Children’s Ministry (Newborn – 5th Grade)
Supporting families as they nurture their kids in faith.
Infant & Toddlers Children’s Ministry Events
Children, Youth, and Family Ministries (CYF) at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities want to be known in the community as the church that helps families worship together, connect with church friends, and give space to kids and students to grow in their gifts. It is all about helping kids and students to Like, Follow, and Share, who we are – CHURCH.
Like God’s word. CYF work is about connecting kids and students to God so they might know God better. We do this work together in church and in home, modeling a life of faith.
Follow Jesus. Part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus is to be part of the Christian community. We, as the family of God, learn together, play together, serve together, and grow together in Christ.
Share the Holy Spirit. All of us have God-given talents and abilities. As kids and students grow older, they will discover how their greatest passions meet the world’s greatest needs, and the church can help provide a place for them to serve.
Below are some of the ways you and your family can connect with Bethlehem. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Pastor Heather.
ECHO Sunday School (MPLS)
Age 3 – 5th grade
9:00 am & 10:30 am, Minneapolis
Bethlehem is a place that helps parents navigate worship with their children. In ECHO, children start and end with their parents/caregivers in worship. After Storytime, kids follow the leader out of worship to sing, learn the Bible story, and play games together. They return to sit with their parents at the passing of the peace.
Register Here!Children’s Choirs
Children are guided in their spiritual development through the singing of age-appropriate music to the glory of God while learning to be part of a musical ensemble. They are encouraged to grow in their faith through the sharing of their voices with each other and the congregation.
Children’s Choir practice: For children age 4 – 5th grade. Between worship services on Sundays, 10-10:30 am September – May
Choirs sing at the beginning of 10:30 am worship service about once a month.
register here!ECHO Sunday School (MTKA)
In Minnetonka, ECHO is in the pews, intergenerational and will blend worship together with storytelling and kinesthetic learning. Families are invited to participate fully and children as their true selves during the 9:30am worship service. Register to receive a Fall DIY Sunday School kit to bring home for learning and play.
Register Here!
Children Ministry Events:
See AllItty Bitty Get Togethers
New this year! Just for families with little kiddos, newborn to 3 years of age. Parents/ Caregivers/ Grandparents and their little ones join Pastor Heather in the nursery on the Minneapolis campus for a pizza party, some fun play time, and book reading before bedtime! Please register both the child attending and the adults that will be joining all the fun.
Learn MoreEaster Egg Hunt – Mpls Campus
It’s an Easter Egg Hunt! Bring your kids or grandkids and be ready to hunt for Easter eggs! The Easter Egg Hunt will happen in snow or sun, so wear weather appropriate gear. For the little ones, there will be a section of egg hunting just for them!
Learn MoreEarly Birds: Infants & Toddlers
We know you’re up bright and early with those little ones. Join us 30 minutes before worship begins on the second Sunday of each month. We’ll have the coffee and adult conversation ready for you and Pastor Meta will have snacks, songs, and stories for the kids. It’s a simple way to build connections and form faith together. No registration required. Just show up!
Learn MoreEaster Egg Hunt – Mtka Campus
It’s an Easter Egg Hunt! Bring your kids or grandkids and be ready to hunt for Easter eggs! The Easter Egg Hunt will happen in snow or sun, so wear weather appropriate gear.
Learn MoreItty Bitty Get Togethers
New this year! Just for families with little kiddos, newborn to 3 years of age. Parents/ Caregivers/ Grandparents and their little ones join Pastor Heather in the nursery on the Minneapolis campus for a pizza party, some fun play time, and book reading before bedtime! Please register both the child attending and the adults that will be joining all the fun.
Learn MoreEarly Birds: Infants & Toddlers
We know you’re up bright and early with those little ones. Join us 30 minutes before worship begins on the second Sunday of each month. We’ll have the coffee and adult conversation ready for you and Pastor Meta will have snacks, songs, and stories for the kids. It’s a simple way to build connections and form faith together. No registration required. Just show up!
Learn MoreItty Bitty Get Togethers
New this year! Just for families with little kiddos, newborn to 3 years of age. Parents/ Caregivers/ Grandparents and their little ones join Pastor Heather in the nursery on the Minneapolis campus for a pizza party, some fun play time, and book reading before bedtime! Please register both the child attending and the adults that will be joining all the fun.
Learn More
Itty Bitty Book Club 2023
Kids learn through repetition and in the laps of someone they love. Read together as often as you can!
Feb 1, 2023 – Jan 1, 2024
These books are designed for newborns to age 3 and their families.
Each month we will send you the faith book of the month, an activity, and a spiritual practice directly to your mailbox. A $50 fee includes all 11 books (plus shipping), mailed once a month and activities for each story to do together.
Sign up here[email protected]
DIY Sunday School (Age 3 – 2nd Grade)
This [email protected] class works a little bit like a subscription service. For $25 per box (which pays for shipping and supplies) parents and grandparents, caregivers and baptismal sponsors can gift a child with a faith box. Each box contains between 5-7 weeks of faith-at-home activities including craft materials, science experiments, and games all centered on a different Bible story. These boxes are available 3 times a year: Fall, Advent & Christmas, Lent & Easter.
Sign up for 2022-23 Boxes HereNew! Action-Packed Bible Investigators
For 3rd – 5th grade “Investigators”
Wednesdays, 6:30 pm-7:45 pm
(September 14, 2022- April 26, 2023)
It’s like Pre-Confirmation, but more fun! The Action Bible: God’s Redemptive Story will be our guide for this adventure. This Bible study is geared toward Investigators in 3rd – 5th grade. As a Wednesday night group, we will investigate Bible story mysteries, deepen our relationships with our peers, and serve our community with what we find out.
register here!
[email protected] Resources
Infants & Toddlers
Baptism
On the day of baptism, promises are made. Parents and sponsors promise to pray for their child and nurture them in faith, teach them the prayer, creed and commandments, bring them to communion and place in their hands the Bible, and live with them among God’s faithful people, so the child will learn to trust God and care for others and the world God made. The congregation, in turn, promises to help the child grow in faith.
Baptism is a communal ritual that welcomes believers to the Christian faith. As Lutherans, we welcome people of all ages, including infants. Prior to a child’s baptism, families attend a baptism class (currently on Zoom) to explore the meaning of baptism and to become familiar with the service.
Learn MoreFirst Communion
Kids are welcome to participate in the Lord’s Supper at any age – whether at church or at home. It’s helpful to have instructions, though, so we invite first-grade students and their parents to come and learn about communion together. Watch for an opportunity later this year, or do some at-home training, if you’d like. If your child is older and hasn’t yet received communion or participated in training, no worries. It’s never too late to be welcomed to the feast!
Register Now