Wow. What a challenging six months it's been. We have all been forced to reevaluate everything we do and how we do it. And as we’ve seen, church life is no exception. Our staff has been working so hard to adjust and adapt over the past months. I know many of you have questions about what comes next in regards to Kids Ministry, and I appreciate your patience and encouragement as we wait for answers!

Before sharing where we are going, I want to reflect on how things have gone during these last six months with regards to the kids at our church.  

First off, bravo to you faithful parents who have persevered through the difficulty of having your wiggly toddlers and babies (and older kids!) in the sanctuary! I have the privilege of seeing you from afar. Your patience, your effort, your struggles, your victories, your commitment, and, shall we say, grit, have not gone unnoticed. It’s not easy. I see you and praise God for you every single week. 

You may not realize what a significant role your kids regularly play at church, but it’s especially true during this season. 

A memory that will be beautifully etched into my mind is the sound of little voices singing praises to Jesus through car windows at our first drive-in service. And then again, when those little spindly arms and wiggly fingers were raised up in worship as they belted out the Doxology with their out-of-tune, squeaky voices. Oh, how my soul was, and continues to be, fed and encouraged by the little ones! I can say with confidence that each week since, every single pastor and staff member has felt that same encouragement and life-giving nourishment from the worship of our smallest church members. 

In a world that is working tirelessly to separate, divide, and isolate, coming together as God’s children with OUR OWN children to sing praises to His name and declare the mighty works of His hand is a significant and necessary anchor for the people of Coram Deo. Your family worshipping all together is a powerful declaration of truth that stands in direct opposition to the lies that the world is telling us right now. We need unity. We need repentance. We need to be reminded of the truth, and we need the family of God to be together. 

With that in mind, the elders and I have decided to continue to keep the kid’s classes closed for now. We will explore reopening them in January, 2021 as things continue to develop.  

We recognize that the kids classes are valuable and just like you, I’m longing to get back to normal. With all honesty and sincerity, we just don’t know what the next several months will hold. If you know me at all, you know how much it hurts not to have specific dates and a plan in place. (Not to mention a to-do list!) But like many of you, God is teaching me that no matter how many lists or plans I make, He is sovereign and His plan is better than mine could ever be! 

Now logistically, I realize that having kids with you during the church service can be extremely challenging. The staff and elders at Coram Deo want to support your family in this however we can, but we need your help to know what those needs are! We very much want input from you about ways we can support your family in worshipping together. 

One helpful resource is the book “Parenting in the Pew” by Robbie Castleman. She gives some great insight into worshipping together as a family and helpful tips on how to do it successfully. Come find me at church and I’ll give you a copy. We are also bringing back the Kids Liturgy Journals that you can use to help your child follow along with the order of the service. If there are other resources or support that your family would benefit from, PLEASE reach out to us!  

If you’re wondering how you can help serve the kids of our church right now, here are some things you can be praying for:

• That God would give families a renewed passion for worship.
• That children would hear the Word of God and come to salvation.
• That parents would be encouraged and upheld through difficulty.
• That God would give clarity and wisdom to our team as we continue to make tough decisions.
• Revival in our homes, our churches, and our community.

Finally, keep running the race, friends. Our God is good. He loves you. He loves your kids. He uses your kids to bring joy to our church. Pastor Jon always reminds us that the noises your kids make are the sounds of discipleship, so be encouraged and keep discipling those little ones! If you have any questions regarding Kids Ministry, I’d be happy to chat with you! You can reach me at kids@coramdeochurch.org.