An Update on Church Child Care

Friends,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As I shared on Sunday, we have been notified by Kansas Wesleyan University that the YMCA will no longer be using the church building to house Angel Academy. We pray their children, families, and staff well as they continue their transition to other facilities.

For the past year, the YMCA has graciously allowed us to use one of their rooms for our own Sunday morning child care. Because this will no longer be available to us, our staff-parish relations team has decided to move forward with a different approach.

Over the next few weeks, we will be transforming part of the narthex—the space directly outside of the Sanctuary—into a children’s area for our youngest to be during Sunday Service. The proximity to the Sanctuary will allow for them to participate in worship (such as coming to the altar for Holy Communion) while also being able to enjoy age-appropriate activities in a safe place. Malorie will continue in her role as our child care attendant, and parents are welcome to be with their children in that area if they want to be. This area will also be available during funerals, weddings, and other services, making non-Sunday worship (such as during Holy Week)  more accessible for parents with young children.

As we transform and make use of this new space, our staff-parish relations team will continue evaluating whether this approach is effective. We welcome your questions and suggestions as we figure this out together.

In love,

The Rev. J.J. Martinez
Pastor