Barbara Galbraith , Children and Youth Minister

Welcome to the Children & Youth Ministry of FBC!

At FBC, we welcome all kids & youth, and their families, to creatively and compassionately experience God's joy, hope, and love. We do this through listening to our diverse voices, connecting with others, building relationships, and cultivating social justice in order to make a Christ-like difference in our families, church, community, and world.

The safety of our kids and youth  is of the utmost of importance to us. All staff and volunteers working with our children undergo an interview and screening process which includes a national background check. At all times within our ministry, we adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Safe Church Policy that was established at FBC in 2004. The Safe Church committee meets regularly to review, update, and enhance our Safe Church Policy to insure that First Baptist Church is a safe place for our children and youth, as well as all who attend and serve here. If you would like to see a copy of our Safe Church Policy, please contact the church office .

In addition to safety, we place high value on the following things as well:

FUN! - The Kingdom of God is a party, and we want our young people to experience the FUN of being a part of that Kingdom!

RELEVANCE – God, Jesus, The Spirit, Scripture, and our faith should be relevant and applicable to our own lives, and the lives of the world around us. We work hard here to make sure that our kids & youth can connect their faith to their lives.

SERVICE – Faith in Jesus means faith in action! We need to take that faith "on the road" and "outside of our doors". We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ – when we learn that as a child, or as a teen, it will stick with us as we grow.

        It is our belief that one of the greatestest resources we have at FBC are the kids & youth of our church.  They bring creativity, energy, wisdom, and service to the life of our church family and to our wider world.  Here at FBC, we offer a rich variety of programs and ministries intended to help young people grow in their walk with God through Christ.  Children, youth and adults work collaboratively to create and implement meaningful ministries.  Wherever your interest lies, there is a place for you and we would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about becoming involved in the lives of our kids & youth

Sunday School Classes:  Sunday School classes for all ages are held each week from 10:00 - 10:50 a.m..  Our classrooms are led by both paid staff and screened volunteers, and these folks are committed to helping our young people reach their full potential through creative and relevant Bible lessons, fun games, and a focus on making the Bible relevant to the lives of kids & youth today.

Children's Story on the Steps:  Each Sunday at our 11:00 service, the children participate in a "Story on the Steps" with Pastor Kent or Barbara.  While designed to be appropriate and applicable to our youngest folks, everyone present always gets something from this special time in worship. After the "Story on the Steps", the children are dismissed to their respective "Kids Konnection" classes. 

Worship led by Kids and Families:  On the fourth Sunday of each month, our elementary-aged children, and their families, help lead in worship at the 11:00 service by reading Scripture and leading our Gathering Prayer and Lord's Prayer.  Not only do our children learn valuable leadership and public speaking skills, but our church members and friends always love seeing the children participate. 

Worship led by Youth:  On the second Sunday of the month, the youth help lead the 11:00 Contemporary Worship service for "Youth Sunday". It can include anything from reading Scripture, playing a musical piece to performing a skit to help give the message for the day. The participation of, and leadership by, our youth is always appreciated by our congregation.

Alternative Sunday Worship:   This alternative to the 11:00 worship is geared for the Middle School youth. They join in our contemporary worship at 11:00 in the sancturay until that time when our younger children are dismissed for their program.  At that time, the middle school youth have the option to go to the alternative worship in the youth room. They will read one of the morning's Scripture passages and then discuss what it means in their lives. This class is engaging and interactive, and is led by a parent volunteer each week.  At least one Sunday per month, our focus is on mission and will include a service project designed to reach those beyond the walls of our church.

Midweek Youth Group: Tentatively scheduled to begin in October of 2011, our brand new midweek program for Middle School and High School youth (two separate youth groups) will be designed to encourage, equip, and empower our students to explore the relevance of their faith in their day-to-day lives.

Y.A.H.O.O. Mexico Mission:  Each year during Spring break high school youth go on a mission trip to Mexico. They work cooperativily with eight other churches from the Yamhill County to build house for underprivileged familes in Mexico. Click here to read more about the  Y.A.H.O.O. Mexico Mission.
 
Summer Events:  A fun filled summer of events is always planned for the children, middle school youth, high school youth, and even alumni.   We have an exciting summer program each year with many grand adventures including day camps, overnight camps, Vacation Bible School, swim parties, BBQ's, and all sorts of fun family activities.

Children & Youth Ministry Teams:  These teams consist of youth and adults who have an interest in planning our ministries. This team works collaboratively with our Children and Youth Minister, Barbara Galbraith, to set the course for our life together.  Visitors and new team members are always welcome. Check with Barbara for the next meeting dates!