CPC 07: GENERAL SESSION AND MEETING JANA

General session one is over...and what an incredible way to kick off the conferences! Professional story teller Stephen James kicked off the theme of "More Than a Story" with a dramatic telling of the story of redemption. Then the kids' group GOD ROCKS rocked the house with incredible Scripture set to music. Sadly, my poor little camera is not that good at capturing a stage from waaaaaaaayyyyyy in back. I'll try to get closer next time.

The session really kicked into gear with the worship team from Gateway Church in Texas. There is something about singing with a few thousand of your fellow kid servants in worship and praise. It's not that I don't worship when I lead kids...I do. It is still very meaningful and deep. But there is a level of worship that comes when you don't have to do anything except praise His name in song, along with others who are probably feeling the same way. I freely admit to suffering from allergies during the worship set (as did a few folks around me).

The keynote address was by Susie Shellenberger, who created the Focus on the Family publication BRIO. She spoke on the blind man healed by Jesus and pointed out how this man was now confronted witht the reality of Christ...no longer a story. She emphasized nailing down the basics of Jesus' lordship and salvation, and then trusting Him for the rest. It was a great message.

Afterwards, I toured the Resource Center and ran into an old friend

I first discovered Jana Alayra's music at my first CPC in 2003. Our church daycare loves it! So I was determined this year to get some more Jana Alayra music for our ministry and who should be working her own booth? Jana herself. She was kind enough to pose for a picture (and in reality, this is only the second time I've met Jana). I'm looking forward to listening to her new album.

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.

CPC 07: GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN

Here I am in beautiful San Diego, California for the 2007 Children's Pastor's Conference! As I shared in a previous post, I've been looking forward to this for some time. And my journey to southern California just makes my presence here all the sweeter.


No, the above pics are not San Diego. They are pics of what we woke up to on Thursday in southern Oregon. Like all good travelers, I checked on my 9:00 a.m. flight before arriving at the airport two hours early. And all was good....until I got to the airport, where the nice lady at the United counter put up a placard that said all flights were cancelled for the morning

Rogue Valley International Medford Airport, where construction barriers are second only to snow and ice for pedestraian obstacles.

God is awesome and still in control...I not only got to spend a little breakfast time with my wife, but there were two very important, time sensitive matters I needed to attend to...I would have missed them if I had left on schedule. Praise the Lord!

The very nice lady rescheduled my flight for the afternoon on whatever was available. Unfortunately, it included a five hour layover in San Francisco! So I read, I wrote, I watched people, I walked (not exactly a chipper walk when you're carrying a briefcase and laptop), and I waited, and waited, and waited.....

When I finally got to my destination, it was after midnight (only eight hours later then my original itenerary!). After a quick call to let my wife know I had arrived, I got ready for bed.

The next day, I was reminded why this was San Diego:

Town and Country Resort...my home for the next few days.

Just outside my room...partly cloudy and blue

After finally figuring out how to set up the wireless connection for my laptop (which is way cool) and taking a walk around the humongous Fashion Valley Mall, it was time to sign in to CPC.

The banner says "Welcome Home." For the last two years, the California CPC has been held in Anaheim (I think because of renovations to the Town and Country). Now the CPC has returned to San Diego. It's like I never left!

The theme this year is "More Than a Story." And if getting here was half the proverbial fun, I look forward to what's more!

I look forward to your comments as this adventure continues.

BEFORE CPC '07...MEMORIES OF CPC'S PAST

The countdown has begun! In a little over 30 days, I will be in sunny San Diego for the annual (deep breath) International Network of Children's Ministries "Children's Pastors Conference" (CPC for short). CPC is, in my humble opinion, the rolls royce of conventions.

I whole heartedly believe that those who minister to kids should take advantage of training, refreshing, and equipping opportunities. Every year, most of our church's KidServants attend a regional "Children's Ministries Conference" in southern Oregon, where we are blessed by a variety of workshops and top-notch general sessions featuring impressive and motivating speakers (Craig Jutilla, Thom Shultz, Dick Gruber, and others have come to southern Oregon for the RVCMC). Dozens of regional seminars, workshops, and conferences are held throughout the country--I would encourage those of you in children's ministry to check them out.

But the CPC is, well, incredible. I've had the privilege of attending twice (2003 & 2004) and I'm still gleaning information and concepts. I haven't been able to attend the last two years, but I'm finally getting back to San Diego for the 2007 CPC in February. It's somewhat of a homecoming for me (in more ways than one...I'll explain shortly).

