Over the last two months the Lord has been waking me between 3:50am and 4:10am most mornings. I’m an early riser, but this is EARLY. I don’t wake rested nor slowly. I wrestle my brain in holy conferencing with the Lord. If I kept minutes of our holy conferencing, these are just a few items I’d record…

• It was only a year ago that Baby Girl and her family moved to Oregon to help a new church start. They sold or gave away everything they had to ‘follow Him.’ They are living their best lives, dad-gum-it! I miss them terribly, but she’s doing what we raised her for, and living her life for whom we raised her for.
• Rehashing conversations in my head from the previous day that He knows I need to re-record over. The Enneagram 3 in me has been raging, so I’ve had to ask the Lord to wrestle that thing to the ground just to keep me from crawling in a corner and crying. Climbing into the Savior’s lap at 4am has been the perfect place to leave yesterday behind and be reminded that today is a new day.
• Honor the boundaries of Sabbath no matter what comes through email or text on Friday and Saturday so that I can be fully present with my family. We’ve got a new baby coming in December and I need to be a good help by being a good noticer of what I can do, be, say, cook, laugh to be a blessing.
• Intentionally plan for creative outlets. Schedule that art class with a BFF and find a wooden dollhouse to jack up for Christmas… for the grands… for the memories.
• Many of my United Methodist friends and colleagues are anticipating….well, we don’t know what we’re anticipating. HOW we do ministry may be different this time next year. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart, and trouble will come. No matter what, I and my other kidmin colleagues will continue to share with our little people that God made them and Jesus loves them. We will also continue to share with our little people’s big people that we are in this life together to learn to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul, mind, and strength AND love our neighbor as ourselves.
• Stay in my lane. Don’t be distracted by that which is not for me. It totally affects me, but unless I’m invited to those tables to engage in those conversations, keep my head down and do my best work as unto the Lord. Go with what I know and not with how I feel.
• It’s Thanksgiving and a reminder that there are some amazing people who are no longer here. My cousin, Sonny Johnson wrote this last year:
Empty Chair
The empty chair I speak of, is not an empty seat.
It’s space at the table, where we use to meet.
It’s not a place setting, or even an empty chair,
But memories of someone missing, you know who’s not there.
Thankful for all who join us, friends and family.
We talk of new beginnings, and how it use to be.
God bless food on this table, and bless the people there,
Bless those who couldn’t make it, God bless the empty chair.

What does holy conferencing with the Lord at 4am look like for you?

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20

I’ve been part of the North Georgia United Methodist Church’s Children’s Ministry Institute this fall. One of the exercises is for everyone to bring an item to share (program, event, activity, children’s sermon, etc.) With 32 in attendance, the stack of shared goodness was almost two inches thick. Around our tables, we had almost an hour to give more details and logistics about the item brought by each member of our table.

After we excitedly began sharing around my table, we started putting some of the items together that would work for a Messy Family Christmas event. My table colleagues asked me to share, so these are the stations we’ll be enjoying for our 2019 Messy Family Christmas coming up this December:

#1 – Decorating gift bags (inside each bag is a list of upcoming Kids events)
Need: gift bags; Christmas stickers; Markers; Crayons
Plan: Write name on the bag to hold their goodies from the evening
Talk about: Jesus is the sweetest name I know. Be sure to add kid’s names to bags before leaving the station.
#2 – Stove Top Potpourri (the smells of Christmas)
Need: Whole oranges (1 per child); Cinnamon sticks (2-3 per child); Whole cloves (1 Tablespoon per child); Clear cellophane bag (1 per child); Direction card (1 per child); String to tie directions to bag
Plan: Set up an assembly line with each item available for the children to make a potpourri bag for their family. Remind them to continue to use it over the Holidays and keep adding water.
Talk about: Start with talking about the smells of Christmas. Smells remind us of certain things (let the kids talk about smells and what they associate with that smell.)
The apostle Paul uses our sensitivity to smell in describing the effect that Christians have on others.
“God considers us to be the sweet smell that Christ Jesus is spreading among people who are being saved and people who are dying.” 2 Corinthians 2:15 Paul is reminding us that our behavior gives off an aroma that creates an impression on other people for Christ. (Thank you Melanie Adams of Carrollton First UMC for sharing the idea!)
#3 – Christmas Kabob (the tastes of Christmas)
Need: Wooden skewer; marshmallows; gumdrops; ribbon; Ziploc bag
Plan: Skewer a kabob of gumdrop, marshmallow, gumdrop, marshmallow. Wrap in Ziploc bag and tie with a ribbon.
Talk about: Jesus is the sweetest name I know! What are some sweet things you like to taste at Christmas?
#4 – Roasted marshmallows (the taste and smell of Christmas)
Need: Large marshmallows; Wooden sticks; Sterno cans; Lighter
Plan: Roast a marshmallow on a stick and eat.
Talk about: Talk about the foods of Christmas. What would Baby Jesus eat? What Christmas foods are their favorites? (Every Messy Family event should have an opportunity for a sense of danger! Thank you Kate Morris of Acworth UMC for sharing the entire set-up!)
#5 – Christmas Cards (the touch of Christmas)
Need: Unused Christmas cards; ink pens
Plan: Make a Christmas card to send to a church shut-in (church family); family member
Talk about: Talk about the way Christmas is a good time to remember how special friends and family are, because Jesus didn’t just appear by magic – he was born into a family.
#6 – Darlene with Barnyard Friends (the sights of Christmas) She has a large plastic Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. Then surrounds it with all kinds of REAL ANIMALS that can be touched and pet from a stable like sheep, chickens, etc. (Darlene and I have known each other for years from weekday Preschool world.)
#7 – Rhythm Ribbons for Christmas carols (the sounds of Christmas)
Need: Dancing ribbon sticks
Plan: Dance to the music you hear
Talk about: Talk about the songs of Christmas and ask the kids what are their favorites.
#8 – Gingerbread Nativity (the taste of Christmas)
Need: Graham crackers; Meringue Powder (adds stiffness); Animal crackers; Shallow plates with sides; Holy family cookies (Pepperidge Farm); Candies; Chocolate chips; Shredded wheat bars
Plan: Invite children to decorate their stables
Talk about: Talk about how God created the animals in the stable. Ask the children if they have animals and pets. How does God take care of the animals and how does God ask them to take care of their animals and creation.

