We are so excited to have you and your child come join us here at FCCHB! You can pre-register for church HERE. If you don’t pre-register, that is totally okay. You can register on campus as well. Once on campus, you will make your way to the Pier Building. It is directly across the way from the main auditorium. In the Pier lobby you will find a sign that says “New Families Here” and we can assist you from there. Your child will be given a name tag and you will be given a pick-up tag. Hold on to this tag, and take a picture of it. We prioritize safety, and will only release a child to someone with the pick-up tag. Finally, a volunteer will walk you and your child to their ministry area.

You only need to bring your child! We keep our areas well-stocked with everything your child will need for the 60-minute service. We keep all food out of the Pier to maintain cleanliness and for the sake of those with severe allergies.

We want children to have the best experience possible and we do that by having students in their age appropriate areas. If you have a friend visiting, a relative from out of town, we can have the students both go in the lower grade area.

We take the health and safety of your child seriously, and our policies reflect that.

• Once in the building, we have established a touchless check-in system.

• You will find multiple hand sanitizing stations throughout the entire building.

• If a child appears ill, we will assess the child and make a decision based on the facts presented. We have a well-child policy (listed below) that outlines what we look for.

These are the things we look for. If your child has these, we ask you to stay home, rest up, and feel better. You and your child can watch service online in the meantime.

• Fever

• Cough

• Runny nose

• Sore throat

• Ear infection

• Vomiting

• Bronchitis

• Diarrhea

• Unknown rash

• Pink eye

• Lice or nits

• Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease

• Roseola

• Chicken Pox

• Other contagious disease or illnesses

Once your child is fever free for 24 hours or has been on antibiotics for 24 hours and are symptom-free, they may attend.

Our volunteers are wonderful and go through a 5-step screening process in order to work with your child. This includes confirmation of attendance to FCCHB, an application, interview, background check, and training.

We believe that you should come as you are in comfortable clothes. We do require shoes for the safety of your child. Please send younger children in clothes that will allow them to be bathroom independent.

We believe that anyone and everyone can experience the grace of Jesus and we want to help all find their purpose. This includes children with special needs. We would love to partner with you in finding a safe and welcoming place for your child. If you have a child with special needs, please email allie.jones@fcchb.com and she can help you through the process.

To ensure safety, our environments are peanut-free zones and we do not provide food or snacks for children during our 50-minute services. If your child requires an epi-pen, and you would like to turn it in, then you may give it to the ministry lead for that area. We require it to be in its original packaging.

We do not administer any medication to children including Benadryl, Claritin, Ibuprofen, etc.

Many children want to get baptized because they love Jesus. This is wonderful, but it is actually not the reason for baptism.

Children need to understand the depth of their sin and their need for a Savior. Young children are concrete thinkers, so understanding baptism as a symbol of Jesus’ death and resurrection is difficult to grasp. They typically start understanding this concept around second grade. To follow Jesus, you have to admit that you’re a sinner and that you’ve messed up. You need to tell God that you’re sorry.

Becoming a Christ follower is a decision made in your heart when you understand that He died on a cross to save you from your sins. Jesus has to transform you inside first, before you can tell everyone outside. Only those whose lives are transformed by Him should be baptized.

Baptism doesn’t wash away our sin. Jesus is the only one who can take away our sins. Instead, baptism is a symbol of what Jesus has already done for us. We want children to make sure that their hearts have changed first. Then they can get baptized to symbolize what had happened in their lives. Baptism is the first step after choosing to follow Jesus for everyone, children included. Baptism is also a celebration! Jesus even told His disciples before He left them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19.

Some questions we ask the kids:

• How did you start following Jesus?

• When did you ask Jesus to be your savior?

• In what ways do you show that Jesus is “boss” in your life?

• What things are different about you now that Jesus is your Lord?

• Name 2-3 people you respect because of their love for Jesus. How are they like Jesus?

If you’d like more information on Baptism or your child would like to get baptized please contact heather.medina@fcchb.com.

Rather than baptizing infants or children, FCCHB encourages Christian parents to dedicate themselves to guide and direct their children into a relationship with Jesus. During the dedication service, parents promise before God, their family and the church and declare their desire to raise their child in a God-honoring way. Parents are the key role models for their children and they play a primary role in the dedication service. Parents will be asked to affirm the following commitments:

“Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.” Matt 19:13-15

Today we welcome these children, and ask you, their parents, before God and your church family, to dedicate yourselves to raising your children in the nurture and instruction of Jesus. I charge you to fulfill this vow in principle and example to your child. I further charge you to commit your child’s life and future into the hands of our loving God. And if God, in His infinite wisdom should choose to use your child’s life in a special way, I challenge you to not only give your consent, but to actively encourage your child in the service God chooses them. If you accept this challenge, and the solemn responsibilities of Christian parenthood, please answer, “I do.”

While FCCHB does not have an age requirement for child dedication, the average age for a child being dedicated is less than three-years-old, although many parents dedicate children much older than that, often for the following reasons:

• The parent(s) are new believers in Christ and their children were not dedicated when they were infants.

• The parent(s) are having a younger child dedicated and want to have their older child dedicated at the same time.