Children’s Ministries

As children journey through the Ruggles Junior Church program, each class is a “feeding station” along the way on their journey of understanding what it means to live a life of faith in Jesus Christ. When they leave here, our hope is that they are well prepared to face the challenges of living as a follower of Jesus Christ in today’s world.

On Sundays, after a time of worship in the service with the congregation, the children are invited to the front of the sanctuary where they are prayed for and then dismissed to their classes. Junior Church runs for about an hour, usually coinciding with the length of the worship service. Snacks are served to the younger classes.

For the safety of our children, all nursery caregivers, Sunday School teachers and youth workers at Ruggles are required to undergo thorough background checks through LexisNexis and Shepherd’s Watch.

Currently Ruggles offers the following classes:

Nursery (0 to 2 years):

Showing Christ’s love to our youngest children in a friendly and warm atmosphere. A safe place to play and explore, staffed by nurturing and loving caregivers.

Preschool (ages 3 to 5):

Introducing Bible stories using a Children’s Bible, bringing stories to life through dramatic play and creative activities.

Elementary (Kindergarten through 4th grade):

Continuing to learn Bible stories in chronological order, and reinforcing those stories with hands-on activities. Introduction to broad Scriptural themes such as God’s love for us, His sovereignty, and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Middle School (5th through 8th grade):

Challenging students to see larger themes, and deeper meaning in Bible stories. Beginning to ask the question, “How does this apply to me?”

High School (9th through 12th grade):

Engaging youth in open conversations in which questions are welcome as teens grapple with the process of owning their faith. Emphasis on living out one’s faith in a secular, media-saturated culture. Topics include: world religions/world views, church history, spiritual disciplines, knowing what we believe and why.