My very first Children's Pastor's Conference was in 2003 and it was partially a family affair. At the tme, my sister-in-law lived in Oceanside, California (just north of San Diego). So we took the whole family down--wife, 3 kids, and mother-in-law. We left early on Super Bowl Sunday, drove straight through, and arrived late that night. I remember the sight of bumper-to-bumper traffic between L.A. and S.D. and wondering why it was so thick late Sunday night. Then it hit me...the Super Bowl was played at San Diego that year....these were fans heading home! I was glad we were going the other direction.

Because my wife's sister's place was so small, we pitched a tent in the back yard.

Villa Oceanside

We stayed a couple of nights before my wife dropped me off in San Diego for the conference. But before the conference itself, we took a side trip to El Cajon to visit my alma mater: Christian Heritage College (now known as San Diego Christian College). It was there that I met the woman who would be my wife. Oh yeah, and get a degree and all that. My degree was in Counseling Pyschology, which is interesting given that I entered pastoral ministry for a number of years and then finally children's ministry. Following the CPC, my wife picked me up, we spent the night in town, and then attended the morning service at the church where the college is located (a tiny little congregation known as Shadow Mountain Community Church...yes, the same one where the radio and television ministry of Turning Point originates.). During our visit, there was a major construction project going on next to the main sanctuary. I learned that this project was to be a new children's building. This will become significant later on....

CPC '03 was like getting hit with a fire hydrant of the most refreshing water known to humanity. From the moment I entered the registration area to the general sessions to the workshops, I felt like I was in another universe.

"Building His Kingdom, Reaching His Kids"...the theme that keeps giving!

Not only did I get motivation and inspiration, I discovered a whole new world of Christian resources and artists that I never knew existed. I took the church tour, in which we saw Saddleback Church's children's building and the facility at The Crossing in Orange County. I met some amazing folks and discovered something I guess I knew intellectually, but didn't realize deep down: I was not alone! A thousand others shared my same desires, my same hopes, my same frustrations, my same doubts and fears, and my same joy. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

The following year, the church sent me to CPC '04. This time, I flew solo. I arrived a day early to take advantage of some "me time" before the conference. It was the first time I got to do absolutely nothing important in a long time :-).

"Making Him Their Hero" C'mon everybody, all together: "Stand up and shout...HEY..."

Like last year, my conference experience started with a church tour. Our tour facilitator this time was the indescribable Karl Bastian, aka "The Kidologist". We returned to Saddleback and then over to Skyline church in San Diego. Mr. Bastian took a ton of pictures of both places (I'm even in a few of them). I'm sure they've since been removed (I couldn't locate them on Kidology), but they give an excellent sense of both facilities. My other memory of the church tour is having a ton of granola bars left over...Karl kept offering me more and more (I guess he had a lot left over).

And like last year, the experience was nothing short of overwhelming. I ran into a man who used to emcee the regional children's ministries conference I talked about earlier. I also got to sit at the same table as some folks who work with children's ministry at a church not far from where I live. It's a small world after all! The workshops and general sesssions were all top-notch. (My only regret is that somehow I missed "BibleMan!")

And now that brings us to CPC '07. After a two year absence, I will be returning to San Diego. I said this was a homecoming of sorts. First of all, I'm coming "home" to the Children's Pastor's Conference. I look forward to seeing old friends and new friends. If I can figure out how to do it, I intend to blog and send photos from San Diego (first, I need to replace my digital camera).

My second homecoming involves the aforementioned "Shadow Mountain Community Church." I discovered early last year that SMCC was one of the stops on this year's church tour! The building that was in the throes of construction back in 2003 is now finished and functioning. So I get to return to my old stomping grounds...not only to see this building I've heard so much about, but to be "on campus" at my alma mater once again (of course, if I had the extra time and extra money, I could attend homecoming the weekend before CPC. Maybe next year....).

Anyway, thank you for bearing with my rememberances of CPC's past. I'm excited and eagerly anticipating more challenge and blessing. Stay tuned....

FINALLY....SNOW!

We've had a strange winter in southern Oregon. A bout of freezing fog made the landscape look like snow...only it wasn't. A few mild temps and then it was good-bye freezing fog!
Then came our famous ice storm last week. Rain during the day, freezing temps and a sprinkling of snow the next morning and wow......snarled traffic, slow going, spin-outs. It was a sight to behold. Unforutnately, due to an involuntary appropriation of my camera (ie, it was taken from my house when I wasn't home), I was unable to get some pics of either the gorgeous freezing fog or the ice capades.
However, our children's ministries secretary snapped some pictures of our first major snowstorm that hit this week. It started falling Tuesday afternoon. It was so intense that the schools shut down early. Wednesday was a snow day. Today was a two-hour delay. The good news is that this snow event was not nearly as dramatic as what my friends and family in Colorado got clobbered with. The pavements are clearing and drying and the snow drifts are receeding. But the wintery weather did make for some neat pictures, which my secretary has allowed me to share (thanks, 'Net...you're da bomb!)

