Glad to stop by a RaceTrac to get a caffeine-free-diet-coke-on-crushed-ice on my way into late afternoon office hours. Wednesdays are my long days with weekday preschool beginning at 8am and planning not to end the day at second home until 8:30pm.
Discovered my new precious friend on campus who graciously helped me get my thoughts together for the first Childrens’ Council AND cut Jelly Bean Prayers which is WAY below her pay grade. This experience of having someone who communicates frequently and kindly has lessened many of the typical anxieties that come with beginning something new. She could write a book, that I would help promote, of how to lovingly and prayerfully welcome someone new on church staff. Her joy and smile, laughter and kind emails, phone calls, and face-time challenge me, encourage me, and give me confidence. I would hope that every one of my friends who serve local churches had this special someone when they began. She is amazing!
It is not my intention to lead these Council meetings, but as I shared with the ladies, I have so many questions and we have a lot happening within the next 90 days (Easter, Mother’s Day, VBS, Parent’s Night Out,) that I asked for permission to lead this and the next one. They were so gracious.
We answered an ice-breaker with my Gabbit toy that asks the questions for you. We had our first laughs. We opened with a very short prayer (been praying since April 1st), devotion from Sarah Young’s Childrens edition of “Jesus Calling,” and hit the calendar.
We talked about the schedule of Sunday School & Children’s church through May and shared an idea of taking the summer to prepare something different – physical play and storytelling, as well as Titus 2 guests for Children’s Church. One of the best lists I got was of church members and their “specialties/hobbies/natural gifts/spiritual helps.” Ideas were tossed around and I was encouraged when we chose to pray and make summer’s final decisions when we meet again in May.
Special events are anything outside of Sunday morning. With special events, the goal and purpose of each event should be decided upon first. Then we can communicate, market, and measure the successs of the event most effectively. Their responses were fabulous and I was encouraged.
I asked each council member to consider being the champion of their most important event – the one that means the most to each one AND to plan a season of jubilee (taking a backseat to children’s ministry leadership for a short period of time to be a part of the church family without being “on”.) I have been in the company of wonderful women who serve themselves empty and I don’t want that for them or anyone.
The meeting ended on time, thank goodness, and we plan to gather again on a Wednesday evening in May. In the meantime, we each have a sugar packet with a name on it to be prayed for until we meet again. I placed my sugar packet on the ledge of the steering wheel on the dashboard of my car. Immediately it fell inside a space and I have no idea where it is! I won’t be needing the packet to remember to pray this time…I’ll be wondering where it is and will automatically be reminded to pray for the fabulous Mrs. V.
I didn’t get home until after 10:30pm as I praised the LORD with Mandisa all the way home.