On January 20, 2009 a Facebook Group was created to connect lay (non-clergy yet professional) children’s ministry leaders. We would meet each other in-person at conferences and workshops across the state for weekday and weekend ministry training and stay connected through the Facebook group. We’d share job postings at healthy churches when folks would be moving and churches searching to build their teams. We’d share our choices for Vacation Bible School curriculum to pickup resources from various churches throughout the summer. We’d connect online to troubleshoot, ideate, and find safety in collaboration within the community of those who were volunteers, on staff at various levels, and shared among this tribe of lay folks dedicated to loving littles, and sometimes their bigs, to Jesus.

We had no idea this safe, digital, online, small group would grow to be the 600+ group it is today. 

It was originally called The Children’s Ministry Network. Its purpose to support and educational development group for all who are in direct ministry with children. Yes, we know that everyone is supposed to be in ministry with children, but this was for non-clergy lay folks serving local churches of all sizes, in all locales, with various tech abilities and access. Striving to create networking groups (in-person and online) to share ideas in ministry and be a support in everyone’s efforts to create an excellent Christian learning experience for children and their families. 

There are Facebook Groups for clergy and Facebook Groups for all kinds of good causes. This particular Facebook Group stayed within the navigational beacons of lay folk telling the story of Jesus in the local church. At the time it started, it was the only one out there.

There are daily postings of music, resources, encouragement, guidance, research, dreams, books, workshops, conferences, blogposts, files and so many resources. There are also postings asking questions of how-to, what-to-do, and who-do-I-call to get the best information about the best practices for sharing Jesus with families with children. 

Many of us are still in the trenches of ministry with families. Most have retired or moved on to other organizations for various reasons. I wrote a bit about that here and here. The average professional life of children’s ministry lead is still 3.5 years.

The Children’s Ministry Network Facebook group became a rock star digital group before online groups were a thing, especially with traffic issues, busy schedules, and oh, the pandemic. 

When sanctuaries shut down for months, we were on the Facebook group rolling out the ideation from the Facebook group from Friday the 13th to the first Sunday, 3/15/2020. Everything from online VBS and drive-thru services to drive-in services for little people with big people in the vehicle and cul-de-sac pop-ins were chatted about and logistics shared. We were throwing spaghetti at the online wall of this Facebook group for how and when so that our littles and their bigs did not grow accustomed to doing life without the local church. Wherever we danced before the Lord with joy became our sanctuary. We succeeded and these kidmin warriors never missed a beat. 

The Facebook group was renamed to facilitate the implementation of trainings specific to the North Georgia United Methodist Church audience, to grow the connections more local to North Georgia, and where new hires to local churches could better navigate their transition into a connected community. Where we could get to one another.

This little Facebook Group will now be facilitated and moderated by The North Georgia Conference of the UMC at the direction of the Office for Congregational Excellence.

It’s been my pleasure to share and moderate the Children’s Ministry Network aka NGUMC Children’s Ministry Network Facebook group. The connections of names and experiences have challenged me, sharpened me, and delighted me. I have loved sharing the journey with so many. It’s given me a place to put down my thoughts and curate resources so kidmin leads can go back and share with others to ‘equip the saints for good work.’

If you’d like to remain connected to me and my musings, hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss a Tuesday post. You can also join me and some of my family ministry friends from around the country at another Facebook group. To protect the identity of those who have joined, send me an email at dedereilly@comcast.net and I’ll make it happen.

I’m a connector, an extrovert, a collaborator, and a Jesus gal drawn to other Jesus guys and gals. I’ve loved the opportunities to remain connected and share life with Jesus guys and gals all over the planet. Facebook groups have fit that need and I’m grateful for it. On-demand sharing of best practices in a safe asking space offer inspiration and courage. Thank you, Lord, for the gifts You continue to offer so Your people can remain in community and tell the greatest story every told: Jesus and how He alone can save.

I’ll be asking Santa for a new pair of combat boots. The soles of the ones I’m wearing have a lot of holes in them.

“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.” 1 Corinthians 1:4-6

We moved to New England the first week of November 30 years ago. I had never lived north of I-10 and was truly a southern fish out of warm water. Family staples like grits, Jimmy Dean pork sausage with sage, Rotel tomatoes, and Duke’s mayonnaise were not to be found. This young mama was just trying to feed her babies!