With only thirty minutes of stations, we limit the number to eight. Thirty minutes of worship put together with an emcee and mostly video segments including the story told by children will make for a multi-sensory experience in song with the dancing ribbons, story, and games. Thirty minutes of a simple soup supper with bread and water brings us all to a place of fellowship and relationship-building. Closing out with an all-hands together benediction.
Anything you would add?

“And David danced before the Lord with all his might.” 2 Samuel 6:14

Reading aloud books to our Kindergartners and First graders each week in Children’s Church is a highlight of my week. I choose a book that goes along with our Sunday school lesson or theme for the day or season and the kids just love it. It’s a great way to close out our time together just before parent pickup.

When I discovered my children’s ministry colleague, Glenys Nellist, wrote two new board books, I was thrilled! Glenys makes a rhyme jump off the page with joy, whimsy, and delight as she points each story to our great God as our Creator and the good news of Jesus. With a toddler grandson making frequent visits, board books are where it’s at. The new board books are the newest in the Good News series which started with Good News: It’s Easter.

In last week’s Children’s Church we read Good News: God Made Me! The illustrations by the fabulous Lizzie Walkley show colorful spaces full of fabulous items to point to as a toddler learns vocabulary. On the first page is a book, ball, fruit bowl, wagon, bear, bunny, dog, doll, pillow, stools, and a cheerful grandmother. I know it’s a grandmother since it says so on her mug. (smile) I’m partial to children who are barefoot and have different hair types and hair colors and these are delightful. “The good news is that God made me”… finishes every other page. The rhyming is so simple, the children finished almost every line which kept them totally engaged.

The second book couldn’t be more timely entitled, Good News! It’s Christmas! Each page begins, “Good News!” then ‘whispered Mary,’ ‘hee-haws Donkey,’ ‘coos the pigeons,’ and even ‘sing the angels.’ But my very favorite page is the one with the wise men. I struggle when children’s books show the wise men arriving at the stable. This book instead reads, “Good News! shout the wise men, trekking mile by mile. ‘We’re off to see the new king, but it might take a while!’” According to the scriptures, it does indeed. I’m saving this one for the first Sunday in Advent.

The board books are super thick, delightfully illustrated, and the stories are simply rhymed. I am honored to have them on my shelf. No doubt I’ll be purchasing another set for that special grandson’s home because he LOVES them! Thanks, Glenys!

“Good News! Says God to us, smiling from above. ‘This baby in the manger will fill your world with love!’” – Glenys Nellist

Scouting has been part of the United Methodist Church since forever. My experience with scouting has been limited to sharing space, asking an Eagle Scout to set fires for me to roast marshmallows, writing Eagle Scout recommendation letters for our neighbors, leading a Family Badge Clinic at the invite of another Children’s Ministry Director, and an argument in a past church with a scout leader over his “borrowing” 20 plastic tables from the fellowship hall for a camping trip without notifying the church when I had an event scheduled in that space with those very tables at the same time.

A parent approached me after last February’s Scout Sunday wondering if I could help provide a badge opportunity for their then-4th grader for God and Family. They agreed to partner with me in prayer and serve in a future leadership role because this was out of my wheelhouse. I did some research and heard the heart of a colleague for scouts and the P.R.A.Y. Program. We, too, made it a matter of prayer over the spring and summer. By fall, God provided an outstanding scout leader who ranks high and well in our regional scout council and his son, an Eagle Scout who is in his early 20s with energy and a heart for kids. Both are members of our church. I have the honor of serving as the program coordinator and the spiritual mentor for both groups and my colleague with the heart for scouts is walking alongside me. My wheelhouse just got bigger.

We set up an informational meeting followed by four meetings for the God and Me program for first through third graders and six meetings for the God and Family program for fourth through sixth graders. I ordered books, set up online registration, and we were blown away with the response. Requiring each student to attend with a parent/adult aligned with our vision for partnering with parents in the faith formation of their children and we started last Sunday afternoon. These adults are taking the Adult Mentor program alongside their student.

Word was shared among our community’s troops and packs. Nineteen students started the program last Sunday afternoon realizing their Duty-to-God component of Scouting making up sixteen families. Of the sixteen families, one is not a scout, and only six are regulars in our children’s ministry program. I have now been invited into the lives of sixteen families for a season with a special recognition come the next Scout Sunday in February when we will recognize these students and their families in Sunday services along with a brunch celebration. I’m downright giddy!

Statistics indicate that of all the youth who join Scouting through the church, 25% are United Methodists, 25% are members of other denominations or faiths, and 50% come from unchurched families. (Voice of Scouting) Coordinating and offering these badge clinics invites me to connect with these families in a way that is all Jesus of the Bible and all kids for a season I would not otherwise get to do. When I approached my senior pastor about this last winter, I asked if I could take just-this-part of our scouting ministry. We have a huge scout program, but I needed to stay in my lane. He agreed and gave his blessing. This is an open door and I’m taking it!

How are you helping your scouting community realize their Duty-to-God component of Scouting and building relationships in the process?

“(My word) will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11