I Have a Winner!

I'm happy to say Virginia is the winner of Noah and the Mighty Ark (You'll find the review at this link) Thank you Virginia for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your address by June 7, 2014 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Zonderkidz for sending one for me to review and for making another available for me to give away!

14 Ways to "Blow" Your Children's Ministry . . . Lose Focus on the Personal "Touch"

Last year my daughter-in-law posted an article on her fb entitled; "16 Ways I Blew My Marriage". It gives married couples a lot to think about in regards to keeping their marriage strong. As I read through and considered it, I thought some of these might apply to how we can keep from "blowing" our children's ministry, so while I originally posted this a year ago, I thought it might be helpful to repost for the next  14 days and share once again the ones which apply to children's ministry . . . starting today with, "Lose Focus on the Personal 'Touch'".

Let's Celebrate our Kids!

In children's ministry it is important to "notice" kids who are doing the things we want them to do . . . memorizing verses, attending children's ministry opportunities, completing service projects, inviting friends to come to church with them, reading their Bible . . . etc. But we have to be careful to keep the balance between celebrating growth and good choices while not over-emphasizing "achieving" by "doing" things. Consider the following -

Don't Keep Secret God's Great Faithfulness!

Yesterday I wrote about the great faithfulness of God. I said, "Aren't you glad to know God's love for you is unwavering and determined in purpose? I am! God loves me on my best days! God loves me on my worst days! God loves me on all my in-between days! And, this amazing, steadfast, unwavering love of God for me NEVER ceases! It never stops! Not ever! As if this wasn't enough, His mercies NEVER come to an end! God gives me His mercy when I blow it! God gives me His mercy when I just mess up a little. God gives me His mercy and His mercy is new every morning! As if all this wasn't enough, Great is His faithfulness! I can always depend on God to do what He says He will do because He is faithful!"

I said to be sure to, "let the children in your ministry know about God's steadfast, unwavering love and His mercies which never end! Be sure to share with them how God has shown His steadfast, unwavering love and His great mercies which never end to you . . . don't keep secret how you've experienced God's great faithfulness!" So . . . how do we do this? Consider the following . . .

Summer Outreach! Family Events . . . and More!

I've been talking about Summer outreach and looked at re-focusing ministries you are already doing such as Sunday School and Mid-week Ministry, so they have vision, passion, a plan and are effective at reaching out to the families in your church and community. Today I'm going to talk about planning family events as special Summer outreach opportunities to the families in your church and community. 

I'm not going to talk about children's ministry vs. family ministry because I was invited to write a guest post for Ministry-to-Children and I do so in there; (Feel free to check my post out by following this link) other than to say, we need to "come alongside" parents as they teach their children by being intentional in our ministries and building on and reinforcing what the parents are teaching their children. This is where a vision statement comes in. What is it we want to accomplish in our children’s ministries? What is our plan to get there? When we join up with the parents by equipping and coming alongside them, we will experience real and measurable results.

Great is His faithfulness!

I love Lamentations 3:22, "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness." Just stop and think about it . . .the "steadfast" love of the Lord never ceases! Steadfast! I'm so glad God's love is steadfast. The dictionary defines steadfast as, "unwavering or determined in purpose". Aren't you glad to know God's love for you is unwavering and determined in purpose? I am! God loves me on my best days! God loves me on my worst days! God loves me on all my in-between days! And, this amazing, steadfast, unwavering love of God for me NEVER ceases! It never stops! Not ever! 

As if this wasn't enough, His mercies NEVER come to an end! God gives me His mercy when I blow it! God gives me His mercy when I just mess up a little. God gives me His mercy and His mercy is new every morning! As if all this wasn't enough, Great is His faithfulness! I can always depend on God to do what He says He will do because He is faithful!

Summer Outreach - Mid-Week Ministry

Yesterday I talked about an opportunity you currently provide . . . Sunday school . . . and how it relates to your Summer ministry. Today we will consider another thing you are probably already doing and some questions to help you "re-focus" it to be a truly effective Summer outreach . . . mid-week ministry.

Most churches have a mid-week ministry, but many of them experience limited "success" with this outreach. Let's take a moment to consider this and then look at mid-week ministry as well as what it could look like in the Summer. Again, the first thing you need to do in regards to your mid-week ministry is determine what your goals and vision are for this ministry - think about these questions . . . 

Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Weeks by Serving in the Children's Ministry!!!!

Chances are, this title got your attention! My church is giving all the regular Sunday school

teachers two months off this Summer (July and August) and is recruiting a team of substitute teachers to teach for these two months in the regular teacher's places. We are calling it, "Summer Serve". As they recruit for it, they have used some extremely creative - and funny - ways to get the attention of the people in our church . . . the "Lose 10 pounds" is what they used in May . . . June it is, "Look 10 Years Younger"!

Check it out at this link . . . I love the "disclaimers"! (Calvary puts out a church-wide "magazine" 11 months of the year; the one for June has the following claim and disclaimer, "This Summer you can Look 10 Years Younger!!! Our team of scientists has discovered spending time with children in Calvary Kids Actually Reverses the Aging Process!" "Not actual scientists. Claims are not scientifically proven. We basically make this stuff up. But serve anyway. It's fun!")

Summer Ministry . . . Take a Look at Sunday School!

As I think and talk about Summer Ministry, please keep in mind, I'm all for providing opportunities for the children and families in your church and community, but deciding what to do and then how and when ti do it can be almost overwhelming. I mean, we all are busy . . . in many cases, too busy. Planning Summer ministry can, and likely will, add yet another thing to our "plate", so we need to consider some important questions before we move forward with our Summer ministries.

Summer Ministry Possibilities - "Family Service Squads"!

Summer is the perfect time to minister to children and families, but don't forget . . . it is also the perfect time to involve children and families in serving others! As you plan your summer ministry opportunities, be sure to include some opportunities for serving others . . . you may find they will be the best parts of your entire summer!

Focus your Summer Serving on just one area, or select several opportunities for children and families to serve throughout the summer. Plan a, "Serving Others Kick-Off" and meet with those who want to be part of your Family Service Squads to go over the service opportunities and schedule when, where and what they will do. Think about some of the following service opportunities . . . 

Connect with CM Connect!

I've been writing about CM Connect and have encouraged you to join, if you have not already done so. I have said, and truly believe, it is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your ministry. This is true if you are a paid or volunteer in your children's ministry.

Today I want to share one of the reasons I believe CM Connect is such a "must-do" when it comes to children's ministry. It is in it's name . . . CM Connect helps you "connect" with others across the country and around the world who also serve in the children's ministry in their churches. I have been able to do this; and as I wrote earlier, when I was literally stuck at my home for months at a time due to health issues, this was a life-line for me!

There are several ways for you to connect with others . . . 

Knights of God - Buy the VBS and Get the Knights Academy for FREE!

NextGen4Christ is offering a Memorial Day special . . . if you buy their Knights of God VBS,

you'll receive their 12 week Knights Academy curriculum for Free!

NextGen4Christ says, "In this 12 week curriculum uses Bible stories, fun games, and activities with a medieval twist which help kids learn the value of practicing and using God's armor in their life everyday!  For your multi-media learners, there's awesome lyric worship videos from Uncle Charlie and each week you can view a clip from 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' which ties in directly with a piece of armor!"

Check all the details at this link. 

A Few Thoughts from a Grandma

In children's ministry we focus on children and parents; for good reason as these are the

primary people impacted by our children's ministry. But, as a grandma, I want to say, we are people who care deeply about what happens in the children's ministry. 

I care very much about the children's ministry at my grand-children's church. Specifically, these are the things I care so much about . . . 

Sneak Peek VBS 2015 - Camp Discovery from Concordia!

Yes, believe it or not, today I'm sharing with you a sneak peek at VBS 2015 with Concordia's Camp Discovery! Take a look at all the amazing things your kids could learn and do next summer at Camp Discovery . . . 

Side-By-Side Best Buys Curriculum Comparison Chart

While I still have a couple new curriculum lines I want to share with you next month, I'm very happy to post the link to my Side-by-Side comparison chart for those curriculum resources which I consider to be my "best buys". You'll find it here - Curriculum Review Side-by-Side Comparison Chart - Best Buys. (it is the chart from last year)

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Best Buys - Non-Traditional & Special Needs Curriculum

I am happy to share four Non-Traditional curriculum resources and a Special Needs curriculum with you today which made my Best Buys list - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Best Buys - Traditional Curriculum

I am happy to share three Traditional curriculum resources with you today which made my Best Buys list - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a
moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

I Have a Winner!

I'm happy to announce Angelia Routzahn is the winner of one Digital Downloads for Game On! (You'll find my review at this link) Thank you Angelia for reading About the Children's Department (please email me - lyndafreemanatcd@gmail.com by May 27, 2014 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you NextGen4Christ for making this resource available for me to give away!

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Best Buys - Large Group/Small Group Curriculum

I am happy to share four Large Group/Small Group curriculum resources with you today
which made my Best Buys list - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

Why I say, "You'll find - as I did - joining CM Connect is one of the best things you ever did when it comes to children's ministry!"

Last week I posted about CM Connect and said, "You'll find - as I did - joining CM Connect is one of the best things you ever did when it comes to children's ministry because the more connected you are to others who are also serving in children's ministry, the more effective you will be! We aren't alone! We can "connect" with others and when we do, we will be encouraged!" (You'll find my full post at this link))

In the coming days I'll be honored to share with you some of the exciting and new features for CM Connect which will help you connect and serve in children's ministry, but today I want to share with you why I believe joining CM Connect is one of the best things you can ever do when it comes to serving in children's ministry!

Best Buys Curriculum Reviews!

I've been posting my reviews of Large Group/Small Group, Traditional, Bridge, Non-Traditional and Special Needs Sunday School curriculum along with Side-by-Side Comparison Charts. This coming week I'll be sharing posts about those curriculum resources which are excellent and affordable; followed by my final Sunday School Curriculum Side-by-Side comparison chart. In this economy cost really does matter for many, if not most, churches. As people's personal budgets get tighter, so does the church's budget. We have to balance being wise stewards with finding "tools" which will enable us to effectively and intentionally help our children remember,understand and live Gods Word for genuinely changed lives. Happily, there are some excellent - and affordable - curriculum options available and this coming week we will look at them!

Traditional, Bridge, Non-Traditional and Special Needs Sunday School Curriculum Side-by-Side Comparison Chart

I've been posting the links for my Traditional, Bridge, Non-Traditional and Special Needs Sunday School Curriculum for the past two weeks; so today I'm sharing the link to my Traditional, Bridge, Non-Traditional and Special Needs Side-by-Side Comparison Chart  (this is the same as last year). I set this chart up with a side-by-side format to help you identify those tools you believe will best equip your volunteers as they share God's Word with the children in your ministry.

If you have used any Traditional, Bridge, Non-Traditional and Special Needs Sunday School Curriculum which I did not review, please share what you used and what you liked most about it!

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Non-Traditional & Special Needs Curriculum - Grow Proclaim Serve!, Super Start, Flyte & Special Buddies

I am happy to share four Non-Traditional curriculum resources with you today as we continue to look at Sunday School curriculum all month long - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Non-Traditional Curriculum - HeartShapers, Hands-On, FaithWeaver Now & Buzz

I am happy to share four Non-Traditional curriculum resources with you today as we continue to look at Sunday School curriculum all month long - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.


Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

We Are NOT In This Alone! Check Out the New CM Connect!

When you are busy serving in children's ministry - whether you are paid staff

or a volunteer - it can often feel like you are "alone"; particularly if you are serving in a more traditional church where they like to do things the way they have "always" done things. While youth pastors and senior pastors may know pastors and youth pastors in neighboring churches who they can talk with, this has not always been the case for those in children's ministry. But, it is no longer the case! CM Connect is here to do exactly what their name says . . . connect - and encourage - those in children's ministry!

Make Your Church the Center of Community Life - Summer Ministry Possibilities

For several years now I've written about how churches used to be the "center of community life"; families went to church on Sunday, children went to church for school all week and then community used the church for gatherings and special events. I have said, "In far too many cases, today our churches are viewed as places for 'church people', not places for the community."

This year I want to encourage us to once again think about how we can "throw open the doors of our churches", this summer and welcome our community in. Let's see if we can re-establish our churches as places where everyone goes and finds the center of their community life!

Consider some of the following, "door-opening" ideas and see if any of them would "fit" your church and community . . .

I Have a Winner!

I'm happy to say Kathy King is the winner of Let's Go Explore Egypt, Let's Go Explore Israel, Let's Go Explore Jerusalem and Let's Go Explore Galilee books! (You'll find the review at this link) Thank you Kathy for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your address by May 22, 2014 so I can have them sent to you) and thank you Zonderkidz for sending these for me to review and for making another set available for me to give away!

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Bridge Curriculum - Rio, Gospel Light & Spark

I am happy to share three Bridge curriculum resources with you today as we continue to look at Sunday School curriculum all month long - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

Make the Most of Your Summer - Train Your Volunteers!

Summer is just around the corner, so I want to ask you, what are your plans for the Summer? Do you tend to "roll up your sidewalks" or do you, "shift into high gear"? Would you say you are somewhere in between those two? What do your Summers look like? Over the coming month, I want to give you some ideas of what you could do in your Summer; today I'm writing about taking time in the Summer to train your volunteers because they are literally the, "hands and feet" of your ministry to children!

The Summer is the perfect time to train your volunteers so when the Fall begins all of your volunteers are on the same page and ready to start the new school year with enthusiasm! I'm planning and preparing a training for all those who serve in the children's ministry at my church; this training will . . . 

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Traditional Curriculum - Bible-in-Life, Adventure Kids & Explorers and Regular Baptist Press

I am happy to share four Traditional curriculum resources with you today as we continue to look at Sunday School curriculum all month long - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

Large Group/Small Group Sunday School Curriculum Comparison Chart

I've been posting the links for my Large Group/Small Group Sunday School Curriculum for the past two weeks, so today I'm sharing the link to my Large Group/Small Group Sunday School Curriculum Side-by-Side Comparison Chart (this is the same as last year). I set this chart up with a side-by-side format to help you identify those tools you believe will best equip your volunteers as they share God's Word with the children in your ministry.

There are specific things I look for and have identified as "essential tools" for a curriculum - you will find them at this link.

2014 Sunday School Curriculum Reviews - Large Group/Small Group - The Gospel Project for Kids, More Jesus, Elements kids worship & Worship KidStyle

I am happy to share four more Large Group/Small Group curriculum resources with you again today - you will find the links to my reviews from last year; please take a moment to comment if you have tried any of the curriculum I link to today. I think it can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to select a curriculum to hear from people who have used or currently use a curriculum they are considering.

Please keep your comments positive; all curriculum resources are written by people and therefore are not perfect. What works extremely well for one church, may not be the best choice for your church and a feature one person likes, another may not.

So, please help with this year's reviews and comment if you have used any of the following curriculum resources . . . 

Thank Your Volunteers - With Apple Pie!

My five year old grandson goes to my church's Wednesday night program; he has really

enjoyed learning karate, memorizing the fifth chapter of James and doing service projects this year (he just was awarded his yellow belt this past Wednesday!) So, last week I asked him if he would like to give something to his teachers to thank them for being his teachers this past year. He said, "I made them ornaments at Christmas (melted snowmen ornaments - really cool!), so I think I should make something for them now." As I started to think about a craft he might make for them, he said; "I think I should make apple pies for them!"

I have to admit I had not ever even considered making apple pies, but since it was what he wanted to give, I bought 18 mini pie tins so Josiah and his brother Caleb (who goes to the 2 year old's class) could make pies for their teachers.

This past Wednesday the boys and I made all 18 pies and took them to church to give their teachers; I have never seen such happy, joy-filled smiles on my sweet grandsons' faces as when they gave their teachers the pies and told them how they helped to make the pies! I also have to say, the teachers had extremely happy faces as they received the pies too!

Josiah's idea for making pies was a huge "hit", so if you are looking for an idea for something which you could give the teachers at your church, consider making mini apple pies! You could make them yourself, or ask non-teachers in your church to make six pies each which they can donate for the teachers - give them all a recipe (see the one I used below), mini pie tins and a date to deliver their finished pies to the church so they can be handed out to the teachers . . . get ready for extremely happy teachers!

Blog Issues Resolved!

This morning as I started to work on the posts for today, I discovered my blog did not renew. We have been trying to do this for more than a month, but only got an endless loop of dead-ends from Google. 

So, after feeling panic and frustration, I was eventually able to connect with an actual real live person at Google who helped me renew both of my blogs. 

I apologize for any confusion as you were not able to connect with grandma's cookie jar and About the Children's Department this morning.