Three weeks in and it was Thanksgiving.

My mother had her hands full when we were younger and I don’t recall a Thanksgiving meal being prepared. Most of our holiday family traditions came from my amazing and generous step-mother, Ms. Bobi. She could set a feast on a table like nobody I’d ever known and use every pan in the house to do it. Sweet memories of all the women folk cleaning up and belting out Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” 

So, breakfast with cheese-eggs, bacon, and blueberry muffins I could pull off without a problem. But it was my mother-in-law who taught me the most important part of Thanksgiving: How to have everything ready and hot on the table at the same time. 

A quick phone call on our first New England Thanksgiving morning, I wrote it down as she dictated to me Kay’s Thanksgiving Routine.

Depending on what time everything needed to be finished and ready for the table, the day begins with the pie. Really!  The pumpkin pie sets the day in motion. All the details of rubbing oil and sage all over the Butterball to the gravy from the pan drippings are written down. Kay’s Whittlesey family of independent women also had a dressing they prepared with white bread, Jimmy Dean sausage with sage, apples, and sage. It’s lethal, but oh, so delicious.  It took me about three years to perfect it. My hand-written notes get pulled out each year and I still hear her voice. Oh, how I miss her. Our lovely daughter-in-law is a fan of this dressing, so it’s happening.

Yesterday I was texting with a friend and I shared that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Food and family are the only expectations around a table that is set with my mother-in-law’s china that just so happens to match mine. Interestingly, she was with me when I picked out my pattern. As the day goes on and the number around our table increases, I tell the stories of china, those cold days in New England, and the silver pieces. Family history around the table. Many recipes pulled out for this day written in the handwriting of so many who have gone on to Glory. It’s a day for stories and stretchy pants.

Sally Clarkson writes in The Life Giving Table Experience, “The story of our family has been written at tables. Not with pen and paper, but with words and people, food and fellowship, talk and time. When we sit at our tables, we’re not just an aggregate of individual family members eating and drinking to stay alive; we’re a congregation of communing souls hungering and thirsting to experience the goodness and beauty of the life God has designed just for us. It’s not just about the physical act of eating, but about sharing and enjoying life as God designed and gave it to us. That is the essence of the lifegiving table.”

This year our daughter will be hosting Thanksgiving. We got our assignments via text two weeks ago. She and her family bought a home last spring only an hour away. I’ll be traveling with a Door Dash warmer I ordered from Amazon. The older grands are 9 and 11. These are the tables they will remember so there will be lots of laughter and stories.

May your table give life this Thanksgiving and the Lord find us faithful to give thanks for those who set the tables before us. What is one of your family recipes with a story?

“She has set her table.” Proverbs 9:2b International Children’s Bible

The Lord offered amazing weather and lots of lovely opportunities to bump elbows with our neighbors at last week’s Fall Gathering. The leftover candy’s been stored for the Christmas Parade because our church is SO generous when it comes to donating treats to replenish after each trunk’s first 400 pieces are gone. Trunk decorations are packed away, the gaga ball pit is stored until next April, and the leaves have been blown away from the entrances.

We turn the calendar page and it’s November. Everywhere I turn it feels like November has turned into the first month of Christmas. So what to do?

Music – I Wanna Be Thankful; sharing a Spotify playlist of thanksgiving songs.

Thankful Pumpkins – Keep the pumpkins out to write the names and places we are thankful for on a craft pumpkin with a sharpie throughout the month or leave it sitting in the Welcome Center with sharpies available.

Pumpkin Palooza – The Sunday before Thanksgiving we enjoy our typical large group with songs, games, and Bible study followed by roaring rounds of Thanksgiving Bingo with pumpkin prizes: pumpkin story books, pumpkin notepads, pumpkin cereals, anything pumpkin which we’ve been collecting all fall.

Stuffed Animal Sleepover – The Sunday before Thanksgiving, littles bring a stuffed animal friend to church to stay the night. Ambassadors stay a little later to take pictures of the stuffed critters all over campus in various stages of mischief. I then post every hour or so all night long and all morning long for parents to ‘discover’ on their social media feed until the littles return for their stuffed animals on Monday morning for breakfast and some early Thanksgiving game fun and a blessing. Added benefit: Each time parents check the photos on the McEachern Kids FB group, the FB algorithms adjust so that everything I post for the next month will automatically roll into family feeds.

