Children’s Ministry
Grades K to 5
What We Believe
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14
At Belle Meade UMC, we believe children are an integral part of our church family and seek to provide intentional opportunities to nurture their spiritual lives. Every child is created as a unique spiritual being and even the youngest child can experience the love of God. We seek to nurture this spirituality through building relationships, teaching the stories of faith and offering opportunities for children to respond to God’s work in their life. We also believe that parents play a crucial role in their child’s spiritual formation and purposefully look for ways to empower parents for this important work. Our sincerest hope is that every child who enters our ministry will understand that they are a blessing and know in their hearts that they are children of God.
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Weekly Children’s Schedule
Sunday Mornings
8:30-9:25: Casual Worship with Children’s Sermon
9:15-10:15: Children’s Sunday School for 3 years-5th Grade, Nursery for children birth-3 years
10:30-11:30: Traditional Worship with Children’s Sermon
Children's Church (Worship Readiness Program) for 3 years-1st Grade following children’s sermon
Nursery care provided from 8:15-12:00 for children 3 years and under
Wednesday Nights
5:00-6:00: Church-wide Dinner
6:00-7:00: Children’s Programs
Joyful Noise Choir for Kindergarten-5th grade
Faith Play for Birth-4 years
Weekly Ministries
Sunday School
Sunday School takes place each week from 9:30-10:15 for children ages 3 years-5th Grade. We gather together in the Fellowship Hall before splitting into age-level groups for a fun and interactive learning experience. Our Sunday School classes are as follows:
Preschool (3-5 Year olds)
Kindergarten-1st Grade
2nd-3rd Grade
4th-5th Grade
Nursery
Nursery care is provided for children 3 and under on Sunday mornings from 8:15-11:45 and for children 5 and under on Wednesday Nights from 5:45-7:00. We have a wonderful group of nursery staff who have undergone background checks and training. They offer a consistent and loving presence each week for the children in their care.
For the safety of our children, each child must be signed in at drop off and signed out at pickup. The sign in sheet provides an opportunity to communicate any special needs to our nursery staff and provides contact information in case any needs arise while your child is in our care.
Children’s Choir
Our Joyful Noise children’s choirs meet on Wednesday Nights from 6:15-7:00 from August-May. They share their voices in worship once a month as well as a fall and spring musical. Choirs are open to all children from 5 Years-5th grade.
Worship with Children
Children are a vital part of the worshipping community and are always invited to fully participate in the worship service. Each week during the 8:30 & 10:30 worship service we offer a special sung message designed specifically for children. After the Children’s Message in the 10:30 service, children 3 years-1st grade are invited out to participate in "children's church", where we utilize Godly Play. This program is built on the idea that play is a unique mode of religious instruction that allows for a great deal of self-discovery by both the children and the teachers. The over-arching goal of Godly Play is to teach children how to “come close to God all by myself.” The stories follow the pattern of the church year and include sacred stories, parables, and liturgical action. Children are picked up in the Children’s Wing after the worship service concludes, except on the first Sunday of the month when children rejoin their parents in worship for Holy Communion.
BE45 Ministry: Be Known, Be Bold, Belong
Be45 is an exciting ministry for all students in 4th-5th Grade. We join together each week for Sunday School and also enjoy an array of special events focused on service, fellowship, and spiritual formation. We know that the pre-teen years are an important time for discipleship as students begin to ask questions, consider their faith more critically and look for ways to put their beliefs into action. Be45 allows for a set-aside space geared toward our pre-teens students where they can be known, find belonging, and take bold steps in their faith.
