Director: 'It's spreading the word in an active way'

The King's Kids Club in Liberty Township is so named to pay homage to Christ the King. "We teach children about Jesus being a king," said Terri West, children's ministry director at Church Hill United Methodist Church.
The children are grouped by age, preschool and kindergarten, first and second grade and third- through sixth grades. The relatively new program averages from 20 to 25 children per session, which are 4:45 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
The program runs from mid-September until the second week of December then starts up in January and lasts 11 weeks.
The sessions feature music, Bible stories, crafts, games and dinner. For Nov. 9, children focused on the Golden Rule and dressed in red, white and blue in recognition of last week's general election. Each session has a different theme.
"The program is run on donations. We hold fund-raisers like a bake sale," West said. "We find the money."
Filling a need
"We're concerned about the kids," West said. "It's spreading the word of God in an active way. We felt the need for this outreach."
Some participants in the King's Kids Club have parents who belong or attend the church while others are from the community.
"One little girl had never been in a church before. It's an introduction to Jesus. It teaches about the basics of faith," West added. "It's to benefit the children."
Bible stories are used as teaching tools. "We might talk about how God took care of Noah and then talk about how God will take care of them. And how God is there for them," she said.
When it's time for the meal, children take turns bringing the food to the tables. "We stress the specialness of each child," West said. Table "parents" assist with the meals.
Also in interacting with the children are the Rev. Dave Gilbert, senior pastor, and the Rev. Carl West, associate pastor and Terri West's husband. "This might be a child's first experience in church life. It's an important outreach focusing on children," he said.
Sessions conclude with a prayer circle, and children may mention their pets or family. It serves as a lesson on how to pray and is a time to share, Terri West added.