Thankful scratch-off turkeys, headbands, masks, and popcorn with thankful cootie catchers and airplanes for church to home.

We wish to serve and celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of God. We are called to be thankful people, giving thanks in ALL circumstances, showering others with gratefulness, and modeling an attitude of gratitude. Yeah, I’m doing that in November. Christmas can wait. Bring on the turkey and some really good college football.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for  you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tip: Don’t miss a weekly blog by subscribing.

This season of intense yet innovative faith formation looks nothing like the job description I was given when I was originally hired. What about you?

Each of us brings something more to the table once we get our sea legs under us after the first year. When we dock our fishing boat at a new harbor we are given that original job description, then we typically don’t see it again. Understanding church culture, I got into the habit of updating my job description, even if only for myself, each year in January. In that update, I assign percentages of how much time it takes weekly to accomplish each task with many bullet points assigned “seasonal”.

Each year we learn new skills, adjustments take place in organizational charts, new services or buildings or leadership are added to the mix. All affect how we live out our roles and the realistic time it takes to do everything ‘as unto the Lord.’

I’ve heard of churches making a person’s job description a one-liner, but it’s not been my experience. My one-liner might read, “to create safe, irresistible and transformational faith formation experiences for children so they love the Lord their God with their whole heart and mind for their whole lives.”

We are naive to think that local churches aren’t going to be making changes in the weeks and months to come. Changes in leadership, budgets, space, updates to organizational charts, processes, systems, security, safety, school schedules, all have a part to play in the rhythm of church world. Rather than waiting with anxious breath and fear taking up space in your head, take an hour this week to take a fresh look and edit your job description.

No one knows what you do, but you. Make it a matter of prayer and release your leadership from knowing all that you do or how long it takes to do it. They already have in their heads what you do and it’s not even close. In all fairness, we don’t know what all they do either, and that’s okay. Don’t get caught in the comparison trap or the weeds of disappointment from unmet expectations. Remember, the goal is organizational health. Remember the tasks for which you will be evaluated should take priority and this is a great way to bring yourself back within some navigational beacons.

What you did in September 2020 is way different than what you focused on in September 2019, and it looked differently again in September 2023. Many children’s ministry directors I know are now also directing weekday preschools, women’s ministries, even cooking Wednesday night dinners because they love their churches and we do what we’re asked stepping in where we’re needed.

Fix a cup of something warm and tasty and take an hour this week to update your job description, even if just for yourself. Editing your job description now will help you and your leadership prioritize when and if any adjustments need to be made in the future. The SPRC (Staff Parish Relations Committee) held one-on-one meetings last week where I serve to gather this information. More importantly, they prayed over each of us and said, “I see you.” I could almost cry.

You Just Gotta Know: Struggles and challenges look differently today. I’m standing in the gap for you. Perhaps you are facing your Esther moment, your Daniel moment. That moment when you feel a push to bravely speak up, wave the banner for your families with a louder voice, even fight for spaces and places just to love your kids to Jesus. I’m standing in the gap in prayer and support for you. This blog post is the result of someone reaching out.

I fully believe God wants to hang your picture in the gallery of faith between Hebrews 11 and 12. Can I help? Need a Mordecai or a Shadrach or Meshach to your Abednego? Let’s share the journey, the struggle, and the celebrations. You are in the World’s Toughest Race!  I’m on your team! Let’s give ’em something to talk about! If you can get to me, let’s do tea on my back porch or pick up a chai tea latte from the local coffee shop. Who’s in? Reach out to dedereilly@comcast.net.  

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6

When I heard last winter Vanessa Myers was writing an Advent devotional for kids with questions kids (and adults) wonder about the Christmas account, I was thrilled. Wondering To Bethlehem: A Wonder-filled Advent Devotional For Kids provides inspiration and knowledge beyond my wildest imagination. Vanessa’s devotional books for kids are written for middle to upper elementary to read for themselves or younger if directed and read by a big person: Bible Food Truck and Breakfast With Jesus. Her knowledge and understanding of how kids learn, what makes a learning sticky, Bible study, and using a child’s imagination makes this devotional my go-to this Advent season. Her kid’s devotionals offer so much more than just a great developmentally appropriate read.

