It’s a huge responsibility and honor to be given space in a worship service to speak to littles. With 2.5-3 minutes, the intentionality must be clear, practiced, and developmentally appropriate. Anytime I can involve the whole congregation, it’s a win. The congregation needs to see the faces of the littles and the littles need to see the faces of the bigs who vowed to so order their lives to provide great Christian education and training at their baptism.

I’ve started planning beyond week to week with a monthly theme for the children’s moment. With costumes on-hand, I spent a month sharing “Christians are peculiar for Jesus. We’re supposed to be.”

Christians are supposed to be peculiar (odd, strange, unusual). We wear the name of Jesus Christ when we call ourselves Christians no differently than we carry our last names signifying what family we belong to.

In KJV days, peculiar meant “belongs exclusively to some person, group, or thing” or to refer to “a property or privilege belonging exclusively or characteristically to a person.” The word ‘peculiar’ is used seven times in the King James Bible.

With a love for scripture and costumes on-hand, I wore a different costume each week explaining I needed their help to decide what to wear to the Fall Gathering at the end of the month.

Week #1 – Minnie Mouse
Costume is peculiar because the gloves have four fingers on each hand.
Read Romans 12:1-2

Week #2 – Traffic Light
Most people think to live a life for Jesus, I have to say NO like a red light or be fearful living like life is always a yellow light. But our faith in Jesus gives us liberty and a desire to be wise in our freedom. We are indeed peculiar because we are free to doing everything, but to be wise we must ask, “Is it good?”, “Is it beneficial to others?”, “Is it helpful?”, “Is it wise?”, “Is it God’s best for me?”
Read 1 Corinthians 6:12 and 1 Corinthian 10:23-24

Week #3 – Mrs. Potato Head
We are all part of the Body of Christ and all body parts are needed in every local church community. As a Christian everything should be done so that the church may be built up. Every gift and treasure we have is to be used to grow God’s kingdom here on earth and that’s through the local church.
Read 1 Corinthians 14:26b, 1 Peter 2:9-17, and sing “O Be Careful Little Eyes What You See….” Christians are peculiar people because they look for Godly wisdom to discern what is good, true, and beautiful.

Week #4 – S’mores (Graham Cracker)
Graham Crackers are fabulous and enjoyed by preschoolers and babies. But O the yumminess when we gather and join together with a Chocolate Bar (intern) and a Marshmallow (assistant).
Read Hebrews 10:24-25 We spur one another on (spur=kick ourselves into gear). Christians are peculiar people because we make stuff happen and do good in the world best when we work together.

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14

Carey Neuhoff is a prominent church-life thinker of today. His team produces amazing, thought-provoking content almost daily to both encourage and challenge those involved in faith-based organizations. His blog last week spoke of asking good questions to help narrow the navigational beacons of focus for a new season. These were really good questions. Here are the five he wrote and how I’m processing them in the context of ministry with families as a professional Christian educator:

How much of the current change is permanent?
Huge numbers to any special event isn’t reasonable, but setting the table for more small groups is building more intimate, lasting, helpful Christian friendships.
Sunday mornings aren’t the only day and times I’m getting traction.

What do I have permission to stop doing?
Kid drop-off VBS and camps were not fruitful for growing my church before 2020 yet multi-generational experiences for the whole family throughout the year and the week is indeed setting the table for inviting friends into Christian community and growing my church today.
Operating in a silo. Better together is the better ministry.
Accepting the first NO.
Waiting.
Scheduling everything around a full school year. I get a better response when the seasons are in 60-90 day planning blocks.

What would I do if I was leading a startup? (Be still my heart!)
“Existing organizations that behave like startups will have a much better future than organizations that don’t.”
“Old models rarely do well in new eras.”
I’d roll out Family Ministry (multi-generational ministry) on a discipleship pathway to move disciples of all ages from rows into circles, from high chairs (being spoon fed) to wearing aprons (serving from the overflow of discipleship), and rediscovering the historical practices of holy habits in new rhythms of life.
I’d roll out content and material in small bite-sized pieces, over time. Drip, drip, drip into buckets which leak a little, slosh a little, and require a little more intention to help God’s people live in a world which has always been against the things of God.
“People during a revolution often don’t realize they’re in the midst of a revolution.”

