Children's Ministry

Children’s Ministries at Providence

Come grow in faith with us! Our Children’s Ministry is designed to help children develop spiritual roots that will blossom through Sunday Sunday School, Worship, and Missions & Service to others. We invite children to experience God’s love and to know that Jesus is their friend. Our fun and interactive Sunday School curriculum provides fertile soil for a life-long relationship with God. We also offer special activities and classes on worship and provide opportunities for our children to participate in mission projects.

Here’s how you can join in …

  • A Nursery is provided for our 8:30 and 11:00am Worship Services on Sunday.

  • Volunteers are located at the volunteer desk on Sundays to escort visitors to classrooms.

  • Children’s Sunday School takes place from 9:45am–11:00am. Preschool classes are located on the 1st floor and Elementary-age classes are held on the 2nd floor. Our children’s curriculum is Live B.I.G, Live Your Belief in God.

  • Children, infants through Kindergarten-age, also meet from 11:00am until 12 noon, in their Sunday School Classes during the Worship Service.

  • Worship Readiness classes are held for 1st graders each fall.

  • Seasonal activities for children and families are available including Easter events, Vacation Bible School, Fall Festival, and special Christmas events such as Mary & Joseph Breakfast. Check out the links below for more details.


Questions? Contact Anna Smith, Director of Children & Family Ministry, 704.714.9372 Email Anna.

What’s Happening?

Read the VOICE of Providence weekly for Children’s Ministry announcements. Additional communication will come through email newsletters and Sunday School.

Providence UMC follows the guidelines for the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church to provide a safe sanctuary for our children.  Our teachers and assisting parents and any volunteers with children and youth sign a covenant agreement and participate in a background check.  Click here for safe sanctuary forms.
In addition, anytime our children are involved in an off-campus activity, a medical form is required to be on file in order for the children to participate.  Click here for the medical release form.

Worship Child Care

Our younger children are cared for each Sunday by volunteer parents, who have Safe Sanctuary certification. Childcare at 8:30am is provided for infants through four-year-olds. A nursery is available during the 11:00am Worship Service.  Toddlers and children (through age five) remain in their Sunday School classrooms for 11:00 childcare.

Welcoming New Babies

With news of the birth or adoption of a new baby, the New Baby Coordinator sends a card of congratulations, schedule a visit with the family, and provide the birth candle (a candle that is lit in honor of the baby’s birth during the Worship Service) and a copy of the bulletin.

Assisting Parents

Our Assisting Parent program for infants through five-year-olds provides parent volunteers who assist teachers during the Sunday School hour and then serve as care-givers during the 11:00 Worship Service. Through this program our children receive individual attention during Sunday School and continuity of care-giving; and parents receive the opportunity to share in their child’s Christian learning experience and serve in a vital ministry of the church. Most parents serve one quarter in each child’s class.

Worship Readiness

We offer an education program to 1st graders to prepare children to participate more fully in worship. This program begins in August in the Discovery Center and lasts for eight weeks.

Bible Presentations

As a gift from the church and to encourage faith development, each first grade child receives a Bible during the 11:00 Worship Service early in the school year.

Children’s Sabbath

We celebrate Children’s Sabbath each fall with a special Worship Services designed to celebrate the special role our children have in the life of the church.

Junior MinTs

Our pre-teen youth group for fourth and fifth graders is Junior MinTs (young Methodist in training). The group meets twice a month for Christian fellowship, programs, outings, and mission projects.  Junior MinTs 2011 - 2012 Schedule.

Seasonal Events

  • Easter Butterflies – Our children watch caterpillars grow into beautiful butterflies as a symbol of new life.  On Easter Sunday at 10:00, we release the butterflies as part of the Sunday School lesson. 
  • Fall Festival – We team up with our Weekday School to provide a festival of fall fun each year. The festival includes Trunk or Treat, crafts, games, bouncy houses, food and fun for the whole family.
  • Mary & Joseph Breakfast – To celebrate Advent, families enjoy breakfast, Advent crafts, posing in the manger scene for a family picture, a children’s play and a mission project. 
  • Vacation Bible School – Each summer we present a week-long Vacation Bible School with an exciting theme based on scripture and Bible stories. 

Children’s Choirs

Our children’s choirs practice on Wednesday evenings and sing in worship on special occasions. Connect to our music ministry for more info on Children’s Choirs.

Scouting

The church sponsors both Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops for children. Connect to our scout page.