Kids & Families at Downtown

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

At Vintage Church we believe children are a gift from God, and it is our joy to partner with you as you raise your kids to know and love the gospel. We believe family worship is a beautiful picture for our children of what it looks like to walk in faith in Jesus. Family worship doesn’t have to be daunting; it stands on 3 main pillars of singing, reading, and praying as a family. We know that being a parent is a dance between exhaustion and a never-ending pile of laundry while also pouring your heart into your family that you love more than you can explain. Join with us as we walk together. Look through our resources and begin to create a familiar rhythm within your house. These resources are not created as a checklist you must utilize in order. They are created as a supplement to help guide and enhance your time at home with your children, whatever age and understanding. The most important piece of family worship is the time you spend modeling, sharing, talking, repenting, and learning with your children. Will it be messy? You bet. Will there be days you don’t have the answers. Plan on it. Will you learn as much as your children? Probably so. Take the first step in your home and see how much the Lord grows you and your family. We can’t wait to take this journey with you. 

Vintage Kids YouTube

All previous video content (lessons, worship, and craft videos) are available on the Vintage Kids Playlist on the Vintage Church YouTube.

Overview of Vintage Downtown’s Kids Ministry

Where to go

The Vintage Kids entrance is at 118 S Person St. This door is located on the backside of the church off a small parking lot. Families are welcome to use the drop-off loop here and all new families are invited to park in this lot. 

Check-in Process

When you enter the Vintage Kids area your first stop will be at one of the check-in stations. All children must be checked in. Upon check-in, you will receive a name tag for your child, and a security tag for pick up this tag also acts as your pass back into the Vintage Kids area.

If it is your first visit, a Kids volunteer will help you register your child(ren) with our check-in system. This process takes a few minutes, but once your information is on file future stops at the check-in station will be quicker.

Classes

We have classes for Infants, Toddlers, Pre-K Lower, Pre-K Upper, K-2, and 3-5. We also have a nursing mothers mom. 

Curriculum

From their earliest years, our nursery-age children (newborn to walking) are taught basic Bible doctrines and stories as they are spoken in blessings and prayers. Our nursery is more than a babysitting service. It is the launching pad for nurturing the faith of the next generation. We seek to welcome children with nurture and prayers. In this way, our nursery forms an integral beginning for our children’s ministry.

Our toddlers (walking through age 2) and preschoolers (ages 3 through 5) are also taught basic Bible truths. All kids at Vintage will be taught using an age-appropriate curriculum by Vintage staff that corresponds with what families are learning in the sermon series on Sunday mornings. This curriculum includes key memory verses and catechism questions that guide and support learning, pointing to Jesus in every story. Moreover, children at this age level are challenged to participate in God’s story by living out their faith in community. Our goal is to prepare them to fully participate in the life of Vintage Church.

Safety

All Vintage Kids volunteers must meet the following requirements before they start their volunteer position with Vintage Kids: be an active participant of Vintage Church, complete a volunteer application, submit to a criminal background check and sign the Vintage Kids Volunteer Covenant. Anyone convicted of child abuse or a related offense may not serve with Vintage Kids. Each volunteer receives basic training, which covers the philosophy of ministry, policies and procedures, curriculum use, and guidelines for effective and age-appropriate teaching. We always observe a “2-Person Rule”, ensuring that each child is supervised by two trained volunteers at all times.

Snacks?

We serve cheerios in the toddler classroom only. No other classrooms serve a snack.

Parent Handbook

We have Parent Handbooks available for families in the Vintage Kids area. Feel free to contact our Families Director, Kayla Pleasants, or our Kids Director, Lizzie Merritt, with any questions.

buddies

What is buddies?

We believe God sees worth and value in each and every individual, and we want Vintage to be welcoming and accessible for everyone. Often, families that have children with special needs have a hard time attending church services because no one is equipped to care for their child. At Vintage Church Downtown, Vintage Buddies exists to provide a safe and loving environment for children with special needs and any child who may require additional support in the classroom. Children may require a buddy for a variety of reasons including: physical disabilities, a specific diagnosis (ie. Autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, FASD, Sensory Processing Disorder, etc.), behavior problems, or as transition support for children who have joined families through adoption or foster care.

Who will the buddy be?

Vintage Buddies pairs your child with a friend (a trained and background-checked volunteer) who will attend Vintage Kids or Students with them weekly, helping them access games, lessons, crafts, and conversation in class on their level. Vintage Buddies has a goal of communicating to every child that they are wonderfully made. 

Next Steps?

If you are the parent of a child with special needs or think your child would benefit from additional support, we would love to start the process with you. Please fill out the Vintage Buddies Wufoo. Once this form is completed our volunteer team will contact you within 5 business days.  

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)