Milestones Ministry at Southminster

Beginning this program year, Southminster will celebrate nine “milestones of faith” to mark significant ages and stages of a child’s spiritual journey. For these milestones, children or youth and their parents have opportunities to participate in educational events, family celebrations, and special times during worship. Parents are also supported with resources to use at home to support the learning that happens at church. 

Celebrating Baptism - Ages 0-3

In baptism we are claimed by God as a child of God and are welcomed into the family of faith. When children are baptized, the congregation promises to nurture them in the faith and share God’s love with them. 

Focus: Prior to baptism, families visit with one of the pastors to learn about baptism and ways to establish habits of faith at home. At baptism, or upon their family joining the church, each child will receive the Growing in God’s Love story Bible as a gift from the children of the congregation. 

Learning Together - Ages 3-4

Sunday School is the introduction to a life of learning from the Bible and the faith of others. Families discover ways to learn about faith at church and at home.      

Focus: Preschoolers are welcomed into Sunday School with a special kickoff class for children and parents together. 

Caring for Creation - Kindergarten - First Grade

Scripture begins by telling us that God is our Creator. We encounter God in the goodness of creation and are invited by God to help care for and tend creation. 

Focus: Children and their parents join in a special event to explore the stories of creation in Scripture and discover the wonders of creation around us. They are invited to participate in our retreat and camping ministry. 

The Lord’s Supper - Second and Third Grades

Children explore the meaning of the Lord’s Supper as a sign of God’s grace and learn about our practice of communion at Christ’s table where all are welcome.   

Focus: Second and third graders and their parents join in an educational event to deepen their understanding of the Lord’s Supper, including a guided celebration of the sacrament. 

Worshipping Together – Fourth and Fifth Grades

By learning about and participating in worship, children discover worship as a response to God’s grace and grow into full participants in our faith community. 

Focus: Fourth and fifth graders and their parents join in an educational event to learn more about our order of worship and discover ways to serve as a leader in worship as an acolyte, crucifer or liturgist. 

Studying God’s Word – Third Grade and Sixth Grade

Through Scripture, we come to know God’s love and grow in our understanding of our call as disciples. Children discover the stories and message of the Bible with age appropriate texts. 

Focus: In worship, third graders are presented with The Book of Belonging and sixth graders receive the CEB Student Bible. Growing in God’s Love will be given to any child preschool to to second grade who has not yet received it. 

Professing Our Faith: Confirmation – Seventh and Eighth Grades

Young people are invited to explore and articulate their faith and the meaning and practice of discipleship. They have the opportunity to seek baptism or confirm their baptismal covenant and become full members of the congregation. 

Focus: Through confirmation classes and a retreat, seventh and eighth graders engage with teachers, mentors, families and peers as they come to a deeper understanding of their faith and consider making a public profession of faith. 

Engaging with Christ and Others – Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Grades

Through Sunday School, youth group, retreats and conferences, students are invited to grow in their relationships with God and neighbors. 

Focus: Students deepen their faith through fellowship, worship, Bible study, and mission and volunteer service. 

Taking our Faith into the World: Graduation – Twelfth Grade

As they prepare to graduate from high school, our congregation commits to equipping our graduates to take their faith out into the world in all they say and do.

Focus: Seniors are honored during the Bright Sunday worship service toward the end of the school year.