ResCov Children's Formation

Children are an integral part of our church community, bringing much joy, laughter, and excitement – and reminding the adults what it means to have faith like a child. We invite you to bring your kids to church, and we seek to provide a safe, fun, and spiritually nurturing environment. Children are always welcome to remain in the worship service. However, we also provide staffed childcare and formation classes for ages 18 months through 6th grade during part or all of worship.

Just up a set of stairs, those with newborns and young toddlers will find our Parent’s Room overlooking the sanctuary. This room is equipped with toys for the kids and comfy chairs for the parents. Please know, you and your infant are always welcome on the main floor for worship.

Here the first seeds of church friendships are planted. The Acorn room can be found on our ground floor, just down the steps from the main entry. Here our vetted and trained church volunteers oversee safe play and engaging activities for the duration of worship. You are free to sign your child in and sign them out at any point during worship.

Here children’s fellowship and community begins to grow as they begin to share prayer requests and praises, as well as celebrate life events. Our Sprouts class is overseen by our Assistant Director of Children’s Formation, Emily Hunt, and a rotation of vetted and trained church volunteers. These young folks join worship for songs before gathering in the Narthex after the Passing of the Peace and returning to worship for Communion. The Sprouts classroom is also on the ground floor but class time will often involve a game in the gym or an outdoor activity as part of the life and faith lesson for the day.

Here our growing sprouts are encouraged to deepen their roots by reflecting more on life and faith as well as learning more about what the Bible is, how to approach it, and read it. Our Oaks also begin in worship and return for Communion similar to the Sprouts. Pastor Kyle oversees this class along with a vetted and trained church volunteer. The Oaks begin each class with game time in the gym before gathering in the “couch room” on the main floor for fellowship and theological learning.

Our 7th to 12th graders remain for the duration of worship and are often incorporated into the worship service, either through singing, reading scripture, or passing the offering plate. Apart from Sunday mornings, a core group of our recent Confirmands work along with Pastor Kyle to plan a variety of activities both recreational and formational approximately once a month. Please see the calendar for more information.

Retreats

ResCov Kids love camp! From 3rd grade to 12th, our young folks attend winter or fall retreats at both Covenant Point and Covenant Harbor Bible camp. These experiences away from the city and away from routines are always fun and deeply meaningful. See our calendar for dates this school year.

Volunteer Training + Expectations

Your child’s safety and wellbeing is our greatest concern. All our staff and church volunteers attend a training session every three years to review our policies and expectations. Additionally, each person is vetted with a consent form and a background check that is resubmitted and reviewed every three years.

Teaching Approach

All our teaching begins with the good news that God loves and created each person just as they are. This is where all theology must start. Far greater than sheer moralism, we hope to guide our children to ask questions and be curious about who God is and how God is at work in the world and in their lives.

Our approach is somewhat improvisational. Before we approach a theological topic with the class, we set up experiential learning like a game or activity from which we draw parallels of present problems in need of discussion and debate. Once the conversation gets going our staff present new theological ideas or a bible story to help encourage more discussion and hopefully clarify the day’s topic. By welcoming children early on into the dynamic work of theologizing, we hope their faith will be able to stretch and grow for years to come.

We can't wait to meet you!

Looking for a place to hang out with friends, build deep connections, and grow in faith all while having fun with other kids? ResCov is the place!