Children, Youth, and Family Ministries

We invite, welcome and honor all people and nurture them to grow in faith and service with Christ.

Worship is for Everyone!
As a part of the King Avenue Family, it doesn’t matter if you’re 2 or 92, you should experience worship with your siblings in Christ. We include children in our worship services and invite them to participate as they are able in assisting with parts of the worship service each week. Children lead the congregation in our opening song, “Open Doors,” and are acolytes, readers, greeters and ushers. We invite our kids to partake in Communion with their families. Here at King Avenue, we are dedicated to teaching our children how to worship, what it means to live as Jesus did and that God loves them and their families for exactly who they are, no matter what!


Children & Youth Christian Education

Godly Play Sunday School - 10:00am
  • Godly Play: 4 yrs to K  (L4) 
  • Godly Play: 1st to 3rd grades (L5) 
  • Family Godly Play: up through 5th grade & caregivers (Chapel)
Children have an innate sense of the presence of God. The Godly Play approach helps them to explores their faith through story, to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual experience through wonder and play.  Based on Montessori principles developed using a spiral curriculum, the Godly Play method serves children through early, middle and late childhood and beyond.       

Youth  & High School Sunday School - 10:00am
  • NEW! Chrysalis Club: 4th to 5th grades (NEW classroom L4+) 
  • C.O.R.E. Youth: 6th to 12th grades (Donnenwirth)   
What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? Using discussion-based curriculum, our youth explore topics of discipleship and leadership while building authentic relationships within intentional community. Sunday School is a safe space and a brave space for both vulnerability and growth as youth develop their relationship with God.   


CORE Youth Center is a virtual place for youth! Are you looking for online faith resources for your youth (6th to 12th grades)? King Avenue UMC's Children and Youth Education Program created an inclusive and affirming website to fit this need. Think of this as a home base as you stretch, grow, and explore your faith and your identity as a Jesus follower. What you believe, think, and feel will change during your Middle and High School years. And your journey will not end when you graduate. Our faith journeys continue for our whole lives. Check out the CORE Youth Center here: https://sites.google.com/view/coreyouthcenter/home and contact Gwendolyn DeRosa at gwen@kingave.org if you would like to help create new content.




Faith Formation 
Sunday Worship Childcare, Birth – Age 3, Sundays from 8:45am – 12:15pm
We are happy to provide free, drop-in childcare for children birth - age 3 during worship on Sundays and during various church-sponsored events (as available). Our nursery is located on the Upper Level. Each child that spends time in the nursery with our trained childcare staff must be checked in through our secure, check-in system.  Children will sing songs, participate in creative play, read books, hear Bible stories, create art and get to know one another in a safe, comfortable atmosphere, that celebrates our diversity and the beautiful differences in our King Avenue families, while Parents and Caregivers attend worship. 

Worship Connections
  • 9:00am - 4 yrs to 3rd grade (L4)
  • 11:00am - 4 yrs to 3rd grade (L4)
  • NOTE - No Worship Connections on the First Sundays of the month (Communion), but join us for Family Communion Sundays!            
Children connect with God in so many different ways. Worship Connections is offered for a portion of both the 9am and 11am worship services for our younger children. During this worship time, children will experience the Bible through songs, stories, scriptures, crafts, and prayer.

Discipleship Program, Grades 4– 12, Sundays at 9am & 11am                             
Youth in grades 4-12 may assist teachers in Worship Connections on a rotating schedule (after training). The goals of this program are: spiritual maturity in the faith, responsibility and participation in the church, and building authentic relationships with other ages in the church community. 

Confirmation, Grades 6 – 7, Call Church Office for Current Session                            
Confirmation is the act of “confirming” or “saying yes” to one’s Baptism and to personally accepting God’s gift of love. At King Avenue, we offer a Confirmation program for 6-7th graders, which includes classes, field trips, guest speakers and service projects. Through the Confirmation program, which is taught by one of our youth directors and a pastor, young people are led to consider what it means to be a Christian and to reflect on their own relationship with God.

