Early Childhood

Service Description – Early Childhood Ministry Volunteers

Jesus took a child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, does not me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:36-37 NIV)

Service Titles: Nursery Volunteer (Babies & 1s), First Steps Leader (2s & 3s)

Ministry Purpose: Your role is to provide safe, secure, nurturing, clean and efficient care to our children. Your ministry responsibilities include playing with the child or directing his play, reading to him, praying for each child, exhibiting Christ-like patience and love, and relating the events of the day to the lesson and theme in words the child can understand.

Service Expectations:

• Arrive 15 minutes before scheduled service time.
• Pray! Pray! Pray! Pray individually for children as they play, as they listen to the story, and for the other caregivers as you work together.

Every child’s diaper should be changed before parent’s pick up. Potty training children should ‘try’ at least once.

• Oversee the check-in process. All children should have name stickers on their back. All cups and bags should also be labeled.
• Oversee the check-out process. Parents will need their “label” to claim their child. If they don’t have they will need to wait for the Children’s Minister before the child is released.
• Clean and straiten the room after the children leave.
• Report any concerns or ideas for improvement to the Children’s director.
• Attend occasional Early Childhood Ministry meetings.

Interacting With Parents:

• Always thank the parent for bringing their child. It is our privilege to serve them
• Always smile (even when you are tired)
• Always tell the parents about any diaper or feeding events
• Always follow dismissal plan

Teaching Little Ones:

Early Childhood is best time to build a God-centered worldview for children. We have provided age appropriate teaching material for all Early Childhood Ministries. This material is easy to prepare and use. Instructions are written in the curriculum. Here are some suggestions. If you need additional help see Nancy or Melissa.

• Integrate the biblical truth or theme into the activities the children are doing. Take advantage of every opportunity to make the truths “real” to the children, repeating them over and over, applying them to anything normal around them.
  • Example: “Do you see the elephant in the puzzle? God made elephants. What else did God make? God made everything!”
• Your role is to teach the children a short Bible lesson each week. It is important to be able to express excitement, energy, and love for God’s word when sharing the story and its principle. It is to be taught as truth, not as just a story.

Meet the team of NWCC