SUNDAY MORNINGS

On any given Sunday, the lower level of the church is filled with our littlest church family members hearing from and finding God’s stories in the Bible, singing worship songs, playing with toys and fun games with peers, spending time talking with God in prayer and quiet, and receiving words of blessing from committed adult volunteers. All of our stories, activities and games are tailored to the age of the child so that they can encounter God for themselves in a special way! Register for Sunday morning programming.

On holiday weekends, our kids join us in the upstairs gathering where their energy and joy in Jesus is welcomed and celebrated!

FAMILY EVENTS

As a church family we do many things together to encourage our kids, help build community amongst families and provide safe environments to play and grow! Each year we hold seasonal events like Trunk-or-Treat and The Gingerbread Event, summer fun like Vacation Bible school and outdoor play dates, opportunities to serve as a family and other special times where people can gather and have fun! See Upcoming Events to participate in allllll the fun!

NextKids@HOME

We communicate to families through email and on our social media, providing information and also ways to connect with your kids at home, encouraging their faith and growth. We desire to support parents as the primary influencers in a child’s faith journey and to  walk with you through the highs and lows of the journey of growing in Christ while living as a human! If you are registered for Sunday mornings, you will be on our communication list.

SUNDAY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

It takes an amazing team of volunteers to provide quality NextKids programming each Sunday Morning! Welcoming families, cuddling babies, consoling toddlers, playing with preschoolers, leading games, teaching Bible stories, building relationships… we need your unique gifts & strengths to make a big impact on the faith formation of the next generation within our elementary and early childhood classrooms.

Learn about the different volunteer roles here.

Contact Sarah Pederson (spederson@thedoor.org) for more information about volunteering.

Apply here to volunteer with NextKids.

NEW TO OPEN DOOR and NEXTKIDS? 

We're excited to get to know you and your little ones! Fill out the registration form below to get started.

Register for NextKids

Volunteer Application

QUESTIONS ABOUT NextKids? 

Email kids@thedoor.org

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NextYouth WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

At NextYouth, we want to help students begin and deepen their relationship with Christ, and experience God’s presence. During the school year we host Wednesday night ministry:

• 6:30pm - Building opens for hangout time with youth group friends
  
• 7-8:45pm - middle school and high school gather and we teach from a biblical text, share faith stories and engage in spiritual practices together. There is also a time where students hang with their teams and team leaders to go deeper with the bible story, share about their lives, and pray with one another.
• 8:45-9pm - students are welcome to stay, chat and catch up with other youth friends!

Friends and neighbors are ALWAYS welcome to come with students to NextYouth! When you arrive, just come see us at our “New Student” table so we can welcome them, tell them what they need to know for the night, get them connected to leaders and peers!

WEDNESDAY SERVICE NIGHTS

We believe that as we follow Jesus more and more closely, we receive the example and invitation to serve and love others. So, as a youth group, we have made setting aside time to serve together a priority! 

Service nights are held from 6:15-9pm on the first Wednesday of the month from November-May. Groups meet at church and are transported to various service sites. Many powerful experiences of faith come from seeing and entering into the needs of others. Students will engage with issues of poverty, educational gaps, people with physical and mental disabilities, and more. Some projects are fun and exciting, others are less glamorous. God can use us in them all!

SPECIAL EVENTS

Special events are also held during the year - some on Wednesday nights, some scheduled for other times. The much anticipated fall and winter retreats are open to all students to attend. 

NextYouth SUNDAY MORNINGS

We know that God has put many gifts in our students and that they have much to share, especially within our church family. There are several ways for students to engage on Sunday mornings in the life of our church!

• Serve - We encourage our students to use their gifts and passions to serve the ministries of our church family! On Sundays there are a variety of opportunities to serve from welcoming people, to serving coffee, to playing with and loving younger kids! You can find more info about our volunteer opportunities on the Dream Team page. 
  
• Gather - Church gatherings are for everyone in our church family! We encourage students to sit with family, friends or leaders from youth group. You can also watch online if you can’t make it in-person. No matter how old you are, God can speak to you and it’s good to be together as a church family in worship.
• Grow - Throughout the year some classes or groups will be offered for students who want to go deeper in their faith and grow in their relationship with Jesus around topics of various interests. They will be offered in scheduled sessions and shared with the NextYouth community as they are offered. Email youth@thedoor.org for more information.

Register for Wednesday Night Programming

2022-2025 General Waiver and Release

Upcoming NextGen Events

Parents, you are not alone! We provide opportunities for parents to connect with other parents to be encouraged and equipped to raise their children as followers of Christ. There is so much out there telling you how to raise (or not raise) your children. We have recommended resources to help you in your parenting experience. We also have online and take-home resources for our Next Kids Sunday curriculum. Contact: Amanda | ext 1703

Visit some of our parenting groups on Facebook. 

circlefacebook  Open Door Moms Facebook Group

circlefacebook  Next Generation Parenting Group