NSC Management System

Enabling our Mission to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus ...

Kevin Stone

Kids Ministry Packet

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Leading kids to become fully devoted followers of Christ!

Welcome to the Kids Ministry Team!

First off, you are an answer to prayers and a gift from God! You bring a unique perspective and set of giftings to our team, and we can’t wait to see you flourish and enjoy the fruits of serving in this ministry and church community. We believe discipling and caring for our kids has immense kingdom impact! We’re tending seeds of faith that will hopefully grow into lasting relationships with the Lord. Serving in kids ministry shapes what the church will look like in 20 years—exciting, right?

Culture of New Song Kids (NSK)

At New Song Kids (NSK), we’re committed to creating a Christ-centered environment where children encounter Jesus, grow in their faith, and feel truly loved. As leaders, your role is vital to this mission. Here’s what we strive to embody:

Gospel-Centered

Every story in NSK points back to Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection. We want kids to understand that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan from the beginning, and every Bible story leads us back to Him.

Encounters with Jesus

Our goal is for every child to know Jesus personally through authentic encounters with Him, facilitated by the Holy Spirit. We believe every child is capable of encountering His presence, no matter their age. There’s no “junior” Holy Spirit—God moves powerfully in the hearts of our kids.

Heart, Not Just Hands

Serving in kids ministry is about more than just showing up. It’s about investing in the next generation, guiding, discipling, and helping them encounter Jesus. Every moment in this ministry has eternal value, and the work we do shapes their spiritual journey and makes a lasting impact on the Kingdom of God.

Expectations

Commitment and Responsibilities

  • Background Check: Must be completed and cleared before serving.
  • Team Meetings: Attend regularly scheduled team meetings.
  • Regular Attendance: Attend New Song Church regularly to stay connected.
  • Planning Center: Confirm or decline availability within 3 days.
  • Scheduling: Block out unavailable dates at least 30 days in advance (except emergencies).
  • Arrival: Be present 15 minutes before service for prayer.
  • Engagement: Stay fully engaged with the kids during class time.
  • Reflect Jesus in all areas of life (Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 Corinthians 11:1).
  • Be mindful of social media. Parents may check your accounts, so post content that reflects Christ’s character.
  • Spend time with Jesus. Personal time in prayer and the Word is key for spiritual growth and effective ministry.

General Classroom Policies

  • Two volunteers must be present at all times. They cannot be dating, married, or related.
  • Keep the bottom door locked and the top door open when children are present.
  • If something seems off, talk to the parents directly, or have the director intervene.

Name Tags

Children must wear name tags, and parents must have the matching pickup code. If a parent protests, kindly explain:
“We understand it’s inconvenient, but this is a safety measure to ensure all children are safe and accounted for.”

Bodily Fluids / Illness

  • Gloves are always provided. Use them if it’s wet and not yours.
  • Wear gloves when dealing with vomit or blood.
  • Secure the area and ensure privacy for the affected child.
  • Page parents to care for their child. In an emergency, send someone to get security and the parent.
  • Radio security to handle clean-up and fill out an “Ouch Report” as soon as possible.
  • Do not allow children with the following symptoms:
    • Green/yellow runny nose
    • Fever, vomiting, or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
    • Persistent coughing, rash, or open sores
    • Unusual irritability or fatigue
    • Upset stomach or swollen, red, or runny eyes

Behavior Management

  • Always assume the best intentions behind a child’s actions.
  • No physical discipline.
  • Remind kids of rules (like at home or school).
  • Be patient, especially with new or shy children.
  • If a child is unkind, have them apologize to the other child. We don’t tolerate bullying, but we always love the one acting out.
  • Unless it’s a safety concern, a quiet 1:1 reminder is often enough.
  • For older kids, check if something else is behind their behavior. Building trust and relationships is key.

Follow the Three Warning Rule:

  1. Quietly ask the child to stop (1st warning).
  2. Take them aside (2nd warning), let the parent know after service.
  3. Page the parent to come pick them up (final warning).

Paging Procedures

  • Use the tablet to page parents by typing the child’s ID tag number and pressing ADD.
  • The number will display in the Worship Center.
  • Once the parent arrives, press Delete to remove the ID number.

In case of a medical emergency, don’t rely on the paging system. Direct someone to get security and/or the parent.

