Nursery

Check In

• Please enter through the sanctuary.
  • Please only bring your child to the Nursery check-in line (hallway behind the choir loft).
• There is a a 12-child limit per room.
• For both check-in and pick-up, please wait at the designated desk outside of the Nursery (no caregivers will enter the nursery itself). A worker/volunteer will take your child to and from his or her class.
• Please wash/use hand sanitizer on your children’s hands immediately prior to dropping them off.

Safety

• If your child displays or has displayed any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours, please DO NOT bring to the Nursery.
  • Fever
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea currently or for the past 24 hours.
  • Rash
  • Constant raspy cough
  • Sore throat
  • Running nose that is thick or dark in color.
  • Persistent cough or sneezing
  • Eye infections of any kind.
• Any child exhibiting these symptoms will be separated from the rest of the kids while the parent is contacted to come pick up their child.

MISSION STATEMENT

• Keep focus on the Gospel.
• Look both outward and inward.
• Speak the vernacular.
• Be a witness everywhere.
• Model the counter-cultural nature of the kingdom.
• Connect with the broader community.
• Be mindful of people's souls.

The nursery of Redeemer Church depends on God's abundant grace to keep the Gospel central to all its work, serving not only covenant families, but also non-believing families. In our interaction and teaching, those serving in the nursery strive to be a witness to Christ by setting before the children a godly example and by training them to know and love our Lord and to serve in His Kingdom through the use of their gifts.

We pray with them and for them, asking the Lord to give them faith for their salvation. Aware that the nursery is often a connecting point for visitors and/or non-believers, we seek to be warm, loving, and hospitable, modeling the love of Christ not only to visiting children, but to their parents and families as well, keeping in mind that to welcome these little ones is to welcome Christ Himself.

Redeemer’s Nursery uses a computer-based check in/check-out system. When you arrive in the nursery a volunteer will be at the front desk to walk you through how to check-in your child(ren). A sticker will be printed out with their name, room, allergies (if any), and any instructions you may have. If for some reason you’re needed during the service or Sunday School, a text will be sent to your cell phone via the computer to let you know why you’re being paged out.

We warmly welcome your child into the nursery as long as she has not had any of the following symptoms within the last 48 hours:

• coughing
• sneezing
• runny nose or eyes
• fever of 100 or above
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• inflamed mouth and/or throat
• non-clear nasal discharge
• a rash

If one of these symptoms becomes present during a child's stay in the nursery, parents will be paged to come and pick them up. We will never stop colds or illness, but we try to make your child’s class an ideal place for them to only catch the joy of Christ!

In a desire to have a safe and healthy environment for children and workers we have established the following health and safety guidelines:

Illness. If the child displays any of the symptoms:

• Non-clear nasal discharge
• Fever
• Rash
• Constant or raspy cough and/or sneezing
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Redness in one of both eyes
• Inflamed mouth and/or throat

The Nursery Team Leader or Coordinator will be informed ASAP, and the child will be lovingly cared for in isolation until a parent is contacted.

1. give verbal correction and encouragement;
2. put him or her in time out;
3. contact the parents.

When you drop off your child, he may cry when you leave. Nursery caregivers will try to console an unhappy child and get him involved in some activity or toy. Most fussing stops in a short time.

However, if a child continues to cry constantly for 15 minutes, we will contact the parents.

The nursery is staffed by volunteer members of the congregation. Members generally serve in the nursery in a number of ways:

1. by loving and caring for children during scheduled nursery service as part of a Nursery Team;
2. by greeting and directing families and caregivers as Team Greeters;
3. by teaching children during Sunday School;
4. by serving as Team Leaders; and
5. by volunteering their gifts to help with organizing and improving the nursery facility.

Volunteers are communing members at least 14 years old or older and in the ninth grade. Caregivers are assigned times on a rotating basis to serve in one of the nursery classrooms. In order to ensure the safety of children and to limit liability on the part of the church, there should always be at least 2 adults in each room, even if it seems that one person would be sufficient to care for the children. Two men should never be paired to work alone in a room without a female worker present. Members who are 14 to 18 should be paired with a member over 18.

1. The nursery committee asks that caregivers approach their service prayerfully. Specifically, workers should pray for the hearts/salvation of the children in their care and that the preaching of God's word would bear lasting fruit in the children's families.
2. Caregivers are encouraged to find a replacement when they cannot serve on the day they are scheduled by switching with someone else who is scheduled for another Sunday. However, if that is not possible, they can notify the Nursery Coordinator so that a substitute can be found.
3. Caregivers are asked to arrive in the nursery at 7:50 am for the 8:00 am worship service and at 10:45 am for the 11:00 am worship service. Often caregivers serving during Sunday school have duties during the worship service and need to be relieved to prepare during the fellowship break.
4. In the classroom, caregivers are to be a witness to Christ by setting before the children a godly example and by training them to know and love our Lord. This happens in many ways: from assisting the children in play and activities to tending to the more practical care of changing diapers and taking out the trash.
5. Screen time on any gadget is not permitted with the children unless for use of music for Bible songs.

Teachers serve in each classroom to provide instruction and a loving and welcoming presence to the children during Sunday School. All those serving as Sunday School teachers must be approved by the Session. Teachers will be provided with curriculum that has been approved by the Christian Education Committee. Teachers should serve in teams of two in each of the classrooms.

Terms of Service for Sunday School Teachers
Teachers for the 3-year-old and for the 2-year-old classes are asked to serve for one semester (September-December, January-May, June-August)