Following Jesus' example, children are a high-priority for the congregation of Parkway Heights. Typically, each year nearly 100 adult volunteers of all ages spend time with children during regular Sunday morning activities each year.

At Parkway Heights we believe:

• The early spiritual experiences of children move them to a life-long relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
• Children teach all of us through their trust and love.
• Children need advocates, adults who treasure and protect them.
• Children need safe places to ask questions, to express concerns, to serve others and to celebrate joys.
• We are called to provide that kind of place.

Nursery (Ages 6 Weeks - 4 Years)

Services &Staff

Providing support for parents and quality care for children, nursery services are available Sundays from 8:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 5:00 - 7:15 p.m. Nursery staff opens the nursery as needed for other events, such as Women's Ministry group meetings, Divorce Recovery sessions, Bible studies and our monthly Parents Night Out. Nursery pagers allow parents to be contacted if needed during their child's stay.

Nursery staff consists of a Nursery Supervisor and paid caregivers, who are carefully screened prior to employment, as well as church member volunteers. All caregivers are required to have a current background check on file.

Newborn Celebrations

PHUMC begins building a spiritual relationship with its children from birth. Newborns and parents are visited at home on two occasions. The week following the birth, a church member delivers a rose from the worship service during which the baby's birth was announced to the congregation. Later a volunteer visits, offering assistance, information about the church nursery and a New Testament imprinted with the child's name. When a baby is baptized, the family receives a quilted banner noting the child's name and date of baptism as both keepsake and remembrance of God's claim on his or her life.

Preschool (Ages 2 - 4)

Sunday School

Classes meet from 9:45 - 10:40 a.m. Teachers use the Exploring Faith curriculum as their guide in leading these young ones through Bible stories, crafts and games. A music leader also works with each group during Sunday School.

Worship

All children are welcome in worship services, with those over 3 years of age strongly encouraged to attend. As part of the service, Children's Moments are offered except when Communion is celebrated. At the close of this "mini" sermon, children are given activity bags that include a children's bulletin, crayons and religious activity books. At this time, a nursery staff member is available to escort children to the nursery, if needed.

Activities

Each year several special activities are planned for preschoolers and their families. These include:

Birthday Party for Jesus

Teddy Bear Valentine Breakfast

Easter Egg Hunt

Various Summer Field Trips

Summer Splash Day

Vacation Bible School for 4 year olds

Elementary (Grades K-6)

Sunday School

Sunday classes (named "The Upper Rooms") for elementary grade children follow a "rotation model," allowing children to experience the Bible through multiple workshops that offer unique, interesting and fun ways to learn about God.

See and experience The Upper Rooms

Worship

Children are encouraged to participate in worship services by:

• serving as acolytes
• singing in the children's choirs
• reading scripture
• participating in Children's Moments

Our annual Children's Sabbath Sunday provides an opportunity to highlight our children's gifts and to celebrate their importance in our lives.

Additionally, each year PHUMC holds a very special Christmas Eve worship service just for young children. This interactive, dramatic service presents the birth of Jesus in an engaging, exciting way.

Activities and Programs

Mission projects are an important part of Children's Ministries throughout the year. Our children's mission efforts include:

• Operation Christmas Child (collecting shoe boxes of gifts for needy children around the world)
• Heifer Project International (sustainable help for the hungry worldwide)
• Gift boxes to American soldiers overseas
• Local food pantry donations
• Christmas stockings for Navajo children
• Cards to shut-in members or those who are ill

Wednesday evenings offer two, age-level choirs, music education and mission opportunities for grades K-6 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Two special programs are offered for 5th and 6th graders.

Created by God, a human sexuality workshop, is offered on alternate years to educate children in appropriate Christian values regarding their human sexuality.

SPROUTS is a group designed to help children deal with peer pressure and the many choices that confront them at this impressionable age. SPROUTS meets on Sunday evenings, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. and begins with a snack supper provided by parents.

Summer offerings:

• Vacation Bible School - teaching children about God through Bible stories, crafts, music and games for five days in June, 8:30 a.m. - Noon
• Camp at Seashore United Methodist Assembly in Biloxi or Camp Wesley Pines in Gallman, MS, for grades 3-5
• Parkway Heights Drama Camp and Music Camp
• Field trips