Welcome to Children, Youth, and Family Ministry at Prince of Peace!
Our vision for CYF ministry is to equip children and youth to know God's love and show God's love to the world.
Worshiping with Kids and Youth
Nursery Our nursery is staffed weekly. You can drop your child off before worship begins and pick them up after, or bring them at any time during the service. There is also a changing table and space for nursing located here. You’ll find the nursery located to the right of the restrooms in the Gathering Space.
Prayground Kids wiggle—it's okay! If your little one needs a bit of extra space to move around as they worship, the Prayground in front of the left pews is equipped with quiet activities and soft toys to help children engage with worship. Parents are invited to sit nearby to assist children in engaging in worship in an age-appropriate manner. The service is audible in the Gathering Space if you need to step out for a time.
Involvement in Worship Everyone is invited to participate in worship leadership in whatever capacity they are comfortable with and feel called to. Children and youth are welcome to serve as communion assistants, readers, acolytes, ushers, or anything else! Speak to the Engagement Coordinator to get started.
Communion All are invited to receive the gifts of Christ’s table. There is no age or membership requirement. We also host ‘Communion Retreats’ once or twice a year depending on requests. At this retreat, we gather together to gain a deeper understanding of communion. Watch the Youth Newsletter for information about upcoming retreats, or let us know you’re interested if there’s not one already scheduled!
Faith Formation Classes
Faith Formation classes take place from 9:15-10:15am on Sunday mornings from September-May.
Nursery care is available for kids under 3 during learning hour.
Age 3-Kindergarten: Frolic invites young learners to experience Bible stories through play and exploration.
1+2: How is the bible arranged? Why do we do what we do in worship? We’re exploring the building blocks of the bible and Lutheran worship.
3-5: It’s time to dive deep into some of the familiar stories of the bible to understand how everything fits together.
Quest (6-12): How do we apply faith, the bible, and church to our daily living? In Quest, older youth have the opportunity to explore and experiment with ways to live their faith.
Other Faith Formation Opportunities
Vacation Bible School Typically 2-3 hours in the evening for one week during the summer, Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a themed week of fun learning experiences. Participation is encouraged for kids who will enter kindergarten through fifth grade the following fall, and anyone older is invited to be a helper. The evening consists of bible stories, crafts, games, skits, and lots of fun! Past themes include “Camp VBS,” “Bon Voyage,” and "Lights, Camera, Action!".
Youth Group For students 6th-12th grade. We meet monthly for activities, fellowship, and service. Dates, times, and activities vary from month-to-month, so watch the Youth Newsletter for the next meeting, or contact the CYF Office.
Milestones on your Faith Journey
Baptism Baptism is the sacrament in which we come out of the baptismal waters to live a new life as Children of God. In baptism we are reborn, cleansed from sin, and raised to eternal life. Baptism is for all people, regardless of age. For infant baptism, parents or guardians, and sponsors present the child and are entrusted with responsibilities associated with raising a child in faith. For the baptism of an older child or adult, these promises are affirmed by the candidate for baptism themself. The congregation also makes promises to support and encourage the baptized as a community. If you are interested in baptism, please contact the office to get connected.
Rite of Confirmation Youth and adults have the opportunity to proclaim their faith as their own and affirm their baptism at whatever age they feel called to do so. While being confirmed is not a sacrament, it is an important milestone on our faith journey, acknowledging a growing understanding our Lutheran identity and understanding the promises made in baptism to continue living a life in the faith practices of discipleship. We typically hold this rite on Reformation Sunday at the end of October. Youth are invited to set up a short conversation with Pastor Rachel and Em prior to Confirmation Sunday. This conversation is not a test and does not require any kind of memorization, practice, or checklist of “good deeds”. It is a chance for us to hear about your faith journey thus far and find out how our congregation can best nurture, pray for, and support you as you continue forward with this big step.
Communication
Youth Newsletter Once a week, we send out a Youth Newsletter via email. The newsletter contains new and noteworthy events, an at-a-glance calendar and schedule of upcoming meetings, and contact info for Em and Intern Emma. To be added to the list, contact the CYF office.
Youth Bulletin Board This bulletin board is located near the Office entrance across from the gym doors. You’ll find pictures of past events, spotlights of participants, and posters for upcoming events. This is also where we’ll leave extra copies of schedules, permission forms, and any other important papers.
Verbal Announcements After communion during worship, anyone with a God moment or an announcement is invited forward to share. Last minute info, updates, and reminders are often shared this way. If you can’t make it to worship in person, you can always see the whole service, including the announcements, on the recorded livestream on the church’s YouTube page.
Need a Bible?
We have plenty to share, from story bibles for the youngest pre-readers, to student bibles for kids, to study bibles for middle school students and beyond. On Rally Day every September, we have a bible blessing and hand bibles out to anyone in attendance who wants one. If you need one before then, just ask!
Safety of Children and Youth
The safety of children and youth is something we take very seriously at Prince of Peace. All staff and volunteers who work with minors are required to complete a regular background check and abide by our Child and Youth Protection Policy. A copy of this policy is available on a bulletin board in the office hallway or can be requested from the CYF office at any time.
Many staff and volunteers also have CPR and/or first-aid training so that there is adequate coverage at all events. Our building is equipped with numerous first aid kits and first aid equipment to be as prepared as possible in the event of a medical emergency.
Children, Youth, and Family Staff
Em Witteveen
Engagement Coordinator
engage@popportage.org
Melissa Copeland
Nursery Coordinator
Megan Zimmerman
Nursery Attendant
