The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone.
At CCN, we gather each Sunday to worship Jesus, hear God’s Word, pray, and encourage one another in faith. But church is more than a weekly service. It is a shared life – where children are discipled, young people are strengthened, families are supported, friendships are formed, burdens are carried, and ordinary people learn to follow Jesus together.
Our ministries exist to help people take their next step in community and discipleship. Whether you are new to CCN, raising young children, in high school, looking for friendship, or wanting to serve, we would love to help you find a place to belong and grow.
Explore the ministries below, and feel free to get in touch if you would like to know more.
Our small groups are one of the most important parts of life at CCN. While Sundays matter deeply, small groups are where much of our shared life together is really worked out – in God’s Word, in prayer, and in one another’s lives.
These are Bible studies held in homes, where we open Scripture carefully, learn together, ask honest questions, pray for one another, and support each other in the realities of everyday life. Over the years, our small groups have been a place of rich fellowship – where meals are shared, songs are sung (and written!), burdens are carried, and people are strengthened in Christ.
Small groups meet on Wednesday nights from 7:30pm to 9:15pm, with Zoom options available for those who are unable to attend in person. If you are looking for a place to grow in God’s Word and be more deeply connected into the life of the church, we would love to help you find a group.
Our commitment to children and youth begins with a commitment to parents, whom God has entrusted with the primary role of discipling their children. We also know the early years of motherhood can be both deeply joyful and deeply demanding. That’s why Mums & Bubs exists – to provide a space where mothers can find encouragement, friendship, and gospel-shaped support together.
Mums & Bubs meets weekly during school terms – currently on Wednesday mornings from 9:30am at various locations around Newcastle. The group is relaxed and informal. Over a cuppa, we read the Bible, talk about how it speaks into the everyday joys and challenges of motherhood, and pray for one another and our children while the little ones (mostly!) play in the background.
CCN Kids is our Sunday children’s ministry for children from crèche age through to the end of primary school. Our desire is to help children know the love of God, hear the truth of His Word, and grow in trusting and following Jesus.
We want our children’s ministry to be more than childcare or entertainment. It is grounded in the Bible, shaped by the gospel, and prayerfully dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit. Our hope is that, over time, children would come to know God as their Creator, trust Jesus as their Saviour and Lord, and grow in lives of faith, obedience, and love.
The Veggie Patch is the umbrella for our children’s ministry across different ages and stages. We want to plant and nurture the truth of God’s Word in children’s hearts from their earliest years, helping them grow in knowing Him, trusting Him, and following Him.
In these earliest years, we simply want to care for little ones well and surround them with the warmth of God’s family. Even here, seeds of God’s love are being planted through care, prayer, and presence.
At this stage, children begin learning who God is through simple Bible teaching, songs, and stories from both the Old and New Testaments. Our hope is that they would begin to see that God is good, that He can be trusted, and that they are loved by Him.
As children grow, we help them engage more deeply with the Bible and with the person of Jesus. We want them to know Him as Saviour and Lord, to grow in confidence in God’s truth, and to learn how to love others as He has loved them.
FAQ
All classes begin after singing in the main service. Children aged 3 and up can meet their teachers after singing for their classes in the middle hall.
Parents or guardians may drop off crèche-aged children to the rear hall. Please make sure you sign them in before leaving. Please note: we will require a mobile phone number incase we need to contact you during the service while your child is in our care.
The teachers and volunteers will bring the babies and children back to the main auditorium at the end of the service.
No, although we do encourage continuity for the children to get the most out of our curriculum. Our leaders work to engage the students actively because relationships are critical to fostering spiritual growth.
We take Child Safety very seriously at CCN. All members of our Pastoral Team and any volunteers working with children are required to be screened (background checks), have a cleared NSW Working With Children Check (WWCC), and must abide by the Calvary Chapel Newcastle Code(s) of Conduct in accordance with our Governance Documentation and Safe Church Framework.
Additionally, all leaders and volunteers working with children, youth or young persons receive annual training in child protection and teaching strategies.
During our Sunday programs, access to the areas of our Children’s Ministries is restricted to designated leaders and volunteers. A single parent may remain in the crèche room with their child alongside the designated leaders and/or volunteers as required.
We do not offer snacks to children on Sunday mornings. We recommend parents of crèche aged children leave some food and drink for their children with instruction for the leaders and volunteers. It is helpful to the teachers if all of your child’s belongings are labeled prior to visiting with us on Sunday mornings.
If your child does have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please communicate that to your child’s teacher and/or the Children’s Pastor.
All leaders and volunteers involved with Calv’s Youth in any formal capacity are required to be regular attendees of the church in good standing, and must undergo screening in accordance with our Governance Documentation – irrespective of whether one is a parent of a student.
While we have strict controls in place for leading and volunteering children, we believe strongly that partnering with parents is the best way to raise a personal faith in the next generation. That’s why we want to partner with you to support the family to:
- answer any questions you may have to ensure confidence in the welfare of your child(ren);
- socialise any issues or concerns we may have regarding your child(ren); and
- provide and share resources and tools to support and equip parents in discipling their children at home.
All rooms are carefully cleaned and sanitised before and after each use. We do ask that children who have shown any COVID-like symptoms, or symptoms of a contagious sickness (such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea) within the last 24 hours, please stay at home.
Our men’s and women’s groups meet infrequently throughout the year (usually once a quarter). The groups are very informal and the atmospheres are very relaxed. We typically meet at someone’s house during the evening, share some supper, share with one another about our lives and encourage one another from the Scriptures, before spending committed time in prayer.
We see the Men’s and Women’s groups as a key part of maintaining our values, specifically: Real in Community. Whatever your season of life, whatever your interests, we believe the abundant life we all long for is found in a community.
Keep an ear out for our next gathering!
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to find out more about our various ministries.