THE METHODIST CHURCH GHANA
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY DIRECTORATE
REOPENING OF CHILDREN SERVICE
RE-OPENING OF CHILDREN SERVICE:
The leadership of the Methodist Church Ghana have, in consultation with Children’s
Ministry Directorate, agreed that All Children’s services re-open on SUNDAY 31ST
JANUARY 2021. This will pave way for adequate preparations to receive the children
back. It will also aid in the preparations towards Children’s Week Celebrations from 14 th
-21st February 2021.
The following dates must be considered.
17th and 24th January – For announcements of resumption and preparations to receive
the scholars. Please ensure the meeting place of the scholars are fumigated before
they come
A special welcome service could be organized to receive the scholars.
OBSERVING COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
The Christian Church finds itself in a very critical condition in these COVID moments as
the church revolves around communal life and touch where physical and bodily
interactions are unavoidable, especially among children whose activities involve physical
contact from welcoming, to action songs, to the lessons and to closing and departure.
The Christian Council has made available a document titled ‘Preparation Towards
Reopening of Churches in Ghana: Guidelines to mitigate Potential Spread of COVID 19’
in which several safety protocols have been suggested. The document in some areas
draw special attention to where children are mostly affected. That document should guide
the holding of children’s services as well. The public educational sector also has the same
challenge as we, the Children’s Ministry in the church have, and have laid down some
measures to manage the spread of the disease among children.
The following considerations must therefore help the church manage children better in
the fight against COVID 19.
Primarily, measures would require Societies to provide essential elements to help children
follow the World Health Organization (WHO) protocols.
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SOCIAL DISTANCING: A normal class of the MCG Children’s service is about 35 with a
teacher and one or more helpers. We are aware there are places the number per class
exceeds the 35. We recommend that where a class could further be divided to ensure
enough spacing, they do. We also recommend that as much as possible no class exceeds
30 children. This means there will be the need for extra teachers, extra space, and seats.
Canopies could be provided to make extra room for the children.
Those who worship in Chapels and big halls must ensure adequate distancing since they
may have larger numbers.
USE OF MOUTH AND NOSE MASKS: Masks have now become mandatory. Parents
are required to provide this for their children. No masks, no entry to the chapel/hall/ class.
Societies can also provide free masks to allow every child entry. Nose and face masks
must be marked with the names of children to avoid mix ups and fights that can
also lead to the spread of infections.
HANDWASHING: children could be enjoined to wash hands frequently. This would
require societies to provide enough veronica buckets and washing soaps at the doorstep
of every classroom. This should be handled by adults who will not let the children touch
any of the washing elements including the tap of the veronica bucket. If one person
dispenses the water and soap, the better. There should be enough tissue to dry hands.
Towels are not to be used.
SANITIZING: Children could be given hand sanitizers and be taught to sanitize their
hands every 30mins. If children do not have their own, an adult should be the one holding
it and dispensing it to all. Where possible provide auto-dispensed hand sanitizers for
children at each entry and exit point.
PLACE OF WORSHIP: Place of worship for the children should be well ventilated and
spaced out to avoid contacts or droplets from sneezing or talking. In rural and or smaller
communities where children could be easily reached, there could be a shift where
Beginners, Primary, and Teens come to worship at different times. Example beginners
come from 8-9 am, primary 10-11am, Teens 12-1:00pm. Those who worship under trees
must avoid crowding near and touching the stem of the tree.
The place of worship (chapel, hall, classroom, hut etc.) must be fumigated or disinfected
after worship before the next meeting. Let us be careful of chemicals that may have health
implications on the child.
The child must not touch any door handle, or no gate should be left for the child to open
or close. Teachers must ensure that the doors are wide open to avoid touch. Door handles,
if necessary, must be disinfected regularly.
REDUCTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS: We can ensure to reduce instructional
hours at the Sunday School where a service should not last more than one and half hours,
preferably one hour. This will reduce the risk of children abusing protocols when stressed
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up. Where it is not possible because children must wait for their parents at adult service,
Sunday School teachers should make sure they supervise the children to complete their
assignments in the workbook. That will engage them from moving about anyhow.
BEGINNERS: Beginners (from 0-6 years) who might find it difficult distancing themselves
can be made to join their siblings in the Teen's class who shall monitor them. That means
instruction must focus on them too.
After service, children should be seated for their parents to come for them.
When the parents come, they should wait outside until their children are called to be with
them. They should not crowd the entrance.
Ministers and teachers can educate parents enough to eradicate fear from them who shall
be responsible for bringing their children to the Sunday School.
ACTION SONGS AND ALL ACTIVITIES INVOLVING TOUCH: Action songs and all
activities at the Children’s service/ Sunday School that would involve children in touching
and holding each other or jumping helter-skelter could be on hold for now.
CHILDREN’S SERVICE: The children of all classes meet for the beginning of the service
to worship together before breaking off to our various classes. That aspect should be
stopped for now. Let every class have its own service and close right away. Where
families are not comfortable, they should be allowed to be with their children at the adult
service.
SHARED ITEMS AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Items like hymn books that is
commonly shared among the children should be avoided. Where the children service has
their own drums or musical instruments, care must be taken so the children do not fight
over who plays what. Teachers should appoint one who plays on a day and after that the
instruments are disinfected.
DRINKING WATER: Drinking water (bottle or sachet only). If there is a dispenser, only
one person should fetch for all in disposable cups. In all, one person(adult) should be
allowed to handle all drinking water. The person should keep minimum or no touch in
handling bottle or sachet water. If dispenser, the child pushes the cup under it and the
adult presses the buttons.
GREETINGS: No other form of greetings is permissible now except waving with a smile.
Children must be taught to respect that as a means of love for another and self.
GIVING OF OFFERINGS: Offerings could be given as usual but in orderly manner. Do
not pass offering bowls/sacks round. Since the children have the money with them let
them drop it in the offering bowl. Teachers must wear gloves to count the money and
after that sanitize their hands. The counting should be done after service.
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SINGING AND DANCING: We can sing and dance, but we must not move out of where
we sit into any other space. Dancing in the front space or the aisles must be minimized
to avoid touch.
EDUCATION: The children should be educated to know why they are to keep social
distance and keep their hands to themselves
Orientation should be held for the teachers on how to handle the children during this
period. Teachers should not be picking up children and embracing or hugging them as a
way of welcome. Wave and smile at them as you welcome them.
The children must also be educated to desist from stigmatization though social distancing
protocols must be observed.
ITEMS TO BE PROVIDED: The following items should be provided at the Children’s
service in quantities to ensure efficient cleaning and sanitizing.
Veronica buckets
Hand sanitizer / small antiseptic wipes
Liquid soap
Tissue (paper)
Water
Nose/face masks
Gun electronic infrared forehead thermometer (The children are to be checked before
they enter)
PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL PROTOCOLS: Since our children are students at the basic
and SHS levels, we encourage that any other protocols not mentioned here but would
be put in place to guide public schools, when schools reopen, be adhered to by the
children’s services.
Conclusion: At the heart of all the safety precautions we are putting in place lies our
mandate to ensure Christian nurture, pastoral care and counseling, and welfare concerns
so that Christian education and ministry to children in this era of the COVID 19 pandemics
does not suffer; so that the child would still be raised in the fear of God. Teaching on
salvation and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ is encouraged and
grooming the children to live like Jesus Christ in every way admonished.
We welcome all the children back to church.
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