lee ann Webster
Children's ministry Coordinator
leeann@resurrectionknoxville.com
The Children’s Ministry Coordinator is responsible for general oversight of Children’s Ministry at Resurrection Presbyterian as well as the Sunday morning volunteer coordinator. If you have any questions about Sunday nursery and/or volunteer scheduling, please do not hesitate to contact.
Jesus welcomed children to come to him. He valued them. Healed them. Blessed them. Loved them. We pray that the Lord uses Resurrection Presbyterian proclaiming Christ in the lives of children in Knoxville to reveal himself to them (Romans 10:17). The following is what we believe and will pursue in Children’s Ministry, trusting that God is the one that changes hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit.
“We teach our children to be undefiled and separate rather than to show mercy—then, when they grow up, we wonder why they find evangelism to be so difficult.”
Philosophy of Children's Ministry
Worship - Welcome - Wonder
Worship
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent." Colossians 1:16-18
The Church is our first family—our primary place of identity. We are all sons and daughters of the King. This theology of family affects how we come to children’s ministry—we are not merely “watching kids for an hour.” This is a time we believe the Lord is actively using to shape the next generation of believers (Psalm 78:2-7). We consider it a deep joy and privilege to be a part of the spiritual formation of the next generation of believers.
We believe in the authority of Scripture. Therefore, it is our priority that Scripture and knowledge of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ be at the heart of caring for children and for our children’s ministry. (2 Timothy 3:14-15, Jeremiah 15:16) We aim to teach our children the content and scope of Scripture in thoughtful, age-appropriate ways so that their hearts and worldviews are shaped by God’s word.
Welcome
"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." Romans 15:7
“But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 19:14
Resurrection Presbyterian seeks to welcome all. We are aware of the privilege it is to care for children, and we know that we are coming alongside parents and caregivers in the spiritual formation of children and hope to provide encouragement as we all live among children. It is our prayer that our children will be captured by the love of God that will never let go.
Knowing this privilege, we will welcome every child and are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for children. See Child Protection Policy for more information.
At Resurrection Presbyterian, we don’t assume the family unit is composed of only a mom, a dad, and children. This church is our family—composed of two-parent households, single moms, grandparents raising children, single men and women, etc. As Jamie Smith states in his book You Are What You Love, “...The church constitutes our ‘first family,’ which is both a challenge and a blessing. On one hand, it challenges yet another sphere of...autonomy in late modernity: the privacy of the family. On the other hand, it comes as a welcome relief: we don’t have to raise these kids on our own!” It is the job of the entire church body to help care in the nurturing and admonition of our children.
Because we view this work as part of the spiritual formation of our children, we are committed to creating an environment where both adults and children welcome the stranger by creating a hospitable environment for those children who are not members of our community. (Micah 6:8)
Wonder
“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" Exodus 15:11
We will anticipate that God is at work in the lives of the children of Resurrection Presbyterian. Praying that Jeremiah 15:16 would be true of them as they grow up in this body: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.”
We believe that children are an irreplaceable part of the Church. We will celebrate that they are entrusted to us, whether biologically or by faith through the Church. We also want to celebrate their ability to teach us adults how to wonder, as they are often much better at awe and wonder than we are.