Baby Blessing is the first Family Milestone, designed to equip, bless, and celebrate parents throughout the infancy and toddler phases of life, and encourage our church body to build relationship and build community.

The milestone includes a Parent Equipping Workshop, Baby Blessing Ceremony, and Celebration Reception for families with newborns through age 23 months.

The Parent Equipping Workshop provides tools that empower parents as the primary faith trainers of their children. Moms and dads are provided with practical resources in understanding the needs of children in this phase. Led by an OHC elder couple, parents receive wise counsel in the primacy of prayer, and in raising and spiritually training children.

The Baby Blessing Ceremony is presented in the worship service. During the ceremony, parents, and babies are invited onstage, parents respond with verbal affirmations to commitments spoken by an Oak Hills Church elder and participate in a time of prayer and blessing over their babies.

The Celebration Reception honoring parents and children occurs following the blessing ceremony. Family and friends are invited to attend.

Baby Blessings occurs twice a year, in the spring and fall. Attendance at the workshop is required to participate in the ceremony and reception. Email Meghan Cruz for more information!

Pathway to Kinder is the second Family Milestone, designed to equip, bless, and celebrate parents and their children in the preschool phase of life, and encourage our church body to affirm families beginning elementary school.

This milestone includes a Parent Equipping Workshop & Kinder Blessing, and Affirmation & Celebration Reception for families with a child entering kindergarten in the fall.

The Parent Equipping Workshop provides parents with practical resources in understanding the needs of children in this phase of life. Parents are also encouraged and inspired to pray with their children, value the Bible as their guide for living, and discover the significance of blessing their child. At the end of the workshop, parents share a personal moment of blessing and prayer with their preschooler.

The Kinder Affirmation is presented in the worship service. Parents are invited onstage with their preschooler during the Sunday worship service for a time of recognition and affirmation. An Oak Hills Church elder gives a charge to the parents and to the congregation.

The Celebration Reception honoring the parents and children occurs following the affirmation. Family and friends are invited to attend.

Pathway to Kinder occurs once a year, in the spring. Attendance at the workshop is required to participate in the ceremony and reception. Email Sarah Kennington for more information!

The Agape Trail milestone serves to create an environment where our 5th graders are seen, known, and experience God’s agape love. With a year-long focus on the theme of love, our students learn about the authentic love of Christ, and receive personal affirmations of love from their families, peers, and church community.

Agape Trail also supports our fifth graders and their families in the transition from Bibleland Kids to Student Ministry. It is our hope and prayer that through the transforming power of Christ, our students will remain steadfast in their faith in order to withstand the upcoming social pressures of middle school.

The milestone includes monthly parent equipping workshops, monthly student classes, and a spring student retreat.

Contact Nancy Moran for more information. Agape Trail Retreat registration opens after the September class. All parents are encouraged to attend the launch to receive retreat information.

Challenge 8 is the fourth Family Milestone, designed to equip parents and their 8th grade student with communication skills and conversation topics that will cultivate and strengthen their relationship through their next life phase.

This milestone includes a Parent & Student Equipping Dinner and a Parent & Student Retreat.

The Parent & Student Equipping Dinner helps families learn effective communication skills, setting the stage for the milestone retreat, and equipping parents and students for future life conversations. The Parent & Student Retreat is the culmination of the milestone. Parents and students attend an overnight retreat together where they laugh, play, learn, and serve together. This is a great opportunity to pause, share experiences, and strengthen relationships as they move into the high school years. The retreat ends with a time of blessing.

The Parent & Student Retreat is the culmination of the milestone. Parents and students attend an overnight retreat together where they laugh, play, learn, and serve together. This is a great opportunity to pause, share experiences, and strengthen relationships as they move into the high school years. The retreat ends with a time of blessing.

Challenge 8 events occur in the winter and spring. Email Jennifer McKinney for more information!

Senior Celebration is the fifth and final Family Milestone, designed to equip, bless, and celebrate parents and their children in the high school phase of life, and encourage our church body to affirm families with graduating seniors.

This milestone includes a Parent Blessing, Senior Summit, Senior Testimonies, Senior Celebration Banquet, and Senior Blessing Service for families with a child graduating high school in the spring.

The Parent Blessing is a fall gathering of parents with incoming seniors. Parents receive prayer, a blessing for the year ahead, and a gift Bible for their senior. Parents are encouraged to acquire notes of blessings, favorite Scriptures and words of encouragements in the Bible, which is presented to the graduate at the Senior Celebration Banquet.

The Senior Summit is a surprise event for the seniors. The day is designed to give the graduates a special send off and blessing from the Student Ministry team.

The Senior Testimonies provide an opportunity for a graduating senior to share their testimony, encourage their peers, and give advice to the next generation of students at Oak Hills Church.

The Senior Celebration Banquet is the formal send-off dedicated to honoring our graduates and their families. A noted speaker offers a message with a final challenge to seniors and their parents. Parents, extended family members, and friends are given time to bless and pray with their graduates.

The Senior Blessing Service is presented in the worship service. During the service, seniors are invited onstage and receive a blessing and prayer from the church body as they launch into adulthood.

Senior Celebration events occur throughout the school year. Email Jennifer McKinney for more information!