Discipleship Commons

A series of monthly reports and ministry updates from churches participating in the West Coast Nurturing Care cohort reveal a growing movement reshaping how children engage with faith—through creativity, service, and intentional space-making. Across California, Oregon, and beyond, congregations are experimenting with hands-on prototypes that prioritize children’s spiritual agency, with early results pointing to both emotional depth and community transformation.

At Bend Church of the Nazarene, a bilingual worship initiative continues gaining traction as leaders work to produce children’s worship music in English and Spanish. While technical challenges—particularly translating rhythm-heavy songs—have delayed full bilingual album production, progress continues. Leaders are now developing accompanying motion-based videos featuring teens from both English- and Spanish-speaking services, reinforcing cultural inclusion. The project has already yielded meaningful impact: one bilingual child expressed joy at finally being able to worship in Spanish alongside peers, underscoring the importance of representation in spiritual formation  .

The Bend initiative also highlights how grant funding is nurturing young talent. A college-aged videographer, raised in the church, is gaining paid, real-world experience while discerning a call to media ministry—an example of how the program is investing not only in children but in emerging leaders  .

In Hesperia, the continued “GratiGrow” project is demonstrating the power of service-based formation. Despite low attendance due to holiday conflicts, children and volunteers came together to clean the yard of a pastor facing serious health challenges. Leaders reported that children’s enthusiasm inspired adults to stay longer and engage more deeply, reversing traditional expectations of who leads in acts of compassion. The effort culminated in emotional moments of gratitude from the recipient family, with participants describing the experience as both joyful and transformative  .

That impact extended beyond the event itself. A personal letter from the family (included in project materials) expresses heartfelt thanks for the children’s work, noting they were “blown away” by the willingness and capability of the young volunteers and even contributing financially to support youth ministry efforts in return  .

Meanwhile, at Sandia Nazarene, a simple but intentional space called “God’s Place” is redefining how children participate in worship. Designed as a prayer and reflection area, the space allows children to draw, write, or pray during services. In one instance, a child spontaneously asked to pray for her grandmother and later wrote her a note—an experience that deeply moved her family, who saw it as an answer to prayer during a difficult season. Leaders report that the space has become a meaningful alternative to traditional expectations of stillness during worship, enabling children to actively connect with God rather than disengage.

Other congregations are exploring similar innovations. A “prayground” experiment at Pittsburg Church integrates play into intergenerational worship. Children engage with tactile elements—such as recreating biblical scenes or interacting with a toy communion set—while adults are invited to join them. In one striking moment, a four-year-old, after mimicking communion, told another participant, “Now you’re Jesus,” revealing a profound, experiential understanding of sacramental theology without formal instruction. Pastor Christy Dickt noted “This child has not had any formal teaching outside of Sunday worship about communion. He has just participated in the Eucharist every week for the last 2 years. However, he knows  something happens when I drink from this cup that makes me more like Jesus. The grace of God being received by a child each week!”

In Sonoma Valley, children participating in a gratitude exercise demonstrated empathy beyond their years. One child wrote a note of encouragement for a blind man in a recovery program, asking that it be read aloud to him—an act that reflects the program’s emphasis on outward-facing compassion  .

Across the cohort, collaboration and shared learning are key themes. Salinas New Life reported one their ongoing experimentation with worship flags. Tim King noted that one six year old child as adopted a trusting posture to the point she ran across the front of the congregation leading the church in worship by using her flag.

While deeply involved in sensory-friendly spaces, and trauma-informed practices, leaders are also rethinking language—moving away from terms like “timeout” toward more restorative concepts such as “regulation spaces”—as they design environments that support children emotionally and spiritually. Other congregations, like Christ Community Church in San Ramon, continue to re-vision their ministry, developing a contemplative vision of gratitude around a “sit spot” or nature setting. As pastor Cielo Perez reports, in a Christian context practice transforms a simple nature observation into a spiritual discipline for virtue formation. It aligns with the biblical call to “be still and know” (Psalm 46:10) and the practice of witnessing God’s character through His creation (Romans 1:20).

While challenges remain—ranging from volunteer shortages to production delays—the overall trajectory is one of innovation rooted in lived experience. These ministries are not merely teaching children about faith; they are creating conditions in which children actively practice it—through prayer, worship, service, creativity, and leadership.

Registration continues for May Maker’s Space in San Diego (Point Loma Campus): 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nurturing-care-plnu-makers-space-retreat-tickets-1982828733117?aff=erelexpmlt. Churches may apply through the registration process that ends May 15, 2026. Churches are then invited to attend the May 28-30 event on campus where Nurturing Care covers expenses during the event. West coast churches can email info@nurturingcare.org for more informations but please review the FAQs on the Eventbrite page as well.

As the initiative moves toward its final reporting phase in June, early evidence suggests that these grassroots experiments are doing more than engaging children. They are reshaping congregational life itself, inviting adults to rediscover faith through the eyes—and actions—of the youngest among them.