Children's Ministry

In the Orange Park Methodist Church Nursery, we are committed to providing a loving atmosphere with responsible, safe, and healthy care for your child, while promoting his or her spiritual growth. Our Nursery is housed in the Adult Education Building (Building 6) in Room 6105. The Nursery is open Sunday mornings from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. 

It is easily reached from Reid Street and from the Main Campus Parking Lot. The nursery provides care for infants through pre-kindergarten children on Sunday Mornings and during most church activities.

Our Sunday School program is set up on a developmental basis according to the age of your child. All Sunday School Classes for children meet during the Sunday School hour which is 9:30 AM for all ages. During the Sunday School hour, children will learn about Jesus through a lesson and fellowship. Sunday School classes are provided for children who are in kindergarten through sixth grade. K - 3rd Grade is located in Fellowship Hall (Building 7). 4th - 6th Grade is located in the Adult Education Building (Building 6) Room 6204.

Every Sunday Morning during our Traditional Worship Service at 11:00 AM we hold a special Children’s Worship for our Kindergarten through sixth grade children in the Fellowship Hall (Building 7) on Reed Street. Although children are always welcome in any worship service, the Children’s Worship Service provides a more casual and relaxed service for our children.

Sunday Nights

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4:30 - 4:55 PM
Drop Off/ Game
(Fellowship Hall Bldg. #7)

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5:00 - 5:25 PM
Craft or Activity
(Fellowship Hall Bldg. #7)

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5:30 - 6:00 PM
Carol Choir
(Music Center Bldg. #2)

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6:00 - 6:30 PM
Dinner ($5)
(FLC GYM Bldg. #5)

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6:30 - 7:30 PM
Bible Lesson & Activity
(Fellowship Hall Bldg. #7)

Sunday Nights

​

4:30 - 4:55 PM
Drop Off/ Game
(Fellowship Hall Bldg. #7)

​

5:00 - 5:55 PM
Bible Lesson & Activity
(Fellowship Hall Bldg. #7)

​

6:00 - 6:30 PM
Dinner ($5)
(FLC GYM Bldg. #5)

​

6:30 - 7:30 PM
JAM Choir
(Music Center Bldg. #2)

During Confirmation class, confirmands learn about the history of Christianity, teachings of the Methodist Church and an explanation of the baptismal and membership vows. Although older children may participate, the Confirmation class is offered specifically to sixth graders each year. In addition to classroom instruction the class goes on various fieldtrips each year. One is a mission trip to the Methodist Children’s Home in Enterprise, FL. Confirmands also participate in a Spring Retreat with the OPMC Youth Program. Dates are from September - May of each year in the Children's Education Building (Building 4) Room 4224.

Parent’s Night Out is a wonderful time of crafts, games, dinner and a movie that occurs on a Friday Night once a month. This event provides parents four hours of personal time from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM while their children have a fun time of fellowship.

Kid’s Camp is a single day version of our summer Vacation Bible Camp that is held on teacher planning days. This ministry is a full day program from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.  Kids will be served breakfast, lunch, two snacks and will be taken on a Field Trip in the afternoon. This ministry experience is for kids in VPK through 6th grade.

This worship experience takes place on Christmas Eve at 5:00 PM each year. It is one of our most popular services with as many as 400 attending the service to see the children as they depict that very first Christmas with Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, and all the characters including the animals. And, of course, every child has a part ranging from camels to kings to the holy family.

One of the highlights for our children each year is the annual Easter Egg Hunt. It is a special event that will include a professional photographer to photograph your child with the Easter Bunny, a bounce house, and a traditional Easter Egg Hunt for your child that is age appropriate.

Every October we hold a Trunk or Treat event which is an alternative to traditional trick or treating. This occurs after a common meal for all the families, and then the traditional Trunk or Treat procession followed by activities on the playground including a bounce house. All of this takes place within a secure environment that is controlled by local law enforcement.

In July, we have our annual Vacation Bible Camp for children 4 years old through entering 6th grade. This is a full day program from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday. This is a program that is by reservation only and reaches its maximum enrollment of 150 children each year. VBC provides various classes including crafts, music, Bible, etc. in the morning and field trips in the afternoon. In the past field trips have included the Jacksonville Zoo, the Alligator Farm, Marineland, the Theater, etc.

Our Acolyte Program gives our children an opportunity to experience worship that is quite different from Children’s Worship. It, like confirmation, provides a rite of passage from children’s worship to regular worship. It is a very important and symbolic tradition in the Methodist Church as it gives our children a chance to serve in the services of worship. Acolytes’ responsibilities include lighting the candles and helping with offering and communion.

Our children are taught God’s Word through scripture in Sunday School and in Children’s Worship. An important tradition within our church is to present them with their first Bible from their church family in third grade. During this year the teachers provide special instruction concerning the Bible in Sunday School.