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Junior Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/24/2009 11:45:22 AM
Posts: 11,
Visits: 10
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| I have been the CM for almost 4 years. I teach whenever there is an opening, because I want to connect with the kids. I start work at 6:30 a.m. Sun. morning so I can get whatever necessary things done, and prepare while the first sermon is going. I run the 9:25-10:45 Sunday school class so if I am not teaching I am opening doors and peeking in on cl or head to the preschool and nursery to do the same. I then teach at the 11 a.m. service but we attend the Praise and Worship part of the service and then go to Bible Study. So, I do get to go, just split. I love being the one teaching. We have an Awana program on Wed. nights. When we started 3 years ago, I was a leader for 3-6th grade, but stepped out to continue to be the Commander and the Director of that area and the program. I am the sole/soul teacher for that grade now and love it. The kids are learning deeper and love it. Sometimes you have to fill on our own. That means finding an online Pastor's teachings or using Praise and Worship music to fill.
His forever,
travelinmama
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/30/2009 9:54:23 AM
Posts: 2,
Visits: 4
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| I'm really lucky, as we have 3 services on a Sunday, and the kids groups only happen during one of them. I always go to the evening service, and get to worship there. We also have the kids stay in with their families for the whole service once a month, so they feel a part of big church too. I'm also part of a very active homegroup, and get lots of my spiritual feeding there. As someone in full-time ministry, it's SO important to get nurtured, otherwise I would just burn out.
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Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/4/2010 10:48:58 PM
Posts: 68,
Visits: 197
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| Our Pastor insists that everyone serving as a leader in any area needs to attend worship on a regular basis. We have a Saturday night service and 2 Sunday morning services to choose from. I have enough teachers (usually) Sunday mornings so I do not teach a class but I do run from class to class making sure everything is going okay. I tend to attend service the hour I have less needy teachers. And my teachers are expected to worship also which makes Sundays a little long for them but it is important. It really makes a difference.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/21/2009 6:11:46 PM
Posts: 3,
Visits: 3
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| I am thankful that I have been able to attend most services as well. We have 2 services and have the tried to encourage Come one/Serve one. If you serve during one service you should attend the other. We place this in the covenats that the teachers sign prior to volunteering. Unfortunatly some do not always, mostly the volunteers that have been serving for a while and prior to the change. Our teachers rotate quartlery and if a sub is needed they usually ask the teacher they rotate with to fill in. We do also have a list of subs just in case. As for the ones that do not attend a service, I am not sure what we will do (I am fiarly new to this position). One of our volunteer nursery directors was asked by leadership to step down because she was serving during both services. They worked it out and she makes it a priority to make it to a service. I hope this helps and you are in my prayers. I know you must be craving to be fed.
Lynette Breeden
Children's Team Director
Chester Christian Church
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Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 8:35:01 PM
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| I had posted last Aug. about not being in service for about 2 yrs due to children's programs. Well, thankfully that has changed a little. Every third Sunday of the month we have family sunday. The children are in the service with their family (or friends if they come alone). The pastor has a family oriented message and the children have bulletins that go along with the message. We also break the service up a little bit so the kids aren't sitting for 40 minutes straight. It's been great. We still haven't had anyone step up to help out though. He has also decided that if no one steps up to help, we may have two family sundays a month. I also run the children's program on Wed. night and my husband and I do free tutoring for teens on Thurs. Needless to say, I was getting just a little burnt out! But it is nice to feel support from the head pastor in this situation!
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Forum Expert
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 10:25:43 PM
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God is so good!!! The family service you describe sounds like the balm for both the children and the children's minister! Sounds like you have an awesome pastor with a heart for reaching children for Christ.
Being a children's ministry leader is a huge responsibility and requires spiritual strength which comes from being in the Word with others. I realize the passion for children's ministry is strong in us, so sometimes we set aside the spiritual disciplines that feed us to spend more hours working with the children. It's that "if I don't do it, it won't get done" lie we've all fallen for from time to time!
There has to be a balance and that balance is different for every single person in the ministry. Some leave time for worship, personal devotions and a small group experience. Others chose one of the above and get by just fine. Each one of us is called to work that out with God and not dictate to each other what's required.
What we ARE called to do is to provide those that are struggling the help and extra hands needed to insure we ALL get spiritually fed!
I will continue to pray that God sends you more workers!
Lisa B from NC
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/20/2009 12:48:58 AM
Posts: 7,
Visits: 39
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| Hi As a local childrens min pastor...I too rarely "see the light of day" as well EXCEPT when I make a point to schedule myself out of the teaching role=) I try to do that 1 or 2x each month to avoid burnout. This doesn't always pan out but I TRY.  If a speaker is coming that I can't miss...I defintely schedule primary and back-ups or we cancel "Fire Kids" (older kids) church so they can join the adults. The youngest of course still have to be accomodated.... Thanks Lois http://HisFireKids.com
Blessings,
Lois
Hisfirekids.com
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2/10/2010 5:29:24 PM
Posts: 14,
Visits: 50
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| When I took over the children's ministry at my church there was a lot of work to be done. Things had declined very much from where they once were and needed a lot of attention. Because of that I have been leading our children's service since late summer/early fall last year. I have not attended the main worship service since then. Now, I lead worship in our children's service in addition to doing the teaching, so I do get to have a time of worship. I then download the messages, put them on my Ipod and listen to them later. This allows me to stay in touch with what is being preached in the adult worship service. Sll that being said, I do miss the interaction with the adults in my church. To meet this need, I make sure that I mingle with the adults before and after services. I have a great team that handle check-in and check-out so that I am free to do that. We have also set up our children's service in such a way that it allows me some time at the beginning and end of each service to make my way to or from the children's area.
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