Children's Opportunities

For more information about any of the opportunities listed below, please contact Rev. Donna Kay Jackson at (505) 243-5646 x 15 or click here to email her.

We at First United Methodist Church seek to offer a variety of study and fellowship activities for children that complement the efforts of parents in nurturing their growth as Christian disciples. We see Christian Education of children as primarily the responsibility of the home and family. It is in the Christian home and family that children most effectively experience and learn Christian concepts in daily living - where those concepts are modeled.

We urge parents to read Bible stories to their children, place Christian reading materials in their hands, share prayers at mealtime and devotional times, and help children know how to relate to God, to people, and to situations as Christ’s disciples.

Through our Children’s Ministries at First UMC, we seek to undergird the learning in the home - to lead children to Christian attitudes and actions. We are here to serve you. Please let us know how we can best be in ministry to you and your child.

Children’s Sunday School

The Sunday school program at First UMC strives to encourage and enable home and family based Christian Education. Children meet at 9:30 am for a gathering time in Room 214. The gathering time includes music, information on the Children’s Ministries events and highlights on the lessons of the day. The children are then dismissed to their classrooms.

Preschool -- Room 112
Kindergarten & Grade 1 -- Room 205B
Grades 2& 3 -- Room 205-A
Grades 4 & 5 -- Room 211

Acolytes

Children and youth in third grade and up may serve as an Acolyte for the 11:00am worship service. Responsibilities include lighting and extinguishing the altar candles and assisting the pastor during baptisms. Training is held each fall, but children are welcome to join anytime! For more information contact Sharon Geist (299-1151).

Children's Choir

Children from preschool through fifth grade are invited to participate in our children’s choir.

Cherub Choir (three-, four-, and five-year-olds) - Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM
Carol Choir (kindergarten through second grade)
Celebration Singers (third through fifth grade)
Choir and music time is a part of the complete Sunday school hour for children held every Sunday from 9:00 - 9:30 am. For more information on Children's Choir contact Lissa Clark.

Puppet Ministry

Puppet Ministry, at First United Methodist Church, was started by Reverend Donna Kay Jackson as another means of taking the lessons and message of Jesus to people in a different form. As part of the Children and Family Ministries, this group of puppeteers is made up of adults and children. People of all ages find they are freed to talk and express themselves, sometimes more openly, from behind a puppet. Puppets can act and speak in the most outrageous ways! It is fun! It is a great way to tell a message and have it really heard and seen! Sometimes we don’t even memorize parts and sometimes we do. Animals, people, music, props, and scenery plus masks and stages of all kinds and sizes make up the puppet ministry. You can get involved in arts and crafts, writing, and making costumes, too! Come join us in the Puppet Ministry at First UMC! This ministry is coordinated by Barbara Blair and Spring Hill Edwards, Director of Children and Family Ministries. Contact Spring Hill Edwards for more information.

Nursery Ministry

Nursery care is offered for children up to eight years old for both worship services and during the Sunday School hour. During the Sunday School hour, the Toddlers and Two’s participate in a Sunday School lesson with age-appropriate stories and activities. The Nursery is also available to all ages for all First UMC meetings and programs as scheduled.

In the Nursery, we teach children that Jesus loves them. We show them by example and we aim to help children develop a trust in God and others by maintaining consistent routines and practices. For further information contact Lindsey Selva.