Children & Families

Help little ones discover God’s love for them!

Volunteers lead young kids toward knowing Jesus by playing with them, keeping them safe, reading Bible stories, engaging in fun worship, and serving snacks.

Adults 18 and over who pass a background check and students age 12 and up who are known by CM staff are eligible to serve in Early Childhood Orbit. Younger kids can also serve when a parent helps in the same room.

The Orbit Early Childhood wing is open for kids from newborns through pre-kindergarten:

NURSERY: For newborns, infants and toddlers under age 2, a safe, loving environment where kids experience care and volunteers can take part in the main worship service via closed-circuit TV.

GREEN ROOM: For 2- and 3-year-olds, an environment with a little more structure. Kids will have free play time, a Bible story, group discussions, songs, an object lesson and a snack. During the 10:45 service, this room serves all kids under age 5.

RED ROOM: For 3- and 4-year-olds, a pre-kindergarten-style Orbit environment with bigger toys, more independent play, and the same lesson pieces as the Green Room.

Early Childhood volunteers can join for a particular week, or sign up for a recurring role on a monthly, bimonthly, or weekly basis. The Early Childhood wing is open during both services, although the infant/toddler nursery is staffed only during the 9 a.m. service.

Show kids the welcome and love of Jesus!

This role is all about helping kids feel like they belong. Newcomers need a friendly, caring face to guide them into the group. Regulars need a caring voice to listen to their stories and help nurture their friendships with other kids.

Activity room volunteers serve from 8:45-9:15, when Orbit kids are having free-play together. An assortment of toys and games gives kids the opportunity to play and get to know others. Adults play alongside them and help kids feel safe and known while the small-group leaders meet to prepare for the rest of the Orbit morning.

You can sign up for one particular week or a recurring monthly schedule—and you don’t have to miss the 9 a.m. worship service!

Be the face and voice of comfort!

In Orbit, we want kids to belong and to be given the care and attention they need. Some kids struggle during a Sunday morning service and need a friend to help them thrive. This friend, or “buddy,” is a caring and attentive student or adult who sticks by one kid to help them belong. A buddy will help the child participate in the activities just like everyone else, so they can belong too. A buddy won’t need to work with the child separately or teach them a lesson; they simply give the support necessary so the child can thrive and belong in the Orbit environment. Buddies meet a kid where he or she is at and give them the individual attention needed. Though this is an important and impactful role, a college degree or years of experience is not required to serve—the Children’s Ministry team will provide the necessary training. This is a particularly helpful role for high school and college students! Wherever you are in life, if you love kids and have a heart to help them thrive spiritually, we are excited to have you on the team!

Lead kids in growing as disciples of Jesus!

Orbit small group leaders are some of the heaviest lifters on the CM volunteer team. They serve regularly on Sunday mornings during the first service hour, from 8:50 to 10:25 a.m. Small-group leaders don’t need to teach, or give a lecture—the role is much more relational. But the time commitment is significant and the emotional investment is not trivial.

Small group leaders listen to their kids, learn their stories, share their struggles and encourage them in the hope that is in Jesus. As an emotional investment, it’s risky but so worth it to watch these kids discover and grow in faith. Caring adults in each group form the “hub” of a wheel of relationships, guiding kids to connect with each other as well as with Christ. They also help explain and reinforce the ideas taught in the large-group lesson. They are often the first spiritual “friend” that kids know, and their impact can be far-reaching!

Share the gospel with kids!

The Elementary Orbit large-group program isn’t handled by one person. There are lots of key roles in leading kids from the stage:

TEACHING: Orbit’s team of teachers step up to take on a topic that fits their personality and experience. Some teachers help once a month, some more occasionally, and some are hand-picked to talk about specific stories or topics. The CM staff supplies scripts, materials and props; teachers supply energy, personality and care.

WORSHIP: Kids love seeing new faces join us to sing to God! Worship volunteers learn and practice choreography for a particular week’s song list, and then invite our older kids to join them on the stage to lead the whole Orbit in worship. This is a great role for middle- and high-school students!

LARGE GROUP HOST: The Orbit large-group experience starts with an energetic, positive welcome and fun conversation. This person usually leads kids in a large-group or up-front game, and establishes and atmosphere of joy and belonging. This is another great role for students, if you really love being around kids!

Guide families into a safe, smooth Sunday morning!

These volunteers help parents check-in their kids, print nametags, answer questions, and give directions to the various rooms in the Orbit wing. They have the vital role of making parents feel their kids are safe and cared for, and giving families a positive onramp into their Sunday worship experience.

These are also the folks who welcome new families and collect the information needed to bring kids into the Orbit wing safely. They contact parents if kids need them during the service and direct families to where to pick up their kids afterward.

Check-in volunteers can serve regularly or on an as-available basis, and they are needed during both worship hours.