Christ United Methodist Church offers a wide variety of programming for children and youth.
For more information about these programs or our youth ministry please contact one of the following:
Director of Children’s Ministries Donna J. Hanby children@christum.com
Director of Youth Ministries Brian Shumard youth@christum.com
Director of Outreach Daycare Beth Rettich outreach@christum.com
We offer a light breakfast of cereal, juice, and milk in the downstairs multipurpose room before classes start.
Classes for children and youth are held in the lower level of the building. Please pick your children up from their classrooms.
We are using the Exploring Faith curriculum for grades Preschool – 5th. Classes are divided by age-level. The Rainbow Kids (Preschool-Kindergarten) meet in Room 8. The Faith Explorers (Grades 1-3) gather in Room 6. And Kids for Christ (Grades 4-5) meet in Room 3. Occasionally we have special group classes in the Multi-purpose room. During the summer we have a multi-age class that meets in Room 3 and/or the Multi-purpose Room.
The Middle School Youth (6th- 8th grades) meet in Room 5 and the Senior High Youth meet in Room 14.
Nursery care for children 3 and under is available on Sunday mornings in Room 105 on the main level. This ministry is offered during both services and will include a lesson during the Sunday School hour. Parents are required to sign out a pager when their child is in the nursery so that they may be contacted in the event of an emergency. Michelle McDonough is the Nursery Coordinator. She is assisted by a teen helper. The nursery is also open during certain special evening worship services.
Children are encouraged to bring an offering to Sunday School or Children’s Church. Each year a different mission is picked for this offering money to go towards. In the past they have contributed to The United Methodist Children’s Fund, Habitat for Humanity, and the Heifer Project. Whatever mission is chosen for the year it is one that will help children. Sometime our special events will also involve our mission project.
Bible Busy Books are available in the lobby outside the sanctuary. They are designed to help children in the 1st-6th grades apply the Bible lesson during Sunday morning worship.
Children in Pre-K- 2nd grade are invited to attend Children’s Church following the Children’s Message during both services. The leaders will meet the children in the lobby outside of the sanctuary. Please pick your children up in Room 8 following the service.
Children in the 2nd-6th grades may serve as acolytes during one of our Sunday morning services. There is an acolyte coordinator who sets up the schedule. Those interested in this ministry of service to the church will receive training.
This choir is for children in preschool through 1st grade. They meet in Room 8 at 9:30 on Sunday mornings during the school year, to practice and share their enthusiasm with us during worship services several times a year. They learn to use rhythm instruments and motions with their songs.
This choir for young voices is open to those in the 2nd-6th grades. During the school year they meet on Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. for practice and they share their music with us during worship several times a year.
Faith Friends is a developing ministry that will seek to provide support to parents of children/youth with special needs. While the parents worship we will offer care and Christian education for their child. The size of this program will be limited, and families will need to go through an application process.
Each year the children and their families are invited to participate in several special events. These events generally happen in the fall, around Christmas and around Easter.
For one week every summer we offer a morning Vacation Bible School for children ages Pre-K- 6th grade. The program concludes with an evening event for the families. Our youth are encouraged to help with the leadership of this program.
Christ UMC employs a Children’s Ministries Director to develop and
oversee our various children’s ministries. The Children’s Ministry Team
supports our Director, helps to plan programs, and reports to the
Ministries Coordination Team. If you would like to be a part of the
Children’s Team or support our
different ministries in some way, please see our Director or Council
Chair.
Outreach Daycare is a ministry of Christ United Methodist Church designed to provide much needed care for area children. The latch-key program opened in Dec. 1986, and the preschool/daycare program began in Aug. 1991.
The daycare is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and the preschool is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Through a positive atmosphere and supportive staff members, the program helps build self-esteem, encourages development of physical, intellectual, and social skills, and allows for creativity and curiosity. Staff members are available for playing, meeting needs, teaching, and addressing issues that are important to the children. The Outreach program is licensed by the Department of Job and Family services through the State of Ohio.
Outreach Daycare serves children from six weeks through twelve years of age. The preschool program is for children who are three to five years old. All children, ages three to five, who are enrolled in the daycare participate in the preschool program. Children who are not enrolled in the daycare may attend just the preschool portion of the program. Children who are in the before and after school program may ride a school bus or the daycare van to and from school, depending on which school they attend. Outreach has a full service kitchen and staff that prepare breakfast, lunch, and a snack each day.
Church members, who sit on an administrative board and report to Christian Council, oversee the program.
Christ UMC employs a Children’s Ministries Director to develop and oversee our various children’s ministries. The Children's Ministry Team supports our Director, helps to plan programs, and reports to the Christian Council. If you would like to be a part of the Children's Ministry Team or support our different ministries in some way, please see our Director or Children's Ministry Team Chair.
For the latest news, see "Children’s News from Donna"