One of the major distinctions of a Reformed church, is how we understand our children in relation to Christ and the Covenant of Grace that he mediates. In our church, children are full participants and members of the visible church community. They, no less than the adults, deserve to be incorporated in the normal life of the church and to be discipled with clear Christian instruction.
While this is similar to other churches, the Reformed tradition is not content to delegate all instruction of our covenant children to special programs such as Sunday school (although we love our Sunday school teachers and programs). It is also important that children be instructed by the overseers of the church: Ministers and the ruling elders, who are charged with providing spiritual oversight of the entire flock. This happens weekly through the Sunday sermons, and also through the process of catechetical instruction. Catechesis is the teaching of the fundamentals of our most holy faith, mostly through the practice of memorization and explication of core Christian doctrines. Through our process of catechesis, the elders of Living Hope are able to keep a temperature on the spiritual condition of our youngest members and have a hand in the development of their faith.