Nursery
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."
James 1:17a
Nursery Services
Helotes Hills welcomes children 6 weeks to 4 years old in our nursery program. We offer a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the youngest members of our church family to explore their world, grow in confidence, and learn of Christ. The nursery is open for all Sunday services from 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and for special church events. Our childcare staff is trained in using redirection and positive reinforcement to maintain a peaceful atmosphere and is professionally certified in pediatric CPR/AED and first aid.
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Our Promise to You
We promise to love and care for your child without bias, as Christ has taught us to love. We promise that the nursery door is always “open” and we encourage parents to develop a working relationship with our staff so we can better serve you. We promise that parents are welcome in our Nursery so long as their presence does not cause distress to other children. We promise that all adult volunteers and staff members are nationally background checked and trained every 2 years according to the Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Safe Gatherings program to ensure the safety of the children in our care. Helotes Hills UMC Nursery is committed to keeping a staff/volunteer to child ratio of 2 to 5 and a clean, safe environment for children to play and grow in.
Ages 6 weeks to 18 months
Ages 18 months to 4 years
We are here for you!
Little Lamb Nursery
"Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."
Luke 12:32
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Specifically geared towards the youngest members of our church family, our Little Lamb nursery provides a safe, warm, and peaceful place for infants 6 weeks to 18 months old. Little ones are greeted with love and age appropriate toys, soft carpets and cushioned floor mats so they can explore their environment comfortably. Our goal is to provide peace of mind for new and "experienced" parents alike, allowing them to attend worship to recharge and reconnect for the week ahead. We know the struggles facing parents and newborns and strive to create an open and working relationship with parents to aide in that process.
Noah's Nursery
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6
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We believe that a child is never to young to hear that they are loved by a wonderful and caring God. Noah's Nursery provides toddlers an exciting environment to grow, learn, create, and explore their world around them. Designed for children 18 months to 4 years, we encourage a positive environment with a focus on fun and fellowship. During worship services children in Noah's Nursery will hearing the Scripture through Godly Play in our Kindling Children's Church Program. In the Sunday School hour we offer a structured lesson and craft that further explores the Scriptures heard during Kindling. We encourage parents to continue the exploration of faith each week by asking open-ended
questions about faith and sharing ideas to help develop their child's sense of wonder and belief.
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"Children have an innate sense of the presence of God. The Godly Play approach helps them to explore their faith through story, to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual experience though wonder and play." -- description taken from www.godlyplayfoundation.org
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For more information on Godly Play, please read
https://www.godlyplayfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/What-is-Godly-Play-Handout.pdf
Meet our Childcare Staff
"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Jessi Spina
Director of Christian Education
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Jessi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Ashford University and has a background in both childcare and restaurant management. She was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and has lived in San Antonio since 2013. She is Momma to twin 8 year olds, Nate and Noella, and hopes to give them the same Christ-centered upbringing she experienced in her childhood church. Jessi and her husband reside in Westover Hills.
Olivia Hill
Lead Nursery Staff
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Olivia has been a member of Helotes Hills since 2009, and has been working with our nursery for several years. She is currently working as a full-time nanny for a local family and has a degree from The Amslee Nanny Institute. She loves working with kids and hopes to open up her own daycare one day!
Mary Schmelter
Nursery Staff
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Mary has attended Helotes Hills with her family since 2001, was confirmed in the church in 2015, and joined the nursery staff in 2021. Mary graduated from UTSA in 2020 with degrees in Psychology and Gender Studies. She loves working with children, and is also an ESL teacher here in Northside ISD. Mary resides in Helotes.
Miss Ivy
Nursery Staff
Ivy joined our childcare staff at the beginning of 2023 after volunteering for the annual Christmas Cantata. Ivy grew up as a military child, originally from Hawaii, and graduated from Stacey Jr-Sr High School on Lackland AFB with the class of 2023. She currently works at the on Lackland AFB in the Exchange and enjoys crafting, acting and music in her free time. Ivy has a passion for helping people and plans on pursuing a career in Interior Design in the future.
Jenny Jones
Church Staff
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Jenny has been a member of Helotes Hills since 2018 and joined the nursery in 2019. She was raised Methodist and loves sharing her best friend Jesus with the children of HHUMC. Jenny is also an Air Force veteran, having served as an Operating Room Technician for 11 years and served one tour in Iraq. Jenny and her husband Marty are parents of three daughters ages 21, 15 and 11 and reside in San Antonio.