Parent Frequently Asked Questions

What is Safe Sanctuaries?

Christ Church makes every effort to creative a safe, protected environment for our children and youth. One way we do this is through the Safe Sanctuaries program. All adult paid staff and all adults who works with or volunteer with children must go through a fingerprinting and screening process and complete a Safe Sanctuaries application and training. To fill out a Safe Sanctuaries application or to receive more information about this process, click here.

Do you have a security system in place for children?

We use a two-part name tag system to ensure that children are picked up by the proper individuals at the end of the morning. When you check your child into his or her room, there will be a table outside the door with adhesive security tags on it. You will fill out one with your child’s name and age, your cell phone number, and any medical or allergy information we need to know. The adjoining tag will have a number on it that matches the number of your child’s tag. The number tag must be presented at pick up time in order to retrieve your child. Parents who do not have a matching tag may be asked to show ID.

What is the card system?

Children benefit from having visible, tangible symbols of our expectations for behavior. Therefore, we use a color card system to help children understand what is expected of them.

Green Cards: Handed out as symbols of excellent, extra-mile behavior.
Blue Cards: Handed to a child who is acting out, causing a distraction or who has ignored previous warnings. The child will hold onto the blue card until it is taken away by an adult.
Yellow Cards: Handed to a child if poor behavior persists after the blue card. Children holding yellow cards must sit apart from the rest of the class for a period of time before returning.
Red Cards: Handed to a child whose poor behavior persists after the yellow card. Children holding red cards will sit apart from the rest of the class for the remainder of the hour and will conference with their parents and teacher at pick up time to explain their behavior.

Above all, we want children to feel welcomed and loved at Christ Church, and any communication with them or with you about behavior will be carried out in a loving and gentle manner. Further questions about this topic may be directed to Sarah Flannery, Director of Children’s Ministries at (502) 893-2201 x248.

Where do I drop off my child on Sunday mornings?

View our Sunday schedule and room assignments.

What information do you need so my child can participate?

The sharing of information essential to your child’s safety has been streamlined into one form, allowing you to provide information and give permission once for your family, as well as provide detailed information regarding any medical needs. Every participating child, birth through age 18, will need a family Contact and Emergency Care Form on file. All ministry areas will make use of the information you provide through this form.

Contact Form (complete one per family)

Medical Emergency Care Form (complete one for each child)

Forms may be completed and submitted electronically, or printed and returned to Julie Turner at the church. Please note: a copy of your medical insurance card must be on file. Please provide it via email or hard copy to Julie Turner.

What is the Faith Formation Team?

Our staff for children, youth, adults and music collaborate to make sure that all of our ministry areas stay in communication and work toward the same goals. We call this group the Faith Formation Team, and together with hundreds of volunteers, we seek to help families feel welcome in this faith community, to experience God and learn to follow Jesus, to learn about God’s Word, and to serve others in the name of Christ.

Do you have a children's music program?

PSALM Kids, which stands for Praise, Service, Arts, Liturgy and Music, is our weekly choral program for children 3 years old through 5th grade. PSALM Kids meets during the school year on Wednesday nights from 6:30-7:20pm, as part of our regular Wednesday night programming for all families. For more information, please see www.ccum.net/psalmkids.

Can my child serve as an acolyte?

We invite all 4th and 5th grade children to participate in our acolyte program during the 9:00 and 11:15 am worship services. Training for new acolytes is offered each spring, and you can learn about dates through eNews. If you have any questions about this ministry of worship, please contact Anne Jay, Acolyte Coordinator.

Where do children go for worship?

At Christ Church, children begin attending worship with their parents when they reach Kindergarten age. After the offertory, children in Kindergarten through third grade will be invited to follow a banner out of the Sanctuary to Room 005, where they will experience a worship that is targeted to their age group.

On Communion Sundays, there will not be children’s worship so that families can take the sacrament of communion together. We believe that all are welcome at God’s table, regardless of age, because none of us understands how God has and will work; we are simply open to whatever God will do and give thanks and offer ourselves for God’s work within us. If you have questions about this aspect of worship, please contact Rev. Rebecca Heid, Associate Pastor, at (502) 893-2201 x263.

What do I do if I want my child to be baptized as an infant?

If you would like to discuss baptism for your child, please email or call Leigh Ray, Executive Assistant at (502) 893-2201 x222. She will schedule an appointment for you to meet with Dr. Strunk to discuss baptism, especially if it is the first such baptism for your family.

May my 4th or 5th grade child attend Children's Worship as a helper?

We welcome our older elementary children to help during Children's Worship, but their help should be limited to no more than every other week. It is important that they experience Sanctuary worship and sermons, so we want to make sure there is a proper balance.