UPSTATE KIDS

KNOW, GROW, AND FOLLOW JESUS

Here at Upstate Kids, we believe that Sunday should be the most fun, exciting day in your child’s life! Each Sunday, your kids will engage in exciting worship, play games, meet new friends, and learn about Jesus in a way that they can understand. Our passion at Upstate Kids is to see each child come to Know, Grow, and Follow Jesus.

At Upstate Kids, we also believe that the greatest influence in the life of a child is the parent. Therefore, everything we do on Sundays, Wednesdays, and events is designed to partner with parents. Each Sunday, your child will experience three things: Biblical teaching relevant to their developmental stage, meaningful relationships, and a safe, fun environment where they can learn how to know, grow and follow Jesus.

SUNDAY MORNING KIDS SCHEDULE

10:00am | Sunday Groups Birth – 5th Grade

8:45am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

10:00am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

11:20am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

11:20am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

10:00am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade
11:20am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

8:45am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade
10:00am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade
11:20am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

10:00am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade
11:20am | Sunday Groups Birth-5th Grade

8:45am | Sunday Groups Birth-K5
8:45am | Kids Praise 1st-5th Grade
10:00am | Sunday Groups Birth – 5th Grade
11:20am | Sunday Groups Birth – K5
11:20am | Kids Praise 1st – 5th Grade

VOLUNTEER
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FACEBOOK
EVENTS

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

SIMPSONVILLE, Haywood, & Anderson Campuses

Upstate Kids Wednesday Nights happens at our Simpsonville, Haywood, & Anderson Campuses from 6pm – 7:30pm
mid-August – mid-May each school year with special summer events throughout June & July!
Stay up to date with our Upstate Kids happenings on Facebook and Instagram.
And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Upcoming events

Moms in the Park

Are you looking for an opportunity to connect with other moms in the church with young children? We would love for you to join us for Moms in the Park beginning Thursday, May 1. We will meet at various local parks the first and third Thursdays of the month from 10:00-11:30am May 1-August 7. This will be a great opportunity to get to know other moms as our little ones play together. Sign-up below to receive location details!

SummerPalooza

Families with K3-5th grade kids from all campuses and throughout the community are invited to SummerPalooza! SummerPalooza will meet May 28, June 11, July 9 & 30 for a fun family event. Please note: Upstate Kids MidWeeks will only meet these dates during the summer. We look forward to seeing you there!

May 28 – Roller Skating night – 6:30pm
Golden Skate Simpsonville

June 11 – PJ Movie Night – 6:30pm
Kids Theater, Simpsonville Campus

July 9 – Waterpark Night – 6:00pm
Discovery Island & 7th Inning

July 30 – Inflatables Night – 6:30pm
Simpsonville Campus

VBS MAX

K4-5th grades are invited to join us for this year’s VBS MAX June 23-26 from 9am-12:15pm each day at either our Simpsonville or Haywood campuses! Kids will participate in awesome worship through singing, games, crafts and interactive teaching while discovering more about the God who loves them and what it looks like to follow Him!

VBS MAX: Volunteers

We would love to have you be part of this year’s VBS MAX volunteer team! By volunteering, you can have a lasting impact on kids and families by helping kids come to know more about the God who loves them and what it looks like to follow Him! Join us June 23-26 from 9am-12:15pm at either our Simpsonville or Haywood Campus as a group guide or help with crafts, missions, Bible lessons/activities, recreation or more! Sign up by June 8.

Haven: A Kids Support Ministry

Do you have a heart for ministering to kids of varying needs? We would love to have you join our Haven volunteer team! We are looking for more people to volunteer as shadows and mentors for kids of varying needs, as this is a growing ministry. If you have questions, contact Ashley Meadors at [email protected]

CONTACT OUR TEAM

Kids Director
Kids Minister to Elementary
Simpsonville Kids Coordinator to Elementary

For campus specific staff, please choose a location below.

LOCATIONS + TIMES

CLICK ON LOCATION NAME FOR DIRECTIONS

UC FIVE FORKS

8:45AM | 10:00AM | 11:20AM

UC HARRISON BRIDGE

10:00AM | 11:20AM

UC MAULDIN

10:00AM | 11:20AM

UC HAYWOOD

8:45AM | 10:00AM | 11:20AM

UC SIMPSONVILLE

8:45AM | 10:00AM | 11:20AM

Krystal Manwaring

Simpsonville Kids Coordinator to Elementary

Being part of our Kids ministry is such a joy! I love being able to connect with families and partner with parents to help kids grow in their relationship with Jesus! As a mom myself, I have seen firsthand the blessing of being part of a ministry, and a church that has a heart to help people connect with Jesus to change their world! I visited First Baptist Simpsonville Upstate Church 18 years ago and I was so blessed to see a church that immediately welcomed me and I and my then fiancee, now husband, joined soon after! My husband is a contractor and we are blessed with two kids, one in Kids ministry and one in our Student ministry! I love to read and hang out with family and friends!

Josh Pratt

Kids Minister to Elementary

The best part about my job is creating a fun, safe environment where kids can learn what it means to follow Jesus on their level. I believe kids are not simply the future of the church, but are the church. I believe that they are not called to be missionaries once they are adults, but are missionaries right now here in the Upstate. I love teaching and equipping volunteers, kids and parents to take the gospel wherever they do life, as they go about their week. My greatest passion is my wife Lydia and my two kids Jonah and Collins! I love hanging out with family & friends, love good food, good music, a good dance party and I am always down to hoop!

Emily Toole

Kids Director

Kids of all ages learning about Jesus in safe, creative, and engaging environments with consistent, equipped leaders is my ministry and passion. As Kids Director, I love developing processes and programs that will help leaders truly minister to kids and their families by seeking to create consistent, relational, and gospel-centered environments geared toward discipleship across all of our campuses. Helping leaders grow in their ministry is one of the greatest joys of my role. My husband and I moved to South Carolina in 2019 to be a part of what God is doing in this ministry and in the Upstate. In our free time, we thoroughly enjoy spending time outdoors with our family and visiting the mountains and the beach.