Westminster unveils nursery, children’s church; Presbyterian church taps nature to teach about God’s creation
Published 8:24 am Friday, September 8, 2017
- Westminster Presbyterian Church Christian Education Director Cinde Goskeson talks about the newly rennovated educational room as the church. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Westminster Presbyterian Church began remodeling its Christian education wing in 2015. All of the rooms, except the nursery, children’s church, and the hallway were included in that phase of the process.
Now, young children of the congregation can go to the nursery and children’s church and see something new: animal murals.
“Children are familiar and comfortable around animals, and we can begin teaching them about God’s creation at even an infant stage with these murals,” said Christian Education Director Cinde Goskeson.
In the nursery, children are treated to a Minnesota wildlife theme. Animals from the forests, prairie and marshes adorn the walls.
“Prairie dogs are strategically placed in here,” Goskeson said. “It is a calming room with carefully chosen colors.”
Moving on to the children’s church, an ocean of blue sets the scene for the room’s beach and under-the-sea theme. Sea creatures decorate the walls.
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An underwater scene is splashed along a wall in the Faith First Steps room at Westminister Presbyterian Church.
“This room has more colors and it’s more energetic, giving kids more excitement,” Goskeson said.
In both rooms, Bible verses are on the walls.
Jake Levisen, who painted the other rooms in the education wing, painted the murals. It took him one month to paint both rooms.
“All of our rooms were designed to encourage, for inspiration, salvation, God’s creation and excitement for learning and life,” Goskeson
Following the 9:30 a.m. service, Westminster Presbyterian Church will be hosting a Rally Day at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Goskeson described it as “a day we feature all that we do as a family of faith.” The event is free and open to the public.
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A mural of wildlife adjorns the wall of the Faith First Room at Westminister Presbyterian Church.
The Christian Education wing will be open for people to view during the Rally Day event.
“We’d love to have people come and worship with us and see what our church does and as they are here, we’d love to have them see how the rooms are so bright and so colorful,” Goskeson said. “We want people to know we care about our children and want them to learn more about Jesus’ love for us all.”
For more information, call 507-433-3258 or email Goskeson at christianed@westminsteraustin.com.