CHILDREN

+VISION STATEMENT: Serving children from birth thru 5th grade
We exist to assist parents in helping children find
"Ultimate Pleasure in God's Greatness!"
We therefore seek to provide an exciting
Biblically-based exploration of the
Glory, Truth, Community, and Global Cause of God.
We believe this process will result in
"Godly Offspring" (Malachi 2:15).

"Hear, O Isreal, The Lord our God, the Lord is one!  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 you 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 6:4-7]

+CURRICULUM



+CHILDREN'S MINISTRY SERVANT LEADERSHIP TEAM:

OVERSEEING ELDER
Works in partnership with Calvary SLO Elders to choose and implement Biblical Curricula, as well as to intercede in prayer for the families involved.  Encourages team health and continuously evaluates effectiveness of the Children's Ministry.  Ensures that overall vision for the ministry is being executed, meets weekly with the Ministry Administrator to provide class curricula and practical support for Class Coordinators.  Plans and conducts Classroom Coordinator Team Gatherings Quarterly, while maintaining open and continual communication with these servants. Provides ministry policies and procedures that help ensure the safety and spiritual development of the children.  Handles all suggestions/complaints that are not able to be resolved in the classrooms themselves.

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY ADMINISTRATOR (CMA)
The CMA is a partner with the Overseeing Elder in serving and equipping the Children's Ministry Volunteer Coordinators, Teachers, Parents and Helpers.  This person is a liaison between the church office and volunteers as he/she distributes curriculum to all Class Coordinators, making sure all classrooms have their supplies, schedules quarterly Coordinator gatherings, assists in planning volunteer trainings, and processes and cares for new team members.  A main function of this role involves caring for and encouraging ministry volunteers thru prayer and expressions of appreciation.  This person mostly works cooperatively with the Overseeing Elder and the Classroom Coordinators on a regular basis in the facilitation of the ministry.

CLASSROOM COORDINATOR COUPLE (1-year commitment)
These team members are best described as Children's Ministry Deacons who live in accordance to the Biblical Guidelines outlined in Scripture (see 1 Timothy, Ch. 3). Each of the six (6) classrooms is coordinated by these Deacons, referred to as Classroom Coordinators (CC's).  A married couple or partnership of two couples serving cooperatively is a perfect fit for this ministry role.  The commitment is one (1) year, from September to September.  This ensures that the ministry flows smoothly and avoids difficult seasons where volunteers are a premium (e.g. summer and holidays), as well as utilize gifts that both parents have individually and collectively.  The main function of this servant position is to work with the classroom teachers, parents, helpers and committee representatives* (*see description following).  CC's fill the classroom schedule with their team: parents, teachers and helper volunteers. Their goal is to rotate volunteers so that each classroom is covered by an adequate number of volunteers.

The CC's regularly dialogue and meet with both the CMA and Overseeing Elder.  They meet quarterly with the CMA and Ministry Elder with all other CC's to receive curriculum for their classrooms, any information on changes in terms of policy/procedures, vision, new team members, events, etc.  They meet when convenient with their classroom team one time per quarter as well to discuss the same, pray for their children/families, and to fellowship together.  CC's are also the point people for communication with parents and volunteers; in other words, they handle issues that arise during the year with the support of the CMA and Overseeing Elder.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS
Raising "Godly Offspring" is a community endeavor! Historically, our Children's Ministry has heavily relied upon college students to serve as our volunteers; this results in a variety of circumstances that make it difficult to grow as a ministry, and to remain operational at times due to their inconsistent schedules and life changes.  Subsequently, we are setting a new direction and vision that includes the expectation that each parent who considers Calvary SLO to be their church family will be actively participating in their child's classroom in some capacity!  The commitment level of participation ranges from:

  • assisting in the classroom during Sunday AM/PM services on a rotational basis.
  • rotating in as a Teacher for their child's class,
  • serving as Parent Committee Representatives,
  • accepting a Classroom Coordinator volunteer position.

The average classroom size is currently at a level where coming together as parents ensures a consistent and quality classroom experience, without the burden falling on one person's shoulders!

Summary of Important Parent Volunteer Roles:
1. Classroom Helper- (2-3 x's/qtr depending on class size)
2. Classroom Teacher- one of several teachers who rotate on a predetermined quarterly schedule.
3. Event Committee Representatives/Event Volunteer-  (Sept.-Sept. 1 year commitment).

