Children

Welcome to Kids@Canterbury

We are so glad you are here! We strive to be a place of real grace, real love, in the midst of real life. By partnering with parents, we seek to grow together in Christ, creating a faith that lasts through worship, study, and missions.

Age Groups
Children's Events
2026 – 2027 Calendar

Sunday and Wednesday Information

  • Sunday Mornings
    SundayNursery Care & Sunday School

    Nursery Care:
    A nursery is offered during worship and the Sunday school hour for children ages 6 weeks through 4 years beginning at 8:15am on Sunday mornings. The Nursery is located on the 2nd floor and is open through the end of all worship services.

    *Kindergartners are promoted to worship and are no longer in nursery care.

    Sunday School:
    Preschool: 2K Sunday School (2nd Floor)
    Preschool: 3K-4K (2nd Floor)
    Elementary: 5K-3rd Grade (2nd Floor)
    RISE: 4th-6th Grade (2nd Floor)

    Please check your child in at the Kids Check-In Station located on the 2nd floor next to the Adult Resource Library.

  • Wednesday Nights
    Wednesday6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

    Kids at Canterbury Wednesday Nights 2026 – 2027
    All kids@Canterbury are invited to be a part of Wednesday night discipleship! Programming begins at 6pm and ends at 7pm in the Children’s Ministry area. Please check your kids into their classes on your way to drop them off for all the fun!

    Our schedule will be as follows:

    Joyful Noise: A baby and parent music experience from 6-6:30 in our children’s music room.
    Come for singing, dancing, and fun for the happiest 30 minutes of your week.

    3K-5K
    6-6:30 PM Kids will meet for Bible Study and an activity in room 209.
    6:30-7 PM Kids will sing in room 211.

    1st – 3rd Grade
    6-6:30 PM Kids will play games.
    6:30-7 PM Kids will meet for Bible Study and an activity in room 209.

    RISE 4th-6th grades
    6-7 PM Rise kids will meet for Bible Study and activities in room 208.
    Note: on the first Wednesday of each month, they will travel to Brookdale to connect with Canterbury’s seniors.

    NURSERY for ages 6 weeks – 4 years is available on Wednesday evenings exclusively for parents who are participating in a Bible Study.

    Questions? Please email Eleanor Christiansen at eleanor.christiansen@canterbury.org.

    *Note: Registration for nursery can be found on the Adult Discipleship Registration page.

Age Groups

  • Nursery

    Nursery is provided for children 6 weeks through 4 years of age for all regularly scheduled worship services. Our paid nursery staff are prepared to provide a nurturing environment for your child and are also trained in life-saving measures.

    Sunday Morning:
    Grouped by age, your child will be cared for by loving nursery staff members. Canterbury uses a computer check-in system as part of our Safe Sanctuary Policy and can be found at the Kids’ Check-in Station on the 2nd floor of the children’s building for Sunday morning nursery.

    Wednesday Night:
    During the school year, the nursery is provided for children two and under whose parents are participating in Wednesday night studies or activities from 5:15 to 7 PM.

    The Nursery is located on the 2nd floor of the Children’s Building. If you have questions about the Nursery, please contact Breana Stallings (breana.stallings@canterburyumc.org).

  • Preschool Ministry

    Preschool ministry is for 2K, 3K, 4K children. We teach children they are loved by God and their church family, the Bible is an important book, prayer is how we talk to God and the importance of serving others is pleasing to God. Sunday school classes are led by dedicated volunteers and staff members. We would love the opportunity to be in ministry with your child and hope to welcome your family into our community of faith.

    Sunday Mornings
    2K – 4K | 9:15-10:15 AM

    Sunday School classes meet on the second level of the Children’s Building.

  • Elementary Ministry

    Elementary ministry at Canterbury is for kindergarten through 6th-grade children. In elementary ministry, we welcome, engage, and teach your child about the love and grace freely given by God. Our Sunday morning includes large group fellowship followed by small group Sunday school classes led by dedicated volunteers and staff members. We would love to come alongside your elementary student in ministry and to welcome your family into our community of faith at Canterbury.

    Sunday Mornings
    9:15-10:15 AM

    Sunday School classes meet on the second level of the Children’s Building.

  • RISE Ministry

    Kids@Canterbury understands the transition from Elementary School to Junior High can be challenging. We believe 4th, 5th & 6th graders benefit from learning and having fun separately from our Elementary age children. RISE Ministry allows them their own space and their own programs to form stronger bonds before they enter Junior High.

    Sunday Mornings
    Sunday School meets from 9:15-10:15 AM each Sunday morning.

    Wednesday Nights
    6:00-7:00 PM
    RISE students will meet in the Rise room for Bible study and fellowship. Note: on the first Wednesday of each month they are planning to travel over to Brookdale to connect with some of Canterbury’s seniors.

