Each spring thoughts of fall ministry with Sunday school, weekly programming, special events and the Children’s Ministry Dream Team God has planned to gather begins to take up great space in my head, my heart, and my prayers. Inviting others to join a team of Jesus’ disciples to disciple little people (and themselves in the process) thrills this Jesus gal to the bone. I fully understand how difficult it is to ask folks to make a commitment for the fall a full six months ahead of time, but it’s that intentionality that has saved me from taking on more than I should when I had little people and a family to take care of. It helped us keep our family priorities.

We had a Reilly family tradition which called everyone (kids and adults) to decide by Memorial Day what we’d commit to for the next school year as a family. Negotiations took place to be sure we were best able to balance our calendars, our finances, and our heads. This resulted in a gift of reminding everyone in the family of our mutual commitment to our discipleship and relationship with Jesus and the local church as our priority. This was far from a formal meeting and more like multiple  mini-conversations in the car, around the dinner table, and while doing laundry. There was plenty of time for PTA, marching band, drama plays, school, soccer, and vacation time, but only as it worked around our priority of discipleship. Wouldn’t I want to provide the same healthy habit for the families I serve in the local church?

This last Sunday, we attached a ‘Intention Postcard’ to the copies of Sunday school lessons. I’ll begin passing them out as other regular programming takes place in the next two weeks, as well.

Thank you for serving on the McEachern Kids Dream Team this school year with your presence, your preparation, your faithfulness, your smile, your joy and so much more. It is with great appreciation that we wish for you to take a jubilee…a time of rest and refreshment…this summer for June and July.

You were an answer to prayer when you said, “Yes!” to serve this year and I can’t thank you enough.  As we begin to pray and prepare for the next school year, we humbly ask you to prayerfully consider how and where you wish to continue serving on the McEachern Kids Dream Team come August.

Please return this card to me by the first day of spring, March 20.

  • I want to stay with this grade level in Sunday school.
  • I want to stay in my role in Sunday school, but with another grade level. ______
  • I want to loop-up with my current class to the next grade level.
  • I want to begin to lead a Sunday school class (one month on, one month off)
  • I want to stay in my role in Children’s Church
  • I want to stay in my role in Well-Versed Kids
  • I want to begin serving in Children’s Church
  • I want to begin serving in Well-Versed Kids
  • I want to stay in my role in Glee Club/Cherub Choir
  • I want to begin serving in Glee Club/Cherub Choir (program 5:45-6:30pm on most Wednesdays)
  • I want to begin serving in the new CLUB345 on Sunday evenings beginning in August
  • I want to take a year off
  • I want to serve and I’ve got an idea!

_____________________________________ (please print your name)

How will you invite your team to return, invite your team to take a time of rest, invite your team to share their ideas and needs, AND trust our great God to provide for the harvest. This is HIS holy work. We are invited to play in His sandbox and have the faith He will show up and show off among His people. This I know: The laborers will always seem few. The harvest will always be great. Yet our great God can multiple fire and enthusiasm among His own to draw people close to know His love and His Son. Anyone else have the prayer prompt “Lord, who?” written in sharpie on the car windshield? What is your process?

“Your ministry will always be better if you have volunteers/servant leaders who are recruited early, who are well trained, and who gave you their best YES.” The Sustainable Ministry Show podcast, episode 084

“But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hebrews 3:6