Children

Children’s Church is offered for ages 3 years (by August 31) through 1st grade during 11:00 worship. Children should be checked in and get a name tag prior to worship, then begin worship with their family. After the Children’s Moment, a leader will take the children out of service together. Children will have fun singing worship songs, learning a Bible lesson,  and playing games. Parents are asked to take turns rotating as leaders.

Spiritual Milestone – All students will learn the seasons of the church and the corresponding colors.

Our Family Ministries team wants to partner with parents of children who have special needs. Our approach is to consider each child as an individual, to reach them where they are, and to utilize appropriate practices to embrace the child and family in the church community.

This purpose supports our church-wide motto to “Welcome All. Love All. Serve All” and mission to invite and equip all to follow Jesus in transforming the world. Below are two major objectives to fulfill this purpose:

1. To create a welcoming church environment that considers a family impacted by special needs
2. To develop plans for individuals with special needs to ensure appropriate accommodations within the policies and resources of the church

Please reach out to us about your child’s development, social, or medical needs (including food allergies). Contact Ellen Griffin or Norma Wallace.

We believe that it is our job as the church to partner with parents in inviting and equipping all families to follow Jesus in transforming the world. Children’s Ministry at Apex UMC offers opportunities for children, students, and parents to grow in their faith in large and small groups as individuals and families.

We want to partner with parents to synchronize what kids are learning at home and at church. Here are some resources that help you continue at home what we’re doing at church:

• Monthly Parent Cue are posted below (what we are teaching each month in Sunday School)
• Parent Tool Box (includes a parent video for understanding spiritual development at each age, plus other resources)
• Parent Resource Center (located in the CLC lobby)
• Social media posts of articles and helpful reminders (look for Apex UMC Children on Facebook or aumccm on Instagram)

For more information, contact our Children’s Ministry Director, Ellen Griffin.

Preschool Sunday School, called Foothills, is for children ages 3-5 years old. It meets at 9:35 am during the traditional school year and is located in the Discipleship Center down the first floor hallway. Preschoolers learn a weekly Bible lesson through a video or storytelling, games, and small-group activities or crafts. All preschoolers participate in the Sonshine Singers Choir during a part of this hour.

At the Preschool phase, we focus on developing the following spiritual truths:

• God made me.
• God loves me.
• Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Spiritual Milestone:

• Students will know that the Bible comes from God and everything in it is true.

For more information about our preschool programs, contact Ellen Griffin.

Elementary Sunday School, called Base Camp, is for grades K-3.  It meets at 9:35 am during the traditional school year on the first floor of the Discipleship Center. All classes have large-group worship in DC300, where they sing, experience a Bible lesson through a drama or video, and learn the month’s life app and Bible verse. Classes go to individual rooms by grade for small-group activities related to the lesson and for parent pick-up.

At the Elementary phase, we focus on developing the following spiritual truths:

• I need to make the wise choice.
• I can trust God no matter what.
• I should treat others the way I want to be treated.

Spiritual Milestones:

• All elementary students will learn about the Communion Liturgy during Large Group Communion on the first Sunday of each month.
• Kindergarten – Students will know that the Bible is divided into the Old Testament & New Testament, and begin learning which books are in each category.
  Students will learn John 3:16 (God loves us)
• 1st Grade – Students will know the names of the Torah (first 5 books of Bible)
  Students will learn The Great Commandments (Matthew 22: 34-40) (Love God and love neighbor)
• 2nd Grade – Students will know the names of the Gospels and a distinguishing characteristic of each one to help tell them apart
  Students will learn The Lord’s Prayer
• 3rd Grade – Students will know the four parts of NT (Gospels, Acts, Letters, Revelation) and begin to name which books belong in each category
  Students will learn the Apostle’s Creed

For more information about our elementary programs, contact Norma Wallace.

Preteen Sunday School, called the Point, is for grades 4 and 5.  It meets at 9:35 am during the traditional school year.  Students check in downstairs in the DC lobby, then meet upstairs in DC 408/410 to experience a specific environment JUST for this age-group. The Bible lessons and activities are tailored for how preteens think, learn, feel, and grow in how they understand God and how the Bible relates to their life.

At the Preteen phase, we continue to focus on developing the following spiritual truths that we began in the Elementary phase:

• I need to make the wise choice.
• I can trust God no matter what.
• I should treat others the way I want to be treated.

Spiritual Milestones:

• All elementary students will learn about the Communion Liturgy during Large Group Communion on the first Sunday of each month.
• 4th Grade – Students will know the four parts of OT (Torah, Historical Books, Poetic Books, Prophets) and begin to name which books belong in each category.
  Students will learn Psalm 23
• 5th Grade – Students will name the category for each book of the Bible (they have learned 8 categories in previous years) and be able to find it.
  Example: “Ezra is a historical book in the Old Testament” and then find it using that knowledge.
  Students will learn Numbers 6:24-26, the prayer used at Youth Group​.

For more information about our elementary programs, contact Norma Wallace.

PRETEEN

Follow along with what our 4th Grade and 5th Grade classes are learning this month in Sunday School.

January Preteen Parent Cue