Our Path Forward: Family & Student Ministry
Important Updates from our Family & Student Team
The Family and the Student Ministries are thrilled to invite you into what’s happening this Fall at Third! As you may know, we’re moving to a new worship schedule with two services and a stand-alone Sunday school time in between. What excites us about this is the incredible opportunity this provides for spiritual growth for all ages!
For our kids and students, we’ll be offering a full slate of childcare and Sunday morning discipleship classes for all children, Club 56ers, and middle and high school students at 10:00 o'clock. In each of those classes, there will be adults who love Jesus and love kids and want to see them know him more and grow as his disciples. Each class will have age appropriate lessons and teaching to help this happen and we know that God will be doing great things in each class and in each person’s heart.
As always, we’ll continue to have our excellent worship services so that the whole church community can worship together as the family of God. Worship shapes us and forms us, no matter how old we are, and while the world is trying to shape us and form us in its pattern, we desire to be shaped into God’s pattern. Worshiping together is one of the major ways God does this.
Now, we realize that with something new like this there are challenges and even struggles that arise. Bringing children and even teenagers to worship can be difficult, but even with the difficulties that can come up, please know that studies have shown that one of the strongest indicators of faith retention beyond high school is regular involvement in a worship service and that begins when they are young!
For those of you may be concerned about bringing your children into the worship service, we want you to know that one of our worship values is intergenerational worship, which includes all generations, not just for those 18 years old and up. Children learn how to worship by observing others worship, and others are encouraged in their worship as children worship in their childlike faith (we’ve loved hearing those egg shakers in worship!). We know this does take practice, but we’re with you in this and want to support you as your kids learn. We’ll continue to provide musical instruments for the kids, as well as coloring pages and crayons, and encourage you to be patient with your children and others as we re-learn our worship rhythms together!
And for kids aged 3 years old through kindergarten, we will continue to offer a pull out before the sermon like we've been doing this summer. This way, they can begin learning how to worship with the full church community, but also have time to play and hear a children's bible story in their own space as well.
For those of you who are concerned that two hours seems like a long time to be at church on a Sunday morning, we hear you. This is hard - especially when your kids are very small. Again, this also may take practice. Commit to trying it for a week or two, and see what happens. See how God meets you there. We believe our Children’s discipleship program is rich-- even our 2 year olds recite catechism! So while we desire all of our children to be involved and growing in Sunday school together, we also know that there are other opportunities (parish groups, etc.) for your whole family to find community and be discipled. Whatever you choose, we hope you continue to invest in your own discipleship as well as that of your children.
Lastly: WE NEED YOUR HELP! The church is a body and functions best when all its parts are working as they should. For us, this means having each person participate in the life and function of the body. There are spots open in Children’s ministry, Club 56, and Student Ministry for people to serve. It may be as support in a classroom, as a teacher, or in a behind-the-scenes capacity. Commitments range for one hour whenever you choose, to weekly. If you’re interested in getting involved and investing in our young ones, please contact Rick.
We’re looking forward to being part of renewing our community with you this fall!
Rick Hutton, Pastor for Student and Family Ministry
Andrea Woie, Club56 and Student Ministry Associate
Blair Bigelow, Associate Director for Family Ministry
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