Early Childhood Ministries

(Newborn – 3 year olds)

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.                             

-- Deuteronomy 6:5-7   

Dear Parents,

We read in Psalm 127:3, “Children are a gift from the Lord.”  Just as children are a rich heritage for both parents and the body of Christ, parents and get involvedof the body play essential roles in making God’s love real to little children.  It is our desire to come alongside parents in nurturing the faith of their children.  Our responsibility is to prayerfully model and teach God’s truth. 

Significant ministry to children starts in the Nursery (0 – 1 ½ yrs).  Here a foundation of prayer begins for your child as godly men and women are encouraged to “pray without ceasing” for the Lord’s work in the hearts of these little ones.  As your child’s language develops (toddler 1 ½ - 3yrs), our prayers continue and we begin introducing biblical truths through frequent use and illustration.  We trust the Holy Spirit to bring understanding and to produce faith.  This pattern of prayer and instruction continues to develop by building a biblical vocabulary and helping your child see the truth about God through Bible stories they can understand! May the legacy we leave for our children give them eternal joy and glorify our Father in Heaven!

As you invest time in reading these pages, we pray that the partnership between you and the body of Christ at Wellington will be strengthened - so that together we will spread passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of the generations to come. 

Partners with You for Christ and His Kingdom,

Wellington Nursery Department

EARLY CHILDHOOD MINISTRY VISION

Our Vision for future generations at Wellington is for the lives of children and adults to be shaped by the Holy Spirit and the teaching of God’s word for His glory. 

It is a vision…

… of Wellington parents who are well equipped, encouraged and supported to raise their children to be faithful followers of Christ. 

… of parents taking advantage of available opportunities for training, service and support to “train up their child in the way he should go.”

… of weekly volunteers laboring side by side, investing their gifts in complementary ways to provide strength for all who are involved.

… of nursery care givers to persevere in the teaching and modeling of biblical truths. 

… that Spirit-led caregivers will pray continually and specifically against Satan establishing strongholds in the lives of our little ones.

… of our children who step into adulthood to be secure in their convictions and grounded in the Word of God with an unshakable faith. 

WHAT TO EXPECT

Nursery: 

You will be pleasantly greeted by our workers and given a security pager that you will carry with you matching the name tag and number given to your child in case you are needed during the 9:30 a.m. Bible Study or the 10:30  a.m. worship service.

Workers are encouraged to sing and/or hum hymns to the babies and to introduce basic biblical truths through finger play and books.

Toddler Room:

During the 9:30 a.m. Bible Study, a teacher shares a Bible lesson.

During the 10:30 a.m. worship service, the children will be actively learning Biblical truths and Bible verses through the use of interactive play, stories, songs, and simple crafts. 

Each month, parents are given a copy of the Biblical truths and Bible verses so they may teach and model them at home.  

WELL CHILD POLICY

We kindly ask parents to refrain from placing their child in the nursery or toddler room if they have had a fever, vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours or if they have a contagious illness.

There are also workers who take the toys home each week and sanitize them using a Clorox solution. You can be assured that the toys are safe for play when your child comes to Wellington for Bible study.

THE MINISTRY TEAM

Nursery Coordinator

Volunteer coordinator (Nursery, Toddler, & 3-year olds)

Nursery volunteers

Head Volunteer—Toddlers

Assistant Volunteer—Toddlers

Nursery Sanitation Ministry volunteer

Wellington has been blessed with an increasing number of children. God commands us to spiritually train our children and to develop godly character within them. This training at an early age prepares them for a lifelong relationship and service to Him.

Our purpose in volunteering is to glorify God through our caring for and teaching the children. In response to God’s grace, we give back by serving wholeheartedly and with gratitude in this ministry.

The Wellington Church Early Childhood Ministry has established specific guidelines to help provide an organized, nurturing environment where the children can begin to understand the gospel. Each volunteer is given a handbook to assist them in this ministry.

