By the time Baby Girl and #1 Son were walking and talking, our home had developed some simple, sacred rhythms.

“God bless you,” after every sneeze.

Prayers before every meal—even when we were eating at our favorite local Shoney’s as loyal Shoney’s Shoppers.

And praying out loud together.

That last one stretched me the most. Speaking prayers aloud didn’t come naturally, but I wanted my children to hear someone they loved talking outloud with Jesus. If they were going to learn what a life of faith looked like, they needed someone to mirror. I did not want to pass along my fear of praying outloud to my littles.

We weren’t ready to become missionaries to Africa…yet.

But God was already preparing us to be missionaries in our own home, in our families, and in the marketplace.

It was the 1980s. Mr. Bob traveled Monday through Friday for work while I served full-time as an assistant vice president of investments at Capital Bank, which later became Sunburst Bank in Baton Rouge. I didn’t want my children to know me only as the mom who rushed home to feed them, bathe them, and put them to bed.

So we made a plan.

We paid off our debt, lived on plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and macaroni and cheese for a season, and I left my full-time banking career to teach part-time in our church preschool.

Looking back, I can see how God was preparing me not only to raise my own children to love the Lord with their whole hearts for their whole lives, but also to spend a lifetime helping other families do the same.

Author James Fowler describes the faith of children between about 2 years old and 7 years old as the Intuitive-Projective stage of faith. During these years, children begin to understand God through the adults they know and trust. Their earliest picture of God is shaped by the people who love them. Children develop language and imagination. Faith is magical, fluid, and heavily influenced by stories, images, and the examples of adults.

They hear simple Bible stories. They learn songs. They celebrate holidays. They pray familiar prayers. Through repetition and routine, they begin to understand that God is real, loving, and present.

They watch us.

They notice how we treat neighbors, how we respond when we’re frustrated, how we share, forgive, be generous, tell the truth, and show kindness. Faith at this age is more caught than taught, but teaching is still of great importance.

Even everyday lessons—sharing toys, using kind words, waiting patiently, obeying promptly, and treating others with respect—become building blocks for practicing Christlike character.

As I’m spending time with the grands and other littles today, one of my favorite resources for those who lead this age is the free Faithful Beginnings Library from the Georgia Preschool Association. One lesson, “Be Kind to One Another,” gives those who lead and influence toddlers and preschoolers simple, hands-on ways to practice sharing and kindness. For older preschoolers and early elementary children, I also recommend Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson, a delightful story that reinforces how one act of kindness can spread farther than we imagine.

The Faithful Beginnings Library continues to grow thanks to teachers, childcare professionals, churches, grandparents, and families who are serving little ones every day. If you serve in a church nursery, operate an in-home daycare, are a first-year or ten-year classroom teacher in a church preschool, this library of fun activities can provide support to loving littles to Jesus. check it out here.

The resources are free, practical, and designed for the places where faith grows best—at home, at church, and in everyday moments.

After all, the greatest mission training field may just be around your own kitchen table.

“They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.” Daniel 1:5b

Last week I spent two hours on Zoom with a Global Methodist Church deacon who serves children’s ministry leaders across the Allegheny West Annual Conference. (This Georgia girl learned that Allegheny West includes Ohio and western Pennsylvania!)

What encouraged me most wasn’t my geography lesson—it was discovering that leaders across the country are asking the same question: What does it look like to raise up children and students as Global Methodists?

The Global Methodist Church celebrated its fourth birthday on May 1. While we’re a new denomination, we’re deeply rooted in a rich Methodist heritage shaped by John and Charles Wesley and their mother, Susanna. Their passion for Scripture, holy living, discipleship, and serving others remains the foundation of who we are today.

As of last February 2026, the Global Methodist Church includes nearly 7,000 congregations around the world. That’s exciting growth—but with growth comes opportunity.

How do we intentionally form the next generation? What distinctives should children, students, parents, and ministry leaders experience in a Global Methodist church?

