Children’s Ministry for the New Year

As we begin the new calendar year it is a good time to evaluate and plan for the future. Look back over the last year and review the successes and the areas where work is needed. Besides using our free tool for measuring effective children’s ministry, now is the time to ask these questions.

  1. How can we continue to make intentional children’s ministry a priority for our congregation?
  2. Are parents setting new priorities and making commitments to children’s ministry?
  3. Does the governing board of the congregation understand and support the importance of children’s ministry?
  4. Is there evidence of strong cross generational relationships?
  5. In what ways can we deepen the scope of relationships between pastor, young people and families?
  6. What are the new cultural realities in the area in which we minister?
  7. Are we reaching out to the community around us in a significant way?

Finally, in the midst of winter, it is a good time to affirm the volunteers in your children’s ministry. Look for special ways to show them how much they are appreciated and the difference they are making in the lives of children.

This entry was posted on January 4, 2008 at 9:54 pm and is filed under Children, Children and church, Children's ministry, Family Life, Ministry, Resources, Youth ministry. Tagged: , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Children’s Ministry for the New Year”

  1. John M Says:
    January 4, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    I like the notion of showing volunteers your appreciation during winter. I think this is a tough season for volunteers, between weather and the busy holiday season.

  2. Jackie Jenkins Says:
    January 18, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    In a previous church where I worked in Children’s Ministry, the Sunday closest to Valentine’s Day was “Children’s Volunteers Appreciation Sunday.”
    I made “goodie bags” with a small gift, candies, and a thank-you letter for each teacher and other church school volunteers. We asked parents to donated brunch items AND the parents and other church leaders substituted for the regular Sunday morning teachers in the children’s classes; this enabled us to have a really nice brunch for our regular, committed volunteers, present them with a “goodie bag,” AND have an entertaining, social event. Another element to this was to do research on Saints of church history and to present each teacher with a certificate, proclaiming him/her as the recipient of the St. ______ Award (e.g., St. Anthony Award - the patron saint for lost items - presented to the person who most frequently looks for his/her teacher’s guide, etc. — you can make up all kinds of fun stuff!)
    Rev. Jackie Jenkins
    (ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), but presently on the staff of a United Methodist Church!

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