Our Kids and Families ministry works by partnering with parents to raise kids who love Jesus. Below are some of the ways we strive to accomplish this goal. Click below to find out more about each.

Kidtown exists to teach kids that Jesus is the hero we all need. We want to lay a foundation of the good news of Jesus for families to build on back home. We have numerous experienced Kidtown volunteers who will make sure your child has a blast AND learns about Jesus. Our Kidtown areas are secured to ensure that your child is safe during the Gathering. We hope this will allow you to focus during worship, knowing your child is hearing about Jesus in a kid-friendly manner.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT KIDTOWN

At Kidtown, we love welcoming new families! We want to make sure kids and parents alike feel comfortable worshiping with us. Below are a few tips and pointers so that new families know exactly what to expect.

KIDTOWN CHECK-IN

Our Kidtown greet team is stationed by a sign that says, “New Families.” They are there to help with the check-in process, give families a tour of our Kidtown space, and answer any questions. 

DURING KIDTOWN

Kidtown is for children 6 weeks old through 5th grade and takes place during our Gatherings each week. 

Babies - Toddlers have a quiet and safe place to play and learn in our upstairs nursery. Rooms are divided and labeled according to the child's age and level of development.

Children that are potty trained and between 3 years old and 5th grade, will get to play, build friendships, and learn about Jesus in our Kidtown building. After our initial play time with other children and Kidtown volunteers, we gather as a large group to sing and learn about Jesus using The Gospel Project Curriculum.  Next, we divide into age specific small groups where teachers will lead a discussion on the lesson with the goal of helping kids apply the truth to their lives.

At pick-up, parents will always need to provide the matching identification sticker that they received at check-in. Once parents present their child’s sticker, a Kidtown leader will match the parent’s sticker with the child’s and give the parent a Homelink. Homelinks are written by Kidtown staff and provide a summary of the lesson your child learned that morning. Included are questions that you can ask your child about the lesson and a scripture memory verse for the family to work on each week. If parents miss Gatherings or misplace their Homelinks, they can find them online with other sermon resources.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

WHAT SHOULD I BRING FOR MY CHILD?

Depending on the age of your child, be sure to bring any diapers, pacifiers, extra clothes, bottles, or toddler cups that they may need. To help us keep track of your items, please label them with your child’s first and last name before arriving.

What Time Does Kidtown Open? 

Kidtown opens and begins checking children in 15 minutes before each Gathering. We ask that parents/guardians come and pick up their children promptly after the Gathering ends.

WHO WILL BE TEACHING MY CHILD?

Kidtown is hosted by volunteers committed to having fun and teaching kids about Jesus. Each volunteer has undergone a national background check and is supervised by Midtown’s Pastor of Family Discipleship, Jon Ludovina.

HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER AT KIDTOWN?

There are many positions available for you to serve. To apply to be a Kidtown volunteer, click here.

WHAT ARE INDICATORS THAT MY CHILD IS TOO SICK TO COME TO KIDTOWN?

We always love having your children at Kidtown but ask that you keep your child home if he is showing any signs of illness. Children should be symptom and fever-free for at least 24 hours before attending Kidtown. If your child has been seen by a medical professional and prescribed antibiotics, we ask that you not bring your child to Kidtown until they have been on medication for at least 24 hours.

 
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Midtown’s ministry to kids and families includes much more than a Sunday morning experience. Family Milestones is a gospel-centered, family-discipleship plan specifically catered towards the different developmental stages of a child’s journey from infancy to adulthood. Parents will set goals for each stage and celebrate important milestones with church family.

Stages are a developmental time period in a child’s life. Before children enter a new stage, parents will attend the annual seminar with classes and workshops designed to help them prepare for what’s ahead. 

Milestones are events that marks a new developmental stage. Midtown plans some Milestone events for children to participate in, while other events are planned by parents.

See the graphic(s) below for the stages and their corresponding milestones.

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LifeGroups are the very core of our church family. They are where we live out our vision of being a Jesus-centered family on mission. Our desire is that every family connected to our church would be connected in LifeGroup. Because Christian community is the best way for us to live life, it is also the best way for our kids to live life. That is why kids are part of LifeGroup. 

LifeGroups meet on various nights all over the greater Columbia area. If you are interested in learning more or joining a LifeGroup, you can click to find more information below.

We love serving our city while building relationships with people in our community. Because being on mission is such an important part of the discipleship process, we want to make sure kids can be included. Families can serve together throughout the year with five of our six Serve the City partnerships.

Palmetto Health Children’s HospitalServing the patients and families who are hospitalized and experiencing ongoing medical treatment.
Home Works for America - Serving the poor, widowed and elderly in our community with home repairs that they are unable to accomplish on their own.
The Ezekiel CenterServing at-risk youth who attend the EZ center for afterschool help.
DSS in Lexington - Serving clients (families, children and foster parents) who are in the foster care and adoptions system.
Epworth Children’s Home - Serving residents (kids) who have temporarily or permanently been removed from their homes.

Upcoming Events: