I am currently working with a church to help train the preschool workers. For the most part I am at the mercy of the church as far as what training looks like. When I was asked to give on the job training, I smiled, said okay, and thought a little about what to do should I get there and find myself as the teacher.
When the time came all 10 preschool teachers came back to the preschool room for "on the job training". In addition to the teachers there were probably 8 preschoolers in the room. As the kids played for awhile, I talked to teachers, then called the kids back together for the Bible lesson. We talked about Jesus going to church. To be honest, this always makes me nervous. I am suppose to be the person who knows what she's doing, but I really don't know if the kids will be in the mood to behave or not. God was gracious and let me off the hook that night. The kids paid attention and answered all my questions.
Then the kids went back to play and I did a little Q & A time with the teachers. Everyone had great questions and I think we covered a lot of ground!
The time was productive, and I plan on going back for a few weeks to see how the teachers are doing. One question I got asked over and over was, "why are all these kids behaving? What did you do?" Really, I didn't do anything! If I was 3 and had 11 adults in the room staring at me, I'd behave too! Also, a stranger in the room is exciting! I am looking forward to seeing what happens when we have fewer teachers and I become a familiar face!
We talked about 3 ground rules for the classroom.
1. Respect God and His House
2. Respect the Teachers and Other Adults in the Room
3. Respect Each Other
My reason for choosing these 3 rules (which I borrowed from another church) is they are easy to remember. The teachers may have to explain the big word "respect," but when the kids understand the word it will cover a lot! The rules are also positive (not a long list of don't). As the children learn what respect is, they will be able to carry those rules throughout life.
I will try to keep you updated on the church. I am really enjoying working with the volunteers. They have a lot of excellent questions and are eager to learn.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
One Great Preschool Sunday
I had the priviledge of visiting South Reno Baptist Church's preschool department this Sunday for Sunday School. It was a great time! I really enjoyed seeing how the church ministered to its 3 and 4 year olds.
Everyone starts out in the big playroom. The check in process is made to be easy for all. New parents fill out information sheets for their children and get pagers while regular attendees have another list at the opposite end of the take.
The church has several teachers in each classroom. The class I visited had 10 kids and 5 adults.
The kids entered the room and went to the table with multiple bowls with soil and seeds (some with names and some extra for kids who weren't at Sunday School the previous week)and several pink spray bottles. The kids had to share as they got to use the bottles to water the plants they planted last week. I don't think they will forget last weeks lesson "God created the plants." After they watered (and got the table nice and wet in the process), the kids helped clean up. It was great to see so many preschoolers working together.
After they finished watering the kids got to play with animal puzzles, farm animals, and a container of bugs and snakes. The kids had a great time with animals and had animals on the brain when it came time for lessons. The last 2 lessons were reviewed quickly and the teacher used her Bible in the teaching time. She showed the kids the word God in the Bible and explained that God made everything. They talked about the animals that God made and made all sorts of fun animal sounds.
After the lesson the kids got to put stickers on a paper that said "God made the animals."
The kids then went back to the playroom to wait on their parents.
I really enjoyed this lesson because everything centered on a theme. As all preschool classes should be, the animal theme (and plant theme) was reinforced so often that the kids will not forget that God made the animals (and plants).
Everyone starts out in the big playroom. The check in process is made to be easy for all. New parents fill out information sheets for their children and get pagers while regular attendees have another list at the opposite end of the take.
The church has several teachers in each classroom. The class I visited had 10 kids and 5 adults.
The kids entered the room and went to the table with multiple bowls with soil and seeds (some with names and some extra for kids who weren't at Sunday School the previous week)and several pink spray bottles. The kids had to share as they got to use the bottles to water the plants they planted last week. I don't think they will forget last weeks lesson "God created the plants." After they watered (and got the table nice and wet in the process), the kids helped clean up. It was great to see so many preschoolers working together.
After they finished watering the kids got to play with animal puzzles, farm animals, and a container of bugs and snakes. The kids had a great time with animals and had animals on the brain when it came time for lessons. The last 2 lessons were reviewed quickly and the teacher used her Bible in the teaching time. She showed the kids the word God in the Bible and explained that God made everything. They talked about the animals that God made and made all sorts of fun animal sounds.
After the lesson the kids got to put stickers on a paper that said "God made the animals."
The kids then went back to the playroom to wait on their parents.
I really enjoyed this lesson because everything centered on a theme. As all preschool classes should be, the animal theme (and plant theme) was reinforced so often that the kids will not forget that God made the animals (and plants).
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Salvation and Kids
Salvation and children is one of my favorite topics. The idea that God has given us the opportunity to share His plan with anyone is a privelege, although I must confess, I don't share nearly as much as I should.
Children's ministries specifically need to be sharing Christ often. Maybe all your children have made a decision for Christ, but you never know when a new child will come to your minisry. Also, teaching children to share Christ with their friends is a spiritual discipline that children can (and should) learn early. My point: even if you are sure you are in a room full of Christians, don't neglect the message!
Because many churches use Lifeway VBS, I am going to use Lifeway's method of sharing the gospel with children. The ABC's are a great tool, but don't forget to use scripture to share. So many times we just throw out "Admit, Believe, and Confess" and never explain what we mean.
First of all, we need to realize that "churchy" language is not a good idea working with children. If you are using it, explain what it means! Words like "sin" may be foreign to a person who has not been in the church culture, so don't talk above a person. Also, children think concretely. Symbolism is never good with children. "Asking Jesus to come into your heart," for example may translate to "I'm having heart surgery?" to a child. Let me give you an example of how this presentation may look.
Becoming a Christian is the most important decision anyone can ever make. Let's talk about what the Bible says about being a Christian.
God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The Bible says in John 3:16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."
Sin is anything that we do to disobey God. Sin can be yelling at our parents, stealing, or anything else that is not obeying God. Sin seperates people from God. Sin seperates you from God. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Have you ever did something wrong, something that displeases God?
This is a problem because God cannot be around sin, but all of us have sinned and have done things we shouldn't do. We have a problem because even though God loves us, we are seperated from Him. The Bible also says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." When we do something wrong, eventually the payment is to die. We may not die right now, but one day we will.
God loved you so much that he sent his Son Jesus so that you would not have to die for your sin. You will die one day, everyone will. But, God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sin. He died, but He didn't stay dead. He came back to life! Romans 5:8says, "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!"
When we die we will either live in Heaven or Hell forever. Heaven is a place with Jesus, while Hell is a place for people who have chosen to not choose God's gift.
Jesus died so even though we do things wrong, called sin, we can still have a relationship with God and not be seperated from Him. This means that if we ask Jesus to come live in our life, He will come into our lives and live with us forever.
We can ask God to come live in our life by using our ABC's. First, admit to God that you are a sinner. The first person God created chose to sin and disobey God. Ever since then all people have chosen to sin and disobey God. We must do something called repenting, which means turning away from our sin. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Secondly, we must believe that Jesus is God's son and accept God's gift of forgiveness from sin. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift--not from works, so that no man can boast."
Third, we must confess our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9-10 and 13 says, "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation (becoming a Christian). For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Saved is a word that means that you have asked Jesus to come into your life and have become a Christian. You are saved from your sin.
God's Holy Spirit will let you know when you are ready to be come a Christian. If it is not time for you to become a Christian, you may need to learn more about Jesus. God will help you to know when it is time for you to pray and invite Jesus to come into your life.
If it is time for you to become a Christian, talk to God and tell him that you are sorry for your sins and that you want Jesus to come into your life and forgive you for your sins. You are promising that you will obey God and live for Him for the rest of your life. You can use whatever words you want, because prayer is talking to God just like you talk to people.
If you just made that decision and invited God to live in your life, you can be sure of a few things. Your sins are forgiven. You are a Christian. You are a child of God. God will always be with you. You will go to Heaven when you die.
So now there are some things that you can do. We don't do these things because we have to. We do these things to show obedience (obeying) to God. First, we should tell other people, especially our parents, that we have become a Christian and that Jesus is your Savior and Lord. It is important to attend church often so that you can learn more about Jesus. You can't have a good relationship without spending time with someone, so it is important to read the Bible and pray every day so that you can get to know God. At some time you need to be baptized to show others that you have become a Christian. *Personally I hestitate to baptize a child right away. I prefer to wait until the child approaches a parent or leader to say that they want to be baptized. This is just a precautionary step to make sure that they have understood their decision and didn't just say a "nice prayer."
Maybe you are asking the question, Will I ever sin again? The answer is yes, everyone sins, even after Jesus comes into their lives. When you do sin, ask God to forgive you and help you to obey Him. He will!
You will never have to become a Christian again. When Jesus becomes your Savior and Lord, your salvation lasts forever. Remember, God has promised you in Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you or forsake you."
I also suggest a diary page or something for the child to go back to to affirm their decision. I know this conversation was long, the message isn't always that long. Most of the time you can gauge where the conversation needs to go with the child. I used Lifeway's ABC's of Becoming a Christian tract, a great resource.
I don't know who may read this, but if you are reading and have realized that you have never asked Jesus to come into your life, I pray that you would make that decision.
Children's ministries specifically need to be sharing Christ often. Maybe all your children have made a decision for Christ, but you never know when a new child will come to your minisry. Also, teaching children to share Christ with their friends is a spiritual discipline that children can (and should) learn early. My point: even if you are sure you are in a room full of Christians, don't neglect the message!
Because many churches use Lifeway VBS, I am going to use Lifeway's method of sharing the gospel with children. The ABC's are a great tool, but don't forget to use scripture to share. So many times we just throw out "Admit, Believe, and Confess" and never explain what we mean.
First of all, we need to realize that "churchy" language is not a good idea working with children. If you are using it, explain what it means! Words like "sin" may be foreign to a person who has not been in the church culture, so don't talk above a person. Also, children think concretely. Symbolism is never good with children. "Asking Jesus to come into your heart," for example may translate to "I'm having heart surgery?" to a child. Let me give you an example of how this presentation may look.
Becoming a Christian is the most important decision anyone can ever make. Let's talk about what the Bible says about being a Christian.
God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The Bible says in John 3:16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."
Sin is anything that we do to disobey God. Sin can be yelling at our parents, stealing, or anything else that is not obeying God. Sin seperates people from God. Sin seperates you from God. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Have you ever did something wrong, something that displeases God?
This is a problem because God cannot be around sin, but all of us have sinned and have done things we shouldn't do. We have a problem because even though God loves us, we are seperated from Him. The Bible also says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." When we do something wrong, eventually the payment is to die. We may not die right now, but one day we will.
God loved you so much that he sent his Son Jesus so that you would not have to die for your sin. You will die one day, everyone will. But, God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sin. He died, but He didn't stay dead. He came back to life! Romans 5:8says, "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!"
When we die we will either live in Heaven or Hell forever. Heaven is a place with Jesus, while Hell is a place for people who have chosen to not choose God's gift.
Jesus died so even though we do things wrong, called sin, we can still have a relationship with God and not be seperated from Him. This means that if we ask Jesus to come live in our life, He will come into our lives and live with us forever.
We can ask God to come live in our life by using our ABC's. First, admit to God that you are a sinner. The first person God created chose to sin and disobey God. Ever since then all people have chosen to sin and disobey God. We must do something called repenting, which means turning away from our sin. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Secondly, we must believe that Jesus is God's son and accept God's gift of forgiveness from sin. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift--not from works, so that no man can boast."
Third, we must confess our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9-10 and 13 says, "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation (becoming a Christian). For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Saved is a word that means that you have asked Jesus to come into your life and have become a Christian. You are saved from your sin.
God's Holy Spirit will let you know when you are ready to be come a Christian. If it is not time for you to become a Christian, you may need to learn more about Jesus. God will help you to know when it is time for you to pray and invite Jesus to come into your life.
