New Wineskins seeks to minister to the whole family with age-appropriate missional programming offered during both morning and evening plenary sessions. All of our children and youth workers have completed safeguarding training and background checks. Please drop your children off early enough to get them settled and checked into the security system. Your child’s safety and well-being are our highest priorities while in our care. Thanks to all our volunteers!

Plenary childcare and programming hours for kids and teens are mornings: 9:00am-12:00pm and Evenings 7:00-9:30pm. Drop off your child in time to make it to the start of each plenary session, and pick up your child in a timely manner.

Nursery:

For the youngest attendees, we have a nursery available for children ages 0-2 years. Parents must bring their own diapers and answer all the questions about any special needs or concerns when registering each child using the Regular Child or the Regular Discount Child ticket. This team is led by Kim Little and Lollie Twyman. The nursery is located in Spilman 4 (upstairs behind the main stage).

Kids Program:

Programming for children ages 3-10 will be located in Lambdin, and led by Dawn Batchelor and Dana Standridge and their team. This year’s theme is: “This is the Gospel; God is on Mission,” adapted from the Anglican Introduction to Missions (AIM) curriculum for adults. The children will learn: 1) God is Our Missionary God, 2) How the Gospel Spreads, 3) The Challenge That Remains, 4) Growing and Gathering, and 5) Prayers for the Nations. For the closing plenary, the kids will process in, lead the congregation in their theme song, and then join their parents for the remainder of the service.

Dawn can be contacted at +1 (770) 861-1286.

*Don’t forget the family activities: Packing meals and the special art time with Dandelion Ministries. .

Jr. & Sr. High Program:

For ages 11-13 (Jr. High) and 14-18 (Sr. High), we have special programming led by the Rev. Cn. Craig Vickerman. This program combines youth-only sessions and attending the main plenaries, times to debrief topics discussed by our speakers, and fun around the Ridgecrest campus! From the game room to the fire pit to ice cream at the Nibble Nook, our youth will enjoy community with each other while going deeper into global missions. Fr. Craig is especially keen to make sure our teens understand the gospel not only for themselves, but also so that they are equipped to share their faith with others!

Please note that your children are allowed to participate in as much as they’re comfortable with! The youth program is meant to be flexible for families wanting to attend the conference together, but also to provide meaningful and fun interaction with their peers.

Youth

Middle School (11-13 yr. olds) and High School (14-18 yr. olds) students are invited to join a unique youth experience woven into the main conference schedule. This program combines youth-only sessions and attending the main plenaries, times to debrief topics discussed by our speakers, and fun around the Ridgecrest campus such as games, hiking, and art activities! From the game room to the fire pit to ice cream at the Nibble Nook, our youth will enjoy community with each other while going deeper into global missions. Fr. Craig is especially keen to make sure our teens understand the gospel not only for themselves, but also so that they are equipped to share their faith with others!

The Rev. Cn. Craig Vickerman and his team will lead the Youth Program in Ivy 5. Craig can be contacted at +1 (508) 216-5262.

Young Adults

Our 20-something young adults will attend the regular conference but can meet up for fellowship and discussion by connecting with Sheryl Shaw, Director of the Role Call International Apprenticeship Program. We are launching four apprentices into a nine-month field assignment in four different countries right after New Wineskins. You’ll want to hear their stories and share your own faith journeys with your peers!

Contact Sheryl by phone at +1 (407) 432-5581 or email at sheryl@newwineskins.org.

Service Project: We’re Feeding Families in Uganda!

New Wineskins has partnered with Kids Around the World to provide a missional service opportunity at the conference without leaving the Ridgecrest campus. We are offering a meal-packaging event where youth, children, and then all attendees will be able to participate in this project on Friday afternoon, located in the ARC gymnasium.

The 30,000 packed meals will go on a container that will be received by the Rt. Rev. Godfrey Loum, Bishop of Gulu, the Church of Uganda, to feed the food-insufficient families of his diocese.

Schedule for Service Project:

• 2:30pm-3:30pm Youth (ages 11-18)

• 3:30pm-4:30pm Children (ages 5-10)

• 4:30pm-5:30pm All ages/Any Conference Attendee

One parent must accompany children 10 and under for the duration of their participation in this service project.

Arts Integration for the Kids and Teens

Dandelion Ministries’ Sean & Kate Norrie is leading two collaborative projects for the whole New Wineskins Conference conveying the overall theme of “Hope for the Nations.” One will be a large-scale collage displaying the saving arm of the Lord. Conference attendees will be invited to fill in the space by writing and/or illustrating their prayers for the nations on the various sections. 

The second project is an ongoing prayer with a particular focus on interceding for the persecuted church around the world. Attendees of all ages will be invited to add their handprints and prayers to the painting: “Save me, Save us, Save them.”

Sean and Kate also get the chance to hang out with kids! They will use paint to show how the hope of redemption and heaven that Jesus gives us does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. The kids will contribute to the conference collaborative project plus make their own art that will literally light up the darkness! 

Special Lanyards from South Sudan

The beautiful lanyards made from African fabrics that our young people are wearing were handmade by women
in South Sudan rescued out of human trafficking and made whole through Christian discipleship, trauma healing, and vocational skills so they can support themselves and their families and live free from abuse. Wholehearted is an affiliated ministry of Across South Sudan (wholehearted@across-ssd. org). We are grateful to attendee Paul Hensley for helping to make this vision a reality. We know the kids will treasure this work of art always!

Child Safeguarding

New Wineskins follows the guidelines for child safety recommended by the Anglican Church in North America with all child workers needing background checks and Ministry Safe training. Our care for the safety and well-being of your children is our highest priority.

Housing and Meals for Children and Teens

Ridgecrest does not charge for meals for children 5 and under. Meals for kids 6-11 are $8/meal, and meals for kids 12 & up are charged at the adult rates of breakfast - $12, lunch - $14 and dinner - $18. Make sure that your children are listed by name in your Ridgecrest room reservation so that their meal packages are secured. Those staying off-site can call Ridgecrest to secure meal packages for all members of your party.