Vanessa’s knowledge of the Bible offers nuggets of wisdom and ‘did you know?’ notes throughout especially on the “Wonders To Unpack” pages which follow each Advent reading. For instance: “The angels praised God at the beginning of Creation (see Job 38:4-7). And now, the angels praised God at the beginning of a new creation: the birth of God’s son.” (pg. 85)

Each reading includes a daily invite for kids to write, “Things I wonder about in this story…” entitled Wondering Notes as well as a half-page space for drawing a picture of the story. The special add-on to make this devotional especially interactive is the QR code in the front for a download of twenty-six 2-inch round stickers for cutting out (how I’ll use them) or printing on round stickers for each daily reading PLUS two additional readings for Christmas Day and Epiphany.

This is a beautiful gift for the grands and the kids, AND I’m using this 125-page advent devotional as the inspiration for how our children’s ministry will celebrate Advent this year. Here are a few of our ideas…..

• Campfire Christmas is our kickoff event with worship led by a special musical guest, shepherd stations for creativity and storytelling (luggage tags, sticker nativity ornaments, sheep mini fidgets, waterbottle stickers, bookmarks, sheep masks) an interactive re-telling of the nativity story for anyone who wants to participate, sheep games, roasting marshmallows, finishing well with dinner served and provided by our youth ministry. The shepherds jump into the story from around a campfire.
• Each family will receive their own copy of the devotional while supplies last beginning at Campfire Christmas. We were able to order the devotional in bulk and received a family event guide from Vanessa at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRPIbL1NmQHitp3tnerSttKd5fWr-PpARZ99IXngZ-TYO2zw/viewform 
• 100+ small sheep will be placed all over campus for littles and bigs to be delighted, play with, and move around. We’ll pick them all up in January. We are sheep (dependent on God) AND we are shepherds (sharing first the good news of Jesus’ birth and God’s salvation with others).
• Children’s moments will open with sheep jokes and shepherd hooks sharing the wonders of a song (I Wonder As I Wander), wonder of a good shepherd, wonder of Psalm 23 (my rod and my staff…tools for the journey), and wonder of remaining with the flock. 
• Our church has several wonderful mission opportunities during Advent yet few are kid-friendly-sticky, so we will collect gently-used suitcases and duffle bags for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and foster children as we ‘unpack Christmas’ for others. We’ll include a children’s devotional and/or Bible inside. Several church members are actively involved in this amazing program and are taking the point to store and get them where they need to go to do the most good.
• Sheep cut-outs for prayer prompters; sheep games.
• Inviting families to reach one chapter of the gospel of Luke (24 chapters) each day beginning December 1st, finishing on Christmas Eve.

Christmas is a wonder for littles AND bigs. So many fabulous characters. So many amazing places. So many fantastic relationships. So much love from a Heavenly Father who offers His own Son to be the only way to be made right with Himself, a holy God. 

Thank you, Lord, for the Advent season! Thank you, Vanessa, for a fresh way to celebrate!

“Holy God, thank You for the Good News of Jesus’ birth. Give me the boldness to share about who Jesus is with others, just like the shepherds did. Amen.” Wondering to Bethlehem, pg 91

“How do we get it all in?”, “I don’t have time, I’m too busy.”  I hear the immense priority given to regularly scheduled, repeated, programming of life. Building margin to travel, to meet, be coached, and network is absolutely necessary to build our endurance muscles for ministry over the long haul. This is the system which works for me. Is there flexibility? Oh yes! This is just where I start to set a sustainable pace.

Mondays Are For Communicating – Working from the home office lets me begin the day crazy early with less interruptions. I build the Sunday powerpoints, email the Sunday Saints of what’s upcoming, write notes/postcards to mail, take a walk to settle the bear of overwhelming confusion, place the orders/build the online shopping cart, schedule the social media posts, write the newsletters, work the calendar.

Tuesdays Are For Meeting – In-person meetings grow relationships. Relationships trump tasks. I rise crazy early to weekly blog post and prepare to travel for staff meetings, coffee/tea meetings, deliver books/dinner/lunch/breakfast to families, and collaboratively plan in the hallways and offices of campus and beyond. Network lunch each month, too. Lots of tablelife on Tuesdays.

