fbpx

Hope Kids

Welcome! We are Hope Kids, where kids experience the awesomeness of God, gather in a setting designed just for them, and meet new friends!  The mission of Hope Kids is to walk alongside families in their faith walk, equipping children with knowledge of the word, confidence in their faith, and excitement to share the good news of Jesus with others.

Kids Sundays

Whether you are visiting us at our Brockport or Greece campus, we welcome children from 6 weeks – young walkers –  5th graders. Doors will open at 9:15 am for the 9:30 am service.  Greece Campus families, please plan to stay after service and enjoy the indoor Playcenter or outdoor playground as a family.

We split children into groups:

  • 6 weeks – young walkers
  • 2 years and preschool
  • K-3rd grade
  • 4th and 5th grade

What We're Learning

In the dark, a world of neon colors comes to life. Whether it’s the soft green of glow-in-the-dark stars or the bright colors of bioluminescent creatures, light can break through the darkness. When the world needed some light, God sent Jesus because he glows in the dark, and he can teach us how to shine with God’s light, too! In this five-week series through the Gospels, we’ll follow Jesus’ life leading up to Easter to see some of the ways he can shine bright in our lives. As we explore, we’ll see Jesus is the light in the darkness. We’ll also learn how we can choose Jesus and know God hears our cries while celebrating how Jesus died and rose again!

Monthly Hope Kids Bible Reading Plan

Each month we publish a very short Bible reading plan that goes alongside our lessons – helping your kids to dive into God’s Word for less than 5 min a day is helpful for them to learn how to look up verses, and to help you open a quick chat with your kids that doesn’t start with “so what did you do in church on Sunday” all the time!

Get it now

Lent

Lent is a great time to reset your family habits when attending church and doing family devotions. While PK is teaching the New Testament all year to adults, remember that Hope Kids are also studying the New Testament right now – and you can follow along in many ways with your kids:

You Version Kids App – “OK,” you ask, “more screen time???” Well, we like to meet kids where they are! If you have a preschooler to 4th Grader, this app might be perfect for them. A storytelling section focuses on 41 of the most significant Bible stories and engagingly tells them. Have your kid focus on the stories that lead up to Easter during Lent. Then, each section has interactive games and activities to get your kids thinking more about the Bible while they have fun. Learn more about YouVersion The Bible  App for Kids

 Follow us on FB and Instagram – we do our best to post engaging conversation starters, digging deeper ideas, crafts and fun! Interact with the posts you love so that we know, and we can post more like that!

Being Kids Challenge: A 40-Day Challenge to Be Like Jesus – This book is a great way to work with your kids to develop habits that will bring them closer to God. Hope Kids will soon have these books  at our Welcome Desks for the reduced price of $10. We recommend this book for families with kids in 3rd-6th grade

Upcoming Events

Sunday & Family Events

Indoor Playcenter at Greece Campus is open most Sundays from 10:30 am – 11:30 am. Socks & parental supervision are required.

Cooking Club

Kindergarten – 3rd Grade

Join us for a time of fun food, faith and friends!

Please sign up – space is limited.

10:30 am in the Red Room

April 21st SIGN ME UP

June 2nd SIGN ME UP

 

Open Play Days and HCPS Tours 

for toddler – 5th grade

bring your friends and your socks!

Playcenter, Preschool Tours, and Extra fun!

Stay tuned, April dates are coming soon.

4th & 5th grade events

Questions about 4th & 5th Grade Events? Call/email Laura Quant at laurali4620@yahoo.com or cell (585)-730-1596 

Muffin Meetup 

First Sunday of every month at the Greece Campus in the 4/5 space. Next one is 3/2/24!

It is an excellent chance for 4th and 5th graders to hang out and for their parents to get to know each other, ask questions about what we are teaching, and connect.

No sign-up is needed; just drop in!

4/21 Bowling

at Pleasure Lanes  144 South Ave, Hilton NY 14468

April 21st, 1:00 – 3:00 pm 

Cost: covered by Hope Kids

SIGN ME UP

Resources for Parents

Understand that from time to time, we will put pictures on Hope Church’s social media accounts (facebook, instagram), the website, and that staff may take pictures for such purposes however they will not save these photos.

After service, do you want to continue the discussion with your kids but don't know how to start?

  • What was your favorite part of church today?
  • What was the best song we sang?
  • Did anything pastor said stand out to you?
  • I learned ______________ today. It's wonderful how God is always teaching us new things.
  • Do you have any questions?
  • I have this question ______________. Let's find out the answer together.

WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO IN CHURCH?

Do you kids ask questions such as "Why do we sing? Why do we pray? Why do some people lift their hands when they sing?"  Good questions! Parents, we've got your backs. Click here

Do your children love to pray?Like, are they excited about prayer? Prayer is an incredible privilege because it’s communication with the living God! Yet many kids have the prayer doldrums and struggle to pray in a way that’s heartfelt and meaningful. And here's the really bad news… Many times, it is we, the adults, who are keeping children from developing vibrant prayer lives. Ouch!

If you want to help children embrace the amazing gift of prayer and renew their excitement about communication with God...

STOP TRYING TO FORCE THEM INTO A COOKIE-CUTTER PRAYER MOLD.

You see, there are many different styles of prayer. And there are different styles of kids.
It's very likely that each child will relate to God according to their unique design and bent.
 An introverted, idea-oriented child, for example, may feel more comfortable expressing thoughts to God in a journal rather than praying aloud in a group. 

  • A highly kinesthetic child who is full of energy may respond well to prayer-walking, music and dance prayers, or "popcorn prayers". 
  • A tactile learner may like to express prayers through doodling, scribbling, painting, or play-dough or foil sculpting. 
  • A visually oriented child may enjoy praying with Skittles or M&M’s where each color represents a different prayer concern.