Restroom Procedures

Boys:

  • A male volunteer escorts each boy to the downstairs bathrooms.
  • If the security person is male, they check the bathroom; if female, the male volunteer checks it.
  • Wait until the bathroom is clear before allowing the child to enter. Adults must wait until all kids are out before entering.
  • After the child finishes, escort them back to their classroom.

Girls:

  • A female volunteer escorts each girl to the downstairs bathrooms.
  • The volunteer checks the bathroom and waits outside while the child enters. Adults must wait until all kids are out before entering.
  • After the child finishes, escort them back to their classroom.

Emergency / Lockdowns

Radios:

  • Every classroom has a two-way radio provided by Security.
  • Press and hold the button to speak clearly, release to hear a response.
  • In a medical emergency, don’t rely solely on the radio—give clear instructions to a specific person.

Lockdown

Internal Threat:

  • Immediately bring any students in the hallway into your classroom.
  • Lock all classroom doors (top and bottom).
  • Have kids gather in the farthest corner and sit quietly until security clears the room.

External Threat:

  • Keep all children inside and continue activities until security releases them.
  • Never open the back door if someone knocks—call security.

Fire / Evacuation Procedures

General Evacuation:

  • Grab the clipboard and first aid backpack.
  • 2nd-5th Grade Room: Exit through the back door and outside staircase. If blocked, use the main center stairwell.
  • Pre-K Room: Exit through the back door and outside staircase. If blocked, exit via the balcony and kitchen stairs.
  • Meeting Area: Walk across the east parking lot to the furthest northeast corner.
  • Once at the meeting area, check the roster.
  • If all kids are safe, hold up the green card; if any are missing, hold up the red card. Security and the Kids Ministry Director will check in with those holding red cards.

Graduation

Children will move to the appropriate classrooms at the end of the school year or on their birthday.

Related Documents:

Kids Ministry Director Job Description
Kids Ministry Packet PDF

Kids Ministry Volunteer Descriptions

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Expectations for All Roles:

  • Mission-Driven: Help guide children to become followers of Jesus in a Christ-centered environment.
  • Be Prepared: Review the Leader Bible Study and Leader Guide before serving.
  • Prayer: Pray for the kids, families, and your team throughout the week.
  • Be On Time: Arrive 20 minutes before service to prepare and pray with your team.
  • Engage Fully: Be present and interact with both kids and volunteers.
  • Support Each Other: Encourage and uplift fellow team members.
  • Know Your Role: Understand the activities and lessons to help kids grow in faith.

Kids Min Helper

(All volunteers will start in this role)
Role: Assist in activities and help manage the children, supporting the leadership team.

Responsibilities:

  • Assist with activities and help facilitate bathroom breaks.
  • Engage with kids during the service.
  • Support activity leaders and help maintain a positive environment.
  • Commitment 2x a month.

Activity Leader

Role: Lead the children in activities that engage them with the lesson and foster spiritual growth.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead activities and engage kids in conversation about the lesson.
  • Be prepared to assist other leaders as needed.
  • Spend time in prayer for the kids, parents, and volunteers.
  • Commitment 2x a month.

Lesson Leader

Role: Lead the children in understanding and applying the lesson through the service and small group time.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead your team and facilitate activities during the service.
  • Ensure understanding of the lesson and activities.
  • Engage with kids throughout the service.
  • Guide conversations about the lesson during activities.
  • Commitment 2x a month.

Kids Min Volunteer Mentor

Role: Mentor and equip volunteers on your team, helping them lead children toward becoming devoted followers of Jesus.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead team by guiding volunteers through the service.
  • Offer support, feedback, and encouragement to your team.
  • Pray over the kids, parents, and volunteers regularly.
  • Help identify areas for further training and growth.
  • Ensure all activities and lessons are understood and aligned with the lesson.

The following are additional roles that can be added to the roles listed above as volunteers are ready:

Prayer Leader

Role: Lead volunteers in pre-service prayer, focusing on the needs of the kids, parents, and the ministry.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead prayer time for volunteers before service.
  • Gather and follow up on prayer requests from volunteers.
  • Focus on the needs of the kids and families in your prayers.
  • Attend 2x a month.

Greeter

Role: Welcome and connect with kids as they arrive, setting a positive tone for the service.

Responsibilities:

  • Greet kids with a smile and enthusiasm.
  • Build relationships with the kids by learning their names and a little about them.
  • Attend 1-2x a month.

