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Children's Ministry (4th grade & under)

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Overview

The goal of Calvary’s Children’s Ministry is to build on the foundation of faith God laid in each child in their baptism by introducing them to the basic doctrines and practices of the Christian faith found in Scripture and explained in Luther’s Small Catechism and as they learn to practice the four spiritual habits described in our discipleship strategy.

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By his design, God has given parents the greatest influence on the lives of their children, their faith lives included. Whether active in their faith or not, parents are influencing the faith lives of their children positively and negatively.

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Rather than replacing the God-given vocation (calling) of parents, the church is called to partner with parents to help them play a proactive and positive role in the work God is doing in the lives of their children. This includes those guardians (grandparents, foster parents, etc.) who have been tasked with caring for children in their lives. To learn more about this idea visit our Household and Families Pages.

Sunday School
Sunday School

More coming soon!

Faith Milestones
Faith Milestones

Milestones mark significant moments of God's work in the lives of children and students. They celebrate the present and prepare for the future. Visit our Faith Milestones pages for a full list of milestones.

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For children 5th grade and under, there are four major milestones.

  1. Baptism

  2. 3-year-old Bible presentation 

  3. 3rd grade Bible presentation

  4. 1st Communion

Baptism

Baptism is the foundational faith milestone in the life of every Christian. There, by the power of God's word attached to ordinary water, God works faith in the baptized and forgives their sin.

 

Click HERE to learn more about Baptism. If your child has not been baptized and you are interested in learning more about having your child baptized, please email us or call the office to speak with Pastor Ken Nelson. 

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We also provide parents with at-home materials to use to both learn about and use to teach their children about baptism. Visit our Faith Milestones page to learn more.

3-year-old & 3rd grade Bible presentations

One of the promises parents make during the rite of baptism is to place the word of God in the hands of their children and teach them the Christian faith. One of the promises the church makes is to support parents in this endeavor. At Calvary, we do this by giving age-appropriate Bibles to ​current 3rd graders and those turning 3 years old. Parents can then read God's word to them and use these Bibles to teach the faith. Likewise, children can begin to read God's word for themselves. Visit our Faith Milestones page to learn more.

1st Communion (2nd grade & up)

Holy Communion is a vital and important part of the life of every Christian. There, under the bread and wine, we receive Jesus' body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Like baptism, communion is a tangible word of God that comes to us and sustains us in faith.

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At Calvary, students 2nd grade and up are welcome to begin learning about Holy Communion through at-home instruction and then receive Holy Communion whenever it is offered in worship. Visit our Faith Milestones page to learn more.

 

Click HERE to learn more about Holy Communion, sometimes called the Sacrament of the Altar, the Lord's Supper, or the Eucharist.

VBS & Summer Camp
VBS & Summer Camp

In addition to weekly Sunday School (during the school year) and Faith Milestones, we provide and encourage a couple of other opportunities for children 5th grade and under to grow in their faith. One is Vacation Bible School (VBS); the other is a summer camp experience at Camp Lutherdale.

VBS

Our VBS is held every summer either the last week of July or the first week of August. It goes Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 2 PM. 

Camp Lutherdale

Each summer we encourage families to send their elementary-aged student(s) to Camp Lutherdale for a summer camp experience where they can grow in faith, enjoy God's creation, and make friends.

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