Those questions led Allison Vandenbergh, a gifted children’s ministry leader in South Georgia, my ministry partner who is an incredible teacher, Robin Glover, and me to design the first R3 Gathering following last fall’s New Room Conference.

Together we explored three important conversations:

Roots – What are the Wesleyan roots that are clearly set to be pillars in GMC Christian education? 

Ruts – What has the GMC leadership already set in place to define, resource and prioritize organizationally?

Rhythms – How can we implement these distinctives in a developmentally appropriate way to equip local church, mission, and family leaders as active and faithful members of the Global Methodist Church?

For many churches, very little changed from the Sunday before they joined the Global Methodist Church to the Sunday after. Sunday School still met. Vacation Bible School still happened. Families still gathered around dinner tables. Children still memorized Scripture and learned about Jesus. Local and international missions experiences were still planned.

But now we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to intentionally shape what it means to grow up as a Global Methodist.

It’s time to set the table for Global Methodist littles with their bigs.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” Ephesians 4:14

My journey in Christian education began in an unexpected place—a delivery room in Louisiana’s East Baton Rouge Parish in the 1980s.

The moment I held our daughter for the first time, I whispered a prayer that God would capture her heart and mind at an early age. Twenty months later, I prayed the same prayer for our son: that he would come to know and follow Jesus and never let go.

Those prayers launched me into a lifelong adventure of learning how faith is formed in the earliest years. As a young mom in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I was blessed by a church family, preschool teachers, and faithful mentors who helped me nurture faith in our little ones. I will always be grateful for those who poured into both me and my children.

Author James Fowler, in Stages of Faith, describes the years from infancy to age two as a season of “Undifferentiated Faith.” During this time, children begin forming their earliest impressions of God through the people who care for them.

For toddlers and twos, the foundational truths are beautifully simple: God made you. Jesus loves you.

Long before children can read, they are learning. They watch, listen, imitate, and absorb the values and virtues of the people they trust most. Through loving relationships, they begin to experience God’s love, forgiveness, generosity, and care.

Faith is learned not only through words, but through actions, gestures, movements, and special (sacred) items. Folded hands. Bowed heads. Bedtime prayers. Sharing toys. Saying “I’m sorry.” Giving hugs.

As Christian educator, author, and theologian Craig Dykstra reminds us, “The practice of Christian faith is a lot more physical than we usually recognize or let on.” We learn faith by practicing faith.

That’s why I was delighted to discover Faithful Beginnings, a free resource from the Georgia Preschool Association designed specifically for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the adults who love them. Through simple lessons and activities, families, churches nurseries, grandparents, and childcare providers can help young children take their first steps in faith.

Resources for elementary-aged children are plentiful, but materials designed specifically for infants and preschoolers are often limited. Yet these early years matter deeply. Children learn to trust, love, pray, serve, and wonder way before they learn to read.

One of my favorite lessons from Faithful Beginnings especially for the littlest of littles is the Little Hands, Big Heart Lesson using family photos and a mirror. We have a digital photo album at our house which is a favorite ‘go to’ of our youngest grandchildren, so that would work, too. The extension activities included several that we did with our children and with our grandchildren. Check it out under the ‘Gratitude’ tab.

And because music is especially sticky for littles, one of my favorite toddler songs is sung to the tune of Baby Shark:

God loves you, do do do do do do…
God loves you, do do do do do do…
God loves you, do do do do do do…
God loves you.

Jesus, too, do do do do do do…
Jesus, too, do do do do do do…
Jesus, too, do do do do do do…
Jesus, too.

Every faithful journey begins with a faithful beginning.

“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2

The Lord revealed to me that a new chapter was coming through His Word months ago. As I was reminded by my senior pastor, “Retirement is not in the Bible nor is it in the Global Methodist Church Book of Discipline.” So, with prayer and intention, I created a transition plan nearly 90 days ahead of May 15 on a Finishing Well Exit Strategy google.doc and shared it with our leadership so that surely goodness and mercy would follow me all the days of my life.

