Momentum Kids

Momentum Kids

Volunteer Guide Book

Momentum Church exists to help you journey forward through life with God, purpose, and friends. This vision is reflected through our children’s ministry. Momentum Kids is to be an age-relevant environment that purposes to introduce children to experiencing God, help them learn to reach out to others, and guide them as they begin to grow into fully developed followers of Christ.
There are three foundational truths that we want the children to know, without reservation, before they leave children’s ministries. There will be many moments and lessons that teach specific aspects of these truths, however, these are truths we hold as unshakeable:
God made me.
God loves me.

God has a special purpose for my life

Volunteer Guidelines

The following guidelines are to help all volunteers and children in Momentum Kids have a safe and enjoyable experience each Sunday. These are the general guidelines. Some details, such as times to arrive prior to class, may vary from class to class. Your team director will let you know if there are any changes specific to your class.

--In order to volunteer directly with children, volunteers must attend Momentum Church, as a member, for at least six months. Some personal references will provide an exception to the six months rule; however, all volunteers will complete the volunteer screening process.

--All staff will have completed the church application process and a background check prior to serving. All volunteers will participate in the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children training within the first six months of serving. All volunteers are guaranteed confidentiality in the screening process, including a guarantee that all personal identifying information will be kept private. Any personal or professional references provided for a volunteer will also remain confidential.
--Let God’s love be the over-arching element in everything that we do. Though there are bound to be times of frustration with situations or people, we will do our best to respond to those times in an attitude like Christ.

--It is suggested volunteers serve one service and go to one service. This ensures that we are able to minister to others from the overflow of God in our lives. We don’t want your time to worship God to be sacrificed to minister to our children and families. Feed your own spirit and then you will be well equipped to feed others!

--All classes are staffed so that adults will never be alone with a child. An adult or teen volunteer should never take a child to the restroom alone or be in any private place alone with a child. Always keep in sight of at least one other adult at all times.
--Volunteers need to be in their room, ready to prepare for the class, at least 15 minutes before class starts. This allows enough time to pray, the room to be readied, and for volunteers to be ready to greet the first children to arrive.

--Volunteers will be serving with children, so it’s important to dress comfortably, yet neatly. Momentum Kid’s volunteers will be given a team t-shirt and a printed name tag to wear. This allows parents or guardians to identify those who are supposed to be in the classrooms serving their children. Avoid bad breath and body odor to promote good times of fellowship with parents as they pick up their children from class.
--Social media is an important resource to connect with families and share memories. However, social media can also be abused and used inappropriately. We ask that all Momentum Kid’s volunteers be respectful and use social media in an appropriate way. Remember, you are representing all of the same Godly principles outside the church as well as inside. We ask you maintain appropriate social media behaviors. You never know who is watching. We want to convey the love of God in everything we do and be careful when using social media as children’s leaders.

--Before posting any pictures of children online, children’s ministry leaders must obtain written permission from the parents or guardians. This is to ensure the safety of our children and protect the integrity of our ministry leaders.

Family Guest Services

When a family visits Momentum Church for the first time, often it is the Family Guest Services team at check-in that will give them their initial first impression of our church. This team provides an important service allowing families to move into the worship experience with confidence that their children are being cared for in a safe and well-prepared manner. With this perspective in mind, these are the guidelines for our Family Guest Services team:

--The technical directions to activate the check-in system are located in a tray on the check-in counter. If there is difficulty with the system, information can be found there to correct the problem.

--Please arrive at the check-in desk at least 15 minutes before check-in opens for your assigned service.
--Smile. Be friendly. Remember, you are the “first face” of Momentum Church.

--For first time guests, have a runner show them to the appropriate classroom and introduce them to the teacher for that class.

--Please provide first time guests with the Mo Kid’s info brochure. This brochure will give them the contact information of all the ministry directors, information about the curriculum we use, our security policy, and how they can connect with us through social media.

--Please refer to the Food Allergy binder to ensure children with allergies are properly identified by a tag and color-coded sticker.
--If for some reason there is a delay and a family has to wait, apologize for the delay and engage them in some conversation while they wait. Most families will be understanding of the problem that causes them to wait, but few are tolerant of being ignored. Let them know that you are aware that they are waiting and that you are doing everything you can to expedite their check-in process.

