Kids Connection is more than childcare—it is a place where followers of Jesus are formed. This happens best in a safe and clean environment, in a community of volunteers and children striving to know God, with materials and programs that encourage biblical literacy and teach the wisdom to navigate all of life.
Every toy, snack, and game serves as a magnifying glass through which to behold God’s glory. Therefore, we want our children to see God’s hand in every area of life: snack time, strong muscles, warm air, cool water, fingerprints, bright colors, weather, family members, etc. We must intentionally seek to connect God with all of life. (Psalm 145:4)
Children need to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ from every portion of Scripture. For example, the feeding of the five thousand shouldn't become a lesson in sharing, but instead serves as a reminder of the powerful Savior who can supply our every need. We must never separate the Savior from the Scriptures. (John 5:39)
The most effective and enduring role of the church in the lives of children is to equip and encourage parents in their roles as mom and dad. Therefore, in preschool and children’s ministry, resources are made accessible, prayers are offered, efforts are responsive, and helpful communications are given and received. (Malachi 4:6)
Everyone who influences young lives contributes to the most important mission in the universe: training the next generation to hope in God. Therefore, every diaper changed, every parent greeted, every toy sanitized, every schedule kept, every lesson prepared—is not without significance. If done for Him, all work is worship; all service is mission. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Starting at 6 months of age, babies and toddlers are cared for by faithful volunteers in a warm and loving environment. Divided in rooms by developmental stage prior to age 2, children are loved by volunteers trained in caring for our smallest attenders! Starting at age 2, preschoolers will learn basic Bible lessons through pictures, play, and crafts. If you have questions, please email Christine Mellinger (cmellinger@ogletown.org).
During our Adult Bible Studies on Sunday mornings (9:45am), your child will go to a smaller sized class for an engaging Bible lesson, Bible memory, review games, and prayer.
During our 11am worship service on Sundays, we have Kids Church – a time of singing and motions, hands-on Bible experiences, and small group discussion. If your child attended Sunday School at 9:45am, they’ll automatically transition to Kids Church. It may become the highlight of your child's week! If you have questions, please email Barbie Coleman (bcoleman@ogletown.org).
When parents are ready to return to church after welcoming a newborn, our Lullaby Lounge (located on the second floor of the OEX) is a place for mothers to use during the 11am service for rocking, feeding and just being a comfortable place to watch the service on a closed circuit television.
Club617 is a bi-weekly program held on Wednesday evenings for kids in grades 1-5 focused on scripture memory and Bible familiarity! It gives kids a place where they can be built up by spending time with others kids and it helps kids hide God’s Word deep in their hearts. Our goals are spelled out in the name–Club617.
It’s a club—a place kids can enjoy spending time with their friends and other adults. This means recreation and hangout time are featured prominently in the schedule–beginning with games and ending with time to hang out.
It’s also Club 617, a reference to Ephesians 6:17, which says “and take…the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” It’s a time to help kids build their knowledge of God’s Holy Word…and gain wisdom in how to use it to fight the enemy.
VBS is typically held at the end of June on our church campus for kids who are entering 1st through 6th grade! This free event is held from 9am-12pm and concludes with a Family Night on Friday evening where the kids can show off all they learned throughout the week.
Centrikid camps for 3rd through 6th graders are a week away in western Maryland for intense fun and learning about Jesus. Student participate in daily activity tracks and conclude each day with worship and bible learning!
This annual event is held annually on the Saturday before Halloween and is designed for our neighbors and surrounding community to come and see what our church is all about! This free event is for families with kids 12 and under!
While we know that we cannot eradicate any possibility of illness, we do our best to consistently attend to details to try to maintain a safe environment for our children and volunteers.
Each week, we thoroughly clean and disinfect our classrooms including surfaces, toys, and linens. We also ask that volunteers wash hands before entering classrooms and that both volunteers and families consider others if feeling ill or had exposure to illness. We don’t aim to overcomplicate things. We want our families and volunteers to come each week to serve, be fed, and experience community. We do however, realize that when it comes to children, extra care and attention to detail communicate love.
On Sunday morning, Kids Connection meets in the Main Building (with the steeple), just 30 steps from where services are held. For parking, you may find it helpful to park in the lot behind the Main Building and enter the doors near the big cross-shaped window. Look for the Welcome Desk and check-in stations.
Children ages 6 months thru Kindergarten are welcome in preschool classes during the 9:45am & 11:00am hours. If you are planning to drop off your child during these times, your first stop should be to the welcome desk! The volunteers there will gather some information about you and your child as well as give you some information about Kids Connection before they take you to the classroom where your child will be cared for during your visit.
If this is your first time with us, stop by the Welcome Desk outside the preschool hallway and a volunteer will help you register your child. From there, ask for directions to the Backyard, the grade school children's area. Sunday Bible Study is at 9:45 and Kid’s Church is at 11:00 in the Backyard.
We strive to provide the safest yet most efficient way to drop off and pick up your children. Upon check-in, you will receive a parent ID tag that matches the number on your child’s tag. Please keep this tag with you as you'll need to retrieve your child(ren) at the end of the morning and to access the Preschool or Children’s areas. Please have your tag ready to show a volunteer when you come to pick up your child.
