Staci Devries

Jumping in on this one! The article COVID-19 and Youth Ministry includes helpful resource links for youth leaders and others who minister to teens during the coronavirus pandemic. And here is a Coronavirus Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt for Youth. 

I'll keep brainstorming. Thanks for the good question! 

No advice just wanted to say I appreciate this question. I have been asking around and have heard from many people that the printed directory is still valuable to them (as many churches have a diverse age demographic). 

This Coronavirus Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt might be a neat option. Thanks for your good work in connecting with youth. It's so important! 

Not studies, per say, but two good books that could be used for discussion: 

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God

Excellent question. We recently visited Alger Park CRC in Grand Rapids, MI, and they had a good process for this kind of thing. The kids were first registered/checked-in to their children's ministry rooms and nurseries. And then when it was time for the children's message, the kids came as a group to the front of the church to be part of worship. Following the message, they went back to their classrooms until the service ended. 

By the way, the system they used for check-in was called KidCheck (www.kidcheck.com) and it was very user friendly. 

Thanks for bringing this up. My church does have the countdown timer above the entrance to the sanctuary and I find it helpful. Also there is music playing that seems to draw people in sooner. I would urge churches to extend grace in this area as there are many who struggle to arrive on time due to a whole array of circumstances. 

We love Ellie Holcomb's Creation Songs. The songs are upbeat, light, and grab the attention of my kids :)