Child Safety and Security Procedures

In order to provide safety and security to our children, the following procedures are in place for dropping off and picking up children from classes:

--Children will be given a nametag at check-in and parents or guardians will have the matching tag to show to a ministry leader when they come to check out their children from classes.

--Parents or guardians can hand their child across the gate to the nursery or toddler worker to reduce the amount of foot traffic on the carpet where children will be playing.

--All items should be labeled with a sticker tag of the child’s name and placed with their diaper bag.

--Many times upon arrival, tiny guests seem to experience a little anxiety when dropped off. If this persists past a 10-15 minute time period, notify an usher or sound technician to display the child’s security tag number on the sanctuary screen to notify the parents or guardians.

--A child cannot be released to anyone except the person with the corresponding nametag.

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

As a church, we take child abuse prevention seriously. Because of the nationally recognized Darkness to Light Stewards of Children mandatory training for all volunteers, Momentum Church is a child safe certified facility. We will not tolerate any form of abuse. Any allegation of abuse or molestation by parents, guardians, volunteers, or Momentum Church staff will be taken seriously and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities by the lead Children’s Coordinators and the lead Pastor. Volunteers and staff members are required to complete the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children training to know the signs of abuse. Georgia law requires anyone who works or volunteers at a child-serving agency to report suspected child abuse or neglect within 24 hours. Volunteers will report any suspected child abuse to the Children’s Coordinators and designated reporters Sarah and Cory Welch or the Lead Pastor Ross Wiseman. Do not confront the accused person or persons. Do not attempt to investigate the situation. The law protects mandated reporters, who report in good faith, even if the report is not substantiated. All reports are confidential and the reporter may remain anonymous, if they choose to do so. However, in some instances, the mandated reporter does not wish to remain anonymous and would like to be interviewed and/or serve as a resource for the child/family. DFCS is required to keep the reporter’s name confidential. You do not need every detail or all the information to make a report, simply reasonable suspicion. Here are some important resources:

Cherokee County DFCS

CPS Central Intake Center

1-855-422-4453

dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov

Anna Crawford Children’s Center

Cherokee County Child Advocacy Center

678-504-6388

cherokeechildadvocates.org

The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy

Georgia’s State Child Advocacy Center

678-904-2880

georgiacenterforchildadvocacy.org

Why We Do What We Do

Children learn more between birth and the age of 5 than they will the rest of their lives. During this crucial time, we want to give them a foundation that reflects the unending love of their Heavenly Father. In order to provide parents or guardians the opportunity to worship in confidence that their child is receiving excellent care, we will minister to His littlest ones with the following guidelines:

--Child to volunteer ratio will be a maximum of 4:1, with a minimum of two adults, age 18 and over, scheduled for all services.

--The minimum age for serving in kid’s ministries is 11 years old or 5th grade. To serve in nursery, as an assistant, the minimum age is 15 years unless specified as an exception.

Children who show signs of illness cannot be taken into our classrooms. Adhering to this policy protects the health of all the children in our ministry classrooms. We require children have been fever free for at least 24 hours before returning to the class. The following conditions would prevent a child from attending class:

-Fever

-Vomiting

-Diarrhea

-Pink Eye

-Common Cold

-Cloudy or green runny nose

-Persistent cough

-Sore throat

-Unknown rash

-Childhood illnesses; mumps, chicken pox, strep throat, or any other contagious illness.
--To avoid issues with allergies, children will only use their own, labeled bottles and be given their own snacks provided by the church. Children will not share snacks or drinks from one child to another.

We want every child that uses a diaper to go home clean and dry. To protect against the spread of germs, the following guidelines should be observed when changing diapers:
--Every child should be changed 10-15 minutes before the end of service.

--Wash hands or use a clean pair of gloves before and after changing each child
--Most parents send diapers/wipes for their child. There are supplies available in the diaper changing area if none are in the child’s diaper bag.

--Have everything assembled before placing a child on the changing pad. Never step away from a child on the changing pad.

--After changing the child and returning him or her to play, place the dirty diaper, wipes, and dirty gloves in the trash can and clean the changing pad with disinfectant. Use hand sanitizer.
--Remove trash bag containing the dirty diaper from the classroom and dispose in the bathroom or outside trash containers.