If it is time for you to become a Christian, talk to God and tell him that you are sorry for your sins and that you want Jesus to come into your life and forgive you for your sins. You are promising that you will obey God and live for Him for the rest of your life. You can use whatever words you want, because prayer is talking to God just like you talk to people.
If you just made that decision and invited God to live in your life, you can be sure of a few things. Your sins are forgiven. You are a Christian. You are a child of God. God will always be with you. You will go to Heaven when you die.
So now there are some things that you can do. We don't do these things because we have to. We do these things to show obedience (obeying) to God. First, we should tell other people, especially our parents, that we have become a Christian and that Jesus is your Savior and Lord. It is important to attend church often so that you can learn more about Jesus. You can't have a good relationship without spending time with someone, so it is important to read the Bible and pray every day so that you can get to know God. At some time you need to be baptized to show others that you have become a Christian. *Personally I hestitate to baptize a child right away. I prefer to wait until the child approaches a parent or leader to say that they want to be baptized. This is just a precautionary step to make sure that they have understood their decision and didn't just say a "nice prayer."
Maybe you are asking the question, Will I ever sin again? The answer is yes, everyone sins, even after Jesus comes into their lives. When you do sin, ask God to forgive you and help you to obey Him. He will!
You will never have to become a Christian again. When Jesus becomes your Savior and Lord, your salvation lasts forever. Remember, God has promised you in Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you or forsake you."
I also suggest a diary page or something for the child to go back to to affirm their decision. I know this conversation was long, the message isn't always that long. Most of the time you can gauge where the conversation needs to go with the child. I used Lifeway's ABC's of Becoming a Christian tract, a great resource.
I don't know who may read this, but if you are reading and have realized that you have never asked Jesus to come into your life, I pray that you would make that decision.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
When Communication Gets Tough
*Elaine is a 10 year old I met after I moved to Reno and have had a great time building a relationship and getting to know her. We've had some great times during Bible study, missions class, and just hanging out doing fun things throughout the area.
Knowing how she typically responds to people leaving, her mother asked me to go ahead and start preparing her for my leaving six months before the time of me leaving. This went great for the first few months, but then she totally quit talking. I would say hi to her and she would walk off. I tried confrontation, I even tried a small attempt at bribery.
A few times I asked if she wanted to go do something. The first time I asked I sent her mom a text message. Elaine debated for a long time and said she wanted to hang out with her dad. A few weeks later I asked her mom if I could take her to lunch. Her mom went back to the room she was in and came back and said she didn't want to go. She didn't want to tell me that, but she didn't want to go. She didn't want me to be mad.
I wasn't really surprised because I know that she was dealing with the loss (even though it hasn't happened yet) as best she could. However, I didn't want her to have regrets after I leave and I didn't want the next two months to be as awkward as the past two.
I began to think of what I know of Elaine. She is a pro at the silent treatment! However, while she is being silent it is always obvious that something is happening in her head. I have learned that she will write letters and express much more honestly how she feels through written word than expressing thoughts verbally. Most of her prayer requests are also written.
I wrote her a note. I told her that I really liked her and was happy to have gotten to know her. I was going to miss her, and I hoped we could do something together soon, but I know it's hard for her right now. I told her when she decided she wanted to do something just to tell her mom and we will work it out.
The next day her mom brought me a letter, laughing about being the go-between. I will not tell you what she said in respect to privacy, but things were said that she needed to let out.
I haven't seen Elaine since I wrote the letter, but I am confident that communication lines will be open from now on.
*Name has been changed
Knowing how she typically responds to people leaving, her mother asked me to go ahead and start preparing her for my leaving six months before the time of me leaving. This went great for the first few months, but then she totally quit talking. I would say hi to her and she would walk off. I tried confrontation, I even tried a small attempt at bribery.
