It's been raining for two days now and the weather people are afraid of flooding. My house is on a bit of an incline and so I shouldn't have any probs. I don't have a basement either. A little crawl space, but not a basement. Why the builders just didn't go 4 more feet under and make me a basement; I don't know. Doesn't really bother me much unless I talk about it. But I just don't. So I'll stop
I've been learning some new material on how to better our internet business. I like it a lot. And I haven't even started the actual course lessons yet, just the pre-stuff.
If you're interested I'll pass on the info. I would leave it on here, but I like you all leaving commentary and asking questions. You know, great way to create dialogue. I like hearing from people. I'm, very much, a people person. But as some of you know if you've been following I am more of a children person. I really enjoy them a lot. My children are my ministry and any others that pass by my way.
My husband and I are very active in our church's children's ministry. (wow how doesn't that work two possesive nouns? not sure on that one) We are the co-leaders with Kid's Corner Jr. KCJ is what I've been calling it. The 5 yo through 1st grade. I love it. We do puppets and skits and build boats. Lots more. Lots of fun!!!! I spent two days a couple weeks ago trying to find fridge boxes or something similarly as large to build a boat. Jesus calmed the storm right there in our classroom. WONDERFUL! We had the sound effects and the lightning and even a blue rug for the water. The kids loved it. A lesson they still haven't forgotten. We still have the boat in the room and they act it out themselves.
I will be learning more about being a good blogger in the next few months. I know I'm all over the place in my writing, but well I'm a busy person, my mind is on a thousand and one things and I have a lot to say. So I guess I just like the cram it all in one place. I just started following some "famous bloggers". So I'll learn more. Hang out with me while I learn and see how good growth can be.
Blessings
Showing posts with label childrens ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label childrens ministry. Show all posts
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wash some feet
Can I tell you how much I love being able to serve in children's ministry. I've felt a call on my life from God for a long time now. I remember the day vividly that I felt it.
I'd been working for some time in the childcare aspect and feeling really burned out. And God said to me that the feeling I had would come and go, but the love I felt for those children to learn about Him was the factor that would lead my life.
I have had my down time from the ministry and I was not happy. I was selfish and anxious and those feelings are below the measure that God has intended for our lives. My life. I had had my first child and wasn't really plugged in tight with a church and all I could think about was when I would get to sleep next. But the Lord brought me through it all with His loving hand of forgiveness and mercy.
I slowly began to put my ore into helping out and then managing aspects and now I'm in. I may not ever be in a pastoral position of salary, but I get to show children who Jesus is everyday. I say, everyday, because I have my own children. I homeschool and our curriculum exposes God in all aspects of life. Then I have my church affiliation and I get to serve in ways that I only ever prayed about. I love working with children.
They're so forgiving. If you mess up your wording or goof off a bit they still love you and don't over analyze whether or not you meant something else. They are closer to God than we could ever see. Jesus was in children's ministry too. He had them sit on His lap and told them stories and loved on them and never had to give a further explanation.
It breaks my heart to see churches that don't give much value to their children's ministry. Who's gonna be there in their future? Who is the churches future? Who's the future of our country? It's them, the children, who some people consider the not so glamorous service. Changing pants and wiping beautiful faces and doing those puppet skits and all is what Jesus was all about. He didn't necessarily do those things, but it's about "washing feet".
Feet, in biblical days were gross, to say the least. Blistered and dirty and smelly (well they, I'm sure, stepped in some dung). But Jesus washed the disciples' feet and told Peter if He didn't wash his feet that he couldn't have any part of His ministry and Peter said wash my whole body. Well, Peter was as some would call a zealot. But he was passionate about what Jesus wanted him to do. He went to his death for Jesus.
All I'm saying is children's ministry is the top of the totem pole. I could never find a more rewarding service than to serve children who are so quick to give a hug and are soo excited when they see you out in the marketplace. I get, "There's my worship teacher" often. It melts my heart every time. My children are seeing a great service that I believe they will carry on as they grow up.
I'd been working for some time in the childcare aspect and feeling really burned out. And God said to me that the feeling I had would come and go, but the love I felt for those children to learn about Him was the factor that would lead my life.
I have had my down time from the ministry and I was not happy. I was selfish and anxious and those feelings are below the measure that God has intended for our lives. My life. I had had my first child and wasn't really plugged in tight with a church and all I could think about was when I would get to sleep next. But the Lord brought me through it all with His loving hand of forgiveness and mercy.
I slowly began to put my ore into helping out and then managing aspects and now I'm in. I may not ever be in a pastoral position of salary, but I get to show children who Jesus is everyday. I say, everyday, because I have my own children. I homeschool and our curriculum exposes God in all aspects of life. Then I have my church affiliation and I get to serve in ways that I only ever prayed about. I love working with children.
They're so forgiving. If you mess up your wording or goof off a bit they still love you and don't over analyze whether or not you meant something else. They are closer to God than we could ever see. Jesus was in children's ministry too. He had them sit on His lap and told them stories and loved on them and never had to give a further explanation.
It breaks my heart to see churches that don't give much value to their children's ministry. Who's gonna be there in their future? Who is the churches future? Who's the future of our country? It's them, the children, who some people consider the not so glamorous service. Changing pants and wiping beautiful faces and doing those puppet skits and all is what Jesus was all about. He didn't necessarily do those things, but it's about "washing feet".
Feet, in biblical days were gross, to say the least. Blistered and dirty and smelly (well they, I'm sure, stepped in some dung). But Jesus washed the disciples' feet and told Peter if He didn't wash his feet that he couldn't have any part of His ministry and Peter said wash my whole body. Well, Peter was as some would call a zealot. But he was passionate about what Jesus wanted him to do. He went to his death for Jesus.
All I'm saying is children's ministry is the top of the totem pole. I could never find a more rewarding service than to serve children who are so quick to give a hug and are soo excited when they see you out in the marketplace. I get, "There's my worship teacher" often. It melts my heart every time. My children are seeing a great service that I believe they will carry on as they grow up.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Children's ministry is in need
There is a surprising lack of commitment in the children's ministries. Not from the ministers themselves; if anything they are screaming for our help. I have been in quite a few churches over the years in my moves along the east coast and they all have an alarming need for workers.
I have recently been added to the committed few that manage parts of the ministry. I simply call those who are scheduled to minister in pre-specified rooms and they are to show up because they had previously committed to. I have found this DIFFICULT! I love this! Don't get me wrong. I want this position. Children's ministries is where God has called me and I'm fully available and willing.
But just the same, I make my phone calls to remind those few that have signed up to help. They receive schedules every three months letting them know when they're expected. Three months! They have plenty of time to let us know if they cannot be there, or if they want off the schedule. Then there's another issue of finding someone to take their place; again.
I understand that sickness or the like afford a great reason (not excuse) and are plenty accepted and we do our best from there. 'Cause first we don't want them coming in and feeling ill or having them bring their ill children and second we don't want them getting the children they're ministering to ill either. So there's that.
The issue I have is those that just don't show up or don't call or drop off the face of the earth!
Some of those are teenagers. Now ,sure you say, "well they're teenagers". I say no, they are still under their parents tutelage and should be being taught that responsibility. Some parents ignore the situation and others let them quit. I have come across one parent that let her teenager quit her position but let me know after talking extensively with her daughter. I believe they dealt with it appropriately.
I think we are coming up with some solutions. We are not merely offering a sign up, which in the past has brought on ONE person. We are beginning to "recruit". There the needs arise and we walk the halls of Sunday morning fellowship hour asking anyone who comes along. I feel a bit guilty about this because I'm preying on people who just want to come to church and they get accosted to help in the nursery. But we need to have someone there for the visitors if not others too.
Visitors come in and who knows whether they're christians or what the situation might be and they need to have the services available uninterrupted to get a proper impression of the church. So in turn we have to have the rooms manned.
I have stepped in on occasion. I have other responsibilities in other parts of the children's ministry too. I lead preschool worship called Power in Praise Worship. I also get to take the K-2 and do an age-appropriate lesson for them in Kids Chapel. I love what I do. Please never misunderstand me in this.
But this also brings up the argument that, well other people have other responsibilities too. Well I agree and more power to them. Great stuff that they feel called to a ministry in the church. But the statistics are blinding that most people who go to church are takers.
