When attending a children’s ministry conference, some of the best and most helpful information comes in the carpool to the conference. I don’t drive because I am an awful navigator. So armed with a yellow legal pad and a cellphone (to make online inquiries along the way), I ask questions and take notes of the multiple conversations that follow.  In response to a conversation at our monthly, district networking group, several of us gathered together for a day. The goal was to share a few things and take home a few things to help us in our local church ministries. Think: Carpool to a conference without the conference.

Instructions went out in an email like this:

Hello!

Bring 8 copies of what you have already done with LOTS of details AND ideas that have been simmering.   If you have supplies to share, then bring them too.  Got something you don’t know what to do with? Bring it!  Got a picture of something you’ve seen? Bring it.

We set up our computers, opened in prayer, then each champion answered the question: What do you HAVE to get out of today? What is your “If I don’t get anything else, I’ve GOT to get this”?

We put up big post-it notes with areas of interest and focus, then added what we’re already doing under each area with little post-it notes. We each offered a couple of ‘already doings’ with the prep paperwork and even emailed info to everyone if all we had were electronic copies.

We each walked out filled with at least two new ideas and the prep paperwork to tweak to best fit our contexts. We also walked out with encouragement, fuel for the journey, and memories of laughter and good food. Fruitful table life! These folks are ninja warrior champions when it comes to ministry with children. Some have been doing kidmin for more than 20 years, others just 3 years.  Oh how I love the connection!

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

Our senses are heightened when we step away for retreat. We wait in anxious expectation of sounds, smells, and sights which are different than our everyday. It reminds me of Abram called by God from his land of Ur (usual routine.) But it’s the people that we meet while away that stick in my memory most.

At the 5th grade Rock Solid Retreat on the beautiful campus of Camp Glisson, our students are prepared through workshop and practices for their next season as they transition not only from elementary to middle school, but also from children’s ministry to youth/student ministry. The connections with mine and other’s kids are different, slower, deeper, funnier. The connections are just….more.

One of the great delights of retreat is connecting with other champions of children’s ministry. As we walk outside, wake up to Mandisa’s “Good Morning” in the girl’s cabin, and take fantastic meals ‘family style’ with others, I get to hear their stories. Stories of their journey to director of children’s ministry at their church. Stories of how a student has overcome life challenges. Stories of exciting family events coming up. Stories of clarity for what one will do next year. Stories of grandparents who used to come to Camp Glisson so many years ago. Oh, the testimonies of old and new friends in the Lord.

This time we were invited to travel with a church we often partner with for special events like Splish Splash and Winter Ball. Our kids and chaperones make deep connections with hers. I’m the last one down at night in our cabin to be sure everyone is snoozing. She’s the first one up to take them hiking in the falls before breakfast. She brings cookies. I bring a wireless speaker for cabin dance parties. A chaperone from the third church represented in our cabin was a hairdresser. There was a line of 5th grade girls chatting and laughing waiting to get their hair braided.

There is so much more to an away retreat than curriculum and food…though both were fabulous. When I go on retreat, I seek out those I already know and see only online for a hug, a cup of tea, a conversation. When I go on retreat, I especially seek out those new-to-me. I ask a couple of questions. I make a new friend. I hear testimonies of champions. I hear how God is alive and active in their calling. I hear of challenges and celebrations. I hear delights and sighs and laughter. It feeds me and helps me to grow in my ‘champion-ness.’ What are you doing to build connection with other champions?

“There are essentially two things that will change your life – the books you read and the people you meet.” – Charles Tremendous Jones

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

Fifth graders in February are closer to sixth grade than most moms wish to admit. Many will be transitioning not only to middle school, but also from children’s ministry to youth ministry. Transitions can be no big deal for some students and completely terrifying for others even with the most intentional training-up. How can we help? A winter retreat for fifth graders.

The North Georgia United Methodist Church conference presented a retreat specific to and only for fifth graders at Camp Glisson just a couple of weeks ago. We arrived early in time for hiking and setting up cabins which we shared with other amazing local churches. Half expecting to hear about when we would be ziplining, swimming, or high swinging, not one time did my students wish to be somewhere else or to be doing something else.

We attended workshops specific to kid-friendly spiritual practices.  They learned and practiced multiple prayer positions from a pastor in camo with a heavy leaning toward Star Wars. They learned to communicate at all decibel levels and listen for the wisest voices that will get them to their goals. The activities and debriefing was inviting and done especially well in small groups. Not wanting to give away all the details, THIS event has best prepared my fifth graders to take on the next season with a greater confidence.

