Hey Sue and all,

A few things- How do you invite other PCA children's directors for blogging or are we limited to who the administrator invites?

Also, after having one VBS under my belt, I have a slew of questions for anyone that would like to share what works and doesn't work on the administration side in their church and why. But for starters I will just limit myself to one topic: One of those, prodded by our senior pastor, is-does anyone have any room decor pictures while using the GCP curriculum? Who in the PCA does GCP Vacation Bible School well?

Does anyone use specific VBS staff just for researching and decoration ideas? 

How can you make put up and take down less overwhelming?

How are your teenagers incorporated in decorating?

Do you have any deaconal restrictions on what to decorate with-for example-we are limited to hanging only with sticky tack?

Thank you for any input!

2009 REGIONAL CHILDREN'S CONFERENCES

Next week I will be meeting with people in our office and from GCP about holding regional conferences for children's ministry in 2009. Our "upfront" plan is to hold one-day conferences in a local church, charging around $30 per person which would include lunch, and we would provide a list of hotels for those traveling a distance that would require an overnight stay. We did this in Orlando last February and it worked quite well. There would be an opening and closing session for everyone with morning and afternoon workshop choices. If you would like to host one in your area, let me know. We would send out brochures for your area, but would like to have a couple of people in each region who would make personal contacts. In Orlando, a group met and planned the schedule. This gave them more ownership in the conference and probably helped attendance since there was more grassroot involvement. Let me here from you! I'll also be sending out an e-mail about this!

Last week I taught Reachout Adventures VBS in my home church. On Thursday the lesson was on the sin of Achan. One little second grade girl, Danielle, began to weep. Crocodile tears flowed down her face, and seeing this, I got to the end of the story and introduced Jesus more quickly than I had planned. Afterwards she told my daughter, her coach, that she knew Jesus had died for her sin, but that she just thought about how awful her sin was and it made her sad. She said, "I sin everyday and I really don't want to. That's why I was crying." I don't want to forget her face or her words. A little child, convicted and sad about her sin...that's who I want to be.

Children's Ministry - Is there anything else?

Thank you to those who have signed on to our blog. I hope that many of you will feel free to share your concerns and ideas with this group. I will be continually putting up new posts to help keep the conversation going. Two comments I have made below (check them out)...What about nursery organization and plans...and want to participate in a regional children's ministry conference in your area in 2009?

Can we be catalysts in training the next generation that life is not about them? Can we help raise up a generation who loves Jesus and his church more than life? This is war and we are leading the charge! Sound those trumpets and see the walls come down!

LET'S TALK CHILDREN'S MINISTY

I am the Education Specialist of the Christian Education Committee of the Presbyterian Church in America. Upon request I have started this blog for communication between all of you who are involved in children's ministry in the local church. Anyone can come to this sight, but you can only post if I invite you. That is not my plan, it's just the way it works. I will be sending out official invitations to this sight to everyone I can think of. If you want to be invited, send me your e-mail address.

I hope this will help to encourage and equip all of us as we share resources, ask questions, give answers and build relationships with one another. Notice that the blogspot logo is from our KIDS UNDER CONSTRUCTION handbook that you can order at www.cepbookstore.com I believe this page can help us add to this resource in the future as all of us seek to make disciples of the next generation.

So...log on and blog with me!

In His grip,

Sue Jakes