Children's Ministries at Highlands

Children are loved and celebrated at Highlands!  Children’s Ministries include weekly Sunday school and children's choir, a day-camp style Vacation Bible School each summer, regular service projects that support our Community Ministries, a Christmas Pageant, and more!   Scroll to the bottom of the page for information on our upcoming children's events. 

For more information, contact:
Children's Coordinator,  Mary Elizabeth Neal
Lead Atrium Catechist, Lauri Soong

Nursery (Ages 0-3)

A quality church nursery is available for children ages birth to 3 years old both during Sunday School (9:30 a.m.) and worship (10:30 a.m.). The nursery is located in Room 117 on the 1st floor of the Education Building and is coordinated by Kristin Harper.  An usher will be happy to direct you.

Nursery is provided each Sunday morning for worship and Sunday School. If you need a nursery for evening worship services, weekday evening programs, Bible studies, church council or committee meetings, or other special events held at the church, please make a reservation with Kristin Harper at least one week in advance.

Atrium (Ages 3-11)

Children’s Sunday School at Highlands United Methodist Church follows the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  This children’s faith formation program is rooted in the Bible, liturgy, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. Children gather in the Atrium, a room prepared for them, which contains simple, yet beautiful materials used to help them absorb the most essential elements of the Christian faith. This sensory-rich experience for children ages 3 to 12 provides an opportunity to grow in love and knowledge of God through the Christian tradition.

In the Atrium, a child can ponder a biblical passage or a prayer from the liturgy by working directly with materials from that that text - placing wooden sheep in a sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, setting sculpted apostles around a Last Supper table, or preparing a small altar with the furnishings used for Communion. Older children often copy parables from the Bible, place written prayers in order line by line, or label a long timeline showing the history of the kingdom of God.

The Atrium is located in rooms 217, 219, and 220 on the second floor of the Education Building.  To schedule a visit to the Atrium, contact Reggie Holder or Lauri Soong.

Learn more about Atrium

Safe Sanctuaries at Highlands

A central tenet of our Christian faith is the inherent value and worth of all children, youth and vulnerable adults. Because of our commitment to protecting all who participate in our programming, Highlands abides by a Safe Sanctuaries policy, specifically designed to protect children, youth, vulnerable adults, church staff members, and volunteers associated with the activities of the church.

Sing Along with the Atrium

One way that we learn about The Good Shepherd in the Atrium is through song. This playlist contains some of our favorite Atrium songs and more!

Upcoming Children's Events

Atrium Sunday School: Sundays starting at 9:30 a.m.

Children's Choir: Meets during Atrium on non-communion Sundays