Heather Malkinson
Children's Ministries Pastor
We believe that Foothills and parents need to work as partners to help our kids grow to Know God, Love Others, Reach Neighbours and Serve the World. What happens at Foothills Kids on weekends is a catalyst for parents to have God-centered teachable moments and conversations at home. Our commitment is to offer Sunday morning programs that spiritually nurture kids (infant to gr 6), while parents attend weekend services.
New here? That's great! Check out our FAQ at the bottom of this page for all you need to know about your kids at Foothills.
Awana is a place for kids to learn and grow in their relationship with God through intentional discipleship materials and Scripture memorization. It is an exciting opportunity for them to make new friends, play exciting games, receive awards for their achievements and connect meaningfully with one another, their leader and God. Awana stands for “Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed” and is taken from 2 Timothy 2:15.
The Awana program encourages children to experience God by learning His word in a regular and systematic manner. Each group has age-appropriate handbooks for you and your child to work through together. Children are rewarded for remembering God’s Word, as they recite their verses with their leaders on a weekly basis.
If you have a child infant to gr 6, we would love to connect with them Sundays at 9AM & 11AM.
At Foothills, we have programming for children infant to gr 6. Sunday School runs during the 9AM & 11AM services. Please sign your child in 10 minutes before the service starts.
There will be several leaders in each class. The class will begin with an ice breaker question. Next, kids will watch a 10-minute message. The leader will ask kids qustions to help them apply what they learned to their own lives. Kids will be given a verse to memorize and will participate in an activity.
You don't have to bring anything.
No! Your child is free to attend whenever they want. Contact Pastor Heather, our Children's Ministries Pastor, to be added to our weekly email list.
Child dedication is a special time to celebrate the precious child you have been blessed with. Many parents choose to dedicate their children as a public commitment of their desire to partner with God and the church in raising their child to know and love Jesus.
We believe children are a gift from God and are very excited to be part of this special occasion in the life of your family!
If you are ready to dedicate your child, please contact Pastor Heather.
The Scriptural root of child dedication is found in 1 Samuel 1:27-28 where a Godly woman named Hannah prayed year after year to the Lord to give her a child. God answered her prayer and she gave birth to a son whom she named Samuel. After Samuel was born, Hannah prayed these words:
"For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition, which I asked of Him. So, I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord."
In Luke 2 after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph took him to the temple and dedicated him.
In both Scripture verses, the parents entrusted their child completely to God.
Other verses in the Bible call parents to nurture an everyday faith in God in their child. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 reads:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
You do not need to be a Foothills member to have your child dedicated. Child dedication is open to all who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and call Foothills their home church. In dedicating your child, you are surrendering your child to God and affirming your commitment to partner with God and the church to raise your child according to God’s plan. To partner with any church, a parent would be wise to decide if they agree with its beliefs and vision.
The dedication service is a time for parents to express their vows before God, their family and the church; declaring their desire to raise their child in a God-honouring way.
Parents will be asked to affirm the following commitments:
The New Testament records baptism following an adult believer’s decision to trust Jesus alone for salvation (Acts 2:41, 8:12 and 10:47–48). Rather than baptizing children, Foothills encourages Christian parents to dedicate their children to God.
We recognize that child dedication signifies the commitment of parents, including single parents, to do their best to raise their child to be a follower of Christ. We acknowledge the extra effort required for a single parent to raise a child. As a church, we invite single parents to dedicate their children and are committed to supporting them in providing a Christian foundation for their child’s upbringing.
If you are ready to dedicate your child, please contact Pastor Heather.
Click the following link for a downloadable PDF of the Child Dedication Information