Capture a child’s heart and their mind will follow. 

As children enter our doors, our primary focus is LOVE.  Experiencing the love that God provides, while feeling connected, helps each child grow spiritually. Once that spirit is captured it becomes easy to see their place in God’s world while beginning to spread their own special kind of love to others.

Sunday School at Southwood

photo: Sunday School student

What does Sunday School look like?

We offer Sunday School at the 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00 AM worship hours for children ages 3 years old through 5th Grade. Children first gather in age-appropriate classrooms at the beginning of each hour then join other classes for our Large Group experience. In Large Group we sing songs and tell the Bible story in an engaging style. Back in the classroom we focus on connecting the Bible point of the day with interactive crafts, games and lively discussion.

Sunday School Details

Sunday School Spring Outreach

photo: students at Uswaa English Medium Academy in Tanzania

Sunday School Spring Mission Project

Let's Stock the Shelves for the Food Bank of Lincoln!

This Spring we will be collecting food and offerings for our friends at the Food Bank of Lincoln which serves 16 counties in Southeast Nebraska. An estimated 48,000 people are food insecure, including over 13,000 children. This means 1 in 8 children may not have reliable and consistent access to enough food to live active, healthy lives. 

Let’s line our lower level shelves with these most needed items:

  • Tuna and other canned meats
  • Canned fruits and vegetables
  • Peanut butter
  • Macaroni and cheese and other boxed dinners
  • Brown rice and long-grain white rice (not instant)
  • 100% fruit juice
  • Low-sugar, whole grain cereals
  • Healthy snacks (granola bars, nuts, dried fruit)

Donate

Special Events

photo: students in boat

Vacation Bible School

The best part of the year is the first two full weeks in June - VBS!

VBS Details

photo: advent festival 2022

Advent Festival

Kick off the season of Advent with a festival for kids! 

Advent Festival Details

photo: Summer Children's Message

Summer Children's Message

Although we take a break from Sunday School in the summer, we delight in calling the children up at a special time during Worship. So many things to discuss and delightful children’s thoughts to witness—we all end up learning so much more about our wonderful God!

Faith Milestones

Birth

To celebrate these precious gifts from the Lord a pewter crib cross is provided to new parents with a special blessing. We also announce new babies and adopted children in our Sunday bulletin.

1st Birthdays are so special!

Parents will receive a birthday card in the mail around their child's first birthday, congratulating them on this milestone. Parents can bring this card to Education Station to pick up a faith-filled board book to celebrate being a part of God’s family!

2nd Birthday

Parents can mark this milestone by giving their 2-year-old their first Bible. This is a beautiful Storybook Bible that is used in our Sunday School so that children will already be familiar with the stories when they start at age 3.

It’s Sunday School time!

To create an easy and fun transition, 3-year-old’s and their parents are invited on a very special scavenger hunt to learn about the church and the Education area prior to fall Sunday School kick off!

Preschool through Kindergarten First Communion Workshop

We welcome all to Holy Communion and recognize that children of all ages can grow in their relationship with Jesus by communing with their family. By providing a First Communion class created specifically for young children and their parents, a family can make the decision as to when their child is ready to begin communing. Classes are held biannually.

Elementary First Communion Workshop

The conversation continues to introduce young children to Holy Communion with its welcoming message: there's a place for you! Created specifically for Elementary-aged children, this class explores the holy meal by actually making the communion bread, tasting the wine and discovering more about what it means to commune. Classes are held biannually.

3rd Grade Bible Workshop

As children enter the 3rd Grade, a workshop for children and their parents will help them begin to navigate the Bible and all of the beautiful wisdom it inspires. At the completion of the workshop, they are gifted the Colaborate Lutheran Student Bible that we ask they bring with them to Sunday School.

5th Grade Blessing Celebration

On the last day of Sunday School, we will celebrate our graduating Elementary children as they take the next step into Confirmation. Parents are welcome to join us as we will have a special blessing for these children of God!

Faith Milestones

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Children & Family Ministry Staff

Deb Raatz

Director of Children & Family Ministry

office: 402-423-5511