Children's Programming at WBC
|
Fall 2022 Update
Now that we have emerged from the throes of the pandemic, we are so excited to have a small but growing program for children and youth! We'd love for you to join us. We gather in our East Wing on Sunday mornings to play, work on crafts, enjoy time together, and study a short Bible lesson. When the weather is good, we love to head outdoors to the playground or one of our courtyards to get some fresh air! We know that these past couple of years have been extremely challenging for parents and families. We are continuing to root and pray for you, and are eager to support however we can. Please let us know if you have any questions. |
|
|
What does a typical Sunday Morning look like?
Sunday School and Children’s Church is offered every Sunday except for the last Sunday each month (or 4th or 5th Sunday), which is set aside for Intergenerational Worship. Our Nursery is open every Sunday beginning at 9:30am (birth through 5 years). 9:30-10:30am - Sunday School for children and youth in the Children’s Wing. 10:30-11:00am - Nursery is still open. School-age children go with parents for start of worship service. 11:00am - Worship Service in the Sanctuary approx. 11:20am - Children 12 and under leave the Sanctuary and head to Children’s Church. 12:00pm - Children are signed out from their classrooms by parents or guardians. |
Intergenerational Worship Weeks (LAST Sunday of each Month)
On the LAST Sunday of the month, we like to give our Sunday School teachers a well-deserved break, so we do not offer Sunday School programs and instead we have Intergenerational Worship, this is what that might look like:
9:30-10:30am - Nursery is open (birth to 5 years). There will also be crafts or a movie playing for children whose parents would like to attend Sunday School.
11:00am - Worship Service begins. During Intergenerational Services we may ask the children to participate in service by being liturgist, leading us in prayer, reading Scripture, or by helping collect the offering with our ushers. We really feel that worship is something we all participate in, even the youngest among us!
What we are learning:
On the LAST Sunday of the month, we like to give our Sunday School teachers a well-deserved break, so we do not offer Sunday School programs and instead we have Intergenerational Worship, this is what that might look like:
9:30-10:30am - Nursery is open (birth to 5 years). There will also be crafts or a movie playing for children whose parents would like to attend Sunday School.
11:00am - Worship Service begins. During Intergenerational Services we may ask the children to participate in service by being liturgist, leading us in prayer, reading Scripture, or by helping collect the offering with our ushers. We really feel that worship is something we all participate in, even the youngest among us!
What we are learning:
- Some examples of the curriculum for the Teen Class include a series called "Antisocial: Life Beyond the Screen," and a series called "Coffee with Jesus."
- Our All-Ages Classroom is uses curriculum which focuses on identifying who our neighbor is and how to extend God’s welcome and love to all people.
- Our Children’s Church class has recently finished a series called "Journey to Mars" and another entitled "Pumpkin Parables."
NOTE: We know that not every family will feel safe returning to the building yet, and we still want to support you. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if there are ways we can support. We do have some book recommendations for children and families to read at home together for faith formation at home. See further below for descriptions and links. We have some of these at the church, too, and we'd be glad to let you borrow some if you need!
|
Some Recommended Children’s Books:
Children of God Storybook Bible by Desmond Tutu. This children’s Bible is what we give to families when their babies and children are dedicated. The beautifully crafted words, variety of illustration styles, and diverse representations for people bring the stories of our faith to life in a beautiful and meaningful way for children and parents alike. (available here on Amazon) Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth F. Caldwell and Carola A. Wehrheim The children’s Bible may be my personal favorite. It has a beautiful way of weaving the reminders of God’s love into each story. Through inclusive language and accurate portrayals of the people in our Bible stories, this story Bible is a fantastic addition to any shelf. (available here on Amazon) When God Made You; When God Made Light; When I Pray for You; When God Made the World; The Colors of Christmas; What is God Like? by Matthew Paul Turner (6 books) Matthew does a great job of interweaving themes found in Scripture with beautiful words of poetry and whimsical illustrations to create stories that help children and adults connect with the work of God in their everyday lives. (available here on Amazon) The Invisible String by Patrice Karst This children’s book is a great way to talk to children about how we are still connected to people we love, even if they move away or if they die. The invisible string of love can never be broken. (available here on Amazon) When Dinosaurs Die by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown This book is a good way to have conversations with children about death. It covers questions like “Why do people die?” and “What happens when we die?” It addresses the many feelings we may have when someone dies, and talks about ways different religions and cultures participate in grief and mourning. (available here on Amazon) God's Dream, by Desmond Tutu This is available as a board book, and is a wonderful way to introduce young children to the world that God envisions for us all. It is wonderfully illustrated with diverse representations. Sometimes I think that, if we could inject the ideas in this book into the water in our world, we'd all be better for it. Us grown-ups need reminders