Babies and Preschoolers

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me..."

Matthew 19:14

The New City Fellowship Baby and Preschool Ministry begins the process of teaching and modeling God’s love to the wee ones among us. Committed staff and volunteers provide a safe, clean, nurturing, and stimulating environment for infants and children. Children can be in the nursery until they enter Kindergarten.

Our Vision and Goals:

To provide an environment of belonging and Sabbath for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and parents alike. We seek to know our babies intimately, recognizing and understanding their behavior and vocalizations, delighting to interact, comfort and play with them.
To help lead toddlers and small children to a place of wonder by teaching them the biblical narratives through song, story, art and active play and by declaring the gospel to them.
To help guide nursery staff and volunteers to a transformative experience as they serve alongside each other in the church.

Children's Programming:

Sunday School: We offer Sunday school during the school year from 9 to 10 am on the nursery floor. Throughout the course of the year, we journey through the Bible with story and play (and snacks). This is a small group that is taught by the same two volunteers weekly, so it is an excellent opportunity for discipleship.
Nursery: We offer nursery during the sermon time of the church service every week on the nursery floor. Children are assigned to different rooms based on their age groups (under 2: Little Lambs, 2-3: Busy Beavers, 3-4: Art Room, 4-5: Wise Owls), and each room is staffed by two volunteers. Children engage with the word of God every week as they listen to a Bible lesson from the volunteers and sing worship songs while playing instruments and dancing (snacks are also provided). Free play is encouraged after the lesson.

What We Are Learning:

We tell chronological stories from the Bible starting in August through the year, always connecting the individual stories back to God’s big redemptive story of sending His son, Jesus, to save us.
The main idea this month is that God heals and we are reading Bible stories of Jesus's healings. We are specifically teaching that God is stronger than anything bad and heals us because He loves us. The lesson is available here. Ask your child what they are learning in nursery and continue the conversation :)
Songs: Our songs for this semester are “Our God” (Jan), “You Are My God and King” (Feb), “Jesus Kid” (March), “Celebrate Jesus" (April) and “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” (May). We encourage you to add these songs to your family playlist and practice them at home! Children and their parents are invited up during the church service every first Sunday of the month to sing these songs with our worship team.

Protecting Children:

The safety of your children is our utmost priority, so we have a child protection policy that includes the rule of two: no adult should ever be alone with one child. We are especially careful with bathroom trips and diaper changes to never have a volunteer alone with a child.
We staff rooms with two volunteers apiece and also have a safety desk person stationed in the hallway during nursery time to be the nursery “guard” and provide emergency help as needed.
All volunteers have undergone a background check and received training in the last year.

Questions? Feedback? Want to connect? Please contact Bea Adiputra, the nursery coordinator and Baby & Preschool Ministry Leader at badiputra@ncfstl.org