A few times I asked if she wanted to go do something. The first time I asked I sent her mom a text message. Elaine debated for a long time and said she wanted to hang out with her dad. A few weeks later I asked her mom if I could take her to lunch. Her mom went back to the room she was in and came back and said she didn't want to go. She didn't want to tell me that, but she didn't want to go. She didn't want me to be mad.
I wasn't really surprised because I know that she was dealing with the loss (even though it hasn't happened yet) as best she could. However, I didn't want her to have regrets after I leave and I didn't want the next two months to be as awkward as the past two.
I began to think of what I know of Elaine. She is a pro at the silent treatment! However, while she is being silent it is always obvious that something is happening in her head. I have learned that she will write letters and express much more honestly how she feels through written word than expressing thoughts verbally. Most of her prayer requests are also written.
I wrote her a note. I told her that I really liked her and was happy to have gotten to know her. I was going to miss her, and I hoped we could do something together soon, but I know it's hard for her right now. I told her when she decided she wanted to do something just to tell her mom and we will work it out.
The next day her mom brought me a letter, laughing about being the go-between. I will not tell you what she said in respect to privacy, but things were said that she needed to let out.
I haven't seen Elaine since I wrote the letter, but I am confident that communication lines will be open from now on.
*Name has been changed
Monday, March 14, 2011
Prayers for Japan
Like most of the world I have spent the past few days watching the news about the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. My heart breaks for the people who have lost everything in the country. I honestly can say that I can't even begin to imagine what the people of Japan are feeling.
As I've been thinking and praying about this, I have wondered how this connects to children's ministry. I think when dealing with a disaster of this magnitude we need to be prepared to answer questions and deal with helping the children in our scope of influence process the disaster. Also, I wanted to give you a resource if your children decide that they want to do something to help.
I am not saying that you need to make this the only focus of your next Sunday School lesson or that you need to sit Suzie down to talk about this. However, if your children bring it up (which they may have already, I may be too late) I hope this can prepare you to handle the situation.
First of all, it is important to be open and honest when answering questions about a disaster like this. Kids may have a million questions ranging from "Why did this happen?" to "Could that happen here?" Try to be honest, but don't be afraid to say "I don't know." As you answer these questions, try to use as simple language as possible. Be sensitive, but be matter of fact. Using symbolic language doesn't work well with children who are concrete thinkers.
A big fear may be that an earthquake will strike where you live. If your child asks, be honest if you live in a place that an earthquake may strike. It probably won't hurt to use the opportunity to talk about what to do if there is a natural disaster in your area.
Above all else it is important for kids to realize that even when bad things happen, God still loves us and He is still in control. Use the time to pray with your child for the people effected by the disaster. Here are some Bible references to share:
Dueteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Hebrews 13:6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
If your children want to get involved with helping, remind them that prayer is the easiest and best way to get involved. God is after all the creater and sustainer of the universe.
If your child wants to help raise or donate money for rebuilding, the Baptist Global Response Center is a great resource in which 100% of the money given will go to the people who need it. Here is the facebook page link: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/GoBGR.
I hope this has helped you as you deal with comforting and encouraging the children in your life through this disaster.
My prayers are with the people of Japan.
As I've been thinking and praying about this, I have wondered how this connects to children's ministry. I think when dealing with a disaster of this magnitude we need to be prepared to answer questions and deal with helping the children in our scope of influence process the disaster. Also, I wanted to give you a resource if your children decide that they want to do something to help.
I am not saying that you need to make this the only focus of your next Sunday School lesson or that you need to sit Suzie down to talk about this. However, if your children bring it up (which they may have already, I may be too late) I hope this can prepare you to handle the situation.
First of all, it is important to be open and honest when answering questions about a disaster like this. Kids may have a million questions ranging from "Why did this happen?" to "Could that happen here?" Try to be honest, but don't be afraid to say "I don't know." As you answer these questions, try to use as simple language as possible. Be sensitive, but be matter of fact. Using symbolic language doesn't work well with children who are concrete thinkers.
