Our family joined First Baptist in August of 1991. Our two little girls, Katie age 6, and Emily age 4, immediately became part of the children’s ministry and took part in all of the wonderful activities which were under the ministerial leadership of Tina Newberry. I was very happy to find a place of service working with children’s choirs which was and continues to be a part of ministry near and dear to my heart. Our girls thrived in the children’s ministry! They took part in Sunday School, Wednesday night Music and Missions, Bible Drill, and the numerous special events which were offered. David and I look fondly on the many years that we taught second grade Sunday School together and I think about all the children who passed through our class during those twelve years. Some are still part of First Baptist as adult now. As Katie and Emily grew in their older elementary years, they were blessed to have Karen Hangartner as their children’s minister. Karen had a gift of forming relationships with children and these were special times! Some of our best memories were when we all went as a family to Crosspoint summer camp! Time moves on and now we are in our second generation in the children’s ministry. Our four grandchildren, Isaac, Carleton, Corder, and Ephraim (children of Katie and Noah Hoppe-McQueen), are now part of the Children’s Ministry at First Baptist. I loved having the opportunity to be the three-year-olds Sunday School teacher for Corder, Carleton, and Ephraim and to have Isaac in Children’s Choir and Music Camp! Now I am having many second generation FBC children in both Sunday School and Children’s Choir and to have my own four grands as part of the mix is a double blessing! Whether they are my own or those of others, watching the children of FBC grow in their relationships at church is the heart of the ministry. The ultimate joy is seeing these children come to the place in their lives where they choose to become followers of Jesus. This new children’s space will be part of the foundation for many to build a life-long, eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope I will be around to see the next generation grow into the Kingdom of God!