In our family, we’ve always said we won’t retire from something unless we’re retiring to something. So here’s what’s next:

1. I will throw more energy into being a missionary to public school students, during the school day, off school property, through Lifewise Academy in Cherokee County. If you serve in leadership at a local church and want to really serve the families in your local schools, call me. Have I got a plan for you! Lifewise began in Ohio in 2018 and now serves 1,000 schools in more than 30 states. Right now Lifewise Academy is in 16 schools in the state of Georgia with the goal of 100 schools over the next three years. I began serving on a team last fall sharing Bible education with 1st-3rd graders at a local elementary school, during the school day, off school property, and I’m committed to making the 100 Georgia schools a reality even before the three years are up.
2. I’ll be serving on the Global Methodist Church’s Emerging Generations Team in North Georgia, supporting churches through Lifewise Academy and R3 Gatherings (North Georgia friends—stay tuned for an August date!).
3. Mr. Bob and I are looking forward to finding a church home closer to where we live so we can worship and serve side by side. He’s been patient, faithful, and supportive for decades—it’s time.

But first, Baby Girl and I are heading to Florida to visit my mother and sink our toes into the sand.

We’re also making room to be present where our grandchildren are—cheering them on in all the ways that matter to them. With ages ranging from 6 to 14, there’s a lot to celebrate and many memories to be made.

I’ll be sorting through books and resources that have shaped me over the past 30+ years—sharing many and passing others along to McKay’s Used Bookstore in Tennessee, trusting they’ll bless someone else while making room for new reads.

I’ve also stepped aside from my role as an at-large delegate for our North Georgia Global Methodist Church Annual Conference. That one tugs at my heart—I do love starting things. I’m deeply grateful to have played a small part in what has become the Global Methodist Church in my corner of the globe, even before it had a name. Through Zoom calls, prayer gatherings, and holy moments, God brought people together to begin a sacred movement—one He continues to bless as we make disciples and spread scriptural holiness around the world. In a long season that sometimes felt like I was standing quietly during the transition process, I was honored to help several colleagues around the country take faithful next steps into new ministry spaces.

In mid-April, the incredible church families I’ve served for nearly a decade gathered to celebrate me into this next chapter for Team Reilly. It was a beautiful, joy-filled celebration—family, friends, ministry partners, prayer warriors, and beloved children of every age and stage, all in one room. There was a popcorn bar, purple and gold colors, McIntyre’s cookies and petit fours, yellow roses and daisies, and more stories than we could count. I laughed until I lost my voice—and I’m still writing thank-you notes.

Last Sunday, these amazing disciples commissioned me into ministry and mission closer to home. Through choked-up prayers and great laughter, I’m saying again, “Show me Your glory, Lord.” With a brand new calendar of blank spaces, we boldly and joyfully step into what’s next.

“Our lives are lived in chapters and nothing is wrong when a chapter is done and a new one begins.” Mrs. Pattmore, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale 

Last Sunday we celebrated all of our high school graduates at an incredible student-led worship service on a Sunday morning, outside, sharing the Ascension of Christ in a clear 3-part message, in song and testimony, with bubbles. Yes, bubbles!

This Sunday, we’ll celebrate three of those high school graduates who have completed AGENT Projects—think Eagle Scout projects, but for ministry. Each student stepped into a leadership role, recruited a team, received coaching, and carried a ministry from beginning to end to accomplish a meaningful goal.

Our student leadership journey begins early. In 4th and 5th grade, students are invited into a Faith Milestone called AMBASSADORS. Ambassadors commit to representing their families, their church, and their Savior through witness, service, teaching, and worship. They attend a fall training and then spend the year(s) putting their faith into action. It’s been a joy to collaborate with fellow children’s ministry leaders to create a two-year, rotating Ambassador Retreat, helping take this calling even deeper and sharing it with other local churches.

AMBASSADOR = one who represents someone or an organization; from 2 Corinthians 5:20

From there, we build into middle and high school with additional Faith Milestones designed to develop students into leaders we call AGENTS:

AGENT = one who acts on behalf of someone or an organization.

