Summer of Weird

We are very close to beginning what we are calling the Summer of Weird here at The Grove. Now some of you in Kidmin may be asking, "What makes this summer more weird than any other summers?" You see all 3 of our major events for the summer all have the theme of...you guessed it, weird.  And  I have to tell you that I am SUPER excited about our Summer of Weird. Here is a run down of what's going on.

Thursday Night Summer Series- Weird Stories of the Bible
During the summer we take a break from our normal AWANA programming and have a special series of lessons. This summer we have asked the different pastors on staff to choose their favorite weird story in the Bible to share with the kids. This excites me first of all because this will give the kids an opportunity to see our pastors in a different way. They will no longer be the men on the stage who are unapproachable. (Though I have to admit our pastors do a good job of trying to be approachable.) I am excited for the kids to be able to hear from each of these men and the lessons be directed completely to them. The second reason I am so excited about this summer series is that it is potentially a great way to reignite the desire in the kids to read their Bibles. At my last church we did a series on the weird stories of the Bible. It came out of a conversation I had with a 6th grade boy who told me that the Bible was boring and he wasn't going to read it because he had heard all of the stories already. I replied asking him if he had ever heard the story of King Eglon, the king who was so fat when he was stabbed the fat rolls swallowed up the sword. (Judges 3:12-31) He replied no, and said he would read the Bible if there were stories in there like that. That is just one example of a child who saw a glimpse of the many stories in the Bible and wanted more. It is my hope that after hearing the stories told in our Weird Stories of the Bible series that it will wet these children's appetite for God's Word. And lets be honest who wouldn't want to take a look at some of the weird things that happened.

Vacation Bible School- Weird Animals
We are doing Group Publishing's Weird Animals vbs this year. I chose this vbs before we came up with the idea for our Summer of Weird simply because I loved what it was teaching the kids. The main message of Weird Animals is that Jesus love is one of a kind. Each day the kids learn that Jesus loves us even in different situations like being afraid, feeling left out, when we don't understand, when we are different, and even when we do wrong. Kids hear so many reasons why they are not good enough, why they are not worthy of love or friendship. But we know the truth, Jesus loves us no matter what, and that is so important for kids to learn. It is so exciting to see that each of these truths are paired with a weird animal in God's creation that exhibit these truths. And it also teaches us that if God loves and accepts all of us, we should then love and accept those around us. I am so excited for another fun filled week of VBS!

Kids Camp- Weird (Because Normal isn't Working)
At our 3 day kids camp this year the kids are learning that living for Christ isn't normal according to the world's perspective. When we live the way God leads us to, people aren't going to understand. Jesus calls us to be different, to stand out, to be holy, to be weird! Over the course of the camp we will be looking at different people in the Bible who chose to follow God and be different, and how we too can follow their example and live the weird life of a Christian.

I know I have said it before but I am so excited for the Summer of Weird and all of the great fun and learning that will be going on here at The Grove. We would love to have you join us. Just give the church office a call and we will give you all the details.

Excited to be Growing at The Grove!!

Miss Megan

Getting Caught Up in it All

I have just passed the two month mark in my time here at Liberty. I can honestly say that it has been a busy and hectic two months. Though I grew up in this church, after being gone for almost 6 years I am finding that there are a lot of things going on in the children's ministry that I am not clued in on, so I have been spending some of my time just finding out what is going on in the ministry. I also have VBS rapidly approaching, followed by our midweek summer series, and kids camp. And to add to the growing list of things to accomplish I am also in the process of increasing our ministry security and re-branding the ministry. As individual tasks these are all things I am excited about, but as a whole they can be quite a source of chaos and stress.

Last night I was invited to, and attended, the spring program for 6 of the kids in my ministry. They hadn't been told that I was coming and so my presence was a surprise to them. And when the program was over and they saw I was there I received big hugs from very excited children. And in that moment I was reminded why I do all of the many ministry things that I do. For each of these kids that God has placed within my ministry. I am still working to get to know all of them, and build relationships with them, but slowly I am making progress. My job is not just about the programming, the classes, the email to parents, and the hours spent in my office or in meetings. My job is about helping each of these precious children come to know Christ, to learn how God wants them to live, and encourage and equip them for the future they will face. I am here for them, and without them my job is pointless.

All too often it is easy to get caught up in it all. The deadlines, the projects due, the meetings to attend, and everything else. But I am glad that God keeps reminding me that its not about me and what I am doing, but about Him and what he is doing through me to help the children he has given me.

Graciously growing at The Grove!

