Children's Ministry

Anne Nielsen, Director

God's Big Backyard exists to reach out to children
with the message of Christ's unconditional love,
guiding them to grow into
a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
and nurturing in them a heart to serve.

Here is the story of one of Central's children told from his parent's point of view:

Parents who seek to raise their children in Christ get to see them at points along the way make their faith their own. This year has been a year of growth for our 9-year old. God has brought many opportunities to us as parents to teach our son about obedience, forgiveness, grace and humility. The encouraging part is to see the changes that God has made in our son's life. For believing parents, there are few things sweeter than seeing your child grow in their desire to know and please God.

We have been blessed and encouraged by the ways we see the servants in Children's Ministry give of themselves in order that our children might grow. Our son's small group leader has encouraged our son by teaching our son God's Word and by praying with and for our son. This small group leader models loving Christ and loving others; so our son gets to see another example (besides his own dad).

We are also delighted with the good example set by our son's peers. He has seen some of them taking a notebook to church and taking notes during the sermon; so he asked for a notebook of his own. My thankfulness to God is overflowing as I watch my son look over my shoulder to copy my words as he learns to take sermon notes! What wonderful peer pressure! How great is God that He is using other children to influence my son in a good way! (ER)

God uses our service in Children's Ministries to deepen and grow our relationship with Him. Read on...

When asked to lead the pre-schoolers in singing on 2nd Sundays, my first thought was to say "No." Since my father is slowly dying of Alzheimer's, I knew I needed to reserve time and energy to be a help to my parents. The Lord, in his goodness however, said, "Yes!" Now, each Sunday, those little smiling faces and joy-filled voices remind me that God is faithful and that, even in mourning, he will provide times of joy in unexpected places. (DZ)

2005 has brought great change in leadership to Children's Ministry. We praise God, we thank God and we ask God to continue to guide us.