Welcome To Kids Ministry
Welcoming and loving each child in Jesus' name, growing with them as Jesus' disciples, and serving others together in His name.
We do this in the midst of a community that sincerely lives out the vows regularly affirmed at baptism, to provide a place where children can grow in Christian friendships, in knowing God's Word, in responding to Jesus as Savior and Lord, and in service to God's world.
Sunday Morning
Sunday Kids Connection (Preschool-5th Grades)
January 9 - May 22 - Kids Connection offered at 9:00 and 10:30 am
Kids Connection is in recess the following dates: March 20 (Spring Break), May 29 (Memorial Day Weekend)
We want our kids to love the church they are part of! During Sunday Morning Kids Connection children experience the love of Jesus through faithful volunteers, their friends, and awesome learning opportunities. Each week children walk through the Bible learning foundational stories and Biblical truths. Jesus Christ is always at the center of each and every learning activity!
Check In – Use our self-serve kiosks to check in! Check-in begins 15 minutes prior to each worship service. If you are a first-time guest visit our check-in desk located in the main entrance and speak with a check-in volunteer to get started!
Family Worship – 9:00 and 10:30 am - Families worship together in the worship center for the first 15 minutes of the worship service. We deeply value the presence of our children! We love their energy and the life they bring to the Body of Christ. Sunday mornings are a great opportunity for children to experience part of our intergenerational worship service. Children see their parents, grandparents, and other important people in their lives living out their faith in tangible ways as they worship together as a family.
Dismissal to Kids Connection classes – Preschoolers-5th graders are dismissed to their age-appropriate classrooms for songs, story, and Bible application after the music and prayer time at the beginning of the service.
*A parent or adult must drop off their child(ren) to their assigned classroom and pick them up with their check-in badge after service.
Preschool-Kindergarteners: Drop off to the Early Childhood triangle space on the lower level.
1st-5th Graders: Drop off to the second floor triangle space.
Wednesday Nights
Meredith Drive Reformed Church offers amazing midweek opportunities on Wednesday nights for 1st-5th grade students. Kids will grow in their relationship with Jesus through our age-specific activities and programs. Families are encouraged to bring along neighbors and friends to these fun and interactive evenings.
Adventure Club and Salt and Light Dates
Eight-week Spring Session: January 5, 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9, 16, 23
January 5 – Second Semester Kick-off with blow-ups and bouncy houses!
1st-3rd Grade Adventure Club - 6:30-7:30 PM
Adventure Club is an action-packed hour with large-group games, activities, and awesome Bible lessons such as the Fruits of the Spirit or The Ten Commandments. This program is designed to help give younger children a solid foundation using the building blocks they will need to rely on throughout the course of their entire life. Our hope is that this growth opportunity is a spark that will ignite a deeper sense of identity, belonging, and mission in each and every child! We welcome students to bring neighbors or friends at any time along with them to Adventure Club on Wednesday nights!
4th-5th Grade Salt & Light - 6:30-7:30 PM
Salt and Light is geared for 4th and 5th-grade students and aims to inspire wonder and curiosity about who God is in their lives! We offer a two-year curriculum rotation that 4th-5th graders LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
- Year One: Kids will deepen their faith in Christ through scripture exploration and dirty jobs in our “Dirty Jobs” series. Yes, that’s right...messy, slimy, muddy, sticky, and dirty jobs! Each week our Salt and Light leaders plan mind-boggling activities to help kids think through real-world realities and their developing faith in Jesus Christ!
- Year Two: It’s the year for the “Games” extravaganza where students learn Biblical truths with real-world application through outrageous games like human foosball! This 8-week series is an experience kids won’t want to miss! Being part of these unique games is a great experience for 4th-5th graders, but learning to be a game-changer for Christ in the real world is even greater!
4th-5th Grade Acolytes
Being an acolyte is a special opportunity for this year’s 4th and 5th grade students! The acolyte helps us to remember Christ’s presence in our worship and in our lives by ushering in Christ’s light as they light the Christ candle on the altar at the beginning of each worship service. At the end of the worship service they once again carry out the light of Christ as a symbol to be his light in the world around us. Acolytes are scheduled on a rotating basis throughout the school year.
Special Dates and Events
February 6 & May 8 - Baptism offered
March 9 - Meals from the Heartland Family Serve Night - Sign up online beginning in February!
April 16 - Easter Treasure Hunt for Families 9:00-11:00 AM
Volunteer
Kids Connection Volunteers (Early childhood serves 3yrs-Kindergarten and Elementary serves 1st-5th grade) Serve on Sundays once every 4-5 weeks in teams of two; one leader and one helper. All supplies and training are provided.
Adventure Club volunteers serve on Wednesday nights 6:30 - 7:30 for 8 weeks in the fall and 8 weeks in the spring. All supplies and training are provided.
Salt and Light volunteers serve on Wednesday night from 6:30 - 7:30 helping 4th and 5th graders discover God through games, small groups and Bible-based learning.
Nursery Volunteers serve families of infants and toddlers by rocking, playing with and caring for these little ones on Sunday mornings once a month.
Weekday Preschool Ministry
Our weekday preschool has been a life-shaping ministry of our church since 1971! We offer an outstanding faith-based preschool program for 2-5 year-olds. We have been highly accredited by the Iowa Preschool Quality Rating System since 2012. Our preschool has an excellent staff who all have early childhood experience and love working with young children. They teach using a developmentally appropriate preschool curriculum that is designed to nurture each child's social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth with a positive introduction to the school environment. Check out our website for more information!