Wintery tree at night....

and a good old fashioned Oregon palm tree by day, both claimed by the snow!

Snow ball fight (note the snowball in mid-air!)

A little angel making a snow angel

WHADJA GIT? 2006

Nearly one full week has passed since Christmas Day. Tonight, we packed up the tree, the lights, the decorations, and stored them for another year.

As I reflect on Christmas '06, I realize I haven't put out a new edition of WHADJA GIT? . So here is a rundown of some of the cool stuff I got from Santa this year (and before you write me, yes, I know the truth about Santa (sigh--don't dump cold water on my fun!)) :

*Socks (standard requirement)
*Black leather jacket (my wife really likes it)
*New coffee maker (with pause and serve, programmable timer, and built-in clock)
*A subscription to a theological journal (I looked at the table of contents--yippee skippee, it's got big words! wiping away a tear of joy).
*DVD's: Cars and X-Men 3 (told you I had diverse tastes)
*Commentary
*Chocolate covered peanut brittle
*Mug and coffee pack from Hawaii (thanks you, sis-in-law)
*2 Tom Clancey-authorized novels
*Why the Manger? by the Thoenes
*Cordless drill from Black and Decker (no more excuses)

I also got assorted goodies in my stocking, as well as various candies and chocolates from kids at our DayCare. And at our employee dinner gift exchange, I got a t-shirt with a picture of the comic book Avengers from the early 60's (looks like about issue 2 or maybe 3).

Of course, the best gift was having my family together...my wife, mother-in-law, and all three kids. I even got to talk to my sister in Colorado the night before....she was bragging about not having gotten much snow in what has been termed the "Blizzard of '06". Little did she know that "Blizzard 2: the Revenge" was set to premiere. Don't know how much snow she's gotten lately, but I don't think they escaped this time.

Okay, I told you what I got. Now I want to hear what you got. Until then, have a happy New Year everyone!

THE GOD OF THE FIVE PERCENT

As the old saying goes, "Christmas is a time of miracles." We've had prayer going out across the country and even the "land down under" (Australia, for those who are geographically challenged) for a little boy named Zeb. Early in December, Zeb was in a snowmobile accident. His injuries were critical, his prognosis bleak. Doctors said that only 5% of those with Zeb's injuries survive.

But our God is the God of the five percent! Our Children's Ministries secretary shared this humorous insight from a movie. One of the characters asks a girl if there was any chance they could get together. She dismisses him by saying, "one in a million." The character gets a bright look on his face and exults, "So you're saying there's a chance!"

One in a million is still a chance.
Five loaves and two fishes are still enough.
A little mud for the eye is still effective.
Even if "silver and gold have you none, such as you have you can still give."
And five percent.....wow...it's more than enough for God to work.

Zeb was released from the hospital and arrived home before Christmas Eve. He is doing incredibly well in managing his pain. The doctors and nurses were amazed at how rapidly he healed. What an amazing Christmas blessing.

Keep Zeb and his family in your prayers. The little guy still has some recovery ahead. His family faces some extra financial burdens from all this. But our awesome God is still the God of the five percent! Merry Christmas ( a day late).

WHAT A PARTY!

How does that song go?

Dashing through the malls
With a maxed out credit card
Oe'er the sales we go
Breathing really hard

Or something like that. On this, the next-to-last Saturday before Christmas, my wife and I decided to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Actually, before you think this was a joint decision based on careful discussion, let me set the record straight. I like to go to the mall in December. I don't like to go the last couple of days before Christmas, but before then it's not too bad. I love the decorations, the music, the energy, and the excitment. My wife doesn't quite share my fascination with the mall in December, but she comes with me and ends up enjoying herself after all.

So why do I have this near compulsion to brave the traffic and the crowds during this season of dollars off sales and holiday savings galore? Well, it goes back to my birthdays growing up. I was a new year's eve baby, but I rarely had a full-blown birthday party. My parents would do their best to get me a cake and a present or two, but I never had the classic birthday bash (I was amazed to discover later that we were actually poor--all those years growing up, I had no idea!). Well, anyway, when people would ask me later if I had a birthday party, I would grin and say that a lot of folks had parties...there were parties all over the country on my birthday!

