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Blog — children's ministry

Two Questions: Dora Sawh

Posted by Liz Perraud at Aug 03, 2020

Dora SawhFirst Presbyterian ChurchJamaica Queens, NY What keeps me up at night? As coordinator of Kid’s Church, I’ve been there long enough to be teaching second generation families. I have watched our children grow up, go to college and settle elsewhere. Very few return to church. What can the church do for the next generation? Why do our kids not return? Where do they go? How will the church be able to thrive if all our young people disappear? We looked at what was important to this generation, and their sense of community is strong and deep...

A Simpler VBS During COVID Season

Posted by Betsy Dishman at May 19, 2020

Betsy Dishman serves her local church as Director of Children and Family Ministries in Harrisonburg, VA in addition to serving as GenOn’s Training Coordinator. Here’s how her church is navigating this summer to offer a simpler Vacation Bible School during the COVID-19 season. How has the coronavirus affected your church’s plans for VBS this summer? In the past, VBS has been a growing ministry for us with more than 50 percent participation from outside our church, which involved more than 100 children and 50+ youth and adult leaders. We recently decided to shelve our large publishing house curriculum that we...

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Tags: children's ministry, Christian Education, COVID-19, VBS

One Great Idea: Camp Out LOGOS

Posted by Tracey Daniels at Sep 07, 2019

Donelson Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee launched 26 years of LOGOS with a year-long theme of “Camp Out LOGOS, Getting S’more Jesus.” Their sign-up for children, youth, and parents was held after Sunday worship with lunch—grilled hot dogs, baked beans, chips, and s’mores, of course—served at tables decorated for the theme. Parents completed registration forms and signed the LOGOS covenant and photo release. Payments were made or scholarships were requested. (Church members provide scholarship money as their way to contribute to LOGOS if they are unable to help with staffing.) LOGOS leaders dressed as camp counselors and...

Our First Day with LIFT (Living in Faith Together)

Posted by Tracey Daniels at Sep 07, 2019

Kim Looney Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries Plymouth Congregational Church Syracuse, NY Editor’s note: Kim wrote about attending the Sunday LIFT workshop in our last newsletter. Read that article. My church had its first LIFT on Sunday, and it was fantastic (with around 60 participants)! It was pouring rain right about the time when everyone arrived for worship (fitting for the theme of the day). We had a baptism during worship, and after worship everyone was invited to our fellowship hall to explore the first Summer LIFT Water Story: A Big Boat. Each age group got a different colored...

Planning for Fall Faith Formation? 5 Great Reasons to Look at GenOn's Faith for Life Bible Study Curriculum

Posted by Suzie Lane at Jun 03, 2019

GenOn Ministries’ believes that Bible study curriculum for young people is most effective in growing Christ-centered disciples when it… …is rooted in one or more Biblical passages. Faith for Life is. …provides opportunities for young people to express their faith through decision-making, relationships, service to others, worship, and personal devotional time. Faith for Life provides these opportunities. …reflects a keen awareness of varied faith formation settings. Faith for Life is written by Christian education leaders from various Christian denominations in a wide variety of settings. …is flexible, working in single or multi-graded groups, in a variety of timeframes and calendars,...