Miss Megan

Moms

As I sit here reflecting on this past Sunday, which was Mothers Day, I have begun to think about what it means to be a mom. I am not a mom myself, but if it is in God's plan for me, I may be one someday.

Moms come in all forms. They can be the woman who gave birth to you, the one who raised you as a child, the one who has your back, the one who loves you, the one who has helped you become who you are. And the cool thing is only 1 of those things has to do with biology. 

I have been blessed greatly in the mom area. I have a wonderful biological mom who has always been there for me. She has taught me, encouraged me, prayed for me, taken care of me when I am sick, loves me unconditionally, and has become one of my closest friends. But I also have an adoptive mom who took me in as a part of her family at a time I was far away from mine. I didn't meet my second mom until I was 24 years old but she made me feel like I was one of her children and that her other children were my siblings. She was there when I was sick, helped me when I had a problem, corrected me when I was wrong, and loved me unconditionally. Now that I have moved back to Indiana, and am actually living closer to my first mom, I am still considered a member of both families.

I have two strong, loving women to look to as my examples for life. Both show a strong faith in Christ and have a great testimony of what God has done in and through them. I know that if I had a problem I could look to both of these wonderful women and they would point me in the direction of the Bible and provide me Godly wisdom for my situation.

Proverbs 31:10-31 has this to say about a Godly wife, and mother.

A good woman is hard to find,

    and worth far more than diamonds.

Her husband trusts her without reserve,

    and never has reason to regret it.

Never spiteful, she treats him generously

    all her life long.

She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,

    and enjoys knitting and sewing.

She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places

    and brings back exotic surprises.

She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast

    for her family and organizing her day.

She looks over a field and buys it,

    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.

First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,

    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.

She senses the worth of her work,

    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.

She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,

    diligent in homemaking.

She’s quick to assist anyone in need,

    reaches out to help the poor.

She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;

    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.

She makes her own clothing,

    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.

Her husband is greatly respected

    when he deliberates with the city fathers.

She designs gowns and sells them,

    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.

Her clothes are well-made and elegant,

    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,

    and she always says it kindly.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,

    and keeps them all busy and productive.

Her children respect and bless her;

    her husband joins in with words of praise:

“Many women have done wonderful things,

    but you’ve outclassed them all!”

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.

    The woman to be admired and praised

    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.

Give her everything she deserves!

    Festoon her life with praises!

As I read through this passage again, I can see different hints of both of my mothers in this passage. God has blessed me richly with not only 1 mother like this but 2, it is rare, but a blessing. I hope that someday I be the example to someone else that these two ladies have been to me!

Thankful to be growing at The Grove!
Miss Megan

Throw Back to the Old School

As a Children's Ministry Director I am always reading articles, books, and blogs trying to learn something new or find out about the latest greatest trend or teaching tool. It is a wide world out there when it comes to ministry. The spectrum ranges from high tech, cutting edge to low tech, and simple. And to be honest there are great strengths and weaknesses to both sides.

We try to have a balance within our ministry the high tech with the low tech. Kids spend so much time in front of a screen, whether it be tv, computer, phone, or tablet, that we want to connect with them in a personal way. But we also know that kids today are so plugged in that they would become bored with no technology in the children's worship. So we strike the balance between the two, we mix the videos with a no tech game or lesson aid. Meeting the kids where they are and keeping them interested without losing them to pure entertainment is a constantly tilting balance, but one I am sure most in children's ministry face.

There are so many ministry tools and games that those of us who grew up in church remember. One of my favorites to pull out and use is the flannel graph with our preschool and early elementary kids. These kids think it is so cool to be able to move the pieces along with the story. They all take turns adding their part, or moving it as they story goes along. It is interactive without being tied to a computer.  I am working on a plan for our back to school kick off Sunday in which we bring back the old school children's church. For one Sunday we are going to pull out all of the old stuff that we used to do. We are gonna play overhead cell games, you know the predecessor to power point games. We are gonna sing the original children's church songs like deep and wide, praise ye the Lord, and I've got a river of life. We are gonna have a flannel graph lesson, and we will even have our puppets come out and do a skit or two. 15 years ago this would have been a typical service for us, but for our kids this will be a treat.We are blessed to have some of the same kids that grew up in the children's ministry of our church now serving with in that same ministry and I think they will enjoy the old school Sunday just as much as the kids.

Sometimes it is good to look at where we have come from to better enjoy and appreciate where we are. But its also good to look back and realize that no matter how The Bible is presented, its still the same word. Its still the same life changing truth, and we still serve the same God.

I am so thankful that together, we get to grow at The Grove!

Miss Megan