• A – Ambassador: a refresher or introduction for those new to the role
• G – Gospel: Learning and practicing the sharing of the good news of Jesus naturally in everyday conversations
• E – Engage: Engaging and leading a team to learn skills and grow in relationship with God and other generations to accomplish a goal to the glory of God; practice humbly receiving direction and graciously offering instruction
• N – Neighbors: serving our neighbors and defining who ARE our neighbors; designing and implementing a purposeful plan to engage our neighbors in a project
• T – Telling the Truth: Trusting and telling the truth of God’s Word from an apologetic (defending the truth) Biblical worldview.

On Sunday, we’ll celebrate three AGENTS and their three coaches with a gift in worship to model the mission of our church to be disciple-makers who share Jesus with neighbors, nations, and the next generation.
Agent Project #1 – Operation Christmas Child Project Leader, including the car wash fundraiser

Agent Project #2 – Sound and staging for the Live Nativity, including our community partners for this annual community event

Agent Project #3 – Youth-led Sunday morning worship service, including the design team and message preparation

I’ve known these three students, and their families, since the students were in 4th grade. Being part of their ‘littles’ season, middle school confirmation season, and now high school season, is truly a gift. These incredible disciples have truly made an impression on me and are very much part of my story. They are also prepared to start things for Jesus as they step out into the world as young adults.

By the way, one of these agents has been running tech and sound in the overflow worship space even before the renovation started of our worship center since last winter and striped the entire parking lot the summer between his sophomore and junior year, on his own, as part of the trustees team. Two of these agents started a prayer team together this year with their high school marching band completely on their own called “Marching For Jesus” which met prior to practices/performances and have effectively handed it off to their siblings coming up behind them. Two of these agents served as the worship and teaching leads on mission in the Czech Republic last summer. Yeah….they have already been ‘acting on behalf’ of their Savior in their world. This 2026 AGENT celebration in worship next Sunday invites their home church to celebrate, too. Well done, church!

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Pandemic ministry taught us to get creative. Brown bags became bridges—simple ways to carry faith from church to home. We hosted Tuesday drive-thrus, summer drive-ins, and sent families home with resources for everything from Faith Milestones to Advent favorites like A Charlie Brown Christmas to special moments across the church year.

And honestly? The brown bags stuck.

As part of last week’s Children’s Moment, we handed out Family Prayer Walk Bags—because after the 40 days of Lent and the joy of Easter Sunday, the question naturally follows: Now what do we do as followers of Jesus?

We talked about how, after encountering Jesus, even the wise men “went home a different way.” That invitation still stands for us. Then we read from Matthew 28—when Jesus appeared to His disciples. Scripture says some worshiped… and some doubted. Doubted? After everything they had seen?

A closer look at that word ‘doubted’ reveals something comforting: it can also mean they hesitated. Even the disciples needed a moment—and a little prompting—to step into what came next. So we asked the same question together: Now what?

Each bag was filled with simple, hands-on tools to help families live their faith out loud:

• Mini Jesus figurines – to leave behind or share as reminders that Jesus is with us
• Glow sticks – to remember to be the light wherever we go
• “I ♥ Jesus” flag – a bold, joyful way to say, “I love Jesus!” in everyday places
• Prayer walk guide – simple instructions for praying as a family wherever your feet go
• Sidewalk chalk – to write Jesus’ name on sidewalks, driveways, and spaces we pass through

The prayer walk guide was inspired by a simple idea using the word WALK—an easy way to help families pray as they move through their neighborhoods, ball fields, and daily routines:

Now what? We tell people about Jesus. We proclaim His goodness and faithfulness to His people with stories told around tables, when we rise up, when we go to bed, and as we walk along the roads. (Deuteronomy 6) A Family Prayer Walk gets us outside, together, and grows our boldness muscles.

We tell the Good News:

• He came
• He died for our sins
• He rose on the third day
• He appeared to more than 500 and His brother, James
• He returned to His Father to send a helper, the Holy Spirit (The Father makes all things, The Son sets us free, The Holy Spirit brings help to me)
• And He is coming back again

And we don’t just tell with words.

