Welcome to CaMA Kids!
Just as Jesus told His disciples, children should be welcomed into the church family and guided into their own personal relationship with Him. (Matthew 19:14). The staff and volunteers in our Children's Ministry Program are blessed and excited to be able to share the love of Christ with our children. We're passionate about helping them them to recognize and experience the wonders and blessings of a life pursuing Jesus Christ.
Here at CAC, we call our Children's Ministry Program, CaMA Kids. The "CaMA" part stands for Christian & Missionary Alliance, the denomination of which Community Alliance Church is a part.
Where should kids go during the Sunday morning service?
This varies depending on the time of year:
During the school year, kids attend CaMA Kids Sunday school during the service, beginning at 10:30am. The exception to this is on Communion Sundays, the first Sunday of each month. During that service, all kids stay with their families in the sanctuary for the duration of the service.
During the summer, we pause our regular, Sunday-morning, CaMA Kids lessons. (We call this, Sabbath Summer.) Instead, all children will join their families in the sanctuary for the duration of the Sunday morning service. Quiet activities, such as coloring pages, activity books, picture books and quiet fidget toys are available in the back of the sanctuary each week. Kids are welcome to take activities back to their seats with them and return them at the end of service. Sunday school classes for CaMA Kids resume early in September each Fall.
Our CaMA Kids classrooms are down the hallway that leads off from our lobby, past the bathrooms and the kitchen. If you're not sure where to go, look for one of our volunteers with an orange lanyard or ask one of our greeters.
What ages does CaMA Kids serve?
When CaMA Kids is in session, we have separate classrooms open based on age range. Our CaMA Kids Jr. room is for kids in preschool and kindergarten. Our CaMA Kids Elementary room is for kids in grades 1st - 5th. From 6th grade on, kids head to our student youth group!
Where do I take my infant/toddler?
Our nursery room is always available, upon request, for anyone with an infant or toddler. We do not consistently keep the infant room open, as we do not always have children in this age range in attendance. However, if you arrive at church with an infant or toddler and need a private or quiet space, please find a Children's Ministry worker (wearing an orange lanyard) or ask a greeter at the door. In addition, our library is always open and has a TV with the live service playing. You're always welcome to head there if your infant (or school-aged child!) needs a break from the sanctuary. We're here to help so don't hesitate to ask!
What is the lesson like?
A typical Sunday morning lesson looks a bit like this:
- Once kids have all gathered in their classrooms, leaders start the morning with a brief welcome. Sometimes this is a song or game, or sometimes a teacher opens in prayer. However it begins, the start of class is a chance to say hello and make sure everyone knows one another.
- In September 2023, we began using a curriculum called Wonder Ink. We are so excited to have access to this program for both our PreK/K and our elementary rooms. You can read more about this curriculum and its ministry here.
- Most of the lessons taught are part of 4- to 5-week sessions. Each lesson includes teaching about and helping children to understand a particular section of the Bible. Activities such as games, question-and-answer times, object lessons and crafts, all support the main idea learned from the Bible lesson. Kids also work on memorizing a verse in the Bible that is pertinent to the current session. On some Sundays, a volunteer may join us to teach us a song or the teens may join us to do a funny skit. The specifics vary based on the gifting of that month's teacher, but the general format remains the same.
- Once the service is finished, parents come down to the CaMA Kids rooms to sign out their child(ren) and to get a weekly handout to take home that discusses that week's Bible lesson.
Do you have other kids' events?
We sure do! During the school year, we host a monthly event for elementary kids called Club Night. This event takes place on the 3rd Thursday of each month, from 6:30-8:00pm at the church. Club Night is an event to which kids are encouraged to bring a friend, as it's a very relaxed environment where kids can run, play games and sing loudly - in short, be kids! The lesson is brief and is tailored to kids who might not have heard much about the Bible or Christianity. Parents of newcomers will be asked to fill out a registration form. All kids in grades 1st thru 5th are welcome! No pre-registration necessary.
We also host other family-oriented events throughout the year, such as vacation Bible school camp, bonfire nights and more. Check our Calendar page for upcoming events!
Do adults that volunteer need to be background checked?
Safety in our Children's Program is a must. All adults who volunteer with children must have an up-to-date background check, which we initiate through our church. In addition, any teenager serving in a classroom must always be with an adult volunteer, and be in frequent and regular contact with a CAC staff person or volunteer for training and discipleship.
