UPCOMING EVENTS…
Welcome to Real Kids Ministries!
Lakewood UMC’s Children’s Ministry
Thank you for your interest in our Real Kids Ministries at Lakewood UMC! In our ministry, our goal is to provide a safe and nurturing place for Pre-K through sixth-graders to learn about God and his redeemer son, Jesus. We recognize that the early steps each LUMC child takes - a love of God, his word and his/her place at LUMC and in the world - become the foundation for faith development. We take that mission very seriously! And we are always open to parent involvement and suggestions as we strive to provide events and programming that reinforces your child’s early steps of spiritual development.
-Jill Dillman and Rochelle Gray, Directors of Children’s Ministries
#realkidsatLUMC
Education
Toddler through 5th grade Sunday School happens from 10-10:45 am for Toddler and Pre-K, through 4th grade. We offer an age-appropriate curriculum that encourages faith development and promotes awareness of scripture, and God's truth and promises for children. Our topics are carefully chosen to be fun and engaging! (Check the event carousel above to see upcoming Sunday School topics, Wednesday night activities (if offered) and other activities! We also use our Sunday mornings to prepare for special programs, like our Children’s Sabbath, Annual Spring play, Advent skits/choral performances, etc. BUT, we always have a grade-appropriate Bible lesson each Sunday. Ask your kiddos what they’ve learned! You will find that our Biblical-based lessons come to life through games and other activities on Sundays and Wednesdays. During Sunday School time, we also have nurseries for the little ones, staffed with fully qualified teachers.
Sunday Services at 9 and 11, provide a great opportunity for families to worship together. Each service includes a “Children's Time," where they receive a special message. Children can then remain with their parents/guardians for the remainder of the service (We offer Praise Packets to keep them busy!) or they can take advantage of our childcare (They are escorted from sanctuary/Wesley Hall) for the remainder of both our 9 and 11 am worship services.
Wednesday Family Nights take place in the fall and again in Spring, for six consecutive Wednesday evenings. Come and enjoy a discount-priced dinner for the whole family at 5:15pm, followed by adult, youth and children’s programs, from 6:15 to 7:15pm. During this time, our adult small groups meet, as well as our youth, while the children have their own activities. Activities include Bible lessons, games, crafts, music and skits, movies and snacks which will keep your child(ren) tuned in to God’s amazing creation, provision and love.
Events and Trips
Lakewood children have many fun and exciting activities that are off-church property too. Our 3rd grade students take part in an annual Bible Boot Camp every fall - a one-day program at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center. There, they join with other 8 and 9- year-olds from across the Arkansas UMC South-Central district to develop an appreciation for God’s word through games, activities and worship. Our 6th graders attend OMP 101 in the summer. OMP, Ozark Mission Project, is a state-wide, week-long camp in which our Youth take part. As a 12-year old, your child’s first introduction to this impactful, faith-filled mission work begins with a one-day workshop (OMP 101) to introduce them to this amazing community-focused mission.
We also offer many fun-filled field trips like pool parties, our annual Fall Festival, trips to Barnes and Nobel for our Famously Faithful Books event. LUMC children also work on special musical and drama productions twice a year, which delight our congregants and enables them to form childhood friendships with others who will walk with them as they develop their faith.
For Parents
Our Directors of Children's Ministry are Rochelle Gray and Jill Dillman. Both are certified, skilled and experienced teachers and mothers.
They and our entire paid and volunteer staff are Safe Gatherings-certified. Your child's safety and well-being is our utmost concern. All programs meet or exceed all state and United Methodist requirements.
Our facilities are large, clean, and well-equipped. Our Sunday school area includes a real theater, attractive kitchen and snack area, and several play areas in addition to a playground. We also have a Sensory Room, located close to Wesley Hall, which can be used to help children with special needs when they become over-stimulated or when they simply need time out to decompress or re-set. This has been a wonderful addition to our ministry! Come and take a tour of our facilities! You will find them clean, safe, and amply-equipped for the many activities we offer children at Lakewood UMC.
Find What You Need & Stay Connected
Looking for more information, sign ups, extra resources for parents?
You can download the following resources:
Liability Release Form for Off-site Trips/Travel
Advent Family Reading Plan
Stay connected to us and LUMC’s Children’s Ministry events
Watch for our Children’s Ministry emails (sign-up below), if you’d like to receive these. We also publish a monthly calendar (in our first e-newsletter of the month) you can check to see what is upcoming, or you can check the special events/activities carousel (top of this page). Also, we love to have friends join with your child(ren)!
Email - Click here to subscribe to our weekly email updates from LUMC’s Children’s Ministry
Text - Text “LAKEWOODKIDS” to 68398 for updates.
Signage - It’s always a good idea to check our digital signage monitors and the bulletin boards throughout the church, and particularly in our Real Kids Cafe area (downstairs, across from Youth area).
Questions? Or, need more information about anything related to children’s programming? Contact Jill Dillman or Rochelle Gray. They office in the Sanctuary building Sunday through Wednesdays, but are always available by phone or text, should you need help or have questions.
Check out our photo gallery of pictures of Lakewood UMC children involved in recent programs and activities…
