Children's Special Programs and Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Children's Special Programs (click here for the Children's Ministry Handbook)

One Great Hour of Sharing offering will come home with all children from Sunday School at the end of February.

INSTRUCTED COMMUNION offers 1st-grade children and their families experiences and information about the Lord's Supper so they can participate with a richer understanding of what the sacrament means to the church and to individual Christians. Usually a two-hour self-directed learning center event on a Sunday afternoon, Instructed Communion ends with a shared meal. Sunday, March 25, 2012 from 3-5 pm.

SAFE SANCTUARY
The Session, acting on the recommendation of the Safe Sanctuary Task Force and the Children's Committee, determined that everyone who teaches, coaches, advises, or works with our children and youth must complete an application form and attend a Safe Sanctuary training session. Safe Sanctuary is our coordinated effort to protect the children and youth who participate in our programs from any form of sexual abuse.

THIRD GRADE BIBLES
Each September, usually on the third Sunday, Westminster presents children who have just begun the 3rd grade with a New Revised Standard Version Bible during the 8:30 am worship service. JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE is an interactive event in the afternoon that same day to provide a way for 3rd graders and their families to learn about their new Bibles.

NaCoMe CAMP AND CONFERENCE CENTER
Located in Pleasantville, TN, NaCoMe serves both Middle Tennessee and Memphis Presbyteries. It offers retreat facilities (which Westminster uses for our annual all-church retreat) and summer camp opportunities for children. Visit www.nacome.org .  The All-Church Retreat 2012 will be held Friday, April 13 - Sunday, April 15.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL is July 23 – 27, 2012 Registration will be open in April. VBS welcomes 4 year olds – third grade children. Members, friends, and grandchildren are all encouraged to participate. With that we do need volunteers to teach, shepherd and lead. If you are willing to help us with VBS please contact Sophie Maness at smaness@nashvillewpc.org or Eleanor Glover at oeufs88@hotmail.com or Joanna Thomson at joannathomson1@gmail.com.

Our theme this year is Clean Water for All God’s Children. It is put out by Living Waters for the World, a Presbyterian Mission Organization. Our Bible stories will focus on water themes.

MISSION CAMP is also July 23 – 27, 2012 
Registration will be open in April. All rising 4^th – 7^th grade children are welcome to a wonderful week of mission and fun at Westminster. This group gathers in Goodpasture Hall each morning at 9 am and gets ready to serve missions supported by WPC for the morning. We will also need drivers and chaperones for this group. If you would like to help, please contact Sophie Maness at smaness@nashvillewpc.org or Susan Weathersby at weathersby@comcast.net.

Visiting Westminster Presbyterian Church

Sunday School listings can be found under Adult Education; Youth Ministry Koinonia; and Sunday School for Children.

Children's Worship
We welcome all children to worship and expect that when children are in 1st grade they will begin to worship regularly with their families. WORSHIP BAGS, located in baskets just outside the sanctuary doors are available for younger and older elementary children and contain a children’s bulletin for the day along with other helpful items.

Children's Communion
In the PC(USA) children are welcome at the Lord’s table! In order that children might have a richer understanding of Communion, Westminster offers a special class called “Instructed Communion” to 1st graders and their families. This is usually a two-hour self-directed learning center event on a Sunday afternoon followed by a shared meal. To learn more about this event and its next scheduled date email smaness@nashvillewpc.org.

Children's Sabbath
Is celebrated on the third Sunday of October each year. Elementary-aged children and the children’s choirs lead a worship service that celebrates the gifts of our children and lifts up the needs of children who are at risk in our country and around the world. This service is held in conjunction with similar services celebrated by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations.

Children's Christmas Eve Service
The 2:00 pm service celebrates young children and their families through the presentation of a Nativity play performed by the 5th graders and children’s choirs. Children are invited to bring canned food for Second Harvest Food Bank to present at the manger as their offering. Nursery care for infants and young toddlers is offered at both the 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm services.

Palm Sunday
At both the 8:30 am and 11:00 am worship services children participate in the palm processional and the children’s choirs sing.

Easter
During any of the three morning services (7:30 am, 9:15 am, and 11:00 am) children are invited to present their One Great Hour of Sharing banks during the offering. Sunday School classes do not meet on Easter Sunday. 

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