Another Fun Christmas Freebie . . . and Gift!

I've already shared DaySpring e-cards as a freebie, but wanted to let you know about two of their free Christmas e-cards . . . one allows you to send a link with your card so the people on your card list also receives one free download of the song O Come, O Come Emmanuel from FFH's new album and the other includes a free download of Max Lucado's book, "An Angel's Story"! So, as you select cards for the people on your list, take a look at these e-cards from DaySpring - a card, and a gift!

VBS 2012 . . . I Just Got My SKY Kit from Group . . .

In just a few weeks my 2012 VBS reviews will begin! The entire month of January I'll be focusing on VBS with complete reviews, a side-by-side comparison chart, my Top Ten Countdown and posts with info on finding your best VBS "fit" for your church, recruiting, training, promoting your VBS, other ways/places to use VBS and so much more!


Yesterday my Sky VBS from Group arrived . . . there are some exciting new things in this kit and a number of things I'm really looking forward to sharing with you, so . . . stay tuned . . . only 24 days until my 2012 VBS reviews begin!!!!

Please Check Out CMBuzz for a Post on . . . O Come All Ye Faithful!

I'm delighted for the opportunity to write for CM Buzz and recently wrote a post about the Christmas Carol, O Come All Ye Faithful. I said, "I remember hearing and singing for all my life. I thought it would be interesting to find some background info on this familiar song and then pause for a moment to take a look at the message because sometimes when something is so “familiar” we end up “missing” the message." Please take a moment to read this post and then think of something you can do to "share the amazing news and adore Jesus today"!

Merry Christmas . . . O Come All Ye Faithful!!!

I want to share one of the most beautiful presentations of this classic old Christmas carol . . . O Come All Ye Faithful sung by John Elfante! Enjoy!

children's ministry magazine's "12 Days of Christmas for Children's Ministry" . . .

Yesterday Rochelle from Group emailed me about a fun give-away children's ministry magazine is holding . . . their "12 Days of Christmas for Children's Ministry"! Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Christmas . . . my family always comments on how I celebrate the 25 Days of Christmas!!! (Once the tree goes up after Thanksgiving dinner, my grandchildren receive a gift every time they come to my house until our main gift exchange on Christmas day!!! I say, "Spread the fun out! Why limit it to one day?") So . . . I'm delighted for the opportunity to let you know about how Group is "spreading the fun out" and provide you with the info on their "12 Days of Christmas for Children's Ministry"! What do you need to know? It is pretty simple . . . 

Focus Our Kids On Receiving??? Please Check My Post at Kidmin1124!

Last week I posted on Kidmin1124 my Top 5 Reasons for Focusing Kids on Giving at Christmas, but this week I wanted to stop to think about the Top 5 reasons for Focusing our Kids on Receiving at Christmas . . . yes, I said “receiving“! At Christmas children – and adults, too – think quite a bit about the gifts they would like to receive, but in God’s Word we find some of the most incredible gifts anyone could ever receive . . . and we read they are gifts God wants us to receive! Please check my post for the Top 5 Gifts we want kids - and adults - to focus on at Christmas!

Let's Celebrate Advent . . . Love . . . Jesus was Born in Bethlehem!

As we continue to celebrate Advent, let's take a moment to think about the second Advent candle and what it reminds us of . . . Love! Stop and think for a moment, if leaving Heaven to be born as a baby in a family so poor the only place for your birth was a stable doesn't show incredible love, then I don't know what would show such a love. The love we talk about at Advent isn't a "mushy", emotional feeling of love, but rather it is a strong, true love which shows itself in giving to others.

So, as we focus on Love this Advent, be sure to take time to think about how you can show a strong, true love which shows itself in giving to others this year. What can you do to show this love to your volunteers, the parents and children in your ministry? Consider the following . . . 

Merry Christmas . . . Born is the King!!!

I thought it might be fun to share Christmas music videos with you throughout the month of December, so . . . today my "pick" is Born is the King from Hillsong! Enjoy . . . 

Put Feet to Their Faith With a Project Through oneverse From the SeedCompany!

As we think about how Christmas and how Jesus, The Word, became flesh and lived among us, it is a wonderful time to involve the children in your ministry in an opportunity to "Put Feet to Their Faith" and work on a project to raise money to bring God's Word to people who do not have it!  There are a number of projects available for you to select from, consider this one from the SeedCompany . . . 

Family Pick . . . Beleduc Dragonfly Puppet!

If you use puppets in your children's ministry - or have been wanting to add puppets to your ministry - and have been looking for something which is different and fun, this Dragonfly Glove puppet could be what you are looking for!

I Have a Winner in My Folkmanis Bear in a Tree Stump Puppet Give-away!

I'm happy to say, Marcia Poling is the winner in my Folkmanis Bear in a Tree Stump puppet give-away! (You'll find the review at this link) Thank you Marcia for reading About the Children's Department and thank you Folkmanis for sending this puppet for me to give away!

Give Your Volunteers A Special Snowman for Christmas!

For years I made special snowmen at Christmas and gave them as gifts to directors and coordinators in my children's ministries as a special gift for Christmas. One year I made a clay pot snowman . . . and it is my personal all-time favorite! So . . . I thought I'd share it with you!


Supplies -

• clay pot - whatever size you want your snowman to be
• foam ball - again, size it to fit with your clay pot
• yarn - small amount for arms
• white felt or fleece - enough to cover the head
• fleece for hat, scarf and mittens
• acrylic paint - use whatever color you want, I've used red, green and metallic gold
• crackle medium - you'll find it in your craft store near the bottled acrylic paint
• white acrylic paint
• buttons - I love colored star buttons for my snowmen :^)
• Christmas trim . . . look in the scrap-booking section for items you could glue to your snowman for a special touch . . . on this one, I put a stocking.
• Sculpey clay in black and orange
• straight pins - one for each eye, nose and piece of "coal" for the mouth

First Friday Freebies - Free Christmas Song from the David Crowder*Band!

What could be a better "First Friday Freebie" in the month of December than a free download of "O Holy Night" by the David Crowder*Band? Check this link out for the instructions for downloading your free song, then . . . 

• share the "joy"! - Give the link to all your volunteers for a very enjoyable, "Merry Christmas"!
• include the link in your Christmas cards this year!
• enjoy the song with your family!

I'm sure you can find wonderful ways to spread the "joy" with this song from the David Crowder*Band's new CD, "oh for joy"!

And, Merry Christmas!

Let's Kick Off December With a Couple Freebies!

It is December 1st and with Christmas just around the corner I thought it would be fun to remind you of a couple "winter/Christmas freebies" . . . a couple days ago I posted a "Free Snowy Lesson" and today I want to give you links to a free Christmas lesson for Preschool/Early Elementary and for Elementary age children and a link so you can print out a Free Christmas Bible account from the Illustrated Bible! You could print out the Illustrated Bible, the First Christmas from Luke 1 & 2 for free and give a copy to each child in your ministry!


Enjoy these freebies and thank you for reading About the Children's Department!