Plus we try to take good care of them.

For whatever reason, churches don’t always welcome kids. I guess it goes back to the time of Jesus, when his disciples chased some parents of very little children away from the Master. They knew Jesus was about faith, and they didn’t see how kids could really exercise faith — so they wished they would come back later, when they were old enough to understand. Jesus, of course, disagreed. Disagreed angrily, to be honest. Said that if you don’t enter the kingdom of God like a little child, you can’t enter it at all. No question that Jesus loved children, and wanted his church to welcome them, too.

At New Church, our program isn’t a big program, but the real value of it is that the kids are cared for and taught about Jesus in small classes, with excellent teachers, in an atmosphere where they are surrounded by the whole church family, and get to experience the excitement of contemporary worship with their parents.

There are a lot of college students at New Church, and while the program is overseen by Nancy Svenssen, a recently married, recently graduated Cal student, many of the teachers are themselves students. So the kids see that it’s not just their parents — other young adults are happy followers of Jesus, too. It reinforces the idea that Jesus is wonderful, and following him makes sense.

The advantage we have as a not-so-big congregation is that nobody gets lost. Big Sunday Schools can be great, but the fact is, individual kids often get lost in the cracks. That doesn’t happen here. Parents are around all the time, the kids get individual care, and of course, everyone knows that the pastor really takes the children seriously — as Jesus himself did.

Single parents are especially welcome. The children stay with mom or dad during the first part of the service when the NC Band is playing.   Sometimes there is a children’s sermon up front. Sometimes we pull out the little percussion instruments so the smaller children can add to the joyful noise. Several times a year, there is a mini-pageant, where the Christmas story, or the Easter story, is acted out in a tableau. In the summer, there is a wonderful Adventure Camp mornings in the second week of August.

If you would like to know more, call me at 510-684-5047, or Nancy at 510-520-9515.  But meantime, know that at New Church, children, and their parents, are very welcome!

PS. There’s a great nursery, too, for the very little ones. Also a mother’s room with piped in sound; but you can keep your baby with you in the service if you like.
Don’t forget “Toddler Corner” Friday mornings at 10:30. Lots of international moms and kids come to this.