At Ontario Church, Tots and Tea Go Together

Since September, Discovery Christian Reformed Church in Bowmanville, Ontario, has been crawling with babies in a new play group called Tea and Tots.

Toddlers and their moms enjoy the welcoming environment of Tea and Tots.

Chantel Westerman

The weekly program welcomes mothers and young children to a time of toys, tea, and talk. While children play, moms share their joys and concerns about parenting and life. There is time for prayer and for getting to know other mothers in the community.

By the second week of Tea and Tots, there were 22 moms and caregivers and more than 30 children. Many moms had never attended church before and were surprised to learn that the church family of Discovery was providing everything at no cost.

Chantel Westerman, youth and children’s ministry coordinator, said, “Tea and Tots is a low-key, welcoming, non-stress environment in which people can come as they are and leave whenever they like.” Many of the moms and children were familiar with Discovery Church through the church’s worship at a local elementary school, offering a natural connection for them to attend Tea and Tots.

Tea and Tots is part of Discovery’s larger vision to be a hospitable presence in the community.

Westerman said, “The Tea and Tots play group will allow relational networks to be formed with moms and caregivers and leaders that will point them to Jesus.”