The weeks leading up to Christmas are some of our favorite moments of the year in Northgate Kids! This December, we’re celebrating with a special series called Candy Cane Christmas, where each week we look at a part of the candy cane and discover how it points us to Jesus.

November is the perfect time to pause, notice, and give thanks. This month, our Gratitude Challenge helps kids practice seeing the blessings in everyday life—from a sunny morning to a kind friend. More importantly, it teaches them to give thanks to God, who created everything around us and fills our lives with good gifts.

Relationships can’t happen without communication, and our God is relational. He knows us and wants to be known by us. He is the God who speaks. Throughout His story, we see our Father talking to His kids. Whether in an audible voice or a gentle whisper, or through the godly advice of others, God speaks. And His words are always worth listening to. As our kids explore this series the Old Testament stories of people who listened (and didn’t listen) to God’s voice, may they be have ears tuned to the kind voice of our loving Father.

We all love a good rescue story where a hero arrives just in time to save the day! Because of our sin, we all need to be rescued—and God had the perfect plan for a rescue mission to save His people! God’s plan started long ago when He promised a Redeemer and Rescuer. The God Rescues series dives into four Old Testament stories of God working out His rescue plan among His people. In each lesson, kids will discover God’s plan, power, and care for His people as He leads the way for the greatest rescue of all time—salvation through Jesus.

Families are messy. And I’m not just talking about the awkward conversations at the Thanksgiving table when politics or parenting styles come up. Our families see the best and worst in us, and throughout the Old Testament, God’s family was no different. This month we are looking back in history at the creation of God's family and how, in His endless mercy, God didn’t merely take this messy family and redeem it. He made this family the very vehicle through which He brought redemption to the world. He made them His family. And through Jesus—a son of Abraham and the Son of God—we too are a part of the family. So when our loving Father looks at you and me, it isn’t the worst in us He sees. He just sees His kids.

The journey of faith is about so much more than managing behavior; it is an invitation from God to walk with Him in wonder. God invites every person into His big story, for it is only there that His sons and daughters discover who they are. From a young age, the question “Who am I?” is wired into each of us, and God alone can provide the answer. In this series, kids will discover that God knows them, Jesus loves them, and the Holy Spirit leads them. They will discover that they cannot find the answer to the age-old question by looking within but by looking into the eyes of the God who sees them. Who am I? I am known, I am loved, I am led. Because of Jesus, I am a child of God.

Reading the Bible with your child is one of the most meaningful and lasting ways to shape their spiritual foundation. It plants seeds of truth, invites honest conversation, and teaches them to see God’s Word as a source of wisdom, comfort, and guidance. But if you’ve ever wondered where to begin, how much to read, or what to say, you’re not alone!

This ministry is more than just music — it’s about growing in relationship with Christ and with each other. Kids who join the worship team will develop their voices and confidence in a safe, Jesus-centered environment. It’s a space where they can learn to worship freely, surrounded by their peers, and be encouraged to use their gifts to lead others in praise.