Wednesdays Are For Learning – This is when I’ll schedule zoom calls for book discussions, travel to trainings, read books and articles, dive into the scriptures, scour the search engines, watch youtube videos, and learn. I love learning and scheduling a learning day (or morning) means I actually set aside time for reading and study. Well-Versed Kids is on Wednesday nights so learning continues. This season we are learning what God has to say about WORK.

Thursdays Are For Staging – Whatever it’s going to take to set the stage and set the tables for Sunday gets done on Thursdays. I walk through spaces, pray through spaces, put away, set up, clean up, and prepare for arrival and dismissal experiences alongside the content prep for shared faith formation experiences so that littles and their bigs continue to love Jesus with their whole hearts for their whole lives.

Fridays Are For Sabbath – The day I do what reminds me that God is good and I am His. 

Saturdays Are For Family – This is the only day Mr. Bob and I have off together so I guard the daylights out of it. It’s fall now so it’s college football starting with The Home Depot’s GameDay. There’s usually a grocery pickup or supply gathering between games. About 4pm I start gathering my mind and heart and stacking the car for what’s planned for Sunday. Mr. Bob says something changes in me around 4pm then off to bed early because Sunday is game day. 

Sundays Are For Celebrating – Celebrating together as a church family so that we can ‘spur one another on’ (Hebrews 10:24-25) for another week to live out the holy habits of discipleship in community. Around tables and in hallways, arriving early and staying late. This season has afternoons filled with Stick Around Sundays, Scout Badge Clinics, events like Fall Gatherings and Campfire Christmas.

How do you set up your week for sustainability and perseverance?

“He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:8

As a visual learner who leads concrete thinkers, I believe it’s helpful to have some benchmarks for growing in Christian maturity. A benchmark is a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed. This sanctification and growing process must have some evidential criteria beyond a checklist, though a checklist is helpful to know along our journey if we’ve taken more exits off the highway or spent too much time at the rest stop or haven’t left the front yard at all as a growing faithful Christian.

One of my favorite resources to share with families is the Discipleship Begins at Home Blueprint: Discipleship For Life. This resource begins at the beginning of a child’s life providing developmentally appropriate holy habits and practices caregivers can use to lead littles to Jesus. There is also a Discipleship Begins at Home Blueprint: 5 Year Plan which offers an outline to begin the process with middle/high school and adults.

I learned about this resource we have printed, spiral-bound, and offer on our Family Resource Wall at an online Women In Apologetics conference. The Discipleship Begins at Home Conference was a two-day conference aiming to help parents, caregivers, churches, and teachers create a plan of biblical discipleship and growth for the children in their care. 

I consider it one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever come across. Rev. Jeremy Bannister co-authors this e-document with his team through The Next Generation Ministries. He highlights six specific holy habits to teach, learn, and practice over a disciple’s life: Bible reading, Prayer, Fellowship, Outreach & Service, Discipleship, Giving. Rev. Bannister further explains these benchmarks like this:

Christian Maturity Benchmarks
1. Have read through the Bible at least one time.
2. Love God – attendance at church on Sunday mornings
    Love God’s people – participate in small group life
    Love Serving God – serving alongside the Body of Christ in church and outside the church
3. Practice the six primary holy habits of Bible Reading, Prayer, Fellowship, Outreach & Service, Discipleship, Giving (the Blueprints offer developmentally appropriate practices from infants through adults for each holy habit)
4. Have a desire to see someone else replicate these benchmarks

I can live with this. I can ask where my servant leaders are in this. I can see the fruit of this. I can set the table for these teachings with littles and with bigs. These are benchmarks I can throw some energy into and so can everyone else who serves in local church leadership. These benchmarks we can see, measure, and engage in conversations about.

If I needed a brain surgeon, I’d want to know that he/she’d read through the books, participated in the best practices led by those experienced (apprenticeship), and engaged in continuing education to be my brain surgeon. When I drive on the highway, it is not unreasonable to expect the professional semi truck driver to have read the books, participated in training (discipleship), attended all the classes (Sunday am), and taken care of their rig according to the owner’s manual. When a member or staff of a church is invited to take on a leadership role it is reasonable to ask if they’d read the whole book, are they giving of their financial resources, participating in small group life, and have a desire to invite others to join the journey.

