Traverse Bay
United Methodist Church
For you
On Sunday mornings, from 9:15 to just after the 11:00 worship ends, nurseries are available. There are two nurseries, one for infants through eighteen months, and one for toddlers. Each nursery is staffed with one paid staff person and one volunteer. We require staff and volunteers to undergo a background check. We want you to feel confident that your child is well cared for. When you drop off your child at the nursery, we will need you to check in and introduce yourself. We want to be sure who you are, both in case we need to reach you during worship, and when it's time to pick up your child afterward.
At 9:30 am on Sundays during the school year, bring your child downstairs for Sunday School. We start with a short time of singing, led by one of our pastors. Then the children go their classes, separated by age group. Sunday School teachers and helpers are volunteers from the church. We always intend to have two adults in a room with children, and we work to use age-appropriate and fun ways of introducing children to the basic messages of the Christian faith.
If your child has special needs, we want to do our best to make her or him welcome. Please take the initiative to talk with your child's teachers about what are the best ways to work and play with your child. We are ready to provide extra helpers, and to make other adjustments as they're needed, but this is easier if we can share in knowing what will be most helpful.
Every year brings fun events built around children. All these events
are free to you. Vacation Bible School happens for a week during the
summer. We normally have at least a hundred children present, and they
have a really great time.
At Halloween we have a Harvest Festival, a time to invite community
children into the building for games and dress-up fun, with tons of
unhealthy candy, as well as food for you. When we've done this at the
Emmanuel location, we've consistently had over three hundred children
come in.
We also have each year an Easter egg hunt, and a party around the
kick-off of Sunday School in the Fall (usually the week after Labor Day). Children should be able to love
coming to church, and think of it as a place where they are safe, have
fun, and learn.
Children are encouraged to stay in worship for the first fifteen or so minutes of the 11:00 service. That includes the singing time, followed by a children's talk at the front. When that ends, children through grade four are invited to go to Junior Church, which is a fun learning time designec for them. They'll stay there until the end of worship.
We're not particular about what age this is--college or first job, settling down, married, single, it's all good. You're not the only one. If you're looking for people to hang out with, whether you want to study something, work on a project together, or just go out and socialize, this is your place.
Come sing with the choir! Singing in a choir is proven to be good for your mental health (something to do with endorphins and vibrations in your skull). John Campbell directs the choir, and makes it easy for regular people to make real music. The choir sings through the school year at the 9:30 worship time.
Or try chimes: adult and children/youth, directed by Cynthia Vaughn. You don't even have to be able to sing a note--just count to four and play your note at the right time. Beginners are always welcome.
If you play guitar, bass, drums, piano, or you like singing into microphones, talk to Jeremy about being part of the band for the 11:00 worship service.
In case you were wondering, church is not just for women and children. Lots of men find friends and things to do at Traverse Bay. Here's one thing: all men are welcome at a monthly get-together. There's always food, and time for hanging around, and some kind of learning time. We're also committed to doing things with young people, and helping people with needs around their homes. Men are often interested in being part of mission trips, as well as doing some of the fun things we do together--going to Beach Bums baseball games, playing on the softball team, or playing euchre.
Every year we have a women's retreat, which is getting bigger and better every year (so next year we may have to find a bigger retreat location!) and it's a great way to make friends and have a fun break away from the commitments of home and work. Women also go to events together around the state. There are always study and sharing groups you can join, and mission trips to be part of.
On the more traditional side, the United Methodist Women is a long-standing and strong women's organization, committed to study and support of mission needs around the world. The UMW has a great reading program, making available to you some of the best books you can read to broaden your horizons and your faith.
Yes, our pastors sometimes do weddings for people who are not connected to the church, or who are from out of town. We're also willing to work with you if you want your wedding somewhere else in the Traverse City area. Here are some things you need to know: