With the sun raging high in the sky, I begin making a mental list of the resources on hand, an instinct gained leading youth mission trips. I am on a two week vacation with my family – the luxury of time together meant to make up a little bit for the countless family moments I missed … Continue reading
Category Archives: Welcoming All Families
Welcome U: What churches can learn from college admissions
My oldest is a high school junior, which means we’ve been logging lots of miles on the road visiting colleges. I’ve discovered that some schools welcome prospective students in the way I remember from my own experience: watch a video, take a tour, offer a few minutes to ask current students questions. These visits are … Continue reading
Prayground Activities for the 2018 Lenten Season – Year B Lectionary
And now we begin to prepare for Lent… Use the code “BLESS30” to receive 30% off Lenten Prayer Station downloads in the new Etsy shop. Please sign up for the email list to receive downloadable bookmarks and upcoming special offers.. I’ve written previously about the challenges and joys of offering an activity for children in a … Continue reading
Parent Perspectives: A Real Mom gives Real Answers about Faith at Home
Today, Erin, aka The Social Butterfly Mom, is sharing her perspective on how churches can support parents practicing faith at home. Erin is one of the super-engaged moms in our church and in our community. She brings fresh honesty, insights, and ideas to our children’s ministry. And, she sends me adorable videos of her two-year old reciting the … Continue reading
Arts and Crafts / Children's Sermons / Faith Formation (formerly Sunday School) / Intergenerational activites / Uncategorized / Welcoming All Families
Prayground Activities for the September Lectionary:
Praygrounds, or dedicated areas in the worship space for children, are a wonderful new development many churches have added. But, what if you don’t have a dedicated space? We share our small sanctuary with another congregation, so a permanent area with furniture or baby equipment wasn’t an option for us. Instead, we use the empty … Continue reading
Faith Formation (formerly Sunday School) / Intergenerational activites / Prayer / Welcoming All Families
Teen Friendly Back to School Blessing:
I have noticed that the youth are less enthusiastic about backpack blessing tags than the younger kids. This year I decided to try to come up with a something that appealed to a wider age range. The blessing reminder needs to be: Youth friendly. Visually appealing. Budget-friendly. Reflect our church’s commitment to inclusion. Be a … Continue reading
Pastor Changes Part III: Welcoming the new pastor and their family
The first Sunday of July is often the first Sunday worshiping with the new pastor for United Methodist churches with a new appointment. The goal of children’s time on the first Sunday is to introduce children to the new pastor and to model generously welcoming new people to the congregation. For the following children’s message, … Continue reading