--Any “potty trainees” may visit the potty with the preschool class as they go. If an accident occurs and there are no extra clothes to change the child, please ask an usher or sound technician to display the child’s security tag number on the sanctuary screen to notify the parents or guardians.

--In the preschool class, restroom breaks are taken with at least two adults. An adult or teen volunteer should never accompany children alone to the restrooms.

Keeping everything clean is a major step in reducing the spread of germs or illness. These guidelines will help keep classrooms clean:

--The early service volunteers will make sure that all toys have been wiped off with a cleaning wipe before the end of class.

--Toys that were put in a child’s mouth need to be especially cleaned and put in a tub on the counter before another child plays with the toy.

Promotion Policy

Because our Sunday classrooms are planned to present God and His love for us in the most age appropriate way, we have a promotion policy in place that will allow our children to move smoothly between classrooms. This policy also lets the teachers plan appropriately for the number of children who will be attending weekly. As our children establish relationships with their leaders, these set promotion dates will allow the teachers to transition each child to the next level with love and purpose.

--Promotions will be held coinciding with the start of school each fall. Students who are entering middle school will be promoted from Momentum Kids to Empire Youth the first Sunday in August.

--Children entering K-5th grade will be promoted from preschool to the elementary class the first Sunday in August.

--Children in the toddler and nursery will be promoted quarterly, following their third birthday. Nursery promotions will take place the first Sunday in August, November, February, and May.

Discipline

While the majority of discipline issues can be avoided by providing a fun, engaging atmosphere for our kids, there are times when problems arise. Even when we don’t like what a child is doing, we always love the child. It is important to hold children accountable but never to be mean. Harsh or sharp correction is never appropriate. Consistent, calm correction is productive. When those times come, these guidelines provide the perspectives that we take on the issue of discipline.

--An adult’s attitude and conduct are contagious to the children they serve.

-- Kids learn as much from how we act as what we say.

--It is important to respond with God’s love, not our frustration.

--We correct calmly as we pray for guidance.
Before a child can be expected to obey the rules, they must know the rules.

--Each age will have no more than 3 simple rules.

--Each week, remind the children of the rules for their class.

--These rules will be dependent on the age/abilities of the children.
God has given individual children their own unique personality. That personality may respond differently to both the classroom setting and the discipline for that room. Consider these suggestions presented by Josh Boggs of RevKids:

--Strong-willed Children: may evolve into a discipline problem without guidance.

Preface a desired behavior in words that empower. Ex: “You can be in charge of cleaning up the block center.”

--Fun-loving Children: may be busy talking with friends and forget the rules. Usually respond well to warm, loving words about something enjoyable. You might say, “I wonder if we can get our area all cleaned up by the time I count to 10? Then we can play a game.”

--Calm, Peace-loving Children: may have problems making transitions between experiences. Respond best when you provide warnings and time to respond. Ex: “In five minutes we will be moving to a new activity.”

--Perfectionists: may have trouble because they get stuck emotionally or can’t do something just right. Respond well to encouragement. Ex: “I know you’re upset that those colors don’t match, but it’s a very beautiful picture.”

Techniques for Discipline

--Offer focused attention: children are sensitive to our methods and can tell when we’re under pressure. If you ignore, isolate, or yell at them, the problems escalate and nobody wins. The best solution is to stop and give them undivided attention.

--Move slowly and maintain eye contact. Look into children’s eyes and truly focus on them, just as Jesus did. Avoid turning your back on a child you’ve just disciplined otherwise you may have set yourself up for round two.

--Act detached from the deed, not the children. Don’t take the child’s misbehavior personally. When you speak, pray that God will give you the right words and tone of voice. Voices tend to go up when we are upset, which makes it harder for kids to take us seriously. Stair-step your voice down and use visual clues along with your words. As you state what you want the child to do, nod your head and smile. As you state what you don’t want them to do, shake your head “no.”

--Close the matter properly. Verify that the children understand you. Ask the kids to apologize to others involved, but realize they may not. Do not force apologies; repentance is a learned skill. Even if they don’t apologize, they will realize that you expect apologies to be given when they’ve hurt someone. Train children in the habit of apologizing and trust God to change their hearts.