Grace Communion International Ottawa – Gatineau Church has children's ministries that serve children from ages 3 to 11, separated into two groups. The first group is children from ages 3 to 6, and the second group is from ages 7 to 11. Each group has two facilitators who support our children to enjoy their learning.

Summary:

Grace Communion International Ottawa-Gatineau’s children's ministry aligns with biblical principles that emphasize age-appropriate spiritual education, the nurturing of a lifelong relationship with God, and the active involvement of parents in disciplining their children. Through teaching, modelling, and creating a safe, engaging space for children to grow, we are laying a firm foundation for their faith, ensuring they will have a lasting relationship with God that endures throughout their lives.

Here is what we focus on as our Goal for Children Ministry:

1. Age-Appropriate Learning and Spiritual Growth

Children’s ministry aims to create an engaging, age-appropriate environment for spiritual development. The Bible highlights the importance of laying a strong foundation for children in their early years:

• Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

This shows the importance of teaching children the ways of God in everyday life, creating an environment where spiritual learning is both intentional and integrated into daily activities.

• Proverbs 22:6: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

A solid foundation of faith, taught at a young age, helps ensure that children grow up with a lasting spiritual commitment.

2. Nurturing a Lifelong Relationship with God

The goal of children's ministry is to help children develop a lifelong relationship with God, one that deepens as they grow. Jesus emphasized the value of children in the kingdom of God:

• Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Jesus welcomed children, teaching that they are an integral part of God's kingdom. Children's ministry plays a vital role in helping children come to know and love God personally.

• 2 Timothy 3:15: “And how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which can make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Teaching children the Scripture from an early age equips them to understand the Gospel and develop wisdom that leads to salvation through faith.

3. Involvement of Parents in the Ministry

The partnership between the church and parents is crucial for the spiritual growth of children. The Bible makes it clear that parents have a central role in disciplining their children:

• Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

Parents are called to be the primary spiritual guides in their children's lives, and the children's ministry helps support this biblical mandate by providing resources and encouragement.

• Psalm 78:4-7: “We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done... Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”

The church’s children's ministry works alongside parents to pass down the faith to the next generation, ensuring that children know God’s works and trust in His promises.

4. Laying the Foundation for a Lifelong Faith

The ultimate goal of children's ministry is to help children grow spiritually, laying a foundation that lasts into adulthood. Jesus affirmed the importance of teaching children early:

• Matthew 7:24-25: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

Teaching children to build their lives on the teachings of Jesus ensures they have a firm spiritual foundation that will withstand life’s challenges.

PLEASE BRING YOUR CHILD TO JOIN US BY CONTACTING US.