Where are we seeing real momentum?
Followup question: Momentum about what? Just filling seats or starting/building new relationships-in-Christ? Status quo or ‘going back’ is NOT Momentum.
“If you want to get your mission going, fuel what’s growing, not declining.”
Where I’m getting traction for new families? Scout badge clinics; Family VBS in the summer on Thursday nights in June; Tuesday PM Bible Study for kids when parents are in one-hour Bible study; Project managers for special events; Popping into neighborhoods with an ice cream truck or dance party; Collaborating multi-generationally with developmentally appropriate pieces; Offering participatory discipleship and worship; Teaching in small groups; Loving on one another in community rather than by program.

How will I find a sustainable pace?
I don’t really know. My congregation is on fire for trying new things, but the systems in place that should be resources and support are not. Lots of distractions, bad habits. For example: I was a jerk at last week’s lead staff meeting. My response to the kindest person in the room was not my best moment. Here we are a month away from Christmas and the expectations for me and my team set last October-before-last (Live Nativity ‘cuz booking animals is an over-a-year-out thing) and January (Campfire Christmas on Eve’s Eve specifically for kids to invite neighbors) were about to change and I was guarded. I was guarded based on the last thirty years of children’s ministry experience where the best laid plans over the course of the previous eleven months were about to be ‘added to’ or hijacked. I pushed back to guard my heart, my mind, and a sustainable pace. Ugh! I don’t like having to be guarded. I definitely don’t like being a jerk. A reasonable, sustainable pace I’m working on, but it’s probably going to cost me.

Patrick Lencioni, the great author and pioneer of organizational health writes, “Every team will experience bumps in the road.” I feel like I’m off-roading a lot of the time. Lord, tapping the brakes is not an option. Too many little people and their bigs need to know you are enough. So, let me know when I’m to let off the gas and when I’m to put the pedal to the metal.

“So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.” Exodus 13:18

Advent is almost here and due to the nature of family ministry to properly plan several months in advance, the orders have arrived, the rooms have been reserved, the graphics have been designed, promotion and the staging has begun. We set the table for our families to celebrate the greatest birth on and for the planet in multiple ways, multiple spaces, and for multiple generations. 

Each advent and lent we church staff share the amazing accounts of Jesus’ birth and resurrection. I want to always share with great energy and contagious joy every year, so I begin studying or lingering in The Word specific to these two major accounts of our faith early on. I want to be so excited to share some new knowledge or understanding or even a few new questions that I can’t wait for the season to get here.

As I wait for Advent, this is how I’ll be prepared this year…

Read one chapter of Luke’s gospel on the matching day of December. The gospel of Luke is a beautiful narrative of Jesus’ arrival, life, departure, and return. Twenty-four chapters in twenty-four days ending on Christmas Eve. There are Bible apps to hear it read aloud or I’ll read a different translation than in year’s past. Either way, the gospel of Luke becomes the pop-up book of Advent, family friendly to be read aloud, and I hear something fresh every year.

Grow my faith-files in some way of Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna. Think of a faith-file as a file folder of the same topic, idea, or person which grows over time in study and The Word. J. Ellsworth Kalas wrote in Christmas from the Backside that Christmas is a gal’s holiday starting with Mary and Elizabeth. Since then I’ve read Liz Curtis Higgs’ The Women of Christmas and other beautiful teachings to deep dive into the lives of these three women in scripture. This year I discovered Dandi Daley Mackall’s Three Wise Women: 40 Devotions Celebrating Advent with Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna in early October. I continue to grow my deep love and adoration for these three women. Last year I seemed closest to Anna. This year, Elizabeth.

One of my thoughts this year about Elizabeth: When I think of God calling both Liz & Z ‘righteous’, I’m thinking Liz was a praying gal. Both from the tribe of Levi, they led a long life following the rhythm of temple service. What if Z was chosen because of the faithful prayers of Liz? What if year after year Liz reminded Z in jest, but not really, that if given the chance to enter the Holy of Holies to pray, might he mention in that holy place that they desperately wanted a child? Mary had lots of relatives. What if….Liz & Z were chosen by God to give birth to the one who “prepares the way for the Lord” in their old age as a direct result of a righteous, long-suffering woman praying faithfully for her man?