We attended multiple worship services with teaching elements led my Chuck Bell. Chuck is amazing at involving multiple worship preferences in a service beyond the music component. He also led a workshop on worship to offer students the chance to discover their own personal worship style preferences AND learn to appreciate other’s preferences. He used video, storytelling, and small group teaching. He even led each group to be prepared to participate in the remaining worship services in liturgy, music, motions, visuals, voice, and so much more. He invited the students to interpret a music video from Bethel kids that was spot-on in helping them grow their ‘fearless’ muscles.

I had multiple favorite moments, quick visual pictures in my head, and enjoyed amazing conversations. During our ‘cabin visit’ we shared time and space outside with another local church we do a ton of things with giving our students a chance to talk, pray, and give their hearts, minds, hands, and feet to Jesus. I mean, how can we do these intensive practices of giving our hearts, minds, hands, and feet to Jesus and not give them a chance to do just that? A place and a date for some. A reminder and another step forward for others.

HUGE difference from the first worship service on Saturday morning to the last on Sunday morning. During the first service, students looked around to do what they saw others doing…formal…cautious…reserved.  By the last service, students prayed in multiple positions. Students sang in multiple ways (voice, motions, movement, etc.) Students received communion and reminder bracelets to take home. Students were writing their contact info in other’s notebooks to stay connected. Made me smile.

We will go again next year. I can’t imagine missing it. Last Sunday’s worship at home was different with the students who attended. We were all so very comfortable in our own worship-style-preference-skin. We smiled at one another across the sanctuary. Pure sweetness. Will you join us next year?

“This day flew by.” C. Reed, WC 5th grader
“I’ll never forget this day as long as I live, Ms. DeDe.” A. Smith, WC 5th grader

Our church chooses a scripture focus for each year. The 2017 focus is based on Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” With my personal challenge of offering more testimony time in each setting for my kids, each month we will be inviting Titus 2 men and women of our church to speak to our students during Sunday school.

Titus 2 speaks of older men teaching the younger men and older women teaching the younger women in the church. The students won’t know who is coming, so we’ve called it “Titus 2 Mystery Guest Sunday”. Each person will be invited to share how they ‘shine the light of Jesus’ before others to glorify their Father in heaven. After each Titus 2 mystery guest gives testimony of how they came to know Jesus and shine His light in their world, the students will be invited to respond with a task, activity, or expected follow up.

Some of the folks we will invite will be a trustee, a gardener, a baker, a person who regularly volunteers anywhere and everywhere, a college student who goes on short-term mission trips, an Eagle Scout candidate working on his project, and others.

I want my kids to see how God uses His light within each of us to do good deeds to glorify our Heavenly Father. I want my kids to know they will always have a way to be in ministry and mission where they are with the gifts and graces they have today. I also want my kids to know the saints of their church…who probably attend another service…who probably don’t sit at their table on Souper Bowl Sunday…who they’ll never know unless they get some face time. I also want the saints of their church to know the children running in the hallways, accolyting in the worship service, and to know the names of those coming up behind them. They may also be more inclined to serve in ministry with children if they get a chance to look into their big brown eyes, hear their giggles, and answer their questions.

Our first Titus 2 Mystery Guest was Ms. Meg. She is part of the team of We Care. We Care provides meals for the sick, writes cards for the shut-ins, and coordinates receptions for bereaved families. After her testimony, the children were invited to write letters to two members of their church who just got home from a hospital stay.

Each church is filled with Titus 2 men and women. Who will you invite to tell their story of shining the light of Jesus in their world?

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

Lynley Jones of Asbury UMC in Lafayette, Louisiana is a KidMin Ninja and incredibly creative in how she shares Jesus with little people.  Thanks to this dear colleague who shared pictures and her organizational tricks with me, WC Academy started the first of four life skill classes for 1st-5th graders. WC Academy is a free community outreach of WCKids. We created the event on Eventbrite for free registration and to gather information of ages, names, and emails for a Friday night 6-7:30pm.

5pm: Volunteers arrived for training and set up (needed every minute of it)

6-6:10pm: Arrival games in the Children’s Hallway

6:10-30pm: Amazing volunteers (3 middle school youth and 3 adults) introduced themselves and told an interesting fact about themselves. We then welcomed and gave instructions.

6:30pm: Students received packets of handouts (all found on pinterest and noted below) to be used at each station and began rotating every 10 minutes.

