Children's Home Page

DGFUMC provides a range of educational opportunities for children of all ages, including nursery care provided during worship hours, Pathfinders (Sunday School), and midweek family fellowship that is linked to children's choir rehearsals. The goal is to help children grow in faith, and become familiar with the Bible through a variety of methods, including storytelling and drama, music, video, games, science, cooking and art.


African Children's Choir Live in Concert

We are delighted to announce that the world famous African Children’s Choir will be performing at DGFUMC on Wednesday September 25 at 7:00 p.m. This family friendly, immersive experience will leave you inspired as the Choir performs your favorite hymns with African cultural sounds in their new program.

The children melt the hearts of audiences with their charming smiles, beautiful voices and lively African songs and dances. The program features well-loved songs, Gospel spirituals and contemporary favorites. In spite of the tragedy that has marred their young lives, the children are radiant with hope, musically gifted and wonderfully entertaining.

The primary goal of the African Children’s Choir is to raise awareness of the need of destitute children in Africa and to raise funds for continued development and support of the African Children’s Choir programs. The Choir’s international educational endeavor provides unique training for the children. With a focus on education as a means for change, the Choir is currently caring for underprivileged and destitute children throughout Africa. These are children who could have lost all hope, but have overcome their circumstances and now are making a positive impact on society. Once Choir members have completed a concert tour, they
will return back to Uganda with the tools necessary for bettering their future.

Guatemalan Connections Family Meal Night

The members of the delegation who traveled to Guatemala this summer are offering a special family meal featuring Guatemalan food on Wednesday, October 9. Join us from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.!

Cost is only $6 a meal...the great fellowship is free! Please register by emailing John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org. You may pay that day.

Location: 
Gym
Date: 
Wednesday, October 9, 2019 - 5:00pm

Don's Home Cookin'

The cooking team of Don Safford, Bill Chalberg, Susan Newman, and Ken Drogemuller will be back for a Home Cookin' meal. All are invited to join us for this special family meal between 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. This meal is always awesome and the fellowship is fantastic!

Cost is only $6 a meal...the great fellowship is free! Please register by emailing John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org. You may pay that day.

Location: 
Gym
Date: 
Wednesday, December 18, 2019 - 5:00pm

Children's Sabbath and Backpack Blessing Sunday

Join us for Children's Sabbath!
This Sunday, August 25

Celebrate children and youth all over the world at our worship services this Sunday! A wonderful service is planned with music provided by children and youth from our congregation, a blessing of backpacks, non-perishable food item collection, and a special message at our 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. worship services.

If you are able, please bring a non-perishable food item to church with you. Children will be collecting items from members in the congregation during the service, so please keep the items in the pew with you. All food will be donated to the People's Resource Center.

A blessing of the backpacks is another special feature of our worship services this week. All students of all ages, from preschool to graduate school, are invited to bring their backpacks and school bags to be blessed. It's a wonderful way to get the new school year off to a great start!

Please plan to join us for our special Sunday and feel free to invite others to participate in this holy Children's Sabbath service. See you Sunday!

For more information contact John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org or 630.968.7120.

Vacation Bible School - To Mars and Beyond

Join us this August for To Mars and Beyond. Kids can blast off with Vacation Bible School and discover the wonders of God’s universe. Kids become voyagers on a journey thorugh space to explore where God’s power can take them. Beginning on our Mars outpost, they’ll lift off to distant planets on special missions to collect power sources. Along the way, they’ll learn how God walked with heroes of the Bible, and that God is always with them, too!

Children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade are invited to attend. The cost is $15 per child or $40 per family with three or more children enrolled. Cost includes all materials and a pizza lunch with a short program for families on Thursday, August 8, at noon.

Adults, please consider volunteering to help; it’s fun and the children love having their parents there.

Registration forms are available in the church office and below. Contact Pastor John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org with any questions or for more information.

Date: 
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 - 9:00am

Wacky Wednesdays

Wacky Wednesdays is a summer program for children going into kindergarten through 6th grade!  The mission of this program is to bring children together for a lot of fun and fellowship in a church community. Every child is welcome. Invite your children, grandchildren, children in your neighborhood, and children of friends---ALL CHILDREN ARE WELCOME!  The program will meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and there is NO cost!  Parents are welcome to drop off their kids OR stay and enjoy the fun!  Children are encouraged to bring one non-perishable food item each week to be donated to the People's Resource Center.

Schedule of Wednesdays and Themes:

July 10  Minute-to-Win-It Games

July 17  Game Night

July 24  Bingo Night

July 31  Waterslide

You're welcome to join us for one Wednesday or come each week - whatever fits in your schedule!

For more information contact John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org or 630.968.7120.

Date: 
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - 6:30pm

Don's Home Cookin' Family Meal

The cooking team of Don Safford, Bill Chalberg, Susan Newman, and Ken Drogemuller will be back for a Home Cookin' meal. All are invited to join us for this special family meal between 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

This meal is always awesome and the fellowship is fantastic! If you can't stay....take home a meal.

Cost is only $6 a meal...the great fellowship is free! Please register by emailing John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org. You may pay that day.

Location: 
Gym
Date: 
Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - 5:00pm

Don's Home Cookin'

The cooking team of Don Safford, Bill Chalberg, Susan Newman, and Ken Drogemuller will be back for a Home Cookin' meal. All are invited to join us for this special family meal between 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

This meal is always awesome and the fellowship is fantastic! If you can't stay....takehomeameal.

Cost is only $6 a meal...the great fellowship is free! Please register by emailing John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org. You may pay that day.

Location: 
Gym
Date: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - 5:00pm

Easter Egg Hunt

Grab your favorite basket and hop on over to hunt for eggs inside DGFUMC! All children ages 3-12 are invited to join us. Bring the entire family and a friend or two and enjoy refreshments and fellowship following the hunt.

The fun begins in the sanctuary at 9:00 sharp so don’t be late!

Location: 
Sanctuary
Date: 
Saturday, April 20, 2019 - 9:00am

Wednesday Evening Meal Subscription

Join us on Wednesday evenings for fun, fellowship, and a delicious meal!

To sign up, print out the Meal Subscription Form on the Family Fellowship page and turn it into the church office in person or by mail (First UMC, 1032 Maple Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515) along with payment by or on January 6. The office is open this week on January 2, 3, and 4 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. You may also drop it off on Sunday, January 6 before or after the service or email John Smoke at john@dgfumc.org to reserve a spot.

The meal schedule and payment information is on the Family Fellowship page.

Happy New Year!

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