Extended Kids Church Trial – Update and Next Steps
In recent months, the Parish Council has been prayerfully considering how best to support our church as it continues to grow. Two areas of focus have been our physical capacity and the increasing noise levels during services. These sounds are a joyful sign of life and vibrancy, and we give thanks to God that around 25% of our congregation is under the age of 16.
That said, with so many children present, even with the most attentive parenting, it can be challenging to maintain a balanced worship environment. This led us to ask: might our children benefit from longer, more intentional Kids Church sessions?
It's important to remember that Kids Church is not simply “babysitting.” It is a purposeful ministry of discipleship, designed to help children grow in their understanding of the Gospel and develop a vibrant, age-appropriate relationship with the Lord.
With this in mind, we proposed a three-week extended Kids Church trial, which was overwhelmingly endorsed by the congregation.
Survey Results
Following the trial, a survey was completed by 31 respondents (compared with 55 for the initial survey). The results showed:
64.5% in favour of extending Kids Church sessions
19.4% not in favour
16.1% undecided
Feedback varied across the different age groups; Youth Church, Kids Church, and Creche.
Youth Church: Responses were overwhelmingly positive about youth remaining in the service for the sermon, then leaving for group discussion.
Kids Church: The extended format was extremely well received, with many noting deeper discipleship and stronger relationships.
Creche: Feedback was mixed, with responses evenly divided between those for and against the proposed changes.
There were also concerns raised about the regularity and location of communion across all three groups, and the impact these changes might have on our children's ministry team. One complication during the trial was that, on the week we included communion in the programmes, Rev. Charlie inadvertently sent the LAs up too late. It's also worth noting that of the six leaders who completed the survey, five were in favour of extended Kids Church sessions.
The Way Forward
We recognize that no single solution will perfectly reflect every individual perspective. However, the Parish Council has carefully considered all feedback and believes the following plan will best serve our church community.
Supporting Our Team
A key consideration is the capacity of our children's ministry team, who generously give their time and energy to this vital work. Because team members will miss most of the service when rostered on, we've decided that no one should be rostered more than once a month. This will affect the timing of future changes.
Youth Church
Given the strong support for the new format, we aim to begin this from the start of Term 4, 2025. Youth will receive communion together each week after the service, and with the whole church during monthly all-age services.
Kids Church
Parents, children, and leaders alike have affirmed that the extended sessions allow for deeper discipleship and stronger relationships.
Creche
Most reservations centred around the Creche format. It's important to emphasize that none of our programs, including Creche, are compulsory. However, we hope to make it so engaging and enriching that families will want their children to be part of it.
Penny and the team will develop a varied program that holds the children's attention and nurtures their relationship with God. Multimedia may be used when helpful, but not excessively.
Creche will be staffed by one leader and one parent helper, so parents won't need to remain with their children week after week.
Children in both Kids Church and Creche will receive communion within their programs each week, and with the whole church during monthly all-age services.
We plan to implement the changes to Kids Church and Creche at the same time, and we intend to set a deadline for that at the next Parish Council meeting in September. However, it is unlikely that there will be any change before the beginning of Term 1, 2026.
Leaders and Helpers Needed
To make all this possible, we'll need three additional leaders and helpers. Children's ministry is one of the most impactful areas of our church life—and your involvement could be life-changing!
If you'd like to see what happens at Kids Church with a view to possibly joining the team, please speak with Penny, who will arrange a visit for you to observe the program. This won't commit you to anything, but it will help you make an informed decision.
