Hello, Jonathan! And to all who are commenting. Great discussion and real-life challenges within the children's ministry--finding enough leaders. My name is Lenae Bulthuis and I serve on staff with GEMS Girls' Clubs as the Training & Club Development Manager. How we value and appreciate each leader and club! (As I know Cadets does too!)
To answer the question about combined Annual Themes, sharing the Be a Blessing theme for the 2019-20 season is unique. GEMS and Cadets will have different themes again next season!
As far as combining GEMS and Cadets into one group, there is something important to consider. Boys and girls are very different. We get that! And while they encounter plenty of situations in church and life where they interact together, GEMS and Cadets provide a safe, like-gender environment where older women can teach younger women and older men can teach teach younger boys. All based on the principles defined in Titus 2.
Within GEMS ReFresh (an online training program for GEMS leaders: gemsrefresh.org) we have a message on recruiting volunteers. Please check it out! (Along with a growing library of messages to equip and encourage leaders!) Or connect with me or any of the GEMS staff: gemsgc.org. We would count it a privilege to walk alongside you to strengthen your club, equip leaders, and reach this generation of girls. I'm confident the Cadet staff would say the same.
Thank you for your important ministry with our youth. It matters!
Hello, Rick! You ask great questions and your sentence, "Starting to fish for information" especially caught my eye. At the 2021 GEMS Conference Executive Director Cindy Bultema shared a powerful message "Let's Go Fish." (You can view it here. Please show your education team, and GEMS and Cadets leaders.) I serve as the Program/Content Director for GEMS and would welcome a conversation with you or your GEMS Club Coordinator to lean in and listen and explore how we can help. Rick, I couldn't agree with you more. To not have GEMS or Cadets is sad, and to not have ANYTHING is detrimental. Disciplining our kids has never mattered more.
Great post and thoughts! I am reading Mark Buchanan's book, God Walk-Moving At the Speed of Your Soul. Something about lacing up the tennis shoes that is bigger than calorie burn. It is good for the soul. Thanks for sharing.
Dawn, I started reading Everybody Always by Bob Goff last weekend! So good! He will be speaking at the GEMS Celebration Dinner on September 16, 2019 at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. EVERYONE is invited! Check it out here: https://gemsgc.org/events/celebration-dinner/ Dawn, see you at Conference! And hope to see you at the Celebration Dinner, too! Lenae Bulthuis, GEMS Training & Club Development Manager
Sharing reads? My favorite! Just finished Are My Kids on Track?--The 12 Emotional, Social and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, Melissa Trevathan. An equipping read for parents, grandparents, and anyone involved in children's ministry. And I'm halfway through another great read, You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith.
Posted in: Free GEMS Magazines For Your Church Library
You are most welcome, Staci. What joy to share every opportunity to pour into the next generation. Thanks for what you do!
Posted in: Anybody Combine Gems & Cadets Into One Group?
Hello, Jonathan! And to all who are commenting. Great discussion and real-life challenges within the children's ministry--finding enough leaders. My name is Lenae Bulthuis and I serve on staff with GEMS Girls' Clubs as the Training & Club Development Manager. How we value and appreciate each leader and club! (As I know Cadets does too!)
To answer the question about combined Annual Themes, sharing the Be a Blessing theme for the 2019-20 season is unique. GEMS and Cadets will have different themes again next season!
As far as combining GEMS and Cadets into one group, there is something important to consider. Boys and girls are very different. We get that! And while they encounter plenty of situations in church and life where they interact together, GEMS and Cadets provide a safe, like-gender environment where older women can teach younger women and older men can teach teach younger boys. All based on the principles defined in Titus 2.
Within GEMS ReFresh (an online training program for GEMS leaders: gemsrefresh.org) we have a message on recruiting volunteers. Please check it out! (Along with a growing library of messages to equip and encourage leaders!) Or connect with me or any of the GEMS staff: gemsgc.org. We would count it a privilege to walk alongside you to strengthen your club, equip leaders, and reach this generation of girls. I'm confident the Cadet staff would say the same.
Thank you for your important ministry with our youth. It matters!
all is grace,
Lenae Bulthuis
GEMS Training & Club Development Manager
[email protected]
Posted in: Anybody Combine Gems & Cadets Into One Group?
Hello, Rick! You ask great questions and your sentence, "Starting to fish for information" especially caught my eye. At the 2021 GEMS Conference Executive Director Cindy Bultema shared a powerful message "Let's Go Fish." (You can view it here. Please show your education team, and GEMS and Cadets leaders.) I serve as the Program/Content Director for GEMS and would welcome a conversation with you or your GEMS Club Coordinator to lean in and listen and explore how we can help. Rick, I couldn't agree with you more. To not have GEMS or Cadets is sad, and to not have ANYTHING is detrimental. Disciplining our kids has never mattered more.
Posted in: 10 Ways to Bring Your Girl from Anxious to Confident This Summer
Thank you, Grace. Bless you for encouraging.
Posted in: Walk This Way
Great post and thoughts! I am reading Mark Buchanan's book, God Walk-Moving At the Speed of Your Soul. Something about lacing up the tennis shoes that is bigger than calorie burn. It is good for the soul. Thanks for sharing.
Posted in: What Books Are You Reading in 2019?
Dawn, I started reading Everybody Always by Bob Goff last weekend! So good! He will be speaking at the GEMS Celebration Dinner on September 16, 2019 at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. EVERYONE is invited! Check it out here: https://gemsgc.org/events/celebration-dinner/ Dawn, see you at Conference! And hope to see you at the Celebration Dinner, too! Lenae Bulthuis, GEMS Training & Club Development Manager
Posted in: What Books Are You Reading in 2019?
Sharing reads? My favorite! Just finished Are My Kids on Track?--The 12 Emotional, Social and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, Melissa Trevathan. An equipping read for parents, grandparents, and anyone involved in children's ministry. And I'm halfway through another great read, You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith.