No idle hands

A local church is helping to keep dozens of kids active and productive this summer.

Metropolitan Baptist Church, 125 County St., is holding its first-ever Youth Summer Recreation Enrichment Program throughout July. The program, for children ages 5 to 10, includes reading and math reinforcement, computer skills, arts and crafts and special activities.

“This is the first time that we’ve actually done this kind of program,” said Linda Goode, a church member who is volunteering with the program. “We know we want to do this every summer.”

On Thursday, about 28 children swarmed an activity room at Metropolitan. Some worked on a craft while others wrote in journals, worked puzzles, read books or learned about the software program PowerPoint.

The theme of the program is “Kids’ Hearts for Jesus.” Goode said that’s the main purpose of the program.

“It’s all about kingdom-building,” she said. “We don’t want them to just go outside and play. We want them to learn more about who Jesus is.”

Every morning at the program begins with devotions. The rest of the three-hour day is taken up with math and reading, arts and crafts, exercise, music, computer work and more.

“Some kids have never done a PowerPoint,” Goode said of the computer sessions. The children are encouraged to learn the program through making presentations on God, their family or other familiar topics.

Goode also said the church members do not teach math or reading, but rather simply reinforce what the children learned during the school year.

In addition, each child gets a snack and there is a time for “special sessions” on topics such as manners or resolving conflict.

The staff at the program responded to a call for volunteers during church services.

“It has been tremendous,” Goode said of the response from the volunteers, many of whom are teenagers. “They’re not being paid at all.

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