Our Mission
Seeking - Sharing - Serving
We have B.U.G.s in The Garden...they're Beginning to Understand God!
Welcome to The Garden and Early Childhood Ministry! In these early years, we teach our preschoolers through pre-k children about God and His great love for us. We do this by modeling His love in our rooms. As our children experience God's love (SEEK), they learn to love God in return. We introduce our young ones to 'small groups' during the Sunday School hour and both church hours. They learn what it is to (SHARE) care about one another and get along - that this is what God wants us to do! They learn that as we grow in our love of Jesus, we will want to (SERVE) serve Him. They have experiences of service throughout the year through simple activities that enable them to reach out to others (prayers for others, making cards for others, giving an offering to our missions).
We emphasize prayer (the way we talk and listen to God) and the Bible (God's special book) in our preschool classrooms. Along with teaching that Jesus loves us, we feel these two concepts lay an important early foundation for a child's spiritual journey that will last a lifetime. In addition, our preschoolers are taught weekly lessons from Hands On curriculum by Group Publishing. A craft/activity is included during the Sunday School hour at 9:45am that reinforces the point of the lesson for all our preschool classes. A shorter lesson is taught during both church hours.
Our lessons and activities support our mission to teach children to love God, love others and serve God.
Mustard Seed Club
Every quarter, our 3s and 4s will be members of our Mustard Seed Club. Children will be encouraged (with parental assistance) to memorize one scripture per month.
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Parents often have the best ideas. Please don't hesitate to make comments on how things might be done better. Our goal is to glorify God in all that we do here. Please help us by holding us accountable for excellent service to our young families.
May your ROOTS go down deep in the soil of God's marvelous love. - Ephesians 3:17 TLB
Prayer Garden
For this child I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him... - I Samuel 1:27 KJV
Let's pray for our children to be attracted to holiness and purity like a magnet, so that when anything entices them that isn't holy or pure, they detect the pull immediately and are made uncomfortable enough to thoroughly reject it. "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness." (I Thessalonians 4:7). To live purely within the boundaries of God's law is to find wholeness in the total person.
Lord, I Bring my child (name) before You and ask that You would help her or him to grow into a deep understanding of who You are. Open her or his heart and bring her or him to a full knowledge of the truth about You. Lord, You have said in Your Word, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9). I pray for that kind of faith for my child. May he or she call You his or her Savior, be filled with Your Holy Spirit, acknowledge You in every area of his or her life, and choose always to follow You and Your ways.
I pray that he or she will live a fruitful life, ever increasing in the knowledge of You. May she always know Your will, have spiritual understanding, and walk in a manner that is pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
Praying not only affects us, it also reaches out and touches those for whom we pray. When we pray for our children, we are asking God to make His presence a part of their lives and work powerfully in their behalf. All that needs to happen in our lives and the lives of our children cannot happen without the presence and power of God. Prayer invites and ignites both.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. - Psalm 4:8