August 2023 | Get Involved, Make a Difference

Whether I am home, at school, or at church, it seems like there is always something to be planning for. “Are my lesson plans written?” “What will we do after lunch?” “Who is driving the kids to practice?” “When will we squeeze in this appointment?” “What songs will the Children’s Choir sing?” “What activity will reinforce the message I’m teaching in Sunday School?” These are a few examples of the thousands of questions I am asking myself at any given moment. It goes without saying that this is important. Nothing would ever happen if someone wasn’t responsible for planning. Deadlines and appointments would be missed, opportunities wasted, priorities left behind or forgotten.

Summer has always been a season of planning for the Children’s Ministries. It is a natural time to regroup, talk about what worked, what needs to change, what our goals are, what the children need, and a number of other things. This summer, and throughout the year, our Children’s Ministry team has spent so many hours planning. We have refined old practices and crafted new ideas, all with the intention of sharing Jesus with the children and youth of our community.

Through all this planning, we have identified several goals. One of these is to work towards creating an intergenerational-community at Christ First. This is the main purpose behind our CF Connections events. These are not intended to serve only the kids, but to create opportunities for growth, learning, fellowship, and fun for ALL of us! While certain ministries of our church will continue to exist specifically for children, we want to see safe, trusting relationships grow across generational lines. It is true that we have much to teach children, but we have much to learn from them as well!

So this summer, I am asking for your help. While our team plans, prays, and works towards growing our children’s program, please “plan” to ask God how you could become involved. Did you know that when children and youth feel connected to trusted adults, they are less likely to leave the church after high school? Or that strong relationships with trusted adults improve the mental health of children and youth? Being involved can look a lot of different ways, and does not have to be a huge time commitment! You might not ever know or appreciate the impact you have on our community, just by being present.
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- Kenzie Mason, Children’s Ministries
 
Rev. Jenni Piatt