Check-Out

Role: Safely dismiss kids to their parents while maintaining a connection with families.

Responsibilities:

  • Ensure children are safely released by matching tags with parents.
  • Remind kids to share what they learned and take home an activity page.
  • Attend 1-2x a month.

Executive Team Description

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People:

Lead Pastor
Executive Pastor
Executive Assistant

Purpose:

This team is the “internal operations” management team responsible for all church administration, communication and ministry awareness and operations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Communication: What do we need to know – What do “they” need to know (value of no surprises).
    • People, ministries, and missions
    • Staff awareness: Who is here, who is gone, what do we (or they) need from us (them).
    • What is broken, what needs confronted, what needs celebrated – awareness of every aspect of church ministry.
  • Administration: What needs to get done (and by who)
    • Where is the ball getting dropped?
    • Who needs support/help?
    • What are the current needs at NSC and how can we get those needs met (Helo-2)?
  • Planning: Ahead of the game and organized!
    • What needs to be done this week?
    • What is coming up over the next 30 days we need to start preparing for and being aware of?
      • Staff reviews, vacations (staff awareness above), Easter planning, outdoor service planning – ministry rhythms and all hands on deck events.
  • Temperature Setting: How are things going outside our team?
    • Staff – encouraged, discouraged, overwhelmed, underwhelmed
    • Congregation – what are we hearing from them?
    • Organization – where are we bleeding, where are we organized/streamlined
  • Needs: Where is there lack?
    • Find out where the lack is and create a plan to grow, fix or solve.
      • Ex: “I need this to help do my job effectively”
      • “I’m finding I’m doing too much in this ministry and can’t Helo-2 or be available on Sunday…”
    • Where are the frustration points and create/implement plan.

Cafe Manager Job Description

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Our vision is a thriving spiritual family with all consuming passion for the Gospel of Jesus and His mission to transform the city by bringing people into the family of God.

Role: Cafe Manager

To manage the cafe, in two distinct areas: People and Product

  • People:
    • Caring for people, making sure they know they are seen, valued and heard.
    • Creating a hospitable environment for everyone attending church.
    • Recruiting people for the cafe volunteer pool.
    • Scheduling volunteers quarterly and following up weekly.
  • Product:
    • Source the coffee beans ensuring they are good quality at a fair price.
    • Support ethical organizations.

Responsibilities:

  • Recruiting and Scheduling volunteers for the cafe.
  • Identify leaders within your team for training, purchasing and scheduling.
  • Making sure we have supplies (cups, coffee beans, syrups, milk ETC)
  • Training volunteers with clear communication on roles.
  • Maintain health of the team. (Team meetings, get team feedback, Caring for the people)
  • Ensures all equipment is cleaned and maintained properly every sunday after the third service – including washing of rags.
  • Contact Andrew when a repair or additional equipment is needed.

Rhythm:

  • Being at 10am service 4 out of 5 sundays.
    • Checking in on the first service team and not leaving until the third service team arrives.
  • Meeting with Andrew once a quarter to discuss wins and losses of the Cafe.
    • Developing a plan for constant improvement.
      • Quarterly goals for improvement.

Corrective Action Operating Procedure

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It is the policy of New Song Church (NSC) that all employees are expected to comply with the standards of behavior and performance and that any noncompliance with these standards must be remedied. Employees exhibiting noncompliance may be subject to progressive corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

NSC reserves the right to terminate an employee at any time for any reason with or without prior corrective counseling or notice. Nothing in this handbook or any other NSC document is intended to modify this “at-will” employment policy, promise progressive corrective action or counseling, promise notice in circumstances where NSC considers immediate termination or corrective action to be appropriate.

This procedure leaves substantial leeway for church leadership (Elders, LP, XP) to provide a corrective action plan that matches the individual needs that arise in supervising behavior issues. These guidelines provide the basis for corrective action, with details worked out in the context of each individual case.

Corrective Action Process

The following steps are generally taken to communicate and resolve employee performance and behavioral problems: This is currently written with different managers in charge of teams. As it sits currently (Nov 2023) the Executive Pastor will be first line in corrective behavior correspondence.

