Children & Family

At Portage United Church of Christ, we believe it is never too early to start building a relationship with Jesus Christ. For this reason, the Christian education of our children is extremely important. We aim to welcome children just as Jesus did. We look forward to worshiping with you and your family.

Sunday Morning

Preschool-5th grade: During the program year, September through mid-June, children attend Sunday School beginning at 9:45 a.m. and then join the worship service after the morning message.

Infants and toddlers 0-3: Infants and toddlers are cared for in our nursery by a team of trained staff certified in first aid and CPR. Parents are able to attend the worship service comfortable in the knowledge that their young children are cared for in a safe, consistent and loving environment.

 

The Sunday School Program

Our children explore a Bible story or theme for seven weeks. On a typical Sunday, children learn through listening or reading the Bible, practicing their memory verse, and then engaging in activities for faith formation like drama, games, science, cooking, art, spiritual practices, and missions. They close with worship and prayer and are sent home with suggestions for continued learning with their families. Our teachers work in teams on a rotating basis. They are trained in the church school curriculum, have passed a background check, and are eager to assist the children in growing their Christian faith. During the summer, we offer Vacation Bible School, welcoming all area elementary aged children. Our VBS program opens each day with praise and worship, and then the children rotate through stations of games, science and storytelling with a snack provided.

 

Family Activities

We have special events where families share an activity, either a service project or fellowship opportunity. These events may be for a particular age group, all families, or may be opened to the entire congregation. See our Facebook page for upcoming events.

 

Children & Family Outreach

Outreach is an integral part of our children’s program, teaching our young children the importance of helping within the community and wider world. Their weekly offering is used to provide weekend meals for children at Kalamazoo’s Edison Elementary School through the Loaves and Fishes Weekend Food Pack Program. Our children have the opportunity to participate in outreach projects such as One Great Hour of Sharing, Foods Resource Bank, and a partnership with Portage Public Schools to provide school supplies and warm winter clothing.

 

For the safety of our youth, all volunteers must pass a background check, which can be found here.

Come Worship With Us – Sundays 11:00AM

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