FAMILY
Combining the light of the church with the love of the home to make a spiritual difference in our families.
VISION
We believe in a partnership between the church and the home to make the greatest spiritual impact in the lives of our kids. That’s why we are committed to partnering with parents by equipping them to be the primary spiritual leaders in their home. We do this through Life Groups, parent training, weekly handouts, marriage enrichment, Sunday messages, and resource suggestions.
We also recognize the importance of having other adults, in addition to mom and dad, involved in a child’s life. For this reason, we focus on providing small group leaders in our programs to facilitate and nurture healthy relationships with other adult role models.
We take our role seriously when you invite us to be a part of your family and so we’ve created a spiritual development plan for your child from 0-18. This plan focuses on the big ideas that are most vital to your child’s spiritual growth and formation.
SAFETY
All of our volunteers are screened through an application process, reference, police and vulnerable sector checks, and mandatory participation in a Plan to Protect workshop. Police checks are renewed every five years and our Plan to Protect is reviewed annually.
REGISTRATION
First-time registration and weekly check-in happens for all of our kids programs. For children 7 and under, parents receive 2 matching alphanumeric receipts, which must be presented to pick up the child after the service.
LITTLE LIGHTS
Safe and child-friendly environments available during all of our Sunday morning services.
Our nursery provides loving care for infants, babies, and toddlers up to about age two-and-a-half. The nursery has safe play areas with lots of toys, rocking chairs, change tables, and a nearby washroom.
The nursery is staffed with screened volunteers and equipped with a paging system. Once your child is checked in, you will receive a pager. If the pager vibrates, please return to the nursery.
For preschool children, we offer a fun program that introduces them to the God of the Bible through age-appropriate activities such as stories, singing, crafts, and activity-based learning.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Large and small group experiences to encourage and invest in your child available during all of our Sunday morning services.
Our Movers & Shakers students participate in both large group and small group activities in the church Gym on Sunday mornings. This experience includes relevant Bible teaching, high-energy music for praise and worship, and small group conversations to reinforce learning and build friendships.
We strive to make M&S the high point in every kid’s week.
But Sunday morning is just the tip of the iceberg for a child’s spiritual development, and so we partner with parents and families to encourage conversations about Jesus throughout the week. Each Sunday we provide @home resources to equip you as the primary spiritual influence in the life of your child.
THE R!OT
Large and small group experiences on Sundays and Thursday evenings as well as annual retreats and service projects.
The R!OT is a community of friends for students in Grades 6-8. We meet every Sunday morning during the service and every other Thursday (7-9 pm) for midweek programs (see below for location specific times).
Our goal is to create a fun, inviting and warm atmosphere for our Junior Youth to learn about God, be mentored via our caring volunteers, and be challenged as they wrestle through scripture, themes, and stories in small groups.
Parents and the Junior Youth can stay connected via the events page for updates.
THE CURRENT
Large and small group experiences during the week as well as annual retreats and mission trips.
Our goal at the CURRENT is to provide high school students the opportunity to build relationships and grow in what it looks like to live fully devoted to Jesus. The teenage years are pivotal in defining who we are and who we are becoming, and so we aim to make a significant spiritual investment during this critical stage of life.
The CURRENT is built on 3 pillars; Inspiration, Connection and Action.
Once a month the CURRENT has an inspiration night on a Sunday night, where we hope to challenge the youth to think critically and process different teachings to make it their own. This is done through social atmospheres, games, live worship and live messages. Connection is done through life groups that meet periodically throughout the weeks which are guided by our leaders. Action is accomplished by our guest events where our youth are encouraged to bring friends and enjoy a fun night of community. As well there are plenty of volunteer opportunities for the youth to participate in and actively live out their faith.
For parents and students to stay in the loop, please check out our events page for updates and follow us on Instagram @the.Curr3nt
ST. CATHARINES LOCATION
Little Lights (age 0-4)
Takes place during service – 10:00am every week.
Movers & Shakers (SK – Grade 5)
Takes place during service – 10:00am every week.
R!OT Sundays (Grades 6-8)
Meets during the 10:00am service in St. Catharines every week on Sunday mornings.
R!OT Midweek Events
Meets every other Thursday from 7:00-9:00pm in St. Catharines. Click the button to get more information on upcoming R!OT events.
CURRENT Life Groups (Grades 9-12)
Meets weekly, guided by our CURRENT leaders. To connect in a group, get in touch with Steve.
CURRENT Events
Meets monthly for “Inspiration Nights” on Sunday nights from 6:00-8:00pm at our St. Catharines location. Meets seasonally for “Guest Events”. Click the button to get more information on upcoming CURRENT events.
Steve Stone
Family Life Pastor
Contact Steve Stone
VINELAND LOCATION
Little Lights (age 0-4)
Takes place during service – 10:00am every week.
Movers & Shakers (SK – Grade 5)
Takes place during service – 10:00am every week.
R!OT Sundays (Grades 6-8)
Meets during the 10:00am service in Vineland every week on Sunday mornings.
R!OT Midweek Events
Meets every other Thursday from 7:00-9:00pm at the Upper Deck or our Vineland Location. Click the button to get more information on upcoming R!OT events.
CURRENT Life Groups (Grades 9-12)
Meets weekly, guided by our CURRENT leaders. To connect in a group, get in touch with Kelly.
CURRENT Events
Meets monthly for “Inspiration Nights” on Sunday nights from 6:00-8:00pm at our St. Catharines location. Meets seasonally for “Guest Events”. Click the button to get more information on upcoming CURRENT events.
Ben Lockyer
Connection Pastor
Contact Ben Lockyer
WELLAND LOCATION
Little Lights (age 0-4)
Takes place during the service – 10:00am every week.
Movers & Shakers (SK – Grade 5)
Takes place during the service – 10:00am every week.
R!OT Sundays (Grades 6-8)
Meets during the service in Welland every week on Sunday mornings.
R!OT Midweek Events
Meets every other Thursday from 7:00-9:00pm at the Upper Deck (Vineland) or our Vineland Location. Click the button to get more information on upcoming R!OT events.
CURRENT Life Groups (Grades 9-12)
Meets weekly, guided by our CURRENT leaders. To connect in a group, get in touch with Jill.
CURRENT Events
Meets monthly for “Inspiration Nights” on Sunday nights from 6:00-8:00pm at our St. Catharines location. Meets seasonally for “Guest Events”. Click the button to get more information on upcoming CURRENT events.
Jill Venema
Family Life Pastor
Contact Jill Venema
FAMILY MINISTRY ADMIN DIRECTOR
Kelly Smalldon
905-682-7978 x266
ksmalldon@southridgechurch.ca