Early Childhood

Our church nursery is a loving and nurturing place for our youngest children. We have several nursery rooms open each Sunday and divide children by developmental age.  Admittance to the nursery is limited and nursery rooms are monitored by close circuit cameras. Be sure to visit our Nursery page to find out more.

Eli’s Place is the Early Learning Center of Wesley Monumental and accepts children from 8 weeks old through Pre-K.  At Eli’s Place we believe children learn from a very young age and we provide a nurturing and enriching learning environment which encourages exploration and growth. Eli’s Place offers a weekday school-year program and a summer camp program.  To find out more, visit our Eli’s Place pages.

Wesley Monumental has choirs divided by ages which allow children an opportunity to learn how to offer their best praise.  Our Joyful Noise Choir consists of children age 3 through Kindergarten.  Be sure to visit our Children’s & Youth Choirs page for more information.

Under 3       

We are never too young to know God’s love for us!  We begin teaching our youngest children when they are babies in arms.  The babies are held on the laps of the nursery staff and join the toddlers for the lesson.  They sing songs, hear stories, and look for Jesus in the pages of their little Bibles.  It is a fun time for everyone

3 Year Olds & Pre-K 

In our Early Childhood Sunday School classes, we use a method of storytelling that engages a child’s sense of sight, hearing, and touch as a way to encounter God, so God is experienced, not just learned about.  Our time is patterned in a way that allows the children to come to recognize sacred time and space and be comfortable using this time to worship and praise God.  Contact Charli Weeks for more information about Sunday School.

Children’s Worship is held during the 8:45 and 11:00 services and is based on the scripture reading for the day.  During this time the children learn how worship is a special time with God and plan and create their own worship experience.

not offering at this time

We offer a child friendly meal in the nursery each Wednesday night beginning at 5:15 for children from birth to kindergarten.  Three-year-olds and Pre-K children are taken to Joyful Noise Choir at 6:00, and children younger than three are lovingly cared for by our nursery staff until the end of the Wednesday Night programs.

Every Mother’s Day, all of the infants who have been born into our congregation over the previous year (whether their parents are church members or regular attendees) are recognized in that day’s church services.  Infants receive a special age-appropriate book, and pictures are taken of the baby with his or her family at a special reception preceding the 11:00 service.

The  Fall Family Festival features inflatables, hay rides, pumpkin painting, face painting, games, food and drinks.  The festival takes place annually at the Wesley Gardens Retreat Center and gives the children an opportunity to wear their Halloween costumes one more time.

The Easter Egg Hunt  is an annual event held at the Wesley Gardens Retreat Center.  Our youngest children hunt for eggs, play games and have activities in the Big House.  The Easter Bunny stops by for a visit and pictures.  Refreshments of cookies and lemonade are available for everyone.

We begin rehearsals in November for a special telling of the Christmas story.  Each year the pageant is different with special touches added by the children who participate.

Christmas Fun Day is held on a December Saturday and gives our Early Childhood parents the opportunity to finish last minute Christmas errands while the children spend the day making ornaments, baking cookies and candy, enjoying lunch and watching a movie on the big screen in the Fellowship Hall.

Once a quarter our nursery is open on Saturday from 4:30 until 8:00 p.m. and offers care for children 5 years old and younger.