We tell with our lives—
with flags and chalk,
with prayers and conversations especially where we live,
with glow sticks and acts of bold courage,
with songs, laughter, and love.

We live like people who have had an encounter with Jesus. We equip our families to ‘go a different way.’

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

For more than twenty years, designing and offering Faith Milestones has been one of the great joys and priorities of my ministry with both littles and their bigs. These moments create space for some of the most meaningful teaching we can offer—where Scripture and sacred Christian tradition come together in ways that are clear, personal, and developmentally appropriate.

Each Faith Milestone is more than a lesson—it’s an experience. A chance to practice holy habits, explore what we believe, and invite families to grow in faith together.

I was first inspired to create these milestone moments at a Christian Educators Fellowship gathering in Nashville. A speaker challenged us with a simple but powerful idea: many of the faith foundations we once assumed kids would “catch” in Sunday school were being missed in the busyness of life. What if we reimagined those teachings as special, can’t-miss events—something meaningful enough that families would plan around it… especially if there was a certificate involved?

That idea stuck—and it shaped so much of what I’ve built since.

Last Wednesday, I had the joy of leading a one-hour I Can Trust & Obey Jesus: A Faith Milestone designed for 1st–5th graders and a big person who loves them. My goal is simple: I don’t want a single child to move through our ministry without having the opportunity to learn what it means to trust and obey Jesus with their whole heart for their whole life.

This particular milestone centers on a foundational truth: people are like sheep—and we need a good shepherd. In other words, who is Jesus and why do we need Him.

What follows is the interactive, fill-in-the-blank content we used—paired with games and videos to bring it all to life. And here’s a little spoiler: every single blank has the same answer. JESUS. And yes—the giggles when the kids figured that out were absolutely priceless.

Takeaways: A certificate; A sticker book; The Case for Christ for the 4th & 5th graders, a tiny lamb

Worksheet Content: I CAN TRUST & OBEY JESUS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SHEEP AND JESUS IS A GOOD SHEPHERD. 

OPENING QUESTION: What are some things that are super important in your life? Think about the stuff that is really important to you.

TRUST

“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3
Sheep and shepherds are mentioned more than 500 times in the Bible…they are big deal and can help us understand some things.

Who are the sheep? US.

Sheep wander, get lost, can’t get up, can’t get rid of bugs in their noses, can’t protect themselves, and stray looking for greener grass and something more.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.” Isaiah 53:6a

When we turn our own way, we SIN.

Sheep need a GOOD SHEPHERD.

Object Lesson Break: Do you trust me? (fall back; chair to sit in)

OBEY

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14

When we choose ________________________ , our GOOD SHEPHERD, to be the center of our lives when we remember who He is and what He has done.

What does it mean to be good? (Circle all that apply)

Kind                     Wicked                Protective            Mean

Generous            Grumpy               Evil              Helpful

Watch video: Who is a good shepherd?  ______________!

·   When we are upset, we can go to ____________________________ for peace.

·   When we are afraid, we can remember that _____________________ is strong.

·   When we are sad, we can remember that ______________________ can give us joy.

·   When we don’t know what choice to make, we can ask ____________ to make us wise.

Making ___________________________ the center of our lives, our GOOD SHEPHERD, means we go to Him over and over. We tell Him that we need Him. We believe that He is the only One who can help us with every part of our lives.

In the life of a Christian/follower, _________________________ is the One in charge of all things, so Jesus gets to make the rules.

Jesus is a good shepherd!

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17

When we choose to follow ________________________,

Jesus says we are His children. We are loved and set apart from the rest of the world. Because we belong to Him, He gives us certain rules (commands) to obey.

Jesus is a good shepherd!

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God  — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. We are all children of God.” John 1:12-13

Obeying the commands of  ___________________________ is part of our faith.

Jesus is a good shepherd!

“The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him/her and make myself plain to him/her.” John 14:21

We have the choice to obey ____________________________.

