Annual Report 2023-2024-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 26
Safety and Space Committee:
Led by Rachel Bruns, tackled several projects. They partnered
with Plymouth communication specialist Elsie Brault to design
indoor banners to highlight check-in areas; reorganized our first
floor storage space; re-assembled the climbing structure for our
child care room; partnered with the Deacons to create a more
cohesive communication plan for Sunday mornings; worked
with Samantha to enhance classrooms and to re-envision the
Children’s Library into a Godly play room, as well as initial
planning to repurpose the Children’s Chapel into a cozy reading
and quiet space (in progress); and made several modifications to
our churchwide safety policy that was submitted in April to the
Executive Council for approval. Pastor Melody and Samantha
continued to enhance our family-friendly space in Waveland
Hall so that Sunday fellowship provides ways for our young ones
to enjoy activities while their parents visit, and continued to
upkeep and refresh our kids’ cart in the sanctuary, to provide
quiet in-seat activities so their parents can focus more fully on
worship. We continued to provide a childcare room (12 weeks to
5yrs old) during 9 a.m. worship and two nursing and quiet rooms.
Fellowship Committee:
• Our Whole Lives (OWL) Sexuality Education: Amazing
group of dedicated and passionate facilitators brought back all
four programming levels (Grade levels: K-1, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12)
and included parallel parent programming. A huge thanks to:
Erin Davison-Rippey, Barb Godwin, Amy Howells, Jen Jensen,
Shayla McCormally, Anna Osborn, Brigit Stevens, and Jen
Wigton. Our students will be better prepared to make informed
decisions about their sexuality, relationships, health, and
behaviors. And their parents will have more tools to hold
important conversations around these topics.
• Confirmation: Pastor Melody strengthened the confirmation
experience by providing a sitting pastor to direct the
programming. Our board stepped up to provide funding for
a weekly communal meal to make it easier for busy students
to feel nourished before programming. Melody maintained
the well-loved components of service and fellowship nights,
while providing guidance in Bible teachings for 7th graders
(with the help of Brian Leckrone) as well as providing 8th
graders insights into a broad range of topics ranging from the
UCC structure, and tenets of our faith in worship and in action.
Thanks to the parent guides that walked alongside these
youth on their faith journey.
• Vacation Bible School (VBS): VBS was offered last June
with a theme about being good stewards of the environment.
Pastor Melody directed it as an evening program which
included a Saturday day hands-on family environment focused
project in partnership with our Plymouth Place neighbors.
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Led by Jen Wigton, focused their attention on maintaining
recently re-introduced events and expanding off-campus family
field trips. Field trips included: pool party at the Nahas Aquatic
Center in July (New event), Jester Park in October, and WDM
Rec Plex in February. The committee partnered with staff to
combine our December Santa Brunch with an Advent Festival
at church – it was highly attended and brought in several new
families from Plymouth Nursery School and word-of-mouth
guests. Families shared brunch items, Waveland Hall featured
advent crafts, Santa and Mrs. Claus visited in the Burling Room,
active games were held in the gym, and Pastor Peter set-up a
Lego nativity creation extravaganza in the Greenwood Room.
In November, board member Jen Fox piloted a 5th/6th grade
gym-focused fellowship opportunity – she hopes to provide more
opportunities in the future.
Partnerships:
BCTF partnered with the following groups to enhance
programming and opportunities.
• Chris Goodson / Children’s Music Programming:
We co-hosted a more cohesive and expansive back-to-church
kick-off event that included both Christian education and
music programming.
• Board of Social Action:
We offered a child-family-friendly giving experience during
Advent where we collected more than 150 winter wear items
and 60+ toys for children in-need.
• Deacons:
We provided a comprehensive Q&A about children’s
programming so that deacons would be better informed to
greet and guide families; and created a better communication
plan to increase the safety of our program areas on Sundays.