A big fear may be that an earthquake will strike where you live. If your child asks, be honest if you live in a place that an earthquake may strike. It probably won't hurt to use the opportunity to talk about what to do if there is a natural disaster in your area.
Above all else it is important for kids to realize that even when bad things happen, God still loves us and He is still in control. Use the time to pray with your child for the people effected by the disaster. Here are some Bible references to share:
Dueteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Hebrews 13:6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
If your children want to get involved with helping, remind them that prayer is the easiest and best way to get involved. God is after all the creater and sustainer of the universe.
If your child wants to help raise or donate money for rebuilding, the Baptist Global Response Center is a great resource in which 100% of the money given will go to the people who need it. Here is the facebook page link: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/GoBGR.
I hope this has helped you as you deal with comforting and encouraging the children in your life through this disaster.
My prayers are with the people of Japan.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Appreciating Volunteers (Part 2)
Ministry would really be impossible without volunteers. Consider some ways to say "thank you."
1. Send a card! Appreciation doesn't have to be overly expensive, but it should be done often. Think of small things that you can do for volunteers to make them know they are appreciated. Consider occassional notes just to say "Thank you for all that you do!".
2. Gifts are nice! Once a quarter consider a small gift for volunteers. If your church has a budget for it, you could consider bookmarks or something like that. Even a pack of lifesavers with a tag saying "you are a lifesaver." or any other corny gift with a corny saying can mean a lot. Try to stay away from gifts that will just become part of a junk pile. A small gift reminds volunteers that you do appreciate what they do.
3. Recognize them in front of the church! Children's ministry volunteers are often out of sight and out of mind. Consider having a "Children's Ministry Volunteer Sunday." This may be a rare Sunday where families can worship together. Present the volunteers with a certificate. Everyone enjoys a pat on the back occassionally. This is also a way to let the congregation see what your children's ministry is doing. Consider having the children perform a song or something in front of the congregation. You may have to get someone to volunteer to stay with the babies while the volunteers are being recognized.
4. Appreciation Dinner! Toward the end of the summer plan an appreciation dinner for all your volunteers. Make sure you provide childcare (perferably not a usual volunteer). Get everyone together, feed them well, and let them know how much you appreciate them. This can be a time to share stories and just relax without the kids! You may consider an individual award or certificate for your volunteers. Make them silly or serious, but let the volunteers know that you really do appreciate them!
I hope these few suggestions will help you to show appreication to your volunteers year round. Appreciation prevents burn-out, which keeps happy volunteers!
1. Send a card! Appreciation doesn't have to be overly expensive, but it should be done often. Think of small things that you can do for volunteers to make them know they are appreciated. Consider occassional notes just to say "Thank you for all that you do!".
2. Gifts are nice! Once a quarter consider a small gift for volunteers. If your church has a budget for it, you could consider bookmarks or something like that. Even a pack of lifesavers with a tag saying "you are a lifesaver." or any other corny gift with a corny saying can mean a lot. Try to stay away from gifts that will just become part of a junk pile. A small gift reminds volunteers that you do appreciate what they do.
3. Recognize them in front of the church! Children's ministry volunteers are often out of sight and out of mind. Consider having a "Children's Ministry Volunteer Sunday." This may be a rare Sunday where families can worship together. Present the volunteers with a certificate. Everyone enjoys a pat on the back occassionally. This is also a way to let the congregation see what your children's ministry is doing. Consider having the children perform a song or something in front of the congregation. You may have to get someone to volunteer to stay with the babies while the volunteers are being recognized.
4. Appreciation Dinner! Toward the end of the summer plan an appreciation dinner for all your volunteers. Make sure you provide childcare (perferably not a usual volunteer). Get everyone together, feed them well, and let them know how much you appreciate them. This can be a time to share stories and just relax without the kids! You may consider an individual award or certificate for your volunteers. Make them silly or serious, but let the volunteers know that you really do appreciate them!
I hope these few suggestions will help you to show appreication to your volunteers year round. Appreciation prevents burn-out, which keeps happy volunteers!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
