Many unchurched Baby Boomer and Generation X parents are looking for churches that have quality children's programs. They may have attended church as children and have vague recollections of Sunday School. Kid's Club is their re-entry point in the life of the church. They might first attend worship when their children sing. Recently, new members in several denominations have indicated they joined congregations because of their contact with Kid's Clubs.
Children in the program will bring their friends to the Kid's Club and these friends may invite others to come with them. Get information (name, address, telephone number) on these families and contact them after the program. Pass this information on to the pastor or evangelism task force of your congregation. Even if your congregation does not now have a large number of children, it will experience renewed ministry with many new children because of your work in promoting and planning your Kid's Club.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Three Rivers, Michigan, began its Kids Club program in the fall of 1994. In this town of 8,000 residents, the congregation wanted to reach out into a neighborhood in transition. St. John's, a 125-year-old aging congregation, found itself in the midst of a growing African American population (about 17%) of primarily lower-income and single parent families. The congregation hoped that this ministry would help support these struggling single-parent families.
From its humble beginnings of 8 children, it has grown to an average weekly attendance of between 25-30 youth (many of whom are from the immediate neighborhood.). It meets throughout the school year on Wednesday afternoons from 4-5:30 p.m.
The participating children are divided into 2 groups: kindergarten through 2nd grade, and 3rd through 5th grades. At present, 4 adults and 3 high school age youth see that the program runs smoothly each week.