This will be the last Advent like ‘this’, so I will be fully present. For those of us in denominational turmoil, our church families will not look like they do today in 12 months. Let’s just be real. First, it’ll be okay because change and sifting is evidence of the movement of the Holy Spirit. Second, it’ll be okay because God is active and alive in the world, in my world, and He is trustworthy. He and I have history and I’m good. So, I will ‘so order my life’ to be fully present for every opportunity to gather and celebrate this Advent season with everybody in every way. I will build in time to linger and grow deeper relationships with Jesus at the center for such a time as this.

I’m going to learn how to make cheese straws. Food is part of all good celebrations and learning how to do something new with a little person is a very sticky way for making a holiday even more special. Since I have no self-control when it comes to cookies, cheese straws it is. I’ve borrowed a friend’s cookie press and I’m going to have a great time with a Little Miss who loves learning new things as much as I do. We’ll be listening to the Spotify playlist: The Chosen’s Christmas.

How are you waiting for Advent?

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5

Fall Festivals are hosted by churches and schools all over the map in North Georgia. Setting the WHY offers a true channel through the logistical challenges to pull off such an endeavor well.

The Fall Gathering is an all-staff-hands-on-deck event at my local church. It is 2-hour event of food trucks led by the Nursery and Missions Team, Big Games led by the Recreation Ministry Team, Cake Walk led by our Senior Adult Ministry, Music led by the Worship Team, and Trunk-or-Treat led by the Kidmin and Youth Team (which is billed as a jacked-up ministry fair for all the ministries of the church to shine.) We invite local businesses and families to trunk, too. #teamwork 

We schedule the Fall Gathering to follow the 20-minute soccer season awards ceremony where 300 kids have just finished a fabulous season. 300 kids and their families don’t show up for the soccer awards, but we can plan for 150. When the soccer families are dismissed from the awards ceremony, I hand out a green bag for them to collect candy and loot from the trunks since most forget to bring one. As our trunk folks see the green bags, they know these families come from the Recreation Ministry and respond accordingly. #hospitality

The goal for us is to ‘bump elbows with our neighbors where littles-with-bigs take priority.’ We want to be a good neighbor with no bait and switch. We want to model Christian community with creativity, generosity, great joy, and connection. #family 

With reports two days ahead that the weather might not permit us from doing everything outside as planned, we already had a rain plan and set it into motion. Food tables in the gym and food trucks parked outside near an overhang entrance. Trunks in the 3rd floor classrooms two to a classroom (I labeled each door with giant post-it notes) placing community trunks with ministry trunks for even more Christian community. I emailed all the trunks the day before to offer a heads-up and anyone needing something special (like cornhole needed an entire classroom) to let me know. #communication

Wins for having it inside:
* Texting the Sunday school teachers early Sunday morning to move their classroom furniture after class to make room for trunks #participation
* A typical outdoor obstacle course became a huge The Floor Is Lava course #creativity
* I was the Graham Cracker of a 3-person-S’more. A little girl came running up to me shouting, “I found your chocolate! I found your chocolate! Now I’m gonna look for your marshmallow!” #joy
* Critical mass in the hallways made for great photos to use for marketing next year. #marketing
* A greeter at the main entrance added that personal touch and began the experience in the lobby. #hospitality
* We ran out of cakes 1.5 hours in after I walked through the hallways showing off a pumpkin roll I won and hyping the crowds. #hypeambassador
* Three new families attended our children’s programming the following Sunday. Even though we had half of our Sunday am leadership out sick, we still prioritized hospitality anticipating some new faces. God blessed that.  We made arrangements for a greeter to answer questions, offer a tour, and we loved on their kids well. They’ll get postcards from us this week!
* Batteries in my pocket rescued several motorized costumes. deflated from all the festivities.

Canceling the event was not an option since editing and adapting was already considered. For me it’s an integrity issue. If we say we’re going to do something, by golly short of the rapture, it’s happening. It may not be what we planned, but with a clear WHY we can pivot with good communication, happy servant leaders, happy families, and happy kids who were able to experience the creativity, generosity, great joy, and connection that comes with gathering together in Christian community.

Next up? Live Nativity of ‘Manger Things’ on Sunday before Christmas and Campfire Christmas the Friday before.

This is what I have learned especially over the last three years: Nothing needs to be a Broadway production, and can turn out better if we can back off the expectation that it needs to be. Simplicity is king for family ministry. Before you think we are a big church with lots of volunteers, no one is a big church with lots of volunteers anymore. We are all new church starts.  With a clear WHY, we can use what’s in our hands to make anything happen with even a few people and clear, early communication.