Preschool Ministry

“...from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  ...that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”  2 Tim. 3:15, 16b

Our preschoolers meet Sunday mornings at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Each hour they pray, give of their offering, do memory work and learn about God’s word. There is also time built-in for interaction through games, on the playground (weather permitting) or an occasional Bible movie.    

The students are currently working on memorizing the books of the Bible and have just finished the 10 commandments. The teachers also work with the parents to reinforce memorization and lessons at home.

The curriculum is organized around Biblical texts beginning in Genesis and working systematically through the entire Bible. Each lesson consists of the following components: getting started activity, Bible story exploration, and Bible application. The curriculum is geared towards the learning of Bible stories, key verses, and memory work.

We are blessed to join with you in teaching, memorizing, and praying God’s Word.  We are confident that He will bring to completion the good work that He has begun in the lives of these dear children.

Elementary Ministry

The mission of Wellington’s Elementary Ministry is to continue developing disciples with a servant's heart, building upon the Early Childhood and Preschool Ministries. Our objective is to teach biblical truths, showing the children their need for a Savior resulting in a life given to and dedicated to Christ and His work. It is our ultimate goal to come alongside parents in fulfilling their Biblical mandate to bring up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-4).

Sunday Schedule

Sunday School – 9:30 a.m.
Our Sunday School classes provide age-appropriate Bible lessons and learning activities that teach the character of God, the work of Christ, and the means of living in right relationship to Him. This is accomplished by presenting the whole council of God and demonstrating to children the unity, consistency, and sufficiency of the Scriptures for their lives.

Junior Church – 10:30 a.m.
Junior Church is worship specifically designed for K-5th graders Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m.  We sing, pray, and give our offering in the first thirty minutes.  At 11 a.m. the kids are split into graded classes for their lessons and Bible study.  Our ministry team is equipped with a very faithful group of teachers who are dedicated to the Christian training and discipleship of the children at Wellington.

• Several times throughout the year we have Family Days where all K-5th grade students meet to worship with their parents. During these days, we will have regular Sunday school, but will not have Junior Church.

 Activities

The Kid's Praise Kids Choir meets together on Sunday evenings beginning each fall to rehearse for their Christmas musical presentation. All kindergarten - 5th graders are encouraged to participate in this ministry.  This past year the choir reminded us of the real meaning of Christmas as they presented: "Miracle on Main Street". The choir provides a great opportunity for kids to build friendships, learn about Christ, memorize scripture and have the experience of sharing the message of the incarnation through songs and choreography.

The Hand Bell Choir consists of those who kids in Junior Church who wish to play bells for adult worship 4 - 5 times a year.  The children have also provided special music at Sayre Village, a retirement home for the elderly.  No practice is necessary only the knowledge of basic colors.  Every child K - 5th grade is welcome to participate.

Vacation Bible School is a themed week of Bible lessons and fun activities for children ages 3 through the 5th grade. Each evening the kids will worship through song, prayer and offering, learn about Bible characters and stories as they relate to their life in Christ, participate in fun crafts and recreation, and support a mission. At the end of the week parents are invited to participate as the kids help review all they have learned. VBS typically is scheduled during the summer months.

Other annual activities include a Resurrection Day Easter Egg Hunt and our Fall Festival (October).

Ministry Opportunities
We provide ministry opportunities to adults so they can exercise their spiritual gifts. As they guide children, leaders learn valuable ministry skills and encourage one another to bring honor and glory to Christ (1 Peter 4:10-11).

Our Ministry Team

• Children’s Director – Tanya Holcomb
• Teachers (K-1, 2nd – 3rd, 4th – 5th)
• Teachers assistants
• Music leader (Junior Church)
• VBS volunteers (teachers, assistants, guides, crafts, snacks, recreation, set-up)
• Kids Praise Choir (choreographers, helpers)
• Parent volunteers (help with activities and snacks)