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.

I love it when babies get baptized at our church. We have had both our babies baptized and it was a special event each time. Even though I was watching the Welcome Station today I just had to slip in the back and be a part of the baptisms. The third vow always gets me a bit choked up. Mostly because while I have made the vow myself, I have a hard time being willing to “unreservedly”  give up of my child to anyone, including God. Even though I can read through the scriptures and understand this, and even though I trust God with my whole heart, I find that I must have a glitch in there somewhere when I am supposed to give my child “unreservedly” to someone other than myself. I am selfish, and want Marin and Owen to be just mine. But in my mind and heart I know that giving them to God is a better choice than keeping them to myself. I am then reminded of how God gave us his child, Jesus, “unreservedly”. That always makes it easier for me to say that vow and really mean it. I mean, God gave us His son so that we might have life, and of course I want my children to have that life too, so when I think about it like that, the choice is easy. And I am reminded to say, “Not only am I giving you my children, but also all of me too.”

After the third Parent Vow is the Community Vow, where we as a church, as Christ Community Church, vow together to be a part of supporting the baby’s parents in raising him or her. This is my favorite part of baby baptisms. That we as a community look at those parents holding their beautiful little baby, and make a commitment to walk alongside them, to support them, to love them and encourage them when times are tough and rejoice with them in accomplishments. I love it that we as a church make a commitment to love and support each other in caring for our children. A friend of mine sent me this prayer for baby baptisms and dedications and I wanted to share it with you, and we pray this for our two little babies who got baptized today, and for all our kids.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Together, we pray that
our children’s minds
will know Your wisdom.

Their eyes will see Your glory.
Their ears will hear Your words.
Their mouths will speak Your truth.
Their hearts will be Jesus’ home.
Their hands will do Your work.
That their knees would bow
only before You, the Lord Our God.
And that their feet would follow You
in the way of Jesus all the days
of their life.

Amen

All 4th or 5th graders are invited to join us for Club 45 this Sunday, Sept. 18.  Club 45 is a fun time of fellowship that includes games, snacks and a devotion.  This is a perfect opportunity for your student to invite a friend or two to join them!  Club 45 meets at 3:45 on Sunday at the Christ Community Church Office Complex.

We hope your student can join in the fun!

Fall 2011 Club 45 dates:
September 18
October 23
November 20
December 11