CPC 07: THE CHURCH TOUR

Here I am, reporting from San Diego, California for the first official day of the 2007 Children's Pastor's Conference. Though weary in body, my soul is soaking in the many blessings of this trip.

Before the first general session begins, CPC offers a variety of pre-conference seminars and activities. My favorite is the church tour, in which we get to travel to different churches to glean ideas about decorating, set up, and procedures. I especially was looking forward to this year's tour because it included a stop at Shadow Mountain Community Church, home of my alma mater! It was great seeing the place. My last visit was three years ago, when the children's building was still being constructed. Of course, when I attended college there, the sanctuary and many of the buildings were open lawns. But it was still neat being able to point out stuff.

Here are pictures of the church tour to the three churches we visited this morning:

21oo Greenfield Drive...my home for nearly four years!

Shadow Mountain Community Church

Mountain High Kids Building...next to sanctuary

The main stage in the lower level of the MHK building

Colorful hallways invite kids

This is the exit to one of several slides located inside and outside of the building. Just drop yer' youngin's in the chute and zip...they're there! Just kidding...

A talking, animatronic bear keeps watch from on top the ranger station

The inside of the ranger station, where visitors can get badges and other info.

One of the Mountain High Kids classrooms

Next stop: Skyline Church

Neat props decorate hallways. They looked like the same props that were in the main children's church room last time I visited. They are! The main children's church room is undergoing some decorating and renovation...so the previous props are being used elsewhere.

A Skyline classroom (note paintings on wall)

Check in counter (security is very tight)

The entrance to Skyline's children's church area (under new design)Our final stop on the tour was likely the most impressive of all: Mission Valley Church of the Nazarene. This is a mid-size church that is in the middle of a construction project. They are meeting in their fellowship hall while their sanctuary is being built (above)

Several of the classrooms have murals and paintings with a creation theme...cumulnating in the children's church room that says, "And then, God made us!" The impressive thing? This mid-size church, with the aid of paint, creativity, and volunteers upgraded their entire children's area for less than $5000!

So the CPC tour ended. I came away with some fresh ideas and also some common truths: no matter how big the church, problems of getting enough volunteers, organization, and flexibility are universal! We're all in the same proverbial boat.