How did your Fall Festival go and where were the wins?

“But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16

Sunday morning is still king. Why?
1. It’s the day and time historically celebrated as a local church honoring Jesus rising from the dead on a Sunday morning. The resurrection of Jesus is the very basis for our Christian faith.
2. It’s the day and time for critical mass of the Body of Christ.

Though other times and days of the week are growing in popularity to fit the rhythms of the families of my communities, Sundays are still ‘game day.’ 

So what does our Sunday morning look like?

8:30am – Set up
We share all of our spaces with weekday preschool and/or recreation ministry meaning staging takes place on Thursdays, but full setup for Sunday am happens on Sunday am.

9am – Welcome Center opens
We begin receiving children K5-5th grade in one area with shared table games and building toys, understanding that kids will chat while their hands are busy setting the table for time with church friends. The goal is to receive children early as their parents need to arrive at their areas of service before services at 9:30am unhurried and relaxed AND to build in time for ‘hanging out with my church friends.’

9:30am – Large group
Welcome, Announcements, one song, one game, one locating and reading of scripture passage as they yell out the next word they find with their reading finger as I read from my red Bible (if it’s red, Jesus said), short story video from Pursue God Kids, follow-up questions to share in their age group (begins the transition from large group to small), repeat after me closing prayers, then dismissed to small group classrooms.

9:45am – Small group
For a consistent number of littles in each class we group kids K5 (our college intern leads this group every single week alongside a parent volunteer for relationship consistency), 1st grade (a leader who has looped up from K5 with them with a high school intern), 2nd & 3rd (two art teachers trade one month on/off and provide a worship art response which aligns with the lesson), 4th & 5th (led by two adult leads one month/off with an apologetic – defending your faith – lens with each lesson). The apologetics lens is the basis for choosing Pursue God Kids and all of our curriculum choices. Pursue God Kids is only $35/month no matter the church size and includes a fabulous library of Godly parenting resources from a biblical worldview.

10:30am – 10:45am Small groups return to Welcome Center awaiting pickup
This is a level of hospitality of making the drop off and picking up a smooth, with-friends transition. A bucket of fruit snacks and fruit bars is set nearby for kids to self-serve a snack and ice water is always available in a dispenser with paper cups. Will Guidara of Eleven Madison Park restaurant trains his staff in unreasonable hospitality. He writes, “Design the beginning and end of your time for the feeling of ‘this is where I belong.'”

We gather together for a worship service at 11am so only the nursery is available for 4 year olds and younger. Though the service looks no different than the 9:30am service in a traditional setting, I’m permitted to incorporate movement with a children’s moment, sign language the Apostle’s Creed and Gloria Patre to offer interactive and teaching elements along the side aisle, and clipboards with Alphabots and reading games to align with the service or teach the worship service elements.

Other regular welcoming and teaching opportunities:
* K2 CLUB – K5 thru 2nd graders with a big who loves them on the 3rd Sunday of each month 4-5pm on holy habits.
* CLUB345 – 3rd thru 5th graders on the 3rd Sunday of each month 3:45-5:30pm with an annual theme of The 10 Commandments, The Lord’s Prayer, or The Apostle’s Creed
* Tuesday night Kid’s Bible Study – we align with an adult Bible study 6:30-7:30pm with pizza dinner and developmentally appropriate study of God’s Word from an apologetics standpoint. We’re starting a 4-week Advent study tonight. Parents are studying “The Case for Christmas”. The kids are studying “Songs of the Christmas Story”.

Additional holy habit teaching and intentional discipleship come through Faith Milestones. I’ll be co-leading a Faith Milestone workshop with the fabulous Brooke Barksdale on Wednesday of this week at Marietta First UMC in Marietta, Georgia. If you’re local, we’d love to have you. If you’re not local, we’ll be uploading files of the workshop in the Facebook Group: Faith Experiences for Kids and Families later this week. 

What does your Sunday morning look like?

“We need kids in our churches not because that means the church is growing or at the very least not dying; we need kids in our churches to show us what it looks like to have faith in God.” Shaun Stevenson, “Redefining The Kidmin Wins: How to Face Discouragement”, p. 134