Kids 4 Christ offers food for the body and soul at its weekly praise sessions. (Contributed photo)Kids 4 Christ is planning to add a Manners, Music and More class and hopes to soon begin a youth choir, but for a brief moment this summer, the future of the program itself was uncertain.
In July, the independent, non-denominational children's ministry began searching for a new home. Less than a week later, it had found one, on Fortune Street, no less.
"It was a major God thing," Executive Director Hope Spears said of the move from the ministry's facility on Withers Street, where it was housed for 14 years, to Gospel Light Church. "They told us to come and to stay as long as we needed to and that we could kick in on the power bill. It's just been a major blessing. We've had a great transition."
The organization will hold its Thursday night classes there indefinitely until a full-time facility that fits with Kids 4 Christ's needs - and available funds - becomes available.
"We're just trying to build up our bank account now," Spears said. "When we moved, a lot of people thought we had closed. The giving has slacked up. So now we're really trying to build our accounts and focus on our children."
In order to accommodate the dozens of children welcomed each week, the facility would need to have six to seven classrooms, a fully functioning kitchen, a cafeteria and preferably a large meeting room for praise and worship among all age groups, said Spears.
The weekly sessions include praise and worship, a hot meal, and a Bible lesson appropriate for each age group: pre-K, kindergarten and first grade, second grade, third and fourth grades, fifth grade, teen girls and teen boys.
"It's great fellowship, and we want each child to know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made," Spears said. "It doesn't matter what kind of background that they came from, God has big plans for them."
In just the past three and a half years, 46 children have taken that message to heart, accepting Christ as their savior, she added. The program began in 2002.
To donate to Kids 4 Christ, send contributions to P.O Box 1124 LaFayette, Ga., 30728. For all other questions and inquiries, call 706-639-3234 or visit the ministry's new office at 102 N. Main St. B in LaFayette.
Gospel Light Church, where the meetings are held, is located at 36 Fortune St. in LaFayette.