Where would you want to throw some energy into? Question #1 – Have you read through the Bible at least once?

“…but few things are needed-or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42

Muhammad Ali was the greatest boxer of all time and one I followed through media and culture especially in the late nineties. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see,” was a phrase he often repeated to describe his style in the ring.

As Christian believers, there are parts of the Bible which make us feel warm and fuzzy like butterfly kisses. These passages are the wonderful parts of following Jesus, like…

• For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
• God is love. 1 John 4:8b
• Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
• And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
• If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. 1 John 1:9
• So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10

There are also parts of the Bible that challenge us and cause us to go, “Woah! That stings!” The passages which remind us that Christian believers have chosen a standard of living and these passages teach us to ‘spur one another on to Godly love and good deeds,’ like …

• Everyone should be slow to speak, quick to listen, slow to become angry. James 1:19
• Be dressed and ready for service. Luke 12:35
• Do everything without arguing or complaining. Philippians 2:14
• Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Ephesians 6:1
• And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds, 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. Hebrews 10:24-25
• My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. James 2:1

I led a Children’s Moment a few weeks ago with a child holding a butterfly pillow sitting on one side of me, kissing my shoulder each time I read a butterfly kiss scripture. On the other side of me sat a child WAY too eager to sting my other shoulder with a bee puppet each time I read a stinger. The congregation laughed as the point was made.

As Christian followers of Christ Jesus we are to follow the whole counsel of the scriptures. If we only pick and choose to live among the butterfly kisses, we’ll never have the liturgy and proper equipping of God’s word for when life gets hard through loss and disappointment, relationships and school become confusing, nor when the littles we lead find following Jesus difficult and require courage.

Last Sunday we taught the Bible account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The Children’s curriculum make the point that when we stand up for Jesus, we’ll be rescued. That is not reality. Instead, we taught, “What causes three 30+ year old men to stand and not bow down to an idol when the consequence is surely a fiery, painful death?” After being taken as slaves, made eunuchs, and lived more than half their lives in Babylon, they followed the God of their childhood. Doing the math, these men were raised from babies until they were 10 years old during the reign of King Josiah. (2 Kings 22 & 23). This math makes my kidmin heart soar!

Teaching children the whole counsel of the scriptures, butterfly kisses AND bee stings, matters now and in the future. 

Still not sure? Spend some time in the Old Testament book of Daniel. It’s not warm and fuzzy. Rather it’s hot and intense, made for teaching and rebuking. Let’s train them to be strong and mighty through the whole counsel of God’s word.

“But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:18

Fall is my favorite season and October has five Sundays this year. This ‘celebrates just about everything’ gal is ready to set some spaces and places for our multi-generational church family to gather with hands, feet, smiles, casserole dishes, stories, so that our littles see their bigs share life together.

I saw this idea of sticking around after church on purpose on a social media post of my home church. I was inspired to make it fit our context and spaces available especially during this season of trusting the Lord in big-church business.

After getting the okay to move forward at last week’s staff meeting, collaborating with other ministry areas started, a fabulous graphic was designed, and a children’s moment with kids and sticks offered the first invitation on the last Sunday in September.

October Sunday #1 – Pie & Punch @ the Pit (I and kids like alliteration)
Costco has those huge fall pies out; our senior pastor’s wife offered to make the non-red punch; and we’re serving at the Gaga Ball Pit which will be put away within the next couple of weeks until next Easter. Supplies: paper products; pies; punch

October Sunday #2 – Churchwide Potluck @ Higher Ground (a request by small group leaders)
One of our amazing Sunday school classes set the signup and will do the physical setting up that morning at a location on our campus that has a garage door opening inviting kids to play outdoor games while having lunch. My favorite restaurant is a church potluck! Supplies: paper products

October Sunday #3 – Lemonade on the Lawn (a request by our Senior Pastor)
The Youth Ministry has a lemon press though CountryTime Lemonade will be free flowing. Cucumber lemonade will be what I bring. Supplies: cups & lemonade & paper towels

October Sunday #4 – Missions & Mountain Top Boys Home (bringing past missions passions to present)
We’ll ask for donations of deodorant and toothpaste for the residents of this amazing ministry which has been part of our church’s history for years. Folks will be invited to write a letter/note to a Mountain Top resident and/or one of our young adults who have been registered to receive Jesus Loves You Boxes this fall. The mailbox on wheels made by one our gifted McEachern Saints will be front and center to receive these notes of encouragement and hope. Supplies: note paper, envelopes, stamps, collection bins

October Sunday #5 – Table & Chair set up for that afternoon’s Fall Gathering (getting stuff done together)
The Fall Gathering 4-6pm is an all-hands-on-deck event and many hands will make for light work to set up the back parking lot for the Fall Gathering with food trucks, trunk-or-treat, cake walk, games, and more. 

