Kid Central
At Kid Central, our goal is to help kids understand who Jesus is and how they can share His love with others.
Getting Started
We currently offer children’s programming on Sunday mornings for our 8:30, 9:50, and 11:15am services. We also offer childcare on Saturday nights for ages 5 & under.
When it comes to getting started with Kid Central, we make check-in as easy as 1-2-3…
1. Get Registered
If you’re a first-time guest, we’ll want you to sign up at our Welcome Center Desk. Your child will receive a name tag and you’ll receive a pick-up tag. Pick-up tags are just one of the ways we provide a safe environment for our kids.
Want to register your child(ren) ahead of time? CLICK HERE and be sure to click the “add child” option when filling out your information.
2. During The Service
If there is ever an issue or your child needs you, you will receive a text message from our team, so please keep your phone available during the service.
3. Pick Up
After the service, parents present their pick-up tag to the teacher in the classroom to pick up your child. If you lose your pick-up tag, just stop at the Kid Central welcome desk for assistance.
Questions?
If you have questions, please look for someone in the Children’s Ministry area wearing a red lanyard. They are always happy to help! Or, if you have questions before your visit to Central, email our Kid Central Coordinator, Marianne Mergen.
What does Kid Central look like?
Infants
The infant room is designed for babies ranging from 6 weeks old to 1 year old. The infant room is staffed by no less than 1 volunteer for every 3 babies. While in the infant room, your baby will receive careful attention, loving playtime, and prayer.
3-Year-Old – Kindergarten
In the 3-Year-Old to Kindergarten room, children will experience worship, Bible story lessons & videos, small group time, and will no longer be getting a snack.
1-Year-Olds
The 1-Year-Old room is staffed by no less than 1 volunteer for every 4 kids. In the 1-Year-Old room, your child will start to hear Bible stories and enjoy fun toys and activities.
Elementary Kids
The elementary area is designed for children in 1st Grade through 5th Grade. In the elementary area, children are divided not only by grade level, but also by gender. Our goal is for your child to start building a bond with their small group leader. Many of our small group leaders will stay with their kids until they graduate from high school.
Elementary offers large group worship, small group lessons, and fun hangout time.
2-Year-Olds
The 2-Year-Old room is staffed with 1 volunteer for every 6 children. In the 2-Year-Old room, your child will hear a Bible story, worship, and start exploring the world of crafts.
Level Up
Our unique Sunday morning ministry for 4th-5th graders will kick off on Sept. 12 during both the 9:50 and 11:15am services and continue to meet throughout the school year. At Level Up, kids will participate in a large group experience, be part of a LifeGroup formed by gender and grade level, and enjoy fun games and activities. It’s a great way for kids to stay plugged in as they transition from Kid Central to Student Central (grades 6-12)!
Kid Central Special Events
Child Dedications
We are deeply committed to helping parents as they strive to raise their children in a way that brings God honor. We offer child dedication services as a special time of public ceremony and personal commitment when parents can promise to raise their child in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Our next child dedication dates will be May 20-21. A sign-up button will be available soon. If you have any questions, please email Kid Central Coordinator Marianne Mergen, at [email protected].
We do ask all parents to attend a child dedication class before dedications. The next dedication class will be Sunday, May 14 at 9:50am in Room 170 of the Family Life Center.
We do often have a waiting list for dedications, so please be sure you are able to commit to the dedication date before you sign up.
Children’s Baptisms
At Central, we believe the Bible teaches that a child receives salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus. Personal faith and salvation are not passed down from parent to child, and salvation isn’t the result of participating in a baptism. Instead, baptism is an opportunity for followers of Jesus to tell others they have joined God’s family through personal faith.
Here’s what else you can do for your child to be baptized:
- Click here for details on our next baptism celebration.
- Contact our Kid Central Coordinator, Marianne Mergen, to let her know you’re interested in learning more about baptism.
- Attend a mandatory baptism class with your child. (Baptism class info is available on our baptism page under the “Children’s Baptisms” tab.)
We will contact you with more details after Jon receives your email expressing your child’s interest in being baptized.
Central Jam Children’s Choir
We love our Central Jam kids, but due to extenuating circumstances, we will be unable to have a Central Jam performance this spring. We will have more info about Central Jam available in the future!
Summer Children’s Ministries
Skill School
For a number of reasons, our Kid Central team has decided to push “pause” on Skill School for 2023. We are planning some new opportunities for family events and ministry this summer that we’re sure will be fantastic!
For more clarification on the decision to pause Skill School, here’s a note from our Nex Gen Pastor, Adam Barrett:
—
Hey Kid Central families,
My wife Mateja and I have 4 kids (ages 9, 9, 6, and 2). In the midst of the busyness of life, we find it challenging to have engaging moments with our kids, let alone to figure out how to spiritually invest in our family. Our Kid Central team believes this is a dynamic for many families. As our team began to plan summer ministry, we discussed this challenge. That conversation led to a bigger question: “How could Kid Central come alongside families to help provide a memorable experience where families could engage relationally and spiritually?”
As many of you know, we are currently searching for a new children’s pastor to lead Kid Central. As our Kid Central team looks to this summer, we see an opportunity to try a new style of event focused on whole families, not just kids. We want to put a pause on Skill School to provide margin for this transition time, and also create a new opportunity to partner with the entire family.
Thank you for your support and passion for Skill School these past several years. We hope you’ll be as excited as we are for what we have coming this summer. We’ll be sharing more info about this new event as plans unfold.
-Pastor Adam
Kid Central Volunteers
The volunteers at Central are such a vital part of the Kid Central ministry. All of our volunteers have gone through a careful interview process and special training. It is our commitment to you as a children’s ministry team to give your child the best experience we can while they are here.
If you have an interest in serving as a volunteer in Kid Central, just click the button below. And if you have any questions, just send an email to our Kid Central team at [email protected].
Staff
Robyn Ernster
Early Childhood DirectorRobyn Ernster
Early Childhood Director(605) 275-1680
Shirlene Wheeler
Kid Central Elementary CoordinatorShirlene Wheeler
Kid Central Elementary Coordinator(605) 275-1567
Marianne Mergen
Elementary DirectorMarianne Mergen
Elementary Director(605) 275-1693