Resources for Using DWELL in a COVID-19 World

As I’ve connected with Dwell leaders across the continent over the past few months, discussing their plans for the coming year, one thing is for sure: no two churches look the same right now. Each is set in a different geographic area with different infection rates and guidelines, and each is figuring out its own way to hold church in these unique circumstances. 

As we considered how to resource our Dwell churches this fall, it became very clear that we needed to help churches adapt to a variety of situations. We hope these new resources will do just that:

Adapting Dwell to Fit Your New Children’s Ministry Needs

• Dwell Flex: simple multi-age, multi-setting sessions.  These 36 adapted New Testament sessions are available, at no extra cost, to churches with a Dwell Digital subscription. Dwell Flex sessions require no materials and can easily be led online or in person with multi-age groups. Check out a sample here or view all 36 sessions on Dwell Digital (subscription required). These sessions include four simple steps—breathe, tell and wonder, pray, and respond—providing a simple way for anyone to lead a Dwell session with little advanced preparation. More information available on the Dwell website.
• A guide to help you adapt any Dwell session you wish. This FREE resource follows the same simple outline as our 36 new sessions and will help leaders adapt any other Dwell session to their particular situation.

Both of these resources will work in a variety of ministry settings: online or parent-led Dwell sessions, or a simplified in-person children’s ministry with kids from any age group. More details are in this post: How DWELL’s Simplified Session Plans Will Equip Churches this Fall. 

Using Dwell During Worship and with Families
A few other things we’ve created for those not planning to run any programs for children outside of the worship service:

• Tips for using Dwell to lead a children’s message. Did you know Dwell stories make a really great children’s message? Use these Terrific Tips for Telling God's Story with Children During Online Worship to turn any Dwell session into a simple children’s message.
• Suggestions for family faith formation. Not planning any in person or virtual children’s ministry this fall? We’ve got you covered with another fun family faith formation idea from Karen DeBoer. Check out A Wonderful Way to Help Families Form Faith at Home This Fall, for details on making your own Dwell at Home gift bags for families.

Stay Tuned for More Info!
We’ll be sending a special “Fall Resources” issue of our Dwelling newsletter in early August that will highlight all of our new resources. You can sign up here to receive Dwelling in your email. We’ll also post updates in our Dwell Leaders Lounge Facebook group, so join that group if you haven’t yet!

Our hope and prayer is that these resources will bless your church this fall. We know that this is a difficult season for church leaders, and especially children’s ministry leaders, and we want to do all that we can to help equip you to continue sharing God’s Big Story with the children at your church.