Church Nursery

Have you ever looked forward to Sunday as a time to go to church and renew your spiritual batteries?   I know I do! It is nice to catch up with friends, too, but the spiritual encouragement from Sunday school, morning worship service or other services just seems to help me make it through the week.

THEN, I had children!

Instead of being in the morning services, I was in the church nursery feeding the baby and then trying to get back into the service to grab a little bit of spiritual revitalization. Some of the time it would work and it was great. Sometimes I had to work in the nursery (we have at least 2 workers in there every service) and I would resent it. Why should I drive 30 minutes to church to sit with my own child/ children in the nursery? Isolated from others? Maybe I could listen to the service over the audio system instead of in a room of excited children and noisy toys! And let’s face it: I didn’t have the same quietness of my heart either.

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BUT then one vacation we went to church in another state and I got a new view of the church nursery ministry.

I signed my very active 2 ½ year old and my 6 month old into that church’s nursery and left both children happily playing. It would be so nice to hear another pastor and meet some new people. I settled myself into my seat in the auditorium, listening to the beautiful music.

A minute later, someone came and asked me to go back to the nursery. I hurried back thinking that either something had happened or one of the children was crying.

Nothing was wrong!

Imagine my surprise to get back to the church nursery only to receive a lecture by the lady in charge of the nursery. “Our church has a policy that only children younger than 2 are allowed in the church nursery. Two -year-olds need to learn to sit quietly in church and listen. You need to have your child with you in church.”

“I am a visitor,” I patiently explained. “My child is not able to sit still in church. Would she please be able to stay in the nursery so that I could listen to the church service?”

I received a repeat lecture on child-raising and the importance of teaching my 2-year-old to sit still.

Really? Really.

“I understand that is a great goal. But my child is very active and this will not work for us. I am a Christian and I can stay out of the service with my child; however, I am a visitor. Do you mean to tell me that you would tell any visitor this? You would deny them an opportunity to hear the gospel and be encouraged from the Bible, just because their child is two years old?!”

“Well, that’s our church nursery policy!”

I admit, I was upset. I went into the nursery and scooped up my 6 month old, slung the diaper bag over my shoulder, and grabbed the two-year old’s hand.

“Oh, you don’t have to take the baby out. She can stay!” said one nursery worker.

“Absolutely not! She is not staying in here with you.” And out I marched.

The church service was already started. I took the children out to the parking lot and stalked angrily back and forth. After a while I calmed down and we looked at the flowers and played a bit.

After church got out the pastor’s wife came over. “I’m sorry. I heard there was a problem involving your children staying in the nursery.”

I thought that she had come to apologize, explain some communication problem, etc. Oh, no—she started right in with explaining their church nursery policy, how important it was for children to learn to it still in church, etc.

Nursery: “Wait a second!” I interrupted.

“Is that what your church primarily teaches? How to have 2-year-olds sit still in church? Don’t you preach the gospel? Don’t you preach the good news that God provides salvation? I am a visitor! You don’t know me or my spiritual condition. My child is not able to sit still in church- she is a very active child. But you kept me out of church because of your church nursery ‘policy‘ (I probably really emphasized that). Instead of being flexible, you kept me out of church! I really think you need to re-evaluate your ‘policy!’”

(Imagine me storming out about this time.)

Now, later, I can look for the lesson.

For me, the lesson was never to complain about serving in nursery.

• Moms work hard all day, every day.
• Moms need a safe place to leave their children when they are at church.
• Moms need to be able to concentrate on the Biblical message of the service rather than on managing their active, small children in the service.

There is plenty of time to have children sit in church when they are capable of doing so. Some children are capable of this at a young age, but most are not. I don’t think that churches are separating families during worship- I think they are ministering to the needs of each person on their own level.

Nursery workers have a HUGE ministry to the moms and their children!

In nursery, we have the “Days of Creation” on the wall. We talk about the Lord and we sing good Bible songs. If a mom is in there with her child (consoling a crying child, breastfeeding, etc.), I try to encourage her by talking about the Lord. I am not idle when I am in nursery- I am busy impacting lives for Christ!

 Nursery is a vital ministry of the church.

I know, because when this ministry was denied me, I realized its importance. That day motivated me to serve regularly in our nursery. So if you are “stuck” in the nursery again, thank you! You may never know what a blessing you are some mom.

Sample Church Nursery Policies:

Early Childhood Ministry Volunteers pdf available

From Cornerstone Presbyterian Church: (non-secure site) www.cornerstonepca.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-The-Church-Nursery-Policy-Procedure-Manual-09262015.pdf

From Sovereign Grace Baptist Church: Nursery Policies and Procedures Manual (non-secure site) sgbcjax.org/home/pagefiles/nurseryhandbook.pdf

 

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I wrote a Blog post called Homeshool: Teaching Your Children Biblical Truth.   I addressed these same concerns in a Youtube video.

I posted a new blog article this week: Work, Home Schooling and Keeping Your Sanity. 

Youtube: Homeschool Christian Mom These videos discuss homeschool scheduling, working with your Littles, thinking long term, and many other topics.