Children and Teenage Fellowship

Children and Teenage Fellowship

It is with great joy that I introduce the Children & Teen church. The Church started on the 8th of January 2006 with 3 young children and 1 Teacher in a cold little Hall in Swarthmore Educational Centre, we had no separate space for the children, but yet we made do with what God had provided at the time.

In March 2006 we moved to the Vue Cinema in The Light at City Centre, we were moved from one of their Cinema Halls to another every week. The children still did not have a dedicated space, but we made do with sitting the children at the very back of the Cinema Hall. At a time when the church began to outgrow the smaller Cinema Hall we were allocated, the children had to start sitting on the stairs by the aisle or by the corridor entrance to the Cinema hall.

At this time, we were blessed with children Sunday school teachers who were very passionate young adults who have come to study in Leeds. Few other mothers who were keen about children Sunday school also joined our team.

Then our Miracle happened in August 2010 when God made room for us and we moved into our own property, The Land of Mercy. For the first time, the children department had a separate space we could use for Sunday school, the place was nicely set up for our classes and other activities. At the moment we have in attendance over 60 Children to the glory of God.

I must say it has been a Glorious journey that I believe will end well in Jesus name. The Bible makes us understand in Zechariah 4: 10 ‘’Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin’

The Children church has nurtured young children between the ages of 4 years to 12 years in the ways of the Lord using the Bible and other learning materials written by our Mother in Lord Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye over the past 10 years. Some of the children were born in the church and it has been so wonderful seeing them grow before our eyes into wonderful children (vessels that God will always find useful).

The Children’s Sunday school evolved into full Sunday service in 2013 and I must say the sky is definitely not our limit because I can see us doing great and mighty things through the Power of God that works through us.

The children start off their Sunday Service with Opening prayer, Praise & Worship, Exaltation (Message) preached by one of the children, Sunday school lesson for the day, Lunch Break, after which they all participate in the Activity for the day which would be Arts & Crafts, Dancing, Story Telling from the Bible etc. and then Closing prayer.

At the end of 2014, the Boys and Girls Brigade was also birthed within the church and the children have a session of 2 hours on the 1st Sunday’s of every month and this group is Co-ordinated by Volunteers who were trained as Young Leaders and are supervised by the Company Group Leader from the Boys & Girls Brigade. This provides an opportunity for our Teenagers to gain Leadership skills and also to mentor others even as they are being supervised.

The church also has a Teens Group, which comprises of those within the ages of 13-19 years of age. They presently hold their Sunday school separately between 10:15am-11: 00 am. Our vision as a Group is to see the Teen Sunday School become a full Church.

We are also trusting God for Volunteers to operate a Crèche for the 0 to 3 years old group, so we can cater for children of all ages. We are also trusting God to increase us numerical with the influx of families moving into the church. We are also believing God for more labourers in His vineyard.

My prayer is that God will grant us Long life, so we live to see what He will make these wonderful children become in life because amongst these children I see Prime Ministers, Doctors, Engineers, Architects, Pastors, Pilots, Pastor’s wives, Presidents. What an honour it will be when a young man or woman walks up to us in future at an airport and say to us Please Sir/Ma I know you will not remember me but I am so and so, you used to teach me Sunday School lesson in church, I am the Pilot of this plane, are you traveling, you don’t need to pay your fare, I will take care of it. It will be a greater honour when we see them in heaven as well.

I would also want to say a BIG thank you to all our Teachers that have sacrificially volunteered their time and talents to teach these wonderful gifts from God, they keep on pouring themselves in service to God Almighty. My prayer is that God Almighty will reward them greatly and as they look after God’s Heritage, God will look after them and their families in Jesus name. Shalom