After the 3rd rotation, we gathered for hot chocolate and I shared the story of Jesus making the Leper clean from Mark 1:40-42…including the shouting of “UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!” Jesus makes us clean on the inside. Then we finished the last two rotations.

7:15pm: Huddled to give testimony about what we learned, favorite station, and what we can’t wait to demonstrate as soon as they get home. Handed out certificates (what’s an Academy without certificates?) and celebrated with an all-hands-in cheer at dismissal.

Folding Clothes Station: My adult daughter does this ninja-tshirt-folding-thing and sock-roll that totally amazed each student. Yep…one of their favorite stations. We received texts from parents later that night about students teaching their parents how to properly fold clothes! Supplies: kid sized tshirts and white tube socks.

Dusting/Sweeping Station: Set up in the corner of the room with a little baby cornstarch (with lavendar for obvious reasons) and Lego bricks to dust. Then to sweep up what fell on the floor. A huge mess by the end of the night, but with all the wet towels and washcloths from the dishwashing station, the students cleaned up the floors pretty well. Supplies: Baby Cornstarch, a few Lego bricks, 2 brooms, washcloths.

Bed Making Station: Set a twin top mattress on a long table and had the Eagle Scout teach how to make the bed with hospital corners. Interesting fact: Not one of our kids knew the bottom sheet was called a ‘fitted sheet.’ Supplies: twin top mattress (put out a request on facebook), mattress cover/case, top sheet, fitted sheet, pillow, pillow case.

Dishwashing Station: Learned the order in which dishes should be handwashed and how to load a dishwasher. We used a single sink and a dish drainer. Supplies: Dish drainer, bowl, silverware, 2 glasses, saucer, washcloths, dish detergent, gloves.

Ironing Station: Set up two ironing boards in an adjacent room with irons on lowest setting and ironed a washcloth first. Using the directions in the packet, students ironed a dress shirt and hung it on a hanger. Supplies: 2  ironing boards, iron, hangers, two dress shirts, 2 washcloths.

Next month: Basic cooking.

“A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Mark 1:40

Every summer our Conference of the United Methodist Church holds its annual business meeting in June. For many of my KidMin colleagues, those are the weeks of Vacation Bible School and summer camps. Me, too. But what if you were able to carve out the time to be an at-large delegate to be part of the process?

For every clergy delegate there is a lay delegate. Some clergy delegates are retired, on medical leave, on loan to other UM Conferences. When we gather each year to discuss resolutions, share celebration reports, hear amazing preaching, and participate in various worship experiences, there are lay people who make ‘the representative pair’ of one clergy and one lay person.

I have been honored and thrilled to be an at-large delegate for my district for many years. My whys?  Networking, collaboration, table life with those I admire, face time with folks I have served with from day-one. I listen/participate in the debates of everything from church property management, promote and voice the needs of my KidMin colleagues, and vote on resolutions that help define our position in areas of social justice and mission.

There are specific activities for those engaged in Christian education, young adults, a fantastic team of youth delegates, clergy women, UM Men, UM Women, a 5K, and so much more. Baby Girl was a delegate in high school and college for years before I got involved. I would wait in anxious expectation for when she’d come home sharing stories of her experiences each year and decided I wanted in. I contacted our District Office and asked if there was a need or opening for an at-large delegate and the rest is history.

The district offers a stipend to cover hotel and meal expenses…our apportionment dollars at work to do intentional church business and give me access to people, places, and programs that can support our local churches and other KidMin champions in the trenches. Standing in support of colleagues at their ordination service, hearing the retired clergy speeches, and honoring those who have gone on to Glory in the last year are just a few of my can’t-misses.

Plans are in the works to have a gathering of KidMin champions while I’m there this year because we are better together in connection. Face time is always better than screen time. If you want to drink from the fire-hose of varied worship (as varied as our congregations across our Conference), have face time with folks who can make KidMin things happen, and get access to resources you didn’t even know were available in our own backyard, perhaps you’d like to join me in Athens to be an at-large delegate or a delegate from your local church at the 2017 Annual Conference. I guarantee it’s worth the conversations to get the ball rolling. And I’d love to share some table life with you.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

Ever heard of WordSwag? It’s an app from the app store that lets you pick a background, add text, then post on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. A great guy from a church from the Northeast USA showed me over lunch how to put out beautiful graphic text at a church administration training last summer to market my ministry. I’ve been learning a lot about marketing my ministry over the last 10 years. Lots of books, lots of reading, lots of training, lots of podcasts, lots of conversation.

Imagine we are having lunch or tea (and if we ever get the chance to do either, let’s do it!). Pull out your phone and download the WordSwag app. Open the app and press the ‘two photos’ button.

In the pixabay images search bar, type in ‘cup’ or whatever image background you wish. Pick your image, then choose to crop it or accept one of the various crop settings (I typically use ‘facebook post’) that shows up below the image. Press ‘SKIP’.

Double tap the ‘double tap me to change text’ which will bring you to a box to type the text you wish after x-ing out the ‘double tap me to change text’ or backspacing over the text in the upper right hand corner. Type in the text you wish.  Tap the ‘SAVE & CLOSE’ tab and move the text with your finger to where you’d like it to be on the background. Here comes the fun…

Tap the style tabs below the image and the various options to change how the text looks. The other tabs are fun to pick the color of the text and even change the background hue and shading. You can change the blur and even the brightness with a slider tab along the bottom. When you are satisfied with your image/text, tap ‘SAVE’. Don’t overthink it!

I typically get a ‘whoops couldn’t save it’, but just go on. I follow the couple of prompts to post to Instagram from here because after I add a caption to Instagram, it gives me options to post to Facebook and Twitter and other social media platforms so I don’t have to retype a caption. You can even add a location. Hit SHARE and it’s done.

Single images are better than a collage. Blues and greens cause folks to linger on your images longer than red or orange. Putting your image or announcement through WordSwag and posting it on Facebook will let you SAVE your image to use for everything else so to use the same visual for current and future marketing.

If you’re using it for an upcoming event, be sure to send it to the church admin who prepares the bulletin, sanctuary media folks, etc as soon as possible so to keep consistency in the visual marketing. These folks are your best partners in getting the word out and offering your image/announcement to be shared in-house and beyond social media.

How’d ya do?

“We will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us.” Numbers 10:32

There are so many things that thrill me to the bone about serving Jesus with little people: singing, dancing, teaching, candy, nursery photos of baby silliness, games, the Bible, children’s moments, faith milestones, field trips, camping retreats, dancing (love me some dancing before the Lord so it gets listed twice), and the laughter, oh the laughter.

To keep it short, here are four things that will be thrilling me to the bone about serving my Jesus with little people in the next 90 days:

1. Testimony – I will be challenging my students to give testimony. Think “Show & Tell”, but about what God is doing in their lives and using the power of their spoken words to claim His presence in their every day. Our church 2017 theme is to “Let the light of Jesus shine through you” and I wish for their words to do just that with boldness and confidence.
2. Wesley Chapel Academy – We will begin a series of Friday evenings to learn life skills. After setting up the EventBrite registration, the first class filled up in less than 48 hours. I think we have something here! A dear colleague in my home state of Louisiana shared her organizational plan and the first Academy class is less than two weeks away. Keep an eye on the blog for specifics.
3. Fifth Grade Only Retreat – Our denominational conference is offering a two day retreat for fifth graders specifically addressing ways to worship at our favorite retreat center, Camp Glisson. The place is holy ground for our kids and I am thrilled to be going in March. Blogs will follow for sure!
4. Done In A Day Training – Anyone who serves the Lord with little people will find this Saturday training 9am-12noon super-duper-helpful. Video driven plenaries and workshops with multiple stops for discussion, sharing, and hands-on responses will focus on what we all do every.single.week. : Connecting Kids in Worship, Connecting Kids in Mission, and Connecting Kids in Sunday School. The best thing is that this is taking place in every single district in the North Georgia Conference, at the same time, on the same day! I can’t wait to see what we can get done in a day to bring home to our kids.

What is thrilling you to the bone in the next 90 days?

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.” Isaiah 61:10

As leaders in ministry with children, we are all running this week to celebrate, to labor, and to gather. We are also shopping, planning, printing, phone-calling, texting and waking up staring at the ceiling wondering how to get 48 hours of productivity into the next 12. So, I’m going to hit the brakes for a few and give a shout-out to three of the many things I’m thankful for this week:

1. Drug Stores…Yep. There doesn’t seem to be enough Vitamin C, essential oils, or magic soap to keep some crud away. When the grands attend a birthday party at a place I am renaming “Catch Stuff Here,” we’re asking for trouble. Antibiotics and half a row of cold remedies can keep even a rhinoceros moving. Maybe not up to regular speed, but who in the world has time to be sick…it’s the week before Christmas!

