For the Kids

At Journey, raising our children in the faith is a true partnership between parents and the church (please see “Growing a Child in Faith: Where the Buck Stops” under ViewPoints).  Here’s how we go about it:

• Journey equips parents to be the primary providers of faith development training for their children as family in the home
• Journey prepares children to be full worship participants as soon as they are able
• Journey designs each worship service to be instructional and inclusive of children and youth
• Journey provides individual support for each child to further show the love of Christ through the church

VeggieConnections

The fun begins at 5:45 p.m. each Sunday in The Fountain Room!  During the Sunday evening worship service, kiddos from four years-old through 3^rd grade will enjoy interacting with the popular Veggie Tales characters through music, videos, bible stories and crafts.  Big Idea, who is responsible for the Veggie Tales phenomena, has created an amazing curriculum designed to ground our children in biblical truth as they build relationships with one another.  We add a little twist to the proceedings designed to help kids grow in their understanding and experience of community worship.

During the course of a month, our children will keep the following schedule:

• 1^st Sunday – Attend the first segment of worship as a group and return to their program area after Communion
• 2^nd Sunday – Veggie Connection Day
• 3^rd Sunday – Attend entire worship service, seated together as a group
• 4^th Sunday – VeggieConnection Day
• 5^th Sunday – Special “Festival” Day

We can’t leave out our two and three year-olds in all this fun!  They, too, will have a blast learning the stories of the Bible with the help of Veggie Tales favorites Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber.  Noah’s Room, a very special place in our Nursery area, provides a wonderful setting for learning and play!

V-Teamers Lend a Helping Hand

Starting with our fourth graders, young people who have a heart for service and who just love younger kids, are invited to lend a helping hand with VeggieConnections each Sunday evening.  As assistants to the Lead Teachers, “V-Teamers” (short for the Veggie Team) will rotate performing a variety of roles as scheduled from week to week.  Segments of the rotation include regular worship attendance.  

Our goal is to have youngsters ready to enjoy Sunday evening worship by the time they begin fourth grade.  While some may wish to serve as V-Teamers, those older children who are not in worship are welcome to continue participating in VeggieConnections with parental approval. 

Road Buddies

Every person needs that behind the scenes encourager, that someone who touches base with us and lets us know we are remembered.  With this in mind, all Journey kids from age four to eighteen will have their own special “Road Buddy” (with parental permission).  Road Buddies are adults in our church who send cards or emails periodically and “hunt down” and greet their “younger buds” on Sunday evenings. Road Buddies, tend to be good at prayer, too—especially when it comes to children.  This is just another way the Journey family wants to let our kids know they are especially loved!

LBCR

Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat is sacred ground.  Church on the Journey is grateful to have access to a place where our children and youth can get away; where worship, study, fellowship, prayer and mission appear to blend in such a way that connection with God through Jesus Christ seems inescapable.  All 2^nd graders through high school seniors have summer camp opportunities at LBCR.  In addition, older youth have scheduled weekend events at the camp during the school year.  Time spent at LBCR can be filled with the kind of experiences that change lives—forever!