ESSENTIAL|KIDS

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ESSENTIAL|KIDS *

Our mission is to create a safe space for kids to…

  • Discover the Love of God

  • Explore the Bible

  • Build community and friendships

  • Equip parents to be disciple makers

  • Have fun!

    • Volunteers complete a detailed onboarding and training process with background checks.

    • Our check in and check out process is detailed with safety in mind.

    • We staff our team with plenty of volunteers to care for the children attending.

    • Our caring volunteers help kids & families feel a sense of belonging.

    • We point to Jesus and the truth of the Gospel every Sunday.

    • We encourage kids to continue to take their next step in discipleship.

    • We open God’s Word together.

    • Kids are encouraged to memorize Scripture.

    • We teach the Bible as one big redemptive story.

    • We’ve made spaces for kids to be in a small group with their peers.

    • We learn together, worship together, laugh together, and serve together.

    • We provide opportunities for kids to connect with each other outside of Sunday mornings.

    • We provide classes to help parents guide their kids in discipleship.

    • We offer easy access to resources in our lobby.

    • We encourage parents to participate in small groups for adult discipleship.

    • As a team we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

    • We’re having a ton of fun, but we aren’t just playing around, and we’re growing too!

    • We make sure to include plenty of time on Sundays for games and laughter.

MOVE UP WEEK 2026

  • July 19th - 26th

    All week we’ll be celebrating with kids moving to new ministry areas at Essential. All students will officially move to new spaces on July 26th. Check out the other special events that are a part of MOVE UP WEEK 2026.

  • For All New 1st Graders - July 19th

    All new 1st graders and their parents/guardians are invited to join us for a special class all about the Bible. We’ll talk about moving upstairs to our elementary classes and then celebrate with teachers and friends in the 4-K class for their last day. Please register below.

    Registration

  • Wednesday, July 22nd at 6PM

    All new 6th graders and their parents/guardians are invited to attend their first night at Essential Youth with a graduation and time of talking about following God in middle school. Parents will have an opportunity to hear from our youth leaders while the kids join the fun. Please sign up below!

    Register

  • July 26th - All Grades Move to Their New Class

    Today’s the day! All elementary students will move to their new small group. Parents are welcome to walk their child to their room and meet their small group leader. 6th graders will join their family in the auditorium for service.

Your First Visit

From babies six weeks old to 5th graders, our team wants to give your family an excellent experience.

When you arrive, our team will happily show you the way to the children’s area. You’ll go to the first-time check-in station where you can tell us a little about your family to help us serve you well. On our check-in form, we’ll ask you things like what allergies your child may have, how many children are in your family, and get your contact information.

Then you and your child will both get a sticker with a matching code on it. This sticker is also what you’ll use to pick up your child after service. If for any reason we need to reach you during the service, we’ll display the sticker code on the digital displays on either side of the stage. Please have this sticker ready when you enter the children’s building at the end of service.

Our volunteers - we call them Difference Makers - are screened, background checked and trained before serving in our kids ministry. We work hard to provide a safe, clean environment with excellent care of your child.

May

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May *

From the *brite curriculum:

This Month’s Attribute of God Is: God Is in Control

God protected the early church by exposing Ananias and Sapphira’s deceit and led Philip to the Ethiopian at just the right time to share the Gospel. God miraculously rescued Peter from prison, showing His power over human plans. God used Paul to proclaim the truth to people who had never heard it, and He placed Priscilla and Aquila in Apollo’s path to explain the Gospel more clearly. In each moment, God was directing and fulfilling His plan.

Want to know more about *brite curriculum? Check it out here.

Upcoming Events

  • 2nd and 4th Sundays Every Month

    Come be a part of pointing the next generation to Christ - join the Essential Kids Team! We have volunteer (Difference Makers) orientation to give you all the details and opportunities available on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month from 12-12:30. Sign up today!

    REGISTER

  • August - Registration Coming Soon

    Starting Point is a class for parents and kids to attend together to learn what it means to follow Jesus. If your child is ready to follow Jesus, is asking questions, or you as a parent have questions about their readiness, this class is for your family! Lunch will be served.

  • August - Registration Coming Soon

    This class is for kids who have accepted Christ as their Savior and are ready to be baptized, or they have questions about baptism.  A parent or guardian will need to attend class with the child. Lunch will be served.

  • September - Registration Coming Soon

    We are so happy to partner with parents and join you in this special time of dedicating your child to the Lord and yourselves to raising your child in the ways of the Lord.  We ask each family wanting to participate in the dedication service to attend a class the weekend prior.  If you have already attended this class at Essential and are dedicating another child, you do not need to attend the class again. Details for the class will be sent upon registration.

More good things to know…

  • Family Resource

    The team at Awana, who produce our curriculum, *brite - send out an awesome family email every Friday. Sign up at the link below.

  • Coming in JUNE: SPLASH

    From *brite: This Month’s Biblical Theme Is: God helps

    Our stories this month show that God helps by giving His people what they need to live faithfully and serve others. God gives us the Holy Spirit to guide and grow us, helping us live like Jesus. He helps us have faith and trust Him even when it’s hard. God also equips us to do His work, just as He helped Timothy lead and serve the church. Through wisdom and love, He helps us care for others and live out our faith in practical ways. In every situation, God gives the help we need to follow Him.

Friday Family Email

Nursery

Preschool

 

Elementary

PARTNERING WITH PARENTS 

We believe the best way we can help your kids develop a strong spiritual foundation is by partnering with you. Together, we can help encourage, train, and pray for them as they grow in their faith. We’re praying they become resilient disciples of Jesus! To come alongside families we offer classes throughout the year for parents to attend with their child.

  • Bible Presentation Class and Celebration is for rising 1st graders to learn how we got the Bible and why it’s so important. Each child will be presented with a Bible of their own. We’ll also celebrate their move up to the elementary classes.

  • Starting Point helps kids know what it means to follow Jesus.

  • Baptism Class for Kids helps them know what baptism is, when to be baptized, and what to expect.

  • Graduation Celebration is a class taught by our Essential Kids and Essential Youth leaders as kids graduate kids ministry and move into youth ministry.

  • We also have a class for parents who are ready to have their child dedicated at Essential. This class helps prepare you for the journey of pointing your child to Christ.

Here are some practical ways you can help us make the most of your child’s time spent at church:

  • Pick a consistent service time to help your kids build a relationship with their leader and other kids their age.

  • Practice the current scripture memorization with your kids.

  • Stay connected to Essential Kids by following us on Facebook and Instagram.

  • Build relationships with other Essential parents - Join a Small Group.

  • Pray for your children each week as they come to church, and pray for our teams as they serve and care for your kids.