LEGACY is the name for our children's ministry here at Causeway Coast Vineyard. It sums up in just one word what our vision is for children.

You see, we reckon that when Jesus said (Matthew 19: 4) that the kingdom of Heaven belongs to "such as these", refering to small children, that he meant it.

And when he tells his disciples in Matthew 18: 5 that if whoever "welcomes a little child like this is welcoming me", his message wasn't hidden, but simple and to the point. He was (and still is) saying that children are incredibly important to him and to his kingdom.

Statistics back up Jesus' words that incidently, were hugely controversial at a time where children were very much under-valued members of society. A number of surveys conclude that between 60 and 80% of people who refer to themselves as Christian, made a first time commitment to follow Jesus before the age of 12. It's a phenomenal statistic! For more info please follow this link http://childrenmatter.ning.com/video/video/show?id=665022:Video:22 

So with those words of Jesus always in the forefront of our minds, we have an awesome responsibility to nurture children in their relationship with Jesus. Our vision is not to simply teach them to regurgitate classic bible stories when they hit adulthood, but to encourage and equip them to live lives that are full of faith in God and marked by God's love. To create environments where young children can connect, meaningfully and in their own unique way, to their heavenly father. To teach and model to them that what God has done for them, he also has done for their friends, their families and their neighbours.

Wherever we are connecting with children, whether in church or in the community, we do all that we can to leave them a legacy that will help them become radical followers and friends of Jesus, little people who, with God's help, can change the world!