Childcare
We serve children from birth up to pre-K through the door on the right at the front of the sanctuary.

Nursery & Toddlers: Nursery is primarily for children ages 0-2 during our whole worship service.

Pre-schoolers: We invite some toddlers and pre-schoolers to stay in the worship gathering during the music and prayer times and head for childcare during the community update (just before the sermon).

*Age divisions are flexible, please let us know how we can support you and accommodate your child if this structure does not work for them.

Worship is at the center of our community life at Salem Presbyterian Church. We welcome all in our worship service. Your children may chirp and squack during the service, but if you desire to keep your children in worship, they are welcome because when we baptize our children we claim them to be a part of our community just like the adults. Here is a link to verses in scripture that we are inspired by to include our children in the life of the church. For more details on our view of child discipleship and children in worship, click here for a document from our elders and here for a guide to keeping kids in worship. Of course circumstances are always fluid with kids. We want to make it clear that families struggling with these ideals are given much grace and the elders of the church are eager to meet with you to pray and support your family. If you feel like this is a daunting demand, please contact us because it is not meant to be so at all. We want what is best for your family. Please let us know if the elders can help by emailing Ben Milner. 

Music & Prayer: We hope children 2 & up can spend a little time in worship every week to see what church is like and witness worship and prayer to Jesus. We love having children come up to the front and watch the musicians, particularly at the end of worship.

Communion: Children who are baptized and profess faith should meet with an elder for a conversation about belief in Christ and we will celebrate as a church their profession and full membership in the body. There is no specific age recommendation or restriction for this.

Transitioning to worship: When children enter Kindergarten, we want to help parents integrate their children into the worship service. We are not naïve to how challenging this can be. The elders are happy to come and pray with a family, connect them with parents who have moved their kids into worship, and offer any other support available.

Also, consider bringing your kids to New to the Pew. If you have a child entering Kindergarten, this typically means they are aging out of childcare. New to the Pew is a short seminar before church helping orient kids and give vocabulary to parents about what is happening in the worship service.

For a broad examination of our view of worship, liturgy, and being an inclusive community for all ages, we recommend the book You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith.