The purpose of this ministry is to build up our young men and women spiritually, emotionally and socially. We do this through classes which are held Sunday mornings, at the same time as the church service. Instruction is given by strong disciples of Christ in a way that the preteens enjoy learning about spiritual truths that are pertinent to their lives. We accomplish this through Bible study, songs, acting, art projects, stories, and older students sharing from their experiences. Often we see the same teachers volunteer for the classes each session, which gives the children a sense of continuity.

Another way we inspire our children is through fun monthly events hosted by parent volunteers. Through these events, the preteens are able to build closer friendships outside the classroom environment. Most of the events are held on Saturday or Sunday afternoons and often include the whole family. There are times when we will have an overnight event, like our annual camping trip. During these outings, we have many adults to supervise our children. We try to give information about upcoming events by handing out notices at class, e-mailing parents and making postings on the church web page. During the summer months our preteens have the great opportunity to participate in a summer camp hosted by the Chicago Church of Christ. This camp is spiritually focused and brings together children from all over the Midwest for fun and spiritual growth.

Our preteens are entering a stage of life where the world will be pulling at their innocence. We take this seriously, and want our preteens to have the tools and relationships to navigate the teen years with success. Thankfully, we have an excellent teen ministry which the kids transition into in the 7th grade. Our ultimate goal is to have our children with us in Heaven.

Our Lord Jesus said,