CCC Gainesville | Blog
Running a Children’s Ministry at our church takes 76 volunteers each semester. Yes I said SEVENTY-SIX. This includes volunteers in rooms during both services, Sunday School and helping at the Welcome Station. This does NOT include having a teacher substitute list, nor does it allow for anything extra like a skit, or music time. Our Worship Hour volunteers only serve one time per month during one of the services, or during the Sunday School hour. This year we added a Story Teller for the Infant, Toddler and Preschool rooms so that volunteers who don’t feel comfortable teaching, leading small children in songs or feel comfortable getting small children to sit on their bottoms, they no longer have to. Our Story Tellers do that part.
As of right now, almost 6 weeks into the new semester, we are still short volunteers. So in a state of desperation I am giving our congregation a list of reasons serving in Children’s Ministry is worth Checking Out:
1. All you can eat Animal Crackers
2. You don’t have to change diapers
3. You get to play
4. Crafts (who doesn’t love making sheep with cotton balls?)
5. You get to pray with kids
6. Kids always think the volunteers are cool (because you are big, and sit on the floor and read, and give them more snacks)
7. Its only once a month
8. Seeing kids understand the Gospel
9. You can swing on the new swings (yes even big people can sit on them too! When was the last time you got to swing)
10. Easy way to get to know other people in our church
11. Making friends with other volunteers, and with the little members in our church-who will always wave to you in the halls
See its fun to serve in Children’s Ministry. If you would like more information about serving with the Children’s Ministry, please stop by the Welcome Station and let us know.
Please note: the project to serve Gainesville Community Ministries by unloading of food has been cancelled. If you haven’t signed up for another project yet, please show up to serve at one of these locations Saturday morning.
1.Arbor House: Meet 8:00 at Wal-Mart Parking Lot, 2649 NW 13th St. Group will caravan to Arbor House. Bring rakes, gloves, buckets, yard tools, etc. Children 4 yrs and older welcomed to help.
2. Building Wheelchair Ramp with Christians Concerned for Community. Meet 7:45 at BJ’s Restaurant in the parking lot of the Oaks Mall. Bring hammer, gloves, and tool box! Children 9 years and older welcomed to help.
3. Helping Christ Community Families: Various home repairs & projects. 8:00AM-Noon. Bring rakes, yard tools, gloves, buckets, etc.
Meet 8:00 at 8538 SW 21st Lane
OR
Meet 8:00 at 2248 SE 43rd Terrace
4. Christian Study Center—FULL–112 NW 16th St. 9:00AM–Noon. Bring work gloves, yard equipment, tool-box, etc.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. –Matthew 13:44-46 in the English Standard Version (ESV)
And in “The Message” it goes:
“God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.”
“5 ways to make your kids hate church” – read it here
Here’s a sneak peek:
1. Make sure your faith is only something you live out in public
2. Pray only in front of people
3. Focus on your morals
4. Give financially as long as it doesn’t impede your needs
5. Make church community a priority… as long as there is nothing else you want to do.
Next article to read – “Why Youth Stay in Church When They Grow Up” – read it here
Here’s a sneak peek:
1. They are converted.
2. They have been equipped, not entertained.
3. Their parents preach the gospel to them.
“This is not a formula! Kids from wonderful gospel-centered homes leave the church; people from messed-up family backgrounds find eternal life in Jesus and have beautiful marriages and families. But it’s also not a crap-shoot. In general, children who are led in their faith during their growing-up years by parents who love Jesus vibrantly, serve their church actively, and saturate their home with the gospel completely, grow up to love Jesus and the church. The words of Proverbs 22:6 do not constitute a formula that is true 100 percent of the time, but they do provide us with a principle that comes from the gracious plan of God, the God who delights to see his gracious Word passed from generation to generation: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
“Youth pastors, pray with all your might for true conversion; that is God’s work. Equip the saints for the work of the ministry; that is your work. Parents, preach the gospel and live the gospel for your children; our work depends on you.”
