Let's discuss faith-shaping ministries to kids.
Melissa
Sandy
Kids 
Faith Formation
Eric
Happy New Year! By now you are almost halfway through the educational year (stop reading and give yourself a hug!). But since there's still work to do, here's a list to help you get your New Year off to a smooth start.
Here's an idea for kicking off the year with a creative project that brings kids together.
Creative ideas from churches that are trying new things with this age old tradition.
My Sunday school class takes place in a small square room with two rectangle tables pushed together in the center. Add 8 chairs filled with fifth graders and you’ve used up all the floor space.
Looking for a litany to use for commissioning your Sunday school team? Here are some sources to check out ...
Well folks, its curriculum selection season. Over the next several weeks I’m going to share some of these Q&A’s in a new series I'm calling Curriculum Q&A’s. (Catchy, right?)
Each season provides an opportunity for updating your records for the kids in your program. I've seen many variations of registration forms, but most include these basics . . .
With food allergies on the rise, are Sunday school snacks worth the risk? Check out these lists of safe snacks that Community Reformed put together for their children's ministry. What are you doing to keep the kids in your care safe?
VBS is a special time. Try these ideas for building a summer ministry team and planning an unforgettable week for your kids!
Looking for a way to ease the August stress of searching for volunteers? Check out this blog post from veteran children’s minister, Linda Freeman, who offers week by week ideas for planning a month long focus on volunteer recruitment.
As the sun begins to shine and you spend more time outside, it’s easy to let thoughts of September slip out of mind. But a little preplanning now could go a long way in saving you money and time next season. Consider these ideas for stretching your Sunday school budget:
Here is a simple questionnaire you can use to give voice to your leader's joys and concerns! This feedback will help you shape the program for next year and it may also help your teachers consider their role in the future.
As the Sunday school season wraps up it's fitting to ask, what will next season look like? What could be new, different, fresh? What should remain the same or be enhanced? Share your thoughts here!
Last week Mark DeVries, president of Youth Ministry Architects and author of Family Based Youth Ministry posted this video on recruiting volunteers. He is so confident it will work that he offers a $100 guarentee!
If you are a church educator, Sunday school coordinator, minister of faith formation, or director of children's or youth ministry, join or renew your membership in the Association of Christian Reformed Church Educators today! Members will receive support, best practices, and new ideas for Sunday school programs.
Busy schedules mean worn out families don’t always make it to church. Here are some ideas that your church could do to get families more engaged.
Now that you’ve had a little break from regular programming, think back on what stands out about last season. Consider sending out two questions this week to all of your leaders/teachers and parents.
Depending on where you live, your VBS program is likely to be somewhere between VERY HOT and UNBEARABLY HOT. Kids and leaders need relief from the heat. Try these ideas to keep everyone cool(er), and happier too.
All of us in church ministry know that we need to be thinking about Christmas and the Christmas program by now or we’re in big trouble. How can you plan for programs that accomplish what you want while minimizing headaches?
What time does your Sunday School program meet? Our Sunday School meets for an hour before church. We meet from 9:15 to 10:15 on Sunday morning with worship at 10:30. This time has its pluses and minuses.
Does summer fly by at twice the speed of winter? Before long we'll be kicking off a new season of ministry. Maybe you're already ahead of the game. If not, now's the time to get everything in order for a smooth launch this fall. Here are some things to consider.
If you’re stuck inside making plans for the next year when you’d really rather be at the beach, remember, the payoff will be there when the teachers and kids show up in a few months
It's always fun to visit other churches and see what they do. One pastor I spoke with this week told me about something unique that his church does for 6th grade Sunday school. The group meets after the worship service and spends the whole time discussing the sermon
I’d love to hear from other churches that already do worship bags. What do you include in kids’ worship bags? How did introduce the bags and help kids catch the vision for staying engaged in worship?
If you’re in that director’s chair this year, expect the unexpected! And read on to find some great tips to make this year’s program both a joy to watch and a joy to plan.