Takers are people who come to receive, which I have no qualms with people receiving from God, but takers are people who come in and use all the resources a church has to offer and then go home and lead their lives as if they never went to church at all.
There are workers. People who come and only work at church, they do not attend a service and those people really deserve a pat on the back, but still there's no balance.
Then there's the "reciprocators". Servers we'll call them. They go to both services. One service they work and then other service attend to receive. There's a balance there.
I am also aware that not everyone can attend both services on every given Sunday. Well then decide on which to do; whether attending sermon or serving in a ministry, by what God tells you.
Most the time if we have to decide we work it by time. Whatever time we have to leave by is the determining factor to which service we go to. Most the time we do not make plans unless they include attending both services anyways. But we have that luxury.
I don't really have a good solution to all this. I am merely venting at the moment. God knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart and He is who we answer to, not me or anyone else.
The frustration of the need is still there, but I'm doing what God wants me to do in the serving. I am simply putting out there that there is a need and someone should answer the call.
I have recently been added to the committed few that manage parts of the ministry. I simply call those who are scheduled to minister in pre-specified rooms and they are to show up because they had previously committed to. I have found this DIFFICULT! I love this! Don't get me wrong. I want this position. Children's ministries is where God has called me and I'm fully available and willing.
But just the same, I make my phone calls to remind those few that have signed up to help. They receive schedules every three months letting them know when they're expected. Three months! They have plenty of time to let us know if they cannot be there, or if they want off the schedule. Then there's another issue of finding someone to take their place; again.
I understand that sickness or the like afford a great reason (not excuse) and are plenty accepted and we do our best from there. 'Cause first we don't want them coming in and feeling ill or having them bring their ill children and second we don't want them getting the children they're ministering to ill either. So there's that.
The issue I have is those that just don't show up or don't call or drop off the face of the earth!
Some of those are teenagers. Now ,sure you say, "well they're teenagers". I say no, they are still under their parents tutelage and should be being taught that responsibility. Some parents ignore the situation and others let them quit. I have come across one parent that let her teenager quit her position but let me know after talking extensively with her daughter. I believe they dealt with it appropriately.
I think we are coming up with some solutions. We are not merely offering a sign up, which in the past has brought on ONE person. We are beginning to "recruit". There the needs arise and we walk the halls of Sunday morning fellowship hour asking anyone who comes along. I feel a bit guilty about this because I'm preying on people who just want to come to church and they get accosted to help in the nursery. But we need to have someone there for the visitors if not others too.
Visitors come in and who knows whether they're christians or what the situation might be and they need to have the services available uninterrupted to get a proper impression of the church. So in turn we have to have the rooms manned.
I have stepped in on occasion. I have other responsibilities in other parts of the children's ministry too. I lead preschool worship called Power in Praise Worship. I also get to take the K-2 and do an age-appropriate lesson for them in Kids Chapel. I love what I do. Please never misunderstand me in this.
But this also brings up the argument that, well other people have other responsibilities too. Well I agree and more power to them. Great stuff that they feel called to a ministry in the church. But the statistics are blinding that most people who go to church are takers.
Takers are people who come to receive, which I have no qualms with people receiving from God, but takers are people who come in and use all the resources a church has to offer and then go home and lead their lives as if they never went to church at all.
There are workers. People who come and only work at church, they do not attend a service and those people really deserve a pat on the back, but still there's no balance.
Then there's the "reciprocators". Servers we'll call them. They go to both services. One service they work and then other service attend to receive. There's a balance there.
I am also aware that not everyone can attend both services on every given Sunday. Well then decide on which to do; whether attending sermon or serving in a ministry, by what God tells you.
Most the time if we have to decide we work it by time. Whatever time we have to leave by is the determining factor to which service we go to. Most the time we do not make plans unless they include attending both services anyways. But we have that luxury.
I don't really have a good solution to all this. I am merely venting at the moment. God knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart and He is who we answer to, not me or anyone else.
The frustration of the need is still there, but I'm doing what God wants me to do in the serving. I am simply putting out there that there is a need and someone should answer the call.
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