If we try to squeeze children into the prayer model that doesn't align with their design, they may become discouraged and eventually lose any desire to talk to God.

An excerpt from We Are KidMin at One Reason Kids Won't Pray and What You Can Do About It.

Remember, our goal is not to raise copycats. What’s the use of getting kids to say words copying someone else's prayer style? Trying to imitate another person’s style of praying may very well end up being a “Saul’s armor!”

In 1 Samuel 17, we read about young David preparing to face the Philistine giant, Goliath. Remember how King Saul urged the young shepherd boy to don the royal armor when he challenged Goliath? Imagine how awkward, uncomfortable, and even silly David felt as he tried to maneuver in the clumsy stuff. Young as he was, David had the wisdom and the boldness to throw it off, saying, “I cannot go in these… I am not used to them” v. 39.

Although this passage is not specifically about prayer, it is a good analogy for what we do to our children when we fail to train and equip them according to their spiritual design. Let us remember that our goal is to introduce children to many different styles of connecting with God, and encourage them to discover a personal way to commune with God.

 

WRITTEN BY
Kristen Lisemby Rosener from Christianparenting.org

Half of all children in the United States will witness the ending of a parent’s marriage. Of this half, close to 50% will also see the breakup of a parent’s second marriage.

Studies show that the effects of a broken home on children are serious, ranging from depression and lower grades in school to indulging in self-harm and substance abuse. If you’re like me, that makes you tremble.

My three little ones are living a life I did not ever anticipate them living. Coming from a home with parents who have been married almost 40 years to date, I’ve been completely clueless as to how to help children understand what they shouldn’t have to understand when I don’t understand it myself.

If you are in a similar boat and struggle in helping your children and reaching their hearts when the home has been splintered, below are five practical tips that are helping me and my kiddos as we walk this journey.

Five ways to walk in this journey:
1. Prioritize safety
Expect long days and nights of nightmares and random outbursts of anger and crying. Expect clingy, expect lots of insecurity and everything else in between.

In light of this, make your home a safe haven. Make it a priority to build a nontoxic environment that is open and peaceful. Build a relationship with your children that assures them they are heard, validated, and loved unconditionally and individually.

Let them share their deepest fears, and let them reminisce and process the grief. Make sure they see you are with them and that every single thing that hurts them matters to you. Establish a routine and prioritize the safety of their hearts.

  1. Be transparent
    Children can sniff out deception. Be real and vulnerable with your children. Don’t overload them with information they have no business knowing about, and don’t weigh them down with your fears and burdens—but do cry with them. Do laugh with them. Do show them that it is painful for you also and that God weeps, too.

You can show your children the truth in a healthy, age appropriate way without sharing adult issues with little ones. Showing them that you are needy for God’s help and you are hurting with them goes a long way in not only pointing them to Christ as our source, but bonding with you as well.

  1. Let them be creative
    In therapy, I watched the counselor use everyday things in a way that soothed and helped my kids. Take balloons and blow all your frustrations and feelings into the balloon. Take crayons and paper and make a feelings book. Put glitter in a bottle and shake it and give your child the amount of time to vent while the glitter settles.

I made a “feelings house” for my son—took a cutout of a boy and we would put the paper-boy in whatever “room” he currently felt he was in (sad, scared, angry, happy, etc.). Spend time showing your children you care about their healing by not only helping them in creative ways, but making it fun, too.

  1. Get outside
    Nature therapy is a thing we pursue regularly. Take your kids outside and teach them how to ground themselves in God’s creation. Point out the birds and squirrels. Have them stop and close their eyes and feel the wind and listen to the leaves blowing across the ground.

Have them climb rocks and trees and feel the grass. Go outside and let them run the pain out and climb the heartache out. When a home breaks, children often feel trapped in an invisible prison. Getting outside and allowing them to feel wild and free does wonders for the body, the mind, and the soul.

  1. Have special things
    We have special books, special songs, special routines and special blankets/toys. Find the song that best soothes their little hearts. Find a book you can read over and over. Keep their special blanket or stuffed animal or toy close by and maintain a solid routine so they can feel secure. When a family has been splintered, they need as many things as possible to feel comforted. So watch them closely and pick out special things that make them smile and soothes their anxiety.

Our Ultimate Healer
Keep in mind that useful tools are a blessing, but ultimately the healer is where healing is found. The comforter is where we find comfort. The one who never changes is where we find our security and solace. Do all you can (pray, love, study, work) and then leave the rest in the sufficient hands of our God. You and your children are safe under his wing. 

Gospel Adventures Show is a podcast  full of Gospel truths that are communicated in ways that are appropriate and understandable for children.  You can Iisten to all of the Gospel Adventures Show Podcasts.

I'm New

Welcome to Hope Kids! Take a few minutes to browse our page to see what we are about. We are always here, every Sunday at 9:30am!  I am happy to chat with you about Hope Kids.
Please email me, the Program Director of Kids Sunday, at BeckyKilbride@sharethehope.org

Connect With Us

Come join our Facebook and Instagram community!

Ministry Team Leader: Becky Kilbride

Hope Christian Preschool

Our mission is to provide a God-centered education in a secure setting, in a space designed just for kids.

Hope Kids

Where kids experience the awesomeness of God and gather in a setting designed just for them and meet new friends!

Hope Youth

We walk with students in grades 6 to 12, discipling them in faith, life, and mission.
Adult Opportunities

Adult Opportunities

You were made for community. We have many options available. Find something that’s right for you!

Hope Groups and Bible Studies

A place to connect and grow with others and in your relationship with God.

Care & Support

In the midst of our joys and struggles, we do not have to walk alone. No matter what you are facing, we want to give you opportunities to find freedom and hope.