Verbal Warning (Between XP and Employee)

If an employee is not meeting standards of behavior or performance, the employee’s supervisor should take the following action:

  1. Meet with the employee to discuss the matter.
  2. Inform the employee of the nature of the problem, the action necessary to correct it, target dates for review of resolution and potential results if the problem is not resolved by the established target date or if the problem worsens; and,
  3. Prepare documentation summarizing the discussion with the employee. The supervisor will send the employee this documentation. The documentation should be maintained by the supervisor, via the Human Resource employee files kept currently by the Executive Pastor. If the parties to the documentation cannot reach consensus on the summary of the situation, the supervisor and employee can document their views, and that will be documented with the original documentation written.

If the problem is not favorably resolved, documentation regarding this discussion will be made part of the next step of correction.

Written Warning (Between XP and Employee – LP Signature)

If there is a second incident of noncompliance or an unrelated problem involving job performance or behavior, termination may result. However, if the supervisor believes further disciplinary is appropriate to resolve the problem(s), the following actions should be taken:

  1. Prepare a document of written warning to the employee including specific deficiencies, actions needed to correct the problem, the period given for review of problem resolution, and consequences if stated expectations are not met.
  2. Prior to delivery of the written warning, submit the documentation to the Executive Pastor (or Lead Pastor if the XP is giving the warning) for review and signature.
  3. Issue the written warning to the employee for review and signature. Employee signature indicates that the warning has been issued and read and does not necessarily indicate full agreement with what the warning contains.

A copy of the written notice will be placed in the employee’s human resource file. If there are recurrences or other problems thereafter, termination may occur.

This written step may take place at the same time as the above verbal warning, depending on the severity of the performance issue.

Final Warning, Probation or Discharge (Between XP and Employee – LP/Elder Approval)

If an employee fails to correct a problem after a written warning, the employee may either be terminated or given a final probationary warning, depending on the supervisor’s determination of the appropriate action under the circumstances. The employee may be placed on probation for up to, but not to exceed, three (3) months. The supervisor will determine the length of the probationary period in consultation with the Elder Board. The employee will be notified in writing of the specific performance or behavior deficiencies, the length of the probation period, specific performance or behavior goals, and consequences if stated goals are not met. During the probation period:

  1. Additional related or unrelated occurrences of noncompliance may result in immediate termination.
  2. The employee is not eligible for performance assessments or pay increases.
  3. The employee may not apply for internal transfers; and
  4. The employee will remain eligible for paid holidays but may not use vacation hours.

At the end of the probationary period, the supervisor should prepare a written statement of satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance or behavior and resulting actions. This statement should be signed by both parties and submitted to the Executive Pastor for inclusion in the employee’s human resource file.

All the above steps may not be followed in some instances. New Song Church reserves the right to exercise discretion in discipline based on the nature of the problem, the potential for appropriate resolution and any other pertinent considerations. Prior probation or termination warning is not a requirement for termination.

Employees who believe that they have been disciplined too severely or without good cause are encouraged to bring this to the attention of the Executive Pastor or Lead Pastor. If they were directly involved in the discipline, then they can call a meeting with the Elder Board. The Elder Team may be used to consult and rule on a given employee concern.

Termination Process Overview

While every termination of employment is subject to various factors that may impact the process, there are common elements that every employee should expect when staff roles are ended. This policy is intended to ensure consistency and transparency in the event of an employee termination. Key steps involved in employment termination may include, but are not limited to:

  • Notification – The employee will be notified of the details related to their termination and given a specific time to leave their work location for the final time. The employee’s supervisor and/or a member of the executive team will be present during this process.
  • Return of Property – The employee must immediately return all New Song Church property, including but not limited to keys, office equipment, and computers to the department supervisor or their designer upon termination. All assets of New Song Church held by the employee are to be immediately returned to the department supervisor or their designer upon termination.
  • Personal Items – The employee is responsible for removing all personal items from their desk area, including but not limited to photographs, personal files, and personal items. The employee, in communication with their supervisor / manager, may arrange an alternative time to remove personal items from church property.
  • Security and Access – The employees’ access to systems, databases, and physical premises will be terminated on their last day of work.
    • Department Supervisor/XP will communicate IT to help facilitate this.
  • Final Paycheck – The employees will receive their final paycheck as normally scheduled unless other arrangements are made as part of the termination process.
  • Staff Notification – Staff will be notified either at an immediate staff meeting or individually by the Executive Pastor to make sure everyone is on the same page moving forward.

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