how to treat others, too! (available here on Amazon) Books for Parents Parenting Forward by Cindy Wang Brandt Cindy’s book helps parents learn how to raise their children with justice, mercy, and kindness. In this world, it is so important for children to be raised to be good citizens of society and to make this world a better place. Cindy offers suggestions and guidance in the following areas: Good News for the Body (touch and consent), Healthy Spirituality, and Children as Radical Hope. She also provides parenting advice around the areas of imagination, racial justice, gender equality, economic and environmental justice, and inclusion. (available here on Amazon) When Kids Ask Hard Questions edited by Bromleigh McCleneghan and Karen Ware Jackson Have you ever found yourself on the other side of a question from a child that you just don’t know how to answer? Maybe it is about why their friend’s family looks different than their own, or why some people use different pronouns, or why someone had to die. This book of topics covers so many of the hard questions parents and caretakers of children receive. Topics such as bodies and identities, families and relationships, loss and grief, faith and the world, money and economics are discussed in this book that will help guide you as you talk with your child about the big thing they will inevitably ask. (available here on Amazon) Faithful Families by Traci Smith We all know parenting can be hard and exhausting, and sometimes it feels like you’re just trying to get through the day. But for many families, they also want to find ways to provide meaningful, sacred moments in the regular routine of the day. In her book “Faithful Families,” Traci Smith provide ideas and thoughts about how to turn the everyday, routine things into sacred moments. (available here on Amazon) Prayer books and Devotionals Prayers for Faithful Families by Traci Smith As an extension of her book “Faithful Families,” Traci has written a book of prayers to be used for nearly every occasion, which will continue to help families create sacred moments throughout their day. Traci includes prayers for the everyday things, milestones, celebrations, emotions, difficult times, and holidays. This book is sure to help your family incorporate prayer and sacred moments into your routine. (available here on Amazon) Where Faith & Family Meet by Jessica Asbell This book of devotions is an incredible resource of families. Based on the Revised Common Lectionary, Jessica has taken a scripture passage from each week of the 3-year cycle and written a devotion on that passage. Jessica provides ways for families to share their story, to read the lectionary passage, read a short devotion, and then discus some questions and pray together. This 3-year, weekly devotion is an easy and accessible way for families to share in a devotion together, deepening their faith lives and their relationships with one another. (available here on Amazon) (We are so grateful to Rev. Kristen Koger of First Baptist Church, Decatur, GA, for some of these book recommendations, as well as her write-ups!) |
             |
Growing in Faith at Williamsburg Baptist
At Williamsburg Baptist, we aim to make spiritual formation a core part of our mission for all ages. We are working to help our children and youth grow their faith in lock-step with their growing understanding of the world. From Sunday School, to children's sermons in worship, to children's prayer retreats, we want to make life in God's love illuminating, safe, and fun.
|
SafetySafety for our children, youth, and volunteers is our highest priority. We want to ensure that every WBC member & friend contributes to a culture of safety by adhering to standard policies and procedures that make our gatherings a place where God's presence is experienced.
|
Sunday WorshipSunday worship is the touchstone of our life together. We want to help our children and youth become accustomed to worship in an intergenerational setting. To assist with this we have worship bags, canvas bags containing worship activities to help kids engage with the worship service in a meaningful way.
|
|
|
NurseryThe nursery is more than childcare during our learning hour and worship. That’s because we see great importance in these early years when children learn that the community of faith is a place where kindness and family are found. Nursery care is provided for both the Sunday morning learning hour and Sunday morning worship.
|
Sunday SchoolSunday School classes for children from Kindergarten to High School are held upstairs in the East Wing during the Learning Hour, Sundays, 9:30-10:30am. At that time, the Nursery will be open for younger children. During the Summer and Winter breaks, Senior High School students are invited to join the adult Learning Group in the South Wing.
For Sunday School, we use a curriculum called Deep Blue Kids which encourages children to dive deeper into the Bible and explore their faith in fun and age-appropriate ways. Click on the Deep Blue graphic to learn more.
|
|
|
Youth @ WBCWhen it comes to nurturing faith in late adolescence we believe that the teen years represent an age of opportunity. Researches have found that a necessary part of preparing for a lifelong faith journey is to have a network of diverse and supportive relationships within the church. As a result we try to balance best practices in peer learning and team building with the integration of youth with the broader life of the church - from care with and for the young to care with and for grown-ups.
|
Scouting @ WBCWilliamsburg Baptist is home to BSA Troop 155 and Cub Scout Pack 100. For more information on scouting at WBC, CLICK HERE.
|
|
|
Pitts ScholarshipAvailable to entering college students and graduate students with a connection to WBC. Awards are determined once a year and vary in amount. CLICK HERE for more details and to download the application.
|
Other Regular Children & Youth Activities
See our News & Events page for the latest information
|
|
|