Children are our special responsibility, entrusted to our care by God. It is the mission of our nursery staff here at Southside to provide a place where young children are loved, nurtured, and cared for. In our nursery, infants, toddlers, and twos & threes have their first introduction to their church home. We take every precaution necessary to ensure that these young children have a loving and safe environment in which to learn and grow. Here they learn from loving caregivers what Jesus taught the children: God loves you!!

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  Mark 10:14 

The nursery is located in the windowed-room just off the auditorium.

Attended Nursery is for infants and toddlers ages birth through 23 months.  We provide safe and loving care in a clean and nurturing environment.  Our nursery is staffed with volunteers each Sunday morning.  Please bring your child’s bag with you. You will be asked to sign in and may provide your cell number if you wish for the staff to contact you if the need arises. (Please place your phone on vibrate.)

Please notify the nursery volunteer(s) of any allergies, special instructions, or medical needs for your child.

The Library/Conference Room (located across the foyer from the bathrooms) is available during the worship assembly time for nursing mothers.

A marked diaper bag with all items your child may need.

• 3-4 diapers and wipes
• Pre-mixed bottles or sipper cup
• A pacifier (if applicable); please provide pacifier clips to keep pacifiers from becoming lost, dropped, or exchanged.
• Complete change of clothes

Please label in a visible place everything your child brings--including diaper bags, carriers and car seats, changes of clothing, coats, cups, pacifiers, bottles, etc.

If your child is sick he/she will be more comfortable at home. Please do not expose other children and the nursery staff unnecessarily to infection.

Young children are very susceptible to colds, flus and other diseases. We want to help eliminate these concerns as much as possible; so if your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, please do not bring him/her to the Nursery:

• Fever (must be fever-free without medication for 24 hours)
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (free of vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hours)
• Common cold – excessive cough
• Any symptoms of childhood diseases, such as scarlet fever, measles, chicken pox, strep throat, flu, etc., or any infectious contagious disease
• Chicken pox – all sores must be completely scabbed over and dry underneath
• Heavy nasal discharge (green)
• Any unexplained rash
• Any skin infection – hand-foot-mouth disease, fifth disease, etc.
• Inflammation or discharge from eyes (all eye infections are contagious, must be on medication for 24 hours before returning)
• When in doubt, please apply the Golden Rule.

If your child becomes ill while in the nursery, you will be notified promptly. If your child is being treated with an antibiotic, he or she should have received treatment for at least 24 hours before being brought to the Nursery.

For your child's protection, we ask our caregivers to follow these same guidelines. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation on this matter.

The Sunday morning Cradle Roll Bible class is for babies ages birth - 24 months. Class time is the same as all other Sunday morning classes, 9:30 a.m.

Cradle Roll is a very interactive class time where dedicated teachers share the love of God through age-appropriate Bible stories, songs and finger plays with messages for a child’s heart. We spend a lot of time singing about God's love, patting our Bibles, and singing some more! Cheerios are the staple food! Let us know if your child has any food allergies.

You are welcome in our nursery; however, some children may be upset when they see you "peek in," and it is normal for children to go through various stages of separation anxiety. In most cases, they are easily distracted and crying stops a few moments after you leave. However, If your child continues to cry and our efforts to comfort fail beyond 10 minutes, we will come and get you. Parents are welcome to stay with their child if they so desire.

The Southside nursery is staffed entirely by volunteers. We encourage anyone with a heart for children as well as all parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers to serve in the nursery. Thank you for your cooperation and for the privilege of ministering to your children. Our guidelines are meant to make our nursery as healthy and safe as possible for everyone.

As parents you have so much to offer our Nursery, if you attend regularly, your name will be placed on our volunteer list, and you will be asked to volunteer occasionally on a Sunday morning. Helping with the children may include coloring, reading stories, playing, holding babies, or giving bottles. If you use the Nursery, you will be contacted about a time to volunteer.

We wish to extend the invitation to those who may not have children in the Nursery to volunteer as well. What a wonderful way to share the gifts God has given each of us, and to get to know some of the littlest members of our church family. You will find the Nursery to be a rewarding place. Please contact Ashley Helm, the Nursery Coordinator, if you are interested in being placed on our volunteer list.