A Home In Christ For All Children

By: Becca Manny, LFC’s Next Generation Director

Imagine attending a dinner with a family that is not your own at a house where you have never been. Visualize walking into this unfamiliar environment and dining at a table filled with food, sights, and smells from a region far from what you call home. From the appearance of the furniture to the language being spoken around the table, everything is different and new. You may not feel comfortable eating the food or even joining in the discussions as you try to familiarize yourself with this seemingly strange surrounding. Now imagine you are walking into this unknown family’s house for dinner, except this time you are 6-years-old. For some, this could be what attending a church for the first time feels like, particularly for a child.    

We Want Children to Feel Welcome

Here at Living Fellowship Church, it is important that visiting and member families alike understand that one of our core values lies in extending our welcome to all people. As our name proclaims, we are an assembly of God’s people who fellowship not only with the Living God, but also with each other and those around us. Our hope is that all children feel welcomed, regardless of their family background or previous church experiences. While our teachers strive to teach the children in our ministry programs Biblical truths, we also know that the children before us are coming in with their own experiences, questions, concerns, and expectations. We structure our lessons and activities so that all children feel welcomed, comfortable during transitions, and informed about what to expect during their time with us on Sunday mornings. If you are visiting, your child may not be familiar with some of our customs or unwritten norms. So, we make sure to explain what we are doing, from praying with our eyes closed to praising God by singing a song. While our weekly lessons often build on one another, our teachers review material so that it is not necessary for children to have any prior knowledge when coming into an activity.

Children Belong at Church

Part of God’s design is that we would not stand alone, but be part of a community which crosses cultural, generational, ethnic, and language barriers. As such, children are welcome to be a part of our church by participating in the service and staying with the main congregation and their parents or to be dropped off (or exit during the service) to join one of our children’s ministry classes. Should children and parents decide to stay together, we want children to know they are welcomed there and can participate through taking notes and following along with each part of the service. Children are great imitators, and they learn so much through observing adults—what better place to learn how to study God’s word and praise Him than to observe a whole assembly doing so on Sunday mornings! Please know that our church services are open to children of all ages, and as we welcome the noise and mess, we are reminded that the sound of children in the service is the sound of God keeping His promises.

If you are new to our church or looking to attend, know that you and your children are welcome! We would love to see your little ones in the service, in our children’s room, or attending our children’s church service. Regardless of background or church experience, we will do our best to make your family feel comfortable, safe, known, and loved by our Lord.