others.
We carry out our vision by partnering with parents in their primary role as the spiritual care-givers of their children, encouraging particpation in family-friendly fellowship events, offering strong Biblical teaching during our Sunday morning classes, and providing opportunities for children to participate in community service and both global & local missions.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!
“So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying His commands.” Psalm 78:7 NLT
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
ìOf all the commandments, which is the most important?î Jesus replied, ìThe most important commandment is this: ëListen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.í The second is equally important: ëLove your neighbor as yourself.í No other commandment is greater than these.î Mark 12:28b-31 NLT
SUNDAY MORNINGS
We see children as a valuable part of our church family and enjoy having them join us in the main sanctuary every Sunday. Children (toddlers to Grade 5) join their parents for worship (singing) in the beginning of the Sunday morning service and then they are dismissed to their own classes for age-appropriate teaching during the sermon time. We have a nursery on the main floor just at the back of the sanctuary. Our sound system allows for parents and volunteers in both the nursery and toddler room to follow along with the service. Grades 6 and up students remain in the service and have their age-appropriate teaching from 11:30 to 12 noon. At this time, the adults are also encouraged to join the discussion class. Various topics are presented throughout the year. We also recognize the importance of children learning what it means to participate in a full service so the grades 3 – 5 students remain in the service on the first Sunday of each month and long weekends.
Twice a year, once in the fall and spring, we have student involvement services where the children are more actively involved in many of the sunday morning tasks normally handled by the adults. Children act as greeters, ushers, scripture readers, story tellers, and may be involved in special music or drama presentations. Besides these two special Sundays in a year, children are often involved other times during the year, especially during the advent and Christmas season and through Lent and Easter.
MISSIONS & COMMUNITY SERVICE
We strive to teach the children to care for their peers and for others, especially those less fortunate than them. We actively do this by encouraging them to give an offering during the children’s sunday school time. The children’s offering is dedicated to different projects. Each year, we choose local and global projects to be involved with, focusing on projects that the children can relate to. Often we support global projects that Canadian Baptist Ministries is involved in. Where possible locally, children are given the opportunity to see first hand their giving at work. For example we have toured Siloam Mission and have volunteered at Winnipeg Harvest. We also encourage our children to be involved in Love Winnipeg and seek ways for them to participate hands on in this. We encourage children to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Some projects we have supported:
Ubuntu: orphans & women affected by the genocide in Rwanda – current project
Building Water Weirs – Kenya
Hope-full Gifts of HIV education, goat and trees and seedlings – Africa
CINAG Orphanage ñ Nicaragua
Living Bible Explorers ñ Winnipeg
Child Labour Rehabilitation School ñ India
Siloam Mission – Winnipeg
Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship ñ Winnipeg
Bikes for Pastors – Africa
Winnipeg Harvest – Winnipeg
Casa de La Amistad (Prison Kids) – Bolivia
VOLUNTEERS
We encourage all members of the congregation to get involved in the lives of our children through prayer and being interested in their lives. Our Children’s Ministry could not function without the help of volunteers. These volunteers are dedicated to Jesus and passionate about children and their well-being. We believe strongly in the importance of the emotional and spiritual health of children, but also their physical safety and the peace of mind of the parents who have entrusted their children into our care. For this purpose, we have developed child safety guidelines. Our volunteers share in this concern and participate in a screening process, including police record check and/or abuse registry checks. If you have any concerns, we would be happy to discuss our policies with you.
Opportunities to be involved in Children’s Ministry include teaching Sunday School, being a junior assistant, volunteering with our preteen or youth ministries, or getting involved in our summer daycamp or many fellowship activities. Volunteers of all ages, from preteens to seniors, are welcome. Children and youth are a valuable part of our volunteer team.