Each classroom has one person or couple that is the classroom's representative on a committee that plans our 3-4 events per year that we desire to see offered for our children, and for those in our community. The other parents make up the event volunteers to ensure that their children's age group has safe, fun and age-appropriate activities at each event.  The members do not do all of the ‘labor' for these events together, but seek out other volunteers to be involved from their respective classrooms together, utilizing the combined efforts of classroom members, we are confident that these events will be extremely successful in terms of child satisfaction.  The events tentatively scheduled for the year are:

  • Fall Harvest Party
  • Children's Christmas Program Component
  • Easter Children's Celebration following our special service
  • Vacation Bible School (VBS) during the summer - will be a ‘first' for our church!  

4. Classroom Community Developers- Each classroom has these parent volunteers who are likely to have God-given gifts in Hospitality!  This important role is reserved for parents who have a heart for building community among the families involved in their classroom.  They work with the Classroom Coordinators to ensure that all families in that classroom come together periodically (estimating 2-4x's per year) to fellowship at a park, classroom family home, etc. in order to break bread with the other families from that particular classroom.  This will give families, especially new families to Calvary SLO, a chance to get to know other parents in the fellowship that are perhaps going thru the same things with their children and could receive encouragement/instruction in raising their children!  We are hoping that no family will ‘fall through the cracks' so to speak and be able to build community upon their common place in life - children of the same age.  These fellowship gatherings can include college aged helpers and teachers as well, strengthening the connection     between the volunteers and the families they serve.

TEACHERS
These important volunteers serve as Children's Ministry Deacons who live in accordance to the 1 Timothy guidelines.  These parents or other volunteers are given the curriculum in advance so that they can familiarize themselves with the lesson and related activities, prior to teaching the children.  These volunteers are scheduled on a rotating basis by the CCC's, and they feed the children the Word of God. What a privilege to have this calling from the Lord!

Each teacher will have a minimum amount of experience in the classroom, having completed all necessary training provided by the CMA and Elder prior to filling this role.  All teachers will have signed and completed a sheet of agreement on the Church's doctrinal essentials, thereby committing to further their leaders' charge to serve faithfully as a teacher of the Word of God.  We know that as we seek to teach, the Lord blesses us more than those whom we teach.

All teachers and helpers are expected to be growing in their love for the Lord, partly demonstrated by their presence in Sunday services.  All classroom volunteers are expected to attend first service so that they themselves can be taught in the ‘admonition of the Lord' as well.  We realize that parents may have to work together to ensure that this happens when they are scheduled for helping in the classroom in some capacity, however this effort is worth the blessing of not missing out on the time of corporate worship!

[Note to Fathers! We would love to have more men teaching the 2nd-3rd & 4th-5th classrooms so our sons & daughters can see the leaders of the homes being leaders in their church]

CLASSROOM HELPERS
This role is a vital part of every classroom.  The helpers assist the teachers in maintaining an environment conducive for the instruction in the Lord, and they must be prepared to have fun with the children as well!  They assist with children that may need individual attention as they may have an extra amount of energy that day, or may be especially shy or timid in a new environment.  Children that are distracted or are distracting other children may need re-direction as well, and the Classroom Helpers are there to provide assistance in this area.  Training is provided in being an effective Classroom Helper.  Parents are great in these roles as they are used to working with their own children, as some volunteers may be more timid with a lack of experience and not be as clear or confident in addressing a child's needs.

WORSHIP SERVANTS
These servants assist in providing the children with an environment conducive for worshipping God.  This can be in a musical environment, or simply assisting children in developing their prayer life.  Each week time is set aside for two groups of children to worship separately, one group for the younger children where more basic melodies and prayers are offered to the Lord, and the other group of older children where our own worship choruses are introduced and owned by the children.  It is such a blessing to observe these little ones worship Jesus!  What an honor to lead them to their God in devotion...

Currently, we have several worship leaders who serve the children in this capacity.  We therefore are able to rotate in this schedule as well, so this may be a perfect place for a couple with gifts in this area to serve.

Well, there's a look at the different roles within the Calvary SLO Children's Ministry.  Pray how Jesus could use you to serve the least of these for His glory!!!

+PARENT RESOURCES
252basics.com
rethinkgroup.org



[All curriculum is chosen by the Elders, and distributed by CMA and overseeing Elder]