Why Kidstuf Matters
At Kidstuf, we believe in providing more than just childcare on Sunday mornings. We provide space so babies, toddlers and children alike can form friendships and grow in their relationship with God. We pride ourselves in being intentional about meeting the needs of the diversity of our community. In everything we teach, we focus on these Biblical truths:
I am loved by God.
We are created in the image of God.
Jesus taught us how to love generously.
We learn how we can continue to live out the Gospel in our daily lives, in our homes, in our schools, and in our community. One of the ways we do this is through community outreach events. You can learn more about our current kidstuf events and curriculum here.
We need your support to keep up with the growing needs of Family Ministry! Read about each need below and how contributing will help that particular area of our ministry.
Curriculum Development and Planning: $1200/month. There is a lot of free and paid curriculum out there. $500/month would cover a basic curriculum for the children downstairs. However, none of it would take into account, the vision and mission for our church as well as the unique makeup of our Kidstuf Kids. With more funds, we can cover the time and resources it would take to develop a curriculum that is unique to Kidstuf. We can take the time to develop curriculum that is inline with our vision and mission, and celebrates the diversity of our Kidstuf Kids. We want to celebrate the diversity in their backgrounds and experiences, the diversity in their learning styles and the diversity in how they worship. We want to develop curriculum that keeps in mind what goes on in the calendar year and integrating that so they see how the relevance of their Christian faith in the world today. We want them to find a place in their faith within Kidstuf and then in turn see how their identity in God, their faith and their walk with Christ can be used to bring shalom within themselves, in their home, school and in their neighborhood.
Library: $400 Children can explore Biblical themes in the context of what is happening in their world today, e.g. the importance of observing Earth Day and how the Bible tells us that we are stewards of the earth and then reading about how a little girl has done just that in a storybook. Biblical stories come alive as we read them along side children's books.
Snacks: $480/year. There's just something about apple juice and goldfish crackers that just brightens up every child's morning!
Toys for the Nursery: $300. We want to update our resources and purchase high quality toys made of wood. Toys will be purchased that are both sustainable and encourage children to learn through play.
Kidstuf Environment: $2000. We want kids to look forward to coming to Kidstuf and our families to take pride in it, and be encouraged to invite friends. One of our parents, Gretchen Chern, has so generously donated her time and talent to design a fun and inviting environment. We will be using backdrops that are child-safety approved and can be set up and packed down quickly and efficiently.
Personal Development: $700 per Kidstuf Staff/Volunteer. Our goal is to fund three Kidstuf leaders. This money goes to funding the attendance to at least one Children's Ministry Conference this year where we can network with other Children's Ministry leaders. We can learn from different voices, all with varying experiences to expand our knowledge on Children's Ministry so that we can better serve the families in our church and our neighborhood.
Pastoral Care for new families/current families and volunteers: $400/month Much of the growth of our ministry stems from taking the time to care for our families and volunteers. We take time to check on the wellbeing of new moms, hear the stories of new families coming in so as to better serve them and their children, and pour into our volunteers who continue to sacrifice part of their Sunday morning to investing in the future of our church. Caring for the health of our parents and volunteers, ultimately produce healthier relationships in which our children can flourish.
Volunteer Appreciation Event: $300 In ministry, we have learned that caring for and appreciating our volunteers make them feel appreciated, this in turn, produces a healthy and thriving ministry.
Baby Dedications: $35/baby. $700 will cover the next 12 months. This is an immediate need. Our babies from our baby boom are being dedicated and we want to welcome them into our church home with love. These funds go towards Baby Dedication church services and gifts.
Mother's Day and Father's Day: $250 We want to honor the Mothers and Fathers in our church community and those that visit on these Sundays. It's not a side note to us. We value them, we value what they do in raising their family and we value their role in our church too.
Our Easter Egg Hunt this year attracted roughly 150 kids and adults! Photo Credit: Katherine Pastrana
Outreach: $500-$800. We saw the success of outreach events such as the Easter Egg Hunt, made possible by the generous sponsorship of members of Forefront. We want to do more. We want to make space to bring together families who don't always have the means to enjoy pricey activities for their kids. We want to make space for them to enjoy an afternoon of fun without having to break the bank. In turn, we want our Kidstuf kids to see what it means to serve our community.
Cushioning: $500. Emergencies come up. Families/kids/volunteers may have urgent needs. We want as a ministry to be able to serve those who pour into our families and are a part of our community when/if they need us.
Click on the button below to give to Kidstuf. Giving to Kidstuf means that you have contributed to raising up the next generation of church and investing in their future. Thank you for joining us in caring for our families and our community!