We call this ‘free will.’

Jesus is a good shepherd.

Watch video: Good sheep follow a good shepherd.

The Bible gives us a picture to help us remember: ____________________ is a good shepherd and we are His sheep. Look up Psalm 23.

The more we learn about ___________________________, by reading the Bible, going to Church, and praying to Jesus, the more His voice will be familiar to us. As good sheep, it will go well for us all when we want to do everything He tells us.

OBEY = immediately, completely, and sweetly

Game: Guess Who’s Calling? (Child faces the door and guesses who is calling his/her name) Goal: When you spend time with someone you begin to know their voice more and more.)

How can I keep learning to know the voice of my GOOD SHEPHERD?

Read your Bible – Psalm 1:1-3

¹ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
² but who delights in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—  whatever they do prospers.

Go to Church – Hebrews 10:24-25

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Pray (talk & listen to God) – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I want to trust and obey Jesus ___________________________________.

Write your name here; Let’s pray!

Do you use something comparable to Faith Milestones in your ministry? Tell me more!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

It’s both a joy and a great responsibility to be given a few minutes in a worship service to speak to children. With just 2½–3 minutes, every word matters. It must be clear, intentional, and developmentally appropriate. And whenever I can involve the whole congregation—not just the children—I count it as a win.

Because here’s the truth: The children need to see the faces of the adults who promised at their baptisms to help them grow in faith, and the adults need to see the faces of the children they vowed to support.

Last Sunday was Master’s Sunday here in Georgia, I shared a special message inspired by the The Masters Golf Tournament. Last year, Mr. Bob and I had the chance to attend on a Friday, and I’ll be honest—it was one of my favorite days ever. A spring day at Augusta National Golf Club belongs on every Southerner’s bucket list.

Yes, we talked about the famous egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches. We talked about the peach ice cream sandwiches. And we noticed all the colors—yellow, pink, white, blooming azaleas, and every shade of green imaginable.

But what always catches my eye isn’t only the golfers. It’s the caddies.

The caddies are dressed in white, wearing green caps, walking closely behind or beside their golfer whose name is on the caddy’s upper back. They carry the heavy clubs, hand over the right tool at the right time, and offer wisdom based on knowing the course. They encourage, guide, and remind the player to keep their eyes on the flag.

It struck me how much that looks like the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The Holy Spirit who encourages us, guides us, offers wisdom, reminds us to keep our eyes on Jesus.

And then there’s the little pencil with no eraser. We don’t need to erase our past or pretend life hasn’t happened. God is always working through every moment of our story even when we land in the water, land in the sand bunker, land in the woods, and between the trees. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

Give away: golf pencils for all!

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:23

Inspired by Wondering to Jerusalem, written by my dear friend and fellow “Jesus gal,” Vanessa Myers, we planned a Lent family event designed to help the holy week stories of our faith come alive for all ages and stages. Vanessa has a beautiful way of blending Biblical truth with hands-on creativity so that Scripture doesn’t just stay on the page—it’s experienced.

And this year, we took it on the road.

Because community is in our name, we partnered with a local senior living center to host the event. Truthfully, something like this had been on my ministry bucket list for years.

The relationships were already there—residents included church members and family members of our congregation. Invitations went out in every direction: residents invited friends and family, and our church did the same.

And when we asked if we could come? The program director didn’t even need to check the calendar. She shared that Sunday afternoons are often quiet—and sometimes lonely—for senior living center residents. After a big brunch, there’s typically no evening activity.

The senior living center welcomed us with open arms—and incredible generosity.

They provided:

• A lovely outdoor courtyard space
• Tables, chairs, and a tent
• A TV monitor for sharing videos
• Half of the door prizes
• Palm tree props for a photo station
• And even the food (portable charcuterie-style cups filled with cheese, crackers, pepperoni, and olives!)

The chef didn’t just prepare the food—he came to the event with his family, including his two children.

It felt like everyone was part of something special. Our church family showed up ready to serve.

