September 2008

Welcome to Connect, the monthly e-newsletter for those who minister to children in small Sunday schools, midweek programs, and new church plants. Click here to invite your ministry staff members and volunteers to receive Connect!

Join us for a free online seminar to learn more about Kid Connection! To view the schedule of upcoming Webinars (free online seminar), visit www.KidConnectionOnline.org/Webinars.

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All Aboard!

Each fall my hometown hosts a huge Oktoberfest parade. For eighteen years we’ve watched it from the same downtown corner and then driven to the same farmer’s field to prop the kids up among the pumpkins and snap their picture. When we began this annual event we had one child smiling among a sea of orange, now we’ve got four and have to tilt the camera to include some of their six-foot frames. I’d like to say they’ve always been as excited about our annual pilgrimage as I have, but the truth is, for many years I had to roll some of them out of bed, bribe them with promises of donuts and coffee, or, if all else failed, slip shoes and sweaters on their sleeping bodies and haul them into the van myself. (And that was just my husband.) Getting them on board wasn’t always easy, but now they wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Getting folks on board with your church’s children’s ministry program can be a struggle too. And often it’s the “Three P’s” (Pastor, Parents, and Preteens) that can be the toughest group to catch your passion. Although a little sweet-talking with donuts and coffee can bring some success, I’ve got a few other ideas you might want to try this fall.

Pastors: Children’s ministry leaders often tell me that their pastor “doesn’t have a clue” about what happens each week in the church’s children’s ministry program. One of the best ways for your pastor to catch the vision for kid’s ministry is by seeing it in action. Ask your pastor to stop by your program for a short visit. (Aim for once in the fall and then again in winter and spring.) Make connections during large group with an up close and personal interview—using your curling iron microphone of course! Find out the things your kids really want to know about their pastor by asking questions like:

• What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
• Who do you hope will win the World Series?
• What hockey team do you cheer for?
• What did you collect when you were a kid?
• Was there anything you didn’t like about church when you were a kid?
• Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?
• What was your favorite thing to do at recess?
• What’s your favorite Bible story?
• How do you know God loves you?

After the interview invite you pastor to stay and see what happens during a typical week in your program. Chances are your pastor will enjoy the residual results of the visit so much— suddenly being greeted by kids in the halls—that he’ll be more than happy to come back! If you’re a small group leader, consider making your pastor the recipient of a craft/card/poster kids make in class during the year or inviting your pastor to be a special guest sometime. Tip: Check out page 40 of the Year 2, Quarter 1, Kid Connection Leader’s Guide and listen to our teaching tips for a great activity that involves your pastor and can be done with any age group.

Parents: Have a simple ten- to fifteen-minute open house at the end of one of the year’s first Kid Connection sessions and invite families who are picking up their kids to come in and see what you do each week. Run a shortened version of one of your “What’s Up” game-show-type quizzes (using preteen assistants), re-tell the Bible story, and sing a song. Break off into small groups so parents can meet their kid’s leader and find out what being in small group is all about. Tip: This would be a great time for leaders to show parents what’s inside a Guess What! Family Magazine.

Preteens: Give your preteens a warm welcome this fall and let them know that as the older kids in the group, they’re going to be an important part of your Kid Connection program. Be on the lookout for preteens in the halls as you get your room ready each week, and invite them to come in and help set things up or give you suggestions like where to hang the game board or what actions you could do for a song. Including preteens in the planning (no matter how small) will give them a sense of ownership, which increases their desire to participate. Look for the “Involving Preteens” tips in the leader’s guides—anytime you can include a preteen in large group their peer group in the audience is much more likely to listen. Preteens can also run the CD player, sign kids in, or stand at the door to give younger kids a welcoming high-five as they enter. And remember—preteens are a changing bunch. Their moods will swing from September to January to May so don’t be discouraged or take it personally when they don’t want to participate some weeks because they’ve got their “cool” faces on. Just keep letting them know you’re glad they came.

Getting others on board your ministry wagon takes time but the final destination is always worth the effort!

Karen DeBoer
Kid Connection Editor

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! How did you jumpstart your Kid Connection program this fall? Tell us about what God is doing in your ministry! E-mail us at Editors@FaithAliveResources.org.

Recommended Resource

Equip your Sunday school teachers to start off the year right!

Three new teacher training workshops you can lead are now available for free download or for purchase. Each training book includes a full script, instructions for the trainer, and reproducible handouts.

Here are quick summaries of each new workshop:

• Tell it Again! Telling God's Story to Young Children: Explores how teachers and families can tell The Story to little ones in ways that will make them want to hear it again and again and to live it day in and day out.
• Goodbye Classroom Chaos: Offers proactive strategies you can use or share with your Sunday school team to create nurturing environments for sharing God's word.
• Pray With Me!: Explores the role of prayer in shaping one's faith and strengthening one's relationship with God. 

Click here for more information or to order.

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