By Janel Fackler

I guess every parent wants different things for their kids. Our hopes are as varied as our children themselves. God has given our children different gifts, different strengths, different interests, different struggles. But I think as a body of believers, we share a hope that our children will find themselves at home within the church. This is one of the goals of Kids Clubs: that it will be a place where the children of the church can feel at home. It is an opportunity for our kids to experience a type of fellowship that cannot be experienced on Sunday morning. It is a safe place for our kids to invite their friends, a place where friends from school and the neighborhood can come and see our church for the first time in a relaxed, fun setting. It is also a place where kids from other, smaller churches come to find fellowship.

If you ask the kids what they like best about kids clubs, I would estimate about 87% will answer “snack.” Yes, Miss Debbie provides the best snacks around. But press them to expand their answers, and you may hear things like:
“I like the games, especially, when we play dodgeball.”
“I like when we trace the fifth graders. We get to surprise them!”
“I like the Thanksgiving feast!” (Hmm… Recurring theme of food…)
“I like when we get to sing in church.”

But if you COME to Kids Clubs, you will see so much more happening. You will see big kids helping little kids. You will see kids singing songs of praise. You will see kids being encouraged by their leaders, discovering their gifts, sharing in ministry, and experiencing the love of Jesus in new and exciting ways.

If you have kids (from kindergarten through 5th grade), I encourage you to bring them out to Kids Clubs. They will have a great time growing in their friendships and in their relationship with the Lord.

Even if you DON’T have kids, but you LIKE kids, I encourage you to volunteer with Kids Clubs. There are a variety of opportunities for you to share your gifts with our kids, many of which require only a one-time commitment. We have had guest leaders who have shared their skills in baking, art, dance, woodworking, science, pet care, missions, and more!

To find out more about our Kids Clubs, contact Debbie Leonard or Beth Anne Lesshafft in the church office. Thanks!