Serve as an Acolyte - If you are in 4th - 12th grade, you are invited to serve as an acolyte during 9am or 11am worship. Contact Erin Kendall at erin@kingave.org for more details.


Community & Fellowship  

Real People Real Parenting Small Group, Sundays at 10am
Each week will offer an opportunity to have a real-life discussion based on a topic, a podcast, an article, a guest speaker and your own experiences. Participants will have time to raise questions to other parents in the group, share challenges and celebrate victories. Most of all, this group will be there to support one another through the most awesome, sometimes bumpy, often hilarious, at times maddening, sort of exhausting, but absolutely exalting journey we call “parenting.” Discussion topics vary.

Fellowship for Children, Youth & Families                           
At King Avenue, we love to have fun together! Opportunities for fun and fellowship are coordinated year-round, so we can strengthen our community and celebrate each other in safe and welcoming environments for kids and families of all ages. Annual family activities include a summer session of VBS, Trunk or Treat, Christmas Caroling, an Easter Party, Columbus LGBT Pride March, End of Summer Fun Day at Camp Otterbein, movie nights, summer playdates and more! We also join together for service-based fellowship activities every other month to have fun and help others at the same time.                

Parents’ Evening Out, Parents with children birth – age 4 (plus siblings to age 9), Monthly... Dates Vary
Caregivers of infants, toddlers and preschoolers need a “time out” every now and then. KAUMC strives to nourish your soul spiritually. We also know that caregivers sometimes need time to care for their own physical and mental health, like when you’ve been up for 5 nights in a row or are feeling disconnected to your partner or just need a break. Frequently, we will host a Parents’ Evening Out during which we provide a couple of hours of affordable childcare for your family at the church while you hit your reset button.  

Youth Group & Youth Friday Fun Night, Grades 6 – 12, Monthly... Dates Vary
Friendships are made when you spend time together. Trust is built when you strengthen your friendships. Faith is cultivated and deepened when you surround yourself with friends that you trust and care about. We are dedicated to providing to our ‘tweens and teens at King Avenue a safe space to grow their friendships, be themselves, explore their faith and enjoy fellowship with other kids who share the same values and appreciation for diversity that they do. We welcome all kinds of kids from all kinds of families and situations to join in our crazy, fun and Jesus-loving group. 


Be Connected – Be Secure

REALM, our King Avenue connection tool, allows our congregants to receive targeted communications, interact with members of small groups or classes to which they belong, check personal giving, use the security check-in and event registration system for our children and much more! 

REALM is important for our kids and families.  You will log into REALM to access our children’s security check-in system, update contact information, complete medical forms, and make life-saving allergy information available to caregivers at King Avenue UMC. 

The safety and security of our children and youth is one of our highest priorities at King Avenue UMC. 

REALM is where you will register for children, youth and family programming like Parent’s Evening Out, Vacation Bible School and Youth social events.

We strongly encourage families with children up to age 18 to check-in their children with REALM every time they are at King Avenue UMC. This allows us to account for all children in the building, gives us quickly accessible contact information for parents in case of an emergency and can send specific messaging to families regarding event changes or reminders. 

All children participating in nursery care, Worship Connections or Sunday School must be checked-in to REALM and wear their nametag visible on their shirt.   Help us keep your kids safe - check in with REALM every time you are at King Avenue UMC!  

All volunteers and staff working with children under the age of 18 complete a required Safe Sanctuary safety and security program training and must pass a background check. 

Events and Announcements

Apr 7

CYFM Worship Sunday

All Day Event

King Avenue Digest 3/15/24

The Season of Lent: Ash Wednesday, February 14 – Holy Saturday, March 30 February 20/21 - March 26/27: Lenten Adult Faith Formation Class Filled to Be Emptied  - "Let …Read More


CYFM Worship Sunday

CYFM Worship Sunday Sunday, April 7  The children and youth of King Avenue are not just the future of our beloved congregation; they are the NOW of our ministry. Join us for normal Communion Worship at 9 am or 11 …Read More