Family Ministry
At Lighthouse UMC, we serve the spiritual needs and guidance of every member of our congregation as well as every family unit, regardless of their makeup. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and often encompass several generations. It is our mission to fill each and every one of the spiritual “buckets” that come through our doors with love and nurturing.
The bible addresses the importance of parents being spiritual leaders for their children and serving as faithful examples in their upbringing. We are here to support mothers, fathers, steps, adoptive parents, grandparents, and other extended family members in this most important mission. How can parents reinforce the scriptures introduced during Sunday School? How can parents relay the messages of the week’s sermon? How can parents lead their children to follow the life that God has set forth for them? Our doors are always open for conversation, discussion, suggestions, resources, and more. It indeed takes a village, and the church is at the very center.
The Family Ministry department at Lighthouse UMC is committed to guiding families in the path of Christ’s light of the world. The Good Shepherd calls us to let the children come to him, to share his love with all the world, and to focus our sights on life everlasting. We are here to support you and your family as you travel your spiritual journey.
Sunday Morning Sunday School
Our nursery is open and available for parents to use during Sunday services, bible studies, meetings, and church events. We keep the space clean, sanitized, and well-stocked with Christian-based toys to begin to introduce our littlest members to Jesus and his love for us. Our Nursery Attendant is on hand for the 10:30 service to welcome your infants and toddlers with snuggles and a smile; they will dote on your little one to ensure their first experiences at church are happy ones.
During the winter season, our Sunday School classes are held in the WILD Center during the 10:30 Sunday morning worship services and are open to children age 5-12. Sunday School classes are held during the 10:00 service throughout the rest of the calendar year.
Our teachers are well trained and background checked to insure a positive, safe experience while offering solid bible-based lessons and activities to engage your children in a multitude of bible stories. Sunday School teachers use crafts, games, music, and activities to bring home the bible verse of the day and reinforce the message that God has for us in His Word.
Special Events and Outreach
The Family Ministry team hosts a variety of events and activities throughout the year, both in-house and in the community to share the light of Jesus with young people of all ages. As the youngest members of our church family continue to grow up, we will be creating special events and activities to keep our tweens and teens engaged with the church family and take their faith to the next level.
Opportunities frequently arise for the Family Ministries team to be active participants in our community. We are eager to gather with our church families in fellowship and celebration of annual Christian events to deepen our faith and strengthen our church family bonds.
Missions
The book of Matthew shares Jesus’ words, “when you did it for the least of these, you did it for me.” Teaching our children their responsibility as followers of Christ to serve is an important part of their spiritual development. Our official project as a Sunday School is the continued adoption of a Zoe Empowers Group Fund. We have sold t-shirts, hosted pancake breakfasts, and offered prayer journals to raise funds. During the months that have a fifth Sunday, we celebrate “Joyful Noise Sunday” and collect coffee cans of change to contribute to our fund. Our Souper Bowl Sunday is an annual favorite on all of the island and launches the year with our largest of fund raisers. We encourage the children to be active participants in our events.