2. Amazon…Do we have enough glow sticks? What are the items that make an interactive service with kids an interactive service? How many is really in a gross? Hate is a really strong word, so let me confess instead that I LOATHE shopping. Running around from store to store hoping to find what sold out in November just makes me more susceptible to “Catch Stuff Here, Too.” But in the comfort of my office chair, or the Doctor’s office waiting room, I can order whatever I need. In two days it’s sitting on my desk in plenty of time to glitter blast before Christmas Eve.

3. Family…Church family, extended family, and the the-ones-I-live-with-family. The family Christmas letters that come in the mail sharing life beyond what’s told on social media. The private Facebook messages from new family that makes me stop and offer a prayer of thankfulness and wonder at God’s mercy. The Christmas tree decorated by two toddlers with napkins, trucks, tshirts, baby dolls, and anything else they can get to stay in the branches. The family who sent out an invite to their open house on Christmas Eve ALONG WITH an invite to service times at church. Little people singing in their first church Christmas pageant. The many hands that make for light work where and when it’s needed most.

I could go on and on, but it’s the week before Christmas and there lots to do. A baby’s coming! And I am SO thankful.

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15b

Every year we assign our December CLUB345 as a time to slow down, breathe, take in the season. One year we enjoy Silent Night. The alternating year we plan for a family gathering of table life, games, food, and service. When gifted with beaucoup lime green paper products left over from a baby shower last summer, we think The Grinch! Confession: inspiration comes from all sorts of places.

5-5:30 – Dinner of ham, mac-n-cheese, salad, Hawaiian rolls, and ice water and/or Sprite. Ready for early arrivals was a Grinch word search and ink pens on all of the tables. Name tags were “find your elf name“.

5:30-6:15 – Grinch stations (see below)

6:15-6:30 – Decorating a tree game, a game of Pit (green crepe paper and cardboard stars all from Walmart)

6:30-6:45 – Left/Right Nativity game (everyone retrieves an item leftover from the morning’s Jingle Bell Shop-church donates items for kids to purchase 50 cents to $5 with free giftwrap so students can shop for their families for Christmas) and circles up for a roaring game of passing items left or right depending upon the reading of the Christmas story.) This has become an annual tradition and it is hilarious!

6:45 – Closing prayers & clean up

Grinch Stations included…

• Who-Hair Station – A very creative Mom painted a canvas backdrop; asked for colored hair spray from other Moms on Facebook, gathered neon colored pipe cleaners, and Dollar Store table cloths for drop cloths because the spray can get everywhere. Don’t forget the glitter spray!
• Star ornament – cardboard cut outs with wire and pony beads to wrap or wired tinsel to wrap the cardboard star. Not every student has the same level of fine-motor skills and even our littlest family members can get in on the craft without other hands getting involved. Any crafty ornament will do, just remember to make it VERY simple so even our youngest folks are successful on their own.
• Red and white Lego bricks – just because
• Christmas cards – Many of our 3rd-5th graders don’t know the shut-in saints of their church, so we prepared a list of eight with addresses held by our journeying shepherd, Charley, and set out a place where our kids and family members could write Christmas cards. Parents showed students how to address envelopes and we will be mailing them today. This goes along with our theme this year of the life of David in a color-themed curriculum since David was a writer, having written many of the Psalms in the Bible.
• Hand painted pot holders for Grandparents – fabric paint and a lot of Dollar Tree potholders made a time where kids could make as many as they wished because everyone’s grandparents need new potholders.
• Coloring Advent Poster – this poster printed from Staples has been following us around for the last couple of weeks leading up to Christmas. Doesn’t everyone like to slow down and color a bit while chatting with friends?
• How to Draw a Grinch – markers, pencils, paper
• CLUB345 service project – preparing the candles for the church’s Christmas Eve service, cleaning up old wax, and placing them in baskets as a gift to the Worship Committee.

Favorite parts of the night? The many conversations between parents and their kids as well as parents with other parents. Even the students whose families didn’t come were loved on well and included by their friends’ families. Amazing parents who do so much for their kids that spending time across the table or passing crazy gifts right and left made them all laugh. We slow down. Dads draw with their kids. Moms and Dads serve one another for dinner. Lots of table life.

What are you doing to help families slow down and smile across the table from one another during a season of a full calendar?

The Lord is with me; He is my helper. Psalm 118:7