Frequently Asked Questions

It’s my first time visiting. What is the check-in/check-out procedure?
A Welcome Team member will direct you to our check-in station in the function hall when you enter the church. One of our team members will help you fill out the registration form for your child. When the process is complete, you will receive two unique stickers – one goes on your child’s chest or back and the other you keep. Please make sure to keep (or take a photo of) the other printed sticker as we will use it to identify parent and child before releasing them into your custody once service is over. If you lose your sticker, we will ask you to show ID before releasing your child.

Families participate together in praise & worship. The children are dismissed from service before the offering (typically around 25 minutes after service starts). Port Newbie (ages 0-3) is on the main floor near the left main entrance. Port Kinder (PreK – Kindergarten) and Port Light (Grades 1-5) will use the steps near the right main entrance to head into their classrooms in the basement. When service ends, please come pick your child up at the entrance to their respective classroom. If you need assistance, please ask at the check-in station.

What safety/security measures are in place to protect my child?
All of our Children’s Ministry staff and volunteers are PT partners or regular attendees who have completed and passed a national background check in order to serve. We also use a secure check-in system to ensure that every child is accounted for and leaves with the proper parent or guardian.

Are children allowed in the worship service?
Yes! Families participate in worship together each week and the children are dismissed before the offering at our 9am service. On the first Sunday of each month, we invite families to enjoy the entire worship service together and participate in communion.

Can I stay in my child’s classroom with them?
We welcome parents of our Port Newbie children to help their little ones adjust to the classroom environment as needed. Parents of older children will be contacted if their child needs them or if special accommodations need to be made. If you would like to have a tour of the classroom(s), ask the Children’s Ministry Director before or after service.

Will you feed my child during service?
Our Port Newbie classroom enjoys a snack together in their classroom. Port Newbie parents are welcome to pack bottles, sippy cups and/or home snacks for their little ones. Our older classrooms receive a snack bag to take home during dismissal, but do not regularly eat during class. Parents are welcome to send their child with a water bottle labeled with their name.

What if my child needs me during service?
If for any reason we need to contact you during the service, we will text you to come to your child’s classroom. If we can’t reach you, we will send a team member to come get you from the worship service.

My child has special needs – can you accommodate them?
We do our best to meet the diverse needs of the children in our Children’s Ministry Programs. Currently we do not have a designated program or team members specifically assigned to children with special needs. We are providing diverse learners training for our team and are more than willing to work with families so that every child can thrive at PT! Contact our Children’s Ministry Director, Corinne Ray to discuss any questions/concerns.

What is your Health Policy?
We no longer have a mask policy, but we respect any family’s decision to have their child wear a mask at church.

We want to be considerate of the health of all the families that we serve. Parents should not bring a child to class if they have had any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours: fever over 100 degrees, excessive coughing and/or a common cold, diarrhea, vomiting, colored mucus (runny nose), sore throat, any unexplained rash or skin infection, lice (eggs or nits), pink-eye or eye infections (mucus or redness of the eye), or any other communicable disease.

Please note, we do not administer any medication to children with the exception of life-saving medication in an emergency.

Do you have children’s programming during the 11:30am service?
We only offer JBQ and TBQ during our 11:30am service. We encourage families interested in our Kids Port classes or Girls Brigade to attend our 9am service or drop-off their children for the start of their class (around 9:30). Please note that parents are responsible for picking up their child promptly at the end of service.

Is there children’s programming during the summer?
Our Children’s Ministry meets during the academic year and observes summer break in the months of July and August. We do offer Vacation Bible School in July. Children’s ministry resumes all programming in September.

If you have any other questions or want to receive the weekly Children’s Ministry newsletter, please contact the Children’s Ministry Director, Corinne Ray.