Children’s Discipleship Ministry

OVERVIEW:

This was a crazy year. We started this year all remote and ended all inperson. In between we had a hybrid. We tried to balance the spiritual needs of our families with keeping them and our volunteers safe and healthy. The number of children we are serving has dropped from our pre-COVID numbers, but our community and relationships have stayed strong.

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

January and February: We had weekly Sunday School via Zoom. Preschool at 10:15 am and Elementary at 10:45 am.

March-June: We started in-person Sunday School in March. Continued online elementary Sunday School at 10:45 for families that still wanted to stay home.

July: We transitioned to all in-person Sunday School. We made this decision after our online numbers dwindled to just two families (three kids).

August-December: Held in-person Sunday School during the 9:00 am worship service. No online Sunday School was offered at this time.

In August we started a new curriculum called Simply Loved with our 2s through 2nd grade.

VBS:

June 14-18, 2021 Theme: Treasured by Group Attendance: 123 students registered We held in-person VBS this year for elementary students only. We required temperature checks and masks for all those attending, including volunteers. We had smaller groups this year (10 instead of 15).

HOLY MOLIES:

January-May: We met on Zoom twice a month for games and devotions. Our small group of 10 kids got to be really close and continue these relationships in-person.

August-December: Resumed inperson Holy Molies once a month. Our group has been right around 20 kids each month. We are looking at big faith questions.

SPIRITUAL MILESTONES:

We did not have any Spiritual Milestones in the spring. Third Grade Bibles: On August 15 we presented seven Bibles to third graders. Fourth and Fifth Grade Communion: On September 26, 16 kids and their families learned about Communion. Pastor Mat talked with the students, and Shelly talked with the parents. Fourth and Fifth Graders attend service once a month on Communion Sunday.

LOOKING FORWARD:

We continue to reach out to our families that we haven’t seen since resuming in-person Sunday School. We do this via email, postcards, and phone calls. We continue to navigate through how to keep our families safe and healthy while offering spiritual guidance. As the health crisis continues, we continue to adjust and alter how we provide ministry.

SPECIAL NEEDS MINISTRY:

We plan to start a once a month special need ministry for kids and parents. While we include special needs children in all our programming, we want to offer a group for them to meet their individual spiritual needs. We also want to offer a support group for parents. This will be the first Sunday of the month, 10:30 am - 11:15 am.

VBS: June 13-17, Theme Monumental Elementary Plan: Cap at 240 students with 16 groups of 15 kids each

Preschool Plan: We plan to offer preschool VBS for the St. Andrew’s Sunday School families and any preschooler with a sibling registered for elementary VBS with a cap at 48 preschoolers with four groups of 12 kids each.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Continue for 9:00 am worship time in-person. We do not have plans at this time to reinstate Sunday School during the 10:45 am worship service.