     

Events

  • 5K Milestone
    August 239:15AMCovenant Room

    Faith Milestones are a chance for the church to celebrate exactly who your child is right now and connect that to important parts of our faith practices here at church. It is a great opportunity for you to have guided faith conversations with your kiddo and get to know some of the other families who are doing life with you here at Canterbury!

    We are so excited to see you and your Kindergartner at our 5K milestone on Aug 23rd. We will be learning all about worship, including a scavenger hunt in our worship spaces!

    Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

    This is a parent & me event.

  • 3rd Grade Milestone
    September 13, 20269:15 – 10:15 AM & 10:30 AM Worship ServiceSanctuary

    We are looking forward to seeing you and your 3rd grader at our milestone on September 13. We will present Bibles to each 3rd grader individually during the Sunday School hour and follow that presentation with a teaching session on how to use your Bible. We welcome not only parents, but other family members as well to bear witness to this moment in your 3rd grader’s life. We will continue our celebration of these 3rd graders with their church family during worship as their church blesses these Bibles and the hands that hold them during 10:30 worship. It will be a wonderful day!

    Please RSVP so that we will have your child’s Bible and study guide ready for them.

  • 4K Faith Milestone
    October 49:15 AM – 10:15 AMCovenant Room

    We are so excited to see you and your 4K child on October 4 at 9:15 in the Covenant Room. We will be learning about prayer and how it helps us feel connected to God’s heart.

    Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

  • Dad & Me Day
    October 18, 20264pm

    On Oct 18th at 4pm, kids and their dads are invited to a special day together with other friends from Canterbury for the last home game of the season for the Legion! The Legion will be playing Loudon FC and it is the Legion’s fan appreciation night, so there will be extra fun to be had together!

    Here are some highlights for the night:

    Cost: $20 a person

    The first 22 kids that register will be designated as Junior Captains and can walk out on the field with the players during the national anthem.

    Canterbury ticket holders will be invited onto the field with the players during warm ups.

    We’ll hear our Canterbury crew get a shout out on the Jumbotron during the game.

    So kids, bring your dad, grandpa, favorite uncle or other important guy along for our Dad & me night out together. We can’t wait to be with y’all!

  • Rise Connect Fall Retreat 2026
    October 23 – 24Camp Sumatanga

    WELCOME BACK FALL!

    Let’s go for a 24 hour overnight retreat with some area UMCs to Camp Sumatanga! We will worship, hike, play and hang out together for some time to connect with each other and with God.

    DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Oct 1 for Canterbury priority registration, final deadline is Oct 10th.

  • 1st Grade Faith Milestone
    November 1, 20269:15am – 10:15amCovenant Room

    We are so excited to see you and your 1st grader at our 1st grade milestone on Nov 1. We will be learning about baptism and how it helps us understand how much God loves us.

    Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

  • Canterburychella
    November 11, 2026

    We are excited to host Canterburychella, a morning with Chuck and Lily here at the church to give your family a fun place to dance and sing together. Feel free to invite a neighbor for the fun!

  • Baby Milestone | Faith Begins at Home
    December 6, 20269:15am – 10:15amCovenant Room

    We are so excited to see you and your baby at your first milestone for them on Dec 6. We will be talking about what daily faith practices you’d like to establish in your home and will make a special handprint ornament to remember this sacred time you are experiencing with your little one. We will have space devoted to letting our littles roam about and play while we talk!

    Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

Children’s Choir

  • More about Children’s Choir

    Choir is available for children 3K through 3rd grade. The choirs meet during Wednesday night activities and have opportunities to sing as a group during Sunday morning services.

  • Children’s Choir 3K-5K

    3K-5K

    Children ages 3K, 4K and 5K will learn songs in unison, play with age-appropriate instruments, and are encouraged to fully engage with music in a warm and creative environment.

  • Children’s Choir 1st-3rd Grade

    1st-3rd Grade

    Children in 1st-3rd grade learn songs with simple harmonies, are given instruction in music fundamentals and learn to work together as a choir.

Highlights

  • Safe Sanctuary

    Our church is committed to providing a safe environment for every child that enters our doors. Our paid staff and volunteers are trained and have a current background check to help us establish safe leadership in our classrooms. Additionally, we will have at least two adults serving in every room to create a warm and healthy space for our kids. You will find the doors to our space to be secured, so that we can follow safety guidelines like what is present in your child’s school.

    Check in stations with welcoming staff are present on the 2nd floor by the library and on the 1st floor inside the exterior door the children’s building. You may also show your guardian tag to our welcome staff at the main desk where you can gain entrance to the secure space if needed. We want every child to know they are safe and welcome in God’s house.

Let’s Connect

Eleanor Christiansen

Director of Children’s Ministries 205-871-4695

Breana Stallings

Assistant Director of Children’s Ministries 205-871-4695

Maddie Moravek

Assistant Director of Children’s Ministries 205-871-4695

Social Media

We post frequently to both our Instagram and Facebook pages, and we would love for you to follow along! You’ll find pictures from events, news about upcoming events, and more on these pages.

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