Updates

August 2021

A Big Change On Sunday Mornings For Our Kids (and parents)!

We are excited to announce that beginning Sunday August 8, we are going to make some changes to the Sunday morning gathering flow for our children. We believe this change will benefit our children and the entire church body!

What's the change?

Beginning Sunday August 8th, kids in grade 1–6 will remain with their parent(s) in the main auditorium for the opening of the gathering, and then will be dismissed to their classes after the first set of worship.

What about the younger kids?

Children ages 0-Kindergarten will continue to be checked-in and dropped off at their classrooms before the gathering begins. This includes nursery, 2–3’s, pre-k/kindergarten (ages 4–5).

Why the change?

Children are such an important part of the gathered church and we desire to see our multigenerational community worshipping together. Having the children present with us before and during the first 20 minutes of the gathering creates greater opportunity for more interaction with the rest of the church family. When we dismiss them together as a church, we commission them into a time of equipping.

In addition to the modeling and teaching that parents are doing at home, we want to see our children cultivating a deep love for Jesus and His church as they are formed in His image.

Some of the key reasons to have children participate in the beginning of the gathering:

The congregation will have its young present as we enter worship together.
Kids would experience and witness others using their spiritual and practical gifts.
Kids would get used to being with the gathered church.
Kids would know they are important and recognized in a new way.
Kids would be commissioned each week into their time of learning by the church.
The church body would grow in love for the little ones.
There would be a deeper connection between the kids and the congregation.
Parents would feel more connection to what happens in Kids Ministry.

Ok, but how will it work?

All children nursery – grade 6 should be checked in at the iPad kiosks and receive their stickers before the gathering begins. Same system as before.
Children ages 0–kindergarten should be dropped off at their classes by a parent before the gathering begins.
Kids grade 1–6 will stay with their parent(s) and go to the auditorium. They will remain in the gathering until dismissed by the MC.
Once dismissed by the MC, they will be escorted to their classrooms by the Kids Team and remain there until the gathering is finished.
It can be super hard to get the family out the door on Sunday mornings!! But parents, please arrive in plenty of time to check-in and be in the auditorium a few minutes before 10am! Being early helps us build community as we greet and say hello to others! Lets model to our kids how important this time is!

In this change, we are recommending that parents not pick up their grade 1–6 kids during communion, but wait until after the close of the gathering. Parents have often felt rushed to go pick up their kids during communion, and haven’t had adequate time to worship, pray for others and receive prayer, reflect, and be still. This is often because we don’t want our kids to miss the time of worship, which is a good thing! In this new model, the kids get to worship with you at the beginning, and in their own context at the end...keep reading!

A new addition to the Kids Ministry!

We are really excited to introduce a time of worship in the Kids Ministry led by a team of worship leaders and musicians. During the closing response time, the kids will be worshipping together through song and prayer downstairs at the same time as the congregation upstairs.

What about the pre-k & kindergarten kids (4-5’s)? The 4-5’s will also be participating in the Kids Worship time and can be picked up after the gathering ends.

The 2–3 year olds will stay in their classroom for the duration of the morning. Parents are welcome to get their children for the response time if they choose, or pick them up afterwards.

Here is a summary of the morning process for each age:

0-24 Months (Nursery)

Print stickers at the check-in kiosk and drop children off in the nursery prior to gathering start.
Pick up kids after the gathering ends.

2-3 Year Olds

Print stickers at the check-in kiosk and drop children off in class prior to the gathering start.
Pick up kids after the gathering ends.

Pre-K & Kindergarten (4–5 Year Olds)

Print stickers at the check-in kiosk and drop children off in class prior to the gathering start.
The kids will participate in the Kids Worship time.
Parents pick up kids after the gathering ends.

Grades 1–6

Print stickers at the check-in kiosk before the gathering begins.
Do not drop kids off at their classes.
Bring kids into the gathering with you.
MC will dismiss kids after the worship time in the main auditorium.
Kids will be escorted to their classes by the Kids Min Team.
Kids participate in Kids Worship time at the end of their class.
Parents pick up kids after the gathering ends.

A few additional things...

How will the kids get safely from the auditorium to the classrooms?

Several of the ministry teams will work together to ensure safe passage. The Kids team will more or less form a gauntlet that ensures no children are ever out of sight or able to take a wrong turn or detour. The Safety Team will be present as well keeping an eye on the convoy.
The Kids Team will take attendance as the children enter the classrooms to ensure all have made the journey safely.

What happens if my grade 1–6 child has checked in before the gathering but then decides not to go to class when the kids are dismissed?

If your child decides to stay with you in the gathering, that is great. But we ask that you or your child inform a Kids Team Member. We take attendance in the classroom and would call you if your child checks into the system but doesn’t come to class.

Can kids remain in the gathering if they choose?

Yes! Children are welcome and encouraged to join in the gathering! We ask you to thoughtfully consider others and use discernment if your child begins to become distracting to those around them. At this point attending kids classes might be a better option.
We also have a Parent Room available with a video feed, couches, and toys for kids who need settled.

Is this change really necessary? Parents could go get their kids for the closing worship, so what's the difference?

The new flow gives kids more time in the gathering, and more visibility. Children will be seen and included on a much greater level.
Currently, parents who choose to pick up their kids for the closing worship are missing most of the time set aside for communion, worship, and prayer.
We don't want kids to miss out on congregational worship, which is why they join you in the beginning and are led through a response time in the kids area at the end.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please feel free to email aaron@wchurch.ca.