Why? Community-building where littles and bigs see their church family learning, serving, in holy play, and sharing life together.
Who? Everyone.
What? Stick Around Sunday after the last service in a simple, yet intentional way to build our relationships with one another.
What will be the win? Sticky faith-formation memories for littles where everyone can play, everyone can serve, everyone can learn, and everyone can share life with great joy….and Mrs. McCoy’s homemade fudge.

“I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.” Psalm 45:17

Last week I shared an AirBnB and four days with three amazing kidmin champions at the KidzMatter Conference in Murphreesboro, Tennessee. Yes, we met lots of people. Yes, we learned lots of things (which you will hear more about in the weeks to come as I plan for next year). Yes, we worshiped, prayed, and ate. What else?

Let me introduce you to….

Vanessa Myers – Vanessa is a full-time children’s ministry director serving the folks of Dahlonega, Georgia. She designs simple Bible resources to equip children’s leaders, parents, grandparents, and local churches to love God’s word through Family Faith Builders. Her beautiful resources are developmentally appropriate for preschool through upper elementary. They can be used at home or at church. She’s a graduate of Duke Divinity School and chooses to point littles and bigs to God’s word so they love the Lord with their whole heart for their whole lives. She’s also written two kid’s devotionals I use for large group, small groups, and children’s moments: Bible Food Truck and Breakfast With Jesus. In mid-October another kid’s devotional will be available just in time for Advent: Wondering to Bethlehem. It’s still a devotional for ages 5-11, but this time, kids dive a little deeper into the birth story by using their wonder and imagination. They’ll put themselves into the story at that time in history and use their 5 senses to wonder what was going on around the characters in each devotion. There’s a passport!

Hannah Harwood – Hannah is a full-time family ministry director serving the folks of Dalton, Georgia. She just started at her new church with the goal of equipping leaders to reach all kinds of families. I met Hannah years ago when she served as the campus ministry intern at Reinhardt University and I’ve watched her grow her kidmin skills and her faith as she’s served several churches from part-time to full-time. She’s a professional in every sense of the word and continues to prioritize her networking relationships, prayer, and her family to sustain her in all areas of ministry. 

Christen Clark – I was introduced to Christen at Children’s Pastors Conference last January by the fabulous Brittany Nelson of Deeper Kidmin, a Teachers-Pay-Teachers resource website for leaders in faith formation. Christen is the creator and host of Collide Kids Podcast. Christen has led children’s worship at some of the largest churches in North Georgia. Right away I invited her to come to our last two Family Vacation Bible School events last June as a children’s worship consultant. Why invest in a consultant? Because we needed fresh eyes on what we were doing to jack it up and be the most effective. What did we learn? That our folks really stepped up to do their best for our littles and bigs when a consultant was on deck; that we can easily gather families to worship together much more often with the resources (people, places, passions, provisions) we already have on hand; that a different voice can speak truth and permission into service lives before, during, and after an event. Money very well spent as an investment into the future of our local church.

These relationships began because networking is a priority for sustaining an effective life in ministry. “Networking is a lot like nutrition and fitness: we know what to do, the hard part is making it a top priority.” — Herminia Ibarra

Does your blah-blah need a rah-rah? Natalie Runion’s book, Raised To Stay, speaks about finding our Pauls. The Pauls are sainted cheerleaders sharing life AND content. We need these Pauls, ‘but the deal is, we have to keep going and run that ball full court.’ (p139) 

When someone believes in you, let them. Sit with the wise. Build in the margin for growing in relationships with others in the trenches of ministry with children and families always with a teachable spirit. Make some introductions. Be available to make a new friend-in-the-Lord. 

Who is in your networking group? Who is sharpening you? Who are you sharpening?

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17