Children and Family Ministry

Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 
Did you know that in the Bible the word heart is referenced 725 times?  I love that at Joy we believe that God has given parents the awesome responsibility of being the faith center of their home and we are here to support them!  Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.  Love him with all your strength.  The commandment I give you today must be in your heart.  Make sure your children learn them.
 
Partnering with parents to guide kids toward a HEART for God is our number one goal.  Parents are designed to be, and usually are, the primary influence in their child’s spiritual formation and we GET to partner with you!!!
 
What if we looked at it this way:
Heartfelt Relationships
Engaging Sunday School & Family Ministry
Authentic Worship
Real Service (serving together)
Telling The Good News
 
I am super excited to partner with parents and continue to watch children grow in their faith!
 
Over the last 6 months, I am pleased to report the following:

Children’s Ministry

• Thanks to our Nursery staff, Ellie Jensen, Kelly Ellison, and Maggie Gatschet, we can offer nursery at both 9:00 & 10:30 for children under 4 years old with an average of 2 to 4 children on any given Sunday.  They are a true gift to this ministry and Joy!
• We have continued with Orange Curriculum for our Nursery through Kindergarten class & Lift Curriculum for 1st-5th Grade.  The one thing I love about this curriculum is that Lift is a Christ-centered Children’s Ministry curriculum. This means that Jesus is central to every lesson. Whether we begin with an Old Testament story, a New Testament passage, or a lesson based on a topic, all paths lead to Jesus AND even if a child only comes once, we want to make sure they hear about Jesus.
• We offered Kids’ Adventure Klub classes at our 10:30 service for children 3 years old through 5th grade.  We began this year with 32 children registered for classes and ended the year with 45 children registered, with a weekly average attendance of 20-25 children.
• We have a total of 15 adult volunteers and 6 youth volunteers helping regularly in Children and Family Ministry.  One of my absolute favorite things is watching kids go through Kids’ Adventure Klub as a student and as youth, continue on in leadership by serving and sharing their faith with kids.  What a gift!!
• A Halloween Party, Thanksgiving Party, PJ/Pop Tart Party were just a few of our special event days.
• Pastor Mark directed his 2nd Christmas Program.  We had 32 children dress up and participate in an in-person family Christmas Program.

Family Ministry/Special Events

• Offered 3 Feed My Staving Children opportunities.  We had a total of 61 volunteers participate between the 3 FMSC dates.  I love that this is a time where our children, youth, and adults come together to serve outside our Joy walls!
• Children brought their backpacks with them to the last 9:45 service of the summer and we gave out approximately 75 backpack tags to children, teachers, daycare students and support staff.
• Had our first ever Trunk or Treat event.  With 27 Trunk Hosts decorate their cars and approximately 100 families (250-300 people total).  We had 60 children show up not registered, through our banner on Hunt Club, personal emails, Facebook Event, and word of mouth.  Approximately half of those in attendance were non Joy affiliated.  There were hayrides, s’mores by the fire, a scavenger hunt craft, food, hot chocolate, and cider. 
• Thanks to the entire staff and Family Ministry team, we had a Cookies, Carols, and Crafts with Santa Event in December.  We had over 100 people in attendance.  One of the highlights was pictures with our very own Santa!! 
• We had the privilege to baptize 3 children during this 6 month period.  One of the children's moms was also baptized at Joy!  I love that we have baptized several children of parents that were also baptized at Joy.
  

 
I can’t begin to thank the people of Joy for the love, support, encouragement, time, talents, treasures, hugs, and abundant blessings you shared with this ministry.  I couldn’t have gotten through these last 2 months with my surgery and recovery if it wasn’t for YOU! It is an honor and a privilege to serve with such amazing and gifted team of leaders.  So very blessed to be a part of this community…and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us in the coming year!!

With love and thankfulness,
​Cheryl O’Neill

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