children

Whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for me.

Greetings!

What an honor it is to serve the Living God and minister to our families as the Director of Children's and Family Ministries! As I get acquainted with you and your children, I am so blessed to see how God is already working.  Each of the areas of Children’s Ministry has caring, competent, committed leaders to love and guide our children. Overall we share a balanced approach to helping children grow physically, emotionally, socially, mentally and spiritually. If you haven’t yet found a church home, we invite you to come and grow with us!

There are a number of different avenues by which we walk alongside families with children.  Our hope is that over the next year you will be involved with them in some way.  If you are bringing your children, we know that you take seriously the Biblical charge given to parents to teach their children, and we want to partner with you and support you in this responsibility.  We promise that if you are faithful to share your children (by bringing them to Sunday School on a consistent weekly basis), they will form relationships and be exposed to Biblical truths in ways that will allow God to transform their heart, develop their character and refine their behavior. We will also provide opportunities for you to grow in your spiritual depth, relationships and parenting skills.

If you do not currently have children in your home, God may still be calling you to invest in the children around you.  Often times the “Proverbs 31 woman” and spiritually mature man are pivotal to modeling, encouraging and guiding other disciples to spiritual maturity.  Remember… meeting human needs and making disciples is what this church is all about!

Forward For Christ,

Marie Hasselman

Director of Children’s and Family Ministry

412.655.2000 extension 122

Shine! SUNDAY SCHOOL         

Stop into Sunday School to visit or serve and you will soon believe as I do

that this faith-filled next generation is going to change the world!

Nursery care is available for infants and toddlers year round for both worship services just off the lobby of the Great Room.  Caring staff are available fifteen minutes before the start of each service to receive your child in time for you to worship. We provide TLC, a light snack of Goldfish crackers and drink, songs, and diaper changes (you provide the supplies). Tender loving care, Christian songs, soft hearts and voices will surround your child while you praise the Lord.

~ Pagers keep you accessible

~Family Room Facilities are available on the third floor next to the Nursery (room 319).

   Here families can care for a baby needing their individual attention in a room that has the Worship service simulcast.

Sunday School/ Children’s Church~ during the school year

*All children aged 3 and up begin Sunday mornings in worship with their family.  While a special blessing song is sung over them, the children are invited to go to their age-specific class under the direction of the strong leaders God has provided for their teaching time while the pastor brings a teaching time/sermon to the adults.

 *Please plan to bring your child on a regular basis to give them every opportunity to learn to be worshipers of Jesus and consistently grow in knowledge and grace.

9:30 Worship

**Preschool children **Our warm, welcoming preschool team is honored to partner with you in the spiritual formation of your child and looks forward to meeting with your child weekly.

             3’s & 4’s ~ Room 104

                  ~ age 3 (and diaper free) by Sept 1

                   ~ age 4 by Sept 1 through kindergarten

**Elementary children**  

            Kindergarten ~ Room 107

            First Grade    ~ Room 105

            2^nd & 3^rd           ~ Room 112

            4^th & 5^th        ~ Room 116

11:00 Worship

**Preschool children **Our warm, welcoming preschool team is honored to partner with you in the spiritual formation of your child and looks forward to meeting with your child weekly.

             3’s & 4’s ~ Room 107

                  ~ age 3 (and diaper free) by Sept 1

                   ~ age 4 by Sept 1

**Elementary children**  

            K-2^nd           ~ Room 229

            3^rd-  5^th             ~ Room 231

*Children in grades one through five will have an opportunity to pray, praise, dramatize Bible stories, interact and study God’s Word.  Students will build relationships, learn to apply Biblical principles in their daily life, and deepen their knowledge, walk, friendships and faith.

*Our classes are filled with active learning as we gain an understanding of main characters in the Bible, common scriptural threads, and how these truths change our lives.  We are learning to be disciples while hiding God’s Word in our hearts.

 *On your way to church, please stop by the rest room so that they won’t need to miss a minute of worship or their class songs, Bible stories and flannel board fun when they transition to their classroom!

 ALL STARS FOR JESUS

All Stars is a community outreach that runs from September through April on Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. until 7:35 p.m. We have an opening time when the children perform skits, a music time, a recreation time, and a huddle time. The whole focus is to reach and love children into the kingdom of God and to deepen their understanding of and love for Christ. All families are encouraged to be involved.

We work on musical productions each year that the children will perform during some Sunday services. This year’s musical, Living Inside Out!  will be on Sunday February 24^th at 7pm in the Sanctuary.  Don’t miss it! (Children will have a final dress rehearsal at 4:00 that day.)

All Stars has a beginning-of-the-year cookout/registration time for interested families in September and an end-of-the-year Grand Finale carnival and cake bake occurs on April 10.

David Volk is our director and he welcomes adults and teens who are called to servant leadership.  If you are willing to serve the Lord, please contact Marie Hasselman at the church.

If the weather would ever cause us to cancel All–Stars for an evening, you would see that cancellation listed on (channel 4) WTAE TV and www.thepittsburghchannel.com as:

Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church –

                   no evening activities 

Before heading out during snowy/icy conditions, please check channel 4 news first

MOTHER’S DAY OUT

412.655.4219  extension 101

This ministry provides convenient, hourly childcare for children aged one through kindergarten for $4.50/hour. Children receive TLC in a safe, fun environment while Mom or Dad keep appointments, work part time, or run errands.  The Christian staff members are tuned into the developmental stages that children go through, kind-hearted and ready to welcome your child.  MDO operates during the West Jefferson Hills school year Monday through Friday.

Monday through Friday  9-3

This ministry also provides evening care for some on-site, all-church events.

Erin Pilarski and Jerene Carter provide the servant leadership and can be reached at 412.655.4219 extension 101 to register children.

PLEASANT HILLS PRESCHOOL

412.655.2000 extension 136.

Another quality outreach for children is our preschool that provides a Christian loving environment and developmentally appropriate instruction for children aged three through five. Here a gifted, trained group of staff members provide support for families as they help families to “train up a child in the way he should go.”  Registration occurs in early February for members so be alert as this preschool is consistently filled to capacity due to the quality reputation it has earned.

Joan Johnston is the director who heads up this tremendous program.  She can be reached at 412.655.2000 extension 136.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Vacation Bible School 2007 Avalanche Ranch was a wonderful success! 

Paul Hanbury and Beth Rockwell provided wonderful leadership to all of us as we learned Bible truths through songs, activities, songs, drama and teaching. Of the 160 children who attended, half of them were first-time visitors to our church.  Wow!  There is no question that VBS is one of our biggest outreach events of the year.  What an honor, privilege and blessing to share the Gospel message with so many of God’s youngest children. 

We couldn’t have done it without the generous donations of time, talent and resources of so many of you.  We had faithful volunteers every morning working with the children, and additional servants behind the scenes making snacks, keeping the building and grounds safe and inviting, cutting out craft items, praying faithfully, baking cookies for the volunteer luncheon… the list goes on and on! When the body of Christ works together as we are called to, beautiful things happen!

Together we provided prayer bears that our youth distributed on their mission trip and money toward the development of a well in Malawi. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to serve!  

Mark your calendars now for, this year’s VBS.  Our theme is Son Force Kids by Gospel Light for children aged 4 through 5^th grade. Nursery care and a three year old class will be available for the children of parents while they are serving in VBS. We will have family dinners available each evening from 5-5:45 so families can eat together before VBS.  While the children enjoy their evening, the adults may serve or attend class as well.

~ Sunday June 22- Thursday 26

~Dinner 5-5:45

~VBS 6-8 pm for children and adults

To God be the glory!!

Whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for me.