Sunday Children's Ministries

Wonder World: Babies-Kindergarten

Sundays during the 10:00 and 11:20 am services, children are cared for in Wonder World, in classrooms custom-designed to their specific ages. Linda Freimark manages the team of 75 volunteers and prepares all of the lesson materials for each week. Children learn these three basic truths:

1.    God made me.

2.    God loves me.

3.    Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

 

Discovery Gang: Grades 1-4

Kids in Grades 1-4 enjoy Large Group songs, games, and Bible lesson before going into their small groups to do life application activities. 30 volunteers make this ministry possible. In Discovery Gang, kids learn these three basic truths:

  1. I can trust God no matter what.

  2. I can make the wise choice.

  3. I need to treat others the way I want to be treated.

Connect56: Grades 5-6

At the end of 2022, this group’s name changed from XP56 Sunday Edition to Connect56.

Led by 6 volunteer leaders, this group of 20-25 Grade 5 and 6 students looks forward to games, snacks, and relevant Bible teaching. It’s a time for preteens to explore the deeper questions of their faith while building relationships with trusted leaders.

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Weekly Children's Ministries

Discovery Playgroup: Children ages 0-5 along with their caregivers enjoy Friday mornings at Hillcrest! Between 20-40 people participate in this low-key socializing time, including many from outside our church community.

JUST BOYZ: Grade 1-4 boys are so excited to come to just boyz each Wednesday night - you can tell by the way they run through the hall to the gym! 25-30 boys meet weekly with about 10 leaders, playing games in the gym, having an engaging Bible lesson and learning Bible verses. And snack. Never forget the snack!

Glow Girlz: 40-50 girls in Grades 1-6 attend Glow Girlz each Wednesday night, along with about 14 leaders. They sing songs, play games, learn an interactive Bible lesson, and have amazing times in their small groups. They also do various community projects like collecting pajamas for the Women’s Shelter and visiting seniors’ homes.

XP56 Friday Nights: 20-25 Grade 5-6 boys enjoy Friday night activities throughout the church or outdoors, building relationships with 8 leaders and using up a lot of energy! This unique ministry is a great outlet for the boys and is for many the first connection they ever have with a church. Dedicated leaders provide a safe place for kids to come, and demonstrate Christ’s love as they spend time together. (And they also have snacks.)

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Summer Daycamp

In July 2022, Hillcrest Church offered 2 weeks of daycamp for children in Grades 1-6. A total of about 50 volunteers made this possible, and 100 children attended and several chose to follow Jesus through this ministry. In August several of the same volunteers had the opportunity to come alongside another church in the city to enable them to offer daycamp for their community. This was a blessing for all involved.

Engaging, thought-provoking lessons along with fun and the impact of caring leaders make Daycamp a life-changing time in a child’s life. Young leaders also have an amazing opportunity to see their life make a difference as they partner with experienced leaders, fostering discipleship and growth for all involved.

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Baby Dedications

Baby dedication brings together home and church in a commitment to provide a God-honoring environment for our children. Several families do this ceremony publicly in a church service, and others choose to have a private event with Pastor Cindy, their family, and friends.

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Easter Egg Hunt

Why have an Easter Egg Hunt?

This is a perfect opportunity to reach out to our community with a fun family event, and at the same time invite people to join us for Easter services. A casual event allows people to see that the church is a welcoming place, and begins to open doors. There is a hunger in our world for something deeper, and we can offer families an chance to celebrate and begin to explore what Jesus offered to us through his life, death, and resurrection.

250 people attended the Easter Egg Hunt in 2022, and we look forward to continuing this annual event.

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Journey To Bethlehem

Journey to Bethlehem has become an annual event each December. Participants of all ages take a walk through the events around Christ’s birth, seeing the story from a new perspective. 50 volunteers make this event come alive, and a hayride is included as part of the journey. Over 200 people take in this event each year.

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And SO MUCH MORE...

PARENT RESOURCES

In 2022 we started offering resources for parents (and everyone) in our Library. There are many free resources available as well as some beautiful items for purchase. A variety of free information is also available in the Parent Room (Room 26).

TRANSITIONS

At Hillcrest, we are focused on serving through all the ages and stages of life. We begin with Baby Baskets and Dedication for new parents, an introducing them to Wonder World. Every June we prepare children and parents for the next classroom or ministry that will be coming next. Grade Six to Seven is a crucial transition time, and Pastor Cindy works with Pastor Alisha to create a connection for kids moving into Youth Ministry. Feel free to ask questions if you want to know more about how we walk with kids and families through the phases.

BAPTISM

It is a great privilege to walk with young people in the step of baptism. This is often done in our church services, but at times we do this in other locations.

VOLUNTEERS

It is undoubtedly clear that none of these ministries can be done without the commitment of dedicated and dependable volunteers. I believe that as God gives a vision to a leader for ministry, He also lays it on the hearts of many people to be involved. What is He calling you to become a part of this year?

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