Of course, none of the revelers around the nation on New Year's Eve knew me. They didn't know I had been born and that I was alive. They were celebrating, but they didn't know who or what they were celebrating.

I'm joking, of course, but consider this: stores, malls, shopping centers, and retail establishments pull out the decorations, the lights, the pageantry, the celebratory frills, and the fun every year. It's as if they are in full scale party mode. Folks around the neighborhood decorate their homes in festive colors and twinkling lights, as if they were throwing a big birthday party. The only problem is, they don't know Whose party it is! They don't know Who they are celebrating.

The apostle Paul visited a pagan culture and commented on all their idols, then used their statue to the "Unknown God" as an opportunity to tell them about the one true God. In that spirit, I just want to stand on the balcony of the mall and shout (like the little girl in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) "HEY, UNTO YOU A CHILD IS BORN!!!"

PAIN, KIDS, AND CHRISTMAS

At the end of my last entry, I asked for prayer for one of our daycare kids who was in critical condition as the result of a snowmobile accident. I wanted to post some quick thoughts about this matter while they were fresh in my mind.

I'm not naive. I am keenly aware that we live in a fallen universe. I know that bad things happen to people. Given that, I have a very sharp sensitivity to kids getting hurt. Eons ago, I briefly worked with a county social service department as part of a grant. Given the choice to work in the adult unit or the child protective division, I quickly chose the adult unit. Why? Because either breaking down and weeping uncontrollably at the plight of an abused child or pummeling the abuser to within an inch of his life are both considered bad form in the social service biz. Even fictional shows that have realistic depictions of kids in danger upset me.

But God has also brought people and situations into my life to temper my emotion with the only effective cure for such emotions: casting all my cares upon Him, for He cares for me! I think of a lovely young lady in our church that I've known since she was a little girl. I learned from her mom that, when she was an infant, she had open heart surgery! Open heart surgery! Since that time, the family celebrates two birthdays for this girl. She is part of our Krew of teen helpers in our Sunday morning program.

Not that every situation is a happy one. Earlier this year, I attended two memorial services for a boy whose family was active in our church at one time. We had lost contact with the family after they moved to a nearby city. The boy was a victim of the murder-suicide of his dad. These things aren't supposed to happen. Not too far from here, a California man perished in the mountains while trying to find help for his stranded family. I think of the kids and their thoughts this December. I grieve, but I also learn.

Which brings me to the little guy in the snowmobile accident. For those who have wondered, his name is Zeb. He has the kind of smile that brings sunshine to a cloudy room. His injuries were critical and the initial assesements were not good. These things are not supposed to happen. But they do. And as trite as it sometimes must sound to some on the outside, all we could do was pray. So we prayed. In fact, a lot of people prayed. A lot.

The breathing tubes have been removed from Zeb. He is communicating. He may possibly be out of ICU by the weekend. One of the doctors remarked that someone bigger than him was watching over Zeb in surgery! Indeed! On the patient web site, there is a pic of Zeb, flashing a thumbs up and smiling that incredible smile.

There's a long way to go yet. I would ask that you continue to pray for Zeb and his parents, not only for the continued physical healing of Zeb's body, but for the parents whose stress levels are no doubt at an all time high, and for the more temporal matters of added medical expenses and just trying to find a way to have some semblance of a Christmas.

No, I'm not naive. But it's nice to have a genuine Christmas miracle ever so often!

"THE WEEK:" EPISODE III

Three programs in four days! What a way to spend "The Week!" For those who are just now joining us, "The Week" came about by a scheduling quirk in which our Christmas related programs fell within a few days of one another. And since our volunteers tend to do more than one program, it makes for a very active week. However, "The Week" ended this evening (Sunday) and now we can all relax and enjoy the rest of the month of December.

Tonight's final installment: "Angels, Why This Jam-boree?"

Tonight was the annual Children's Ministries Christmas Program. Actually, in theory, it takes in all of the Christian Education departments (teens, adults, and children). When the teens participate, we can usually count on something rousing and unsusual. Tonight was no exception. Coming on the stage to "We Like to Move It" from the movie Madagascar, the combined Middle School (6th-8th grade) and High School youth groups moved swiftly to an air-guitar rendition of "The 12 Days of Christmas" by Reliant K. This was followed by Feliz Navidad from the "Veggie Tales Christmas" CD.

Teens rock out some yule tide cheer.

