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 how they learn! The prayground is a space in the sanctuary designed with their growing brains in mind. From the prayground, they can see the action up front and engage in worship experiences at their pace and with tools suited for their use--soft paraments in the colors of the liturgical season, praise ribbons to wave during music, pictoral icons to learn the rhythm of worship, and even a wooden chalice and pretend-play bread to help them understand communion.
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 Formations classes take place from 9:15-10:15am on Sunday mornings from September-May.
Frolic Geared toward ages 3-6, Frolic is play and exploration centered in a Bible Story. Each story is explored for 2-3 weeks with many opportunities to experience and understand.
Elementary 1+2: Younger elementary students spend time learning about the bible, Lutherans, worship, and the world through tangible elements such as lego bricks and doll church.
3-5: Upper elementary students spend time learning bible basics—stories of heroes and happenings from the Old Testament, the beginnings of Christianity in the New Testament, and about the life of Jesus from the Gospels.
Quest 6th-12th grade) Older students will continue to learn about the bible, the history of Christianity and of Lutherans, and about applying faith to their daily life. Students in the Quest class will still be invited to experience and experiment with all the ways they can be involved in our faith community. The focus will still be on building community amongst our youth and connecting them with the wider congregation. They are invited to participate in the rite of Affirmation of Baptism (also known as Confirmation) when they feel ready to affirm the promises made with and for them at their baptism.
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!) at any age have the opportunity to proclaim their faith as their own and affirm their baptism. 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. Youth who feel ready to be confirmed will be invited to sit down with Pastor Rachel and Em for a short conversation. 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. We typically hold this rite on Reformation Sunday at the end of October.
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. You can read our Youth Protection Policy posted on the bulletin board in the office hallway, along with resources for Mandated Reporting of child abuse and neglect.
All staff and volunteers who work with minors are required to complete a regular background check and child safety training. 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, an AED, and Naloxone 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