Some wore live nativity costumes, others sported church t-shirts. They brought their children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents—truly a multigenerational gathering.

Together, we led interactive stations just as designed in Wondering to Jerusalem, while instrumental Jerusalem marketplace music played softly in the background. Every 20–30 minutes, we paused to give away door prizes and share our children’s Resurrection Sunday shadow play on the big screen.

Laughter, conversation, storytelling—it all flowed so naturally.

We had clear goals going in and every single one of those goals was met:

• To connect with our community in a meaningful, intergenerational way
• To give our Ambassadors a place to practice serving
• To identify and encourage future Family Ministry Interns
• To create space for current interns to lead
• To serve side-by-side across generations

After everything was cleaned up and packed away, my ministry partner and I went back in to say one last thank you. That’s when the program director smiled and asked: So… can we talk about a live nativity?” Yes. Yes, we can.

Because when you bring the story of Jesus into the community, you never know what beautiful invitation might come next.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16

Sometimes the simplest ideas turn into something sacred.

This spring, as we begin raising up our 3rd graders to serve as Ambassadors, we wanted to give them a glimpse of what leadership can look like—before their formal Faith Milestone training, I Can Serve, happens in the fall.

The best way to learn to serve? Serve.

We created a simple, joy-filled, on-campus CONNECT event: a Potato Potluck with Church Music Bingo, surrounded by the people who already love and cheer them on—their home church family.

Our 3rd–5th graders stayed after Sunday worship with their families to prepare for the event later that afternoon. And they didn’t just help—they led.

• They played and practiced the games (Potato Trivia and Potato Pass The Prize)
• They decorated tables and set up a photo spot with jumbo bottle of ketchup
• They prepped bingo supplies with Honey Nut Cheerios as markers – the honey covering makes them less likely to fall apart when handled
• They organized materials for the following week’s Wondering to Jerusalem family Palm Sunday event at a local senior living center

But more importantly, they practiced people skills:

• Speaking into a microphone
• Initiating conversations with adults (yes—even pastors!)
• Sitting with new people at meals
• Taking direction, problem-solving, and working as a team

And along the way, they built meaningful relationships with our family ministry interns—young leaders they look up to.

The event itself looked like this: 4:00–6:00 p.m., the church filled with laughter, music, and the smell of creative potato dishes (including a surprisingly delicious potato candy!).

The flow of the afternoon:

• 4:00–4:45 – Games
• 4:45–5:10 – Potluck meal
• 5:10–5:50 – Church Music Bingo

Church Music Bingo replaced numbers with church song titles from across generations. As each song played through the first chorus, from a curated playlist, players marked their cards—From Because He Lives to Our God Is an Awesome God to Every Praise, voices of all ages sang together. It wasn’t just a game anymore.

We created 250 large-print bingo cards (easy to read and reusable in page protectors) and played everything from classic bingo to squared-out challenges. Prizes included potato-themed blankets, games, and puzzles—one of which our senior pastor promptly donated to the youth room!

In the middle of all the fun, we paused for a short devotional. We talked about potatoes.

• Potatoes don’t grow from seeds—they grow from other potatoes. Just like disciples of Jesus are made by other disciples of Jesus.
• Each table setting had a small red potato. Participants studied theirs, then placed it in a shared bowl. After mixing them up, they tried to find their original potato again. Almost impossible. Yet—God knows each of us instantly. That’s the kind of Creator we serve.

Yes, this was a training opportunity for our Ambassadors, but it was also a time of great joy shared through song, a creative food spread, and so much laughter. The experienced 5th graders of that day will be moving onto youth in the fall. The experienced 4th graders have deepened their relationship with the new 3rd graders on a different level. The new 3rd graders can’t wait to serve again. And the very next week, this same group stepped out to serve in the community with more confidence—because they had already practiced serving in a safe, loving space.

It looked like potatoes and bingo cards. It sounded like eating, laughter and singing. But underneath it all, something deeper was happening. We weren’t just hosting an event. We were forming disciples.

And sometimes, that starts with a potato.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7