Kids' Programs
Kids’ Ministry Overview
At Sharon Baptist Church, we believe that children are a gift from God! It is our desire to partner with parents to help teach children to know and love God.
We offer various different kids’ ministry options throughout the year and we believe the safety of the children is of the utmost importance. Therefore, every volunteer in our kids’ ministry has undergone a background check and follows our policies to ensure kids are always safe!
Below you will learn about many of our kids’ ministry options! Each option looks at teaching kids through age-specific material so that they can learn what it means to know and follow Christ in their lives.
AWANA
Our AWANA Ministry runs during the school year, with a break during school holidays and summer break.
AWANA Schedule: Sundays, from 5 PM to 6:45 PM
What is AWANA?
The founders of Awana derived the Awana name from the first letters of “Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed” as taken from 2 Timothy 2:15 of the Bible.
Today, more than 12,000 U.S. churches run Awana with programs in all 50 states. Awana can also be found in over 6,000 churches in 109 other countries.
For nearly 60 years, Awana has been a leader in Children’s Ministry, helping churches and parents worldwide raise children to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
The SBC AWANA Ministry is led by Commanders Dean and Sara Raby. Dean and Sara have been at Sharon for years and have a heart to see Children learn, know, and memorize God’s word.
Vacation Bible School
We love VBS and had a blast in 2025! Stay tuned for 2026 info soon!
Upward Sports
Registration Information
Sharon Baptist Church is excited to host Upward Basketball and Upward Cheerleading this season! Evaluations and Orientations
- Upward Basketball is open to students K-8th grade.
- Upward Cheerleading is open to girls K-8th grade.
- Basketball: The early registration cost per child for basketball is $85 if registered on or before October 14th and $90 if registered after October 14th.
- Basketball shorts are included at no additional cost.
- Cheerleading: The cost for Upward cheerleading is $80 if registered before October 14th. The cost goes up to $85 after that date.
Evaluations and Orientations
Everyone playing basketball must attend one basketball evaluation. Upward Cheer does not need to attend an evaluation.
The evaluation nights are at Sharon Baptist Church and will be on Tuesday, October 14, or Thursday, October 16, between 6-8:00 pm. Evaluations take roughly 20 minutes to complete. Players only need to attend one evaluation night, not both.
Practices begin the week of December 01. The first game will be on January 10th, the final game on March 7th. There will be no games on February 14th, unless we have had to miss a Saturday before February 14th, in which case February 14th will be a make-up day. The End of the Year Awards Celebration will be on Sunday, March 8th at Sharon Baptist Church
BASKETBALL AND CHEER REGISTRATION CLICK HERE
VOLUNTEER APPLICATION CLICK HERE
General Upward Information
Upward Basketball and Upward Cheerleading offer a break from the norm. The primary focus of Upward is to develop the Winner in EVERY child, not just a few. By keeping this goal in mind, we are able to build a league that promotes salvation, character, and self-esteem in all who participate through:
- Sportsmanship and competitiveness in proper perspective by not maintaining league standings in any division.
- Maximizing the family schedule by having only one hour of practice and one game each week.
- Equipping coaches and referees to minister by providing extensive teaching tools and resources.
- Providing opportunities to promote other church ministries to all participants and their families.
- Allowing the coach to focus on ministering to children and their families, instead of game strategy, by having a set substitution system where all players are allowed equal playing time and equal opportunity for improvement.
- Encouraging each player with a gameday award following every game.
- Maximizing ministry opportunities by exposing players to Scripture-based devotions during each practice and spectators to halftime testimonies each gameday.
- Providing opportunities to see changed hearts and lives among children, family members, and volunteers who experience an Upward ministry.
- Building toward a harvest time at Awards Night where participants and parents are given an opportunity to respond to the Gospel.
Registration for the 2025-2026 season will open soon!
Sunday School
Sharon Baptist Church also offers Nursery and Sunday School classes for children Birth-5th grade.
Classes are separated by ages and are taught by teachers and volunteers who love to see kids laugh, play, and learn about Christ.
Just like with our other kid ministries, each teacher and volunteer has undergone a background check and follow children safety protocols.
Children's Church
We offer Children’s Church for elementary school-aged children during the Morning Worship Service. Children join the Morning Worship Service for a time of congregational singing, prayer, and a special children’s sermon with one of our pastors. Then, they are dismissed to Children’s Church, with purposefully planned lessons and activities to help the children grow their knowledge of Christ.