ABOUT US The children’s ministry of River Church is for children between the ages of four years through the completion of fifth grade. We believe that our kids were created by God, a chosen Generation, called to fulfill God’s purpose on this earth. Our goal is to create the environment of excellence where every child can experience the life-changing power of God and his word in a way they can comprehend and that resonates with them. Children meet in our secure upstairs classroom space during service and receive curriculum that has been curated just for them, and is delivered by volunteer teachers and assistants who have been screened, trained and prepared to minister to your children.
What to expect!
Security Measures: The safety and security of your children is our highest priority. We will ask you to provide a four-digit PIN # that we can have on file. We will use this to make sure your children are only released to those with knowledge of the PIN # on file, and we will also use this PIN to get your attention during service if needed. You may use the PIN# for multiple children and keep on file on a recurring basis. Please only give this information to those you trust with your children. We will also ask you to initial our registration form indicating the sign in and out of your children. Note: We no longer provide snack in service but encourage the children to take one upon dismissal. All snacks provided are top-9 allergen free.
Service & Transition Meeting Time: At River Church, we believe it is important for children to experience live worship and to become familiar with the presence of God that inhabits our praises. Every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM, children attend worship with their families in the sanctuary. Once the worship portion of the service is complete, the children will be dismissed from the pulpit to proceed to the back of the sanctuary. From here, they will meet up with their teachers who will guide them to the secure upstairs children’s ministry space. During service, the children have the opportunity to learn about God’s word, the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, in creative and dynamic lessons involving games and activities. At C3, we foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and safe. To achieve this, we do require certain expectations to be followed—we ask our kids to exhibit respect at all times to themselves, the teaching team and the other students. If we feel this respect has been impaired with behavior, we may need to remove a child from our class. On the rare occasion that this happens, we will call for you using the PIN# provided, as it will display on the screen in the sanctuary, and ask you to take your child into service with you.
Dismissal Check-Out: Once service is over, Parents/Legal Guardians are required to retrieve their children from the upstairs classroom. Teachers and teaching assistants will greet you, ask for your PIN # and for you to indicate with your initials that your children are now returned to your care. Children are only allowed to be checked-in and checked-out by someone age thirteen years old or older. You may designate a trusted adult to retrieve your children, but they must have your PIN # to do so.
MEET THE TEAM
Children’s Director: Pastor Shannon Allen (Interim)—My mission is to build the environment that encourages our children to develop their own relationship with Jesus and develop friendships with each other. In our classrooms we allow creativity and life. We foster kind friendships. We love every child that walks through the front door, and our goal is to make sure each child knows it.
Get Involved: Do you have a desire to teach? Are you talented in the creative arts, web design, or music? Are you gifted in administration? If you have abilities, skills, and talents that can help C3 continue to grow, we want to hear from you. Come join our team and laugh, have fun, and empower the kids of River Church to be, CREATED, CHOSEN AND CALLED. Requirements: – Be a partner (member) in good standing with the church – Be committed to the Standards of Excellence – Successfully completed “The Transformed Life” course – Fill out an application with references – Complete a background check and interview – Be willing and able to serve once per month CONTACT US: (315)-472-7625 or email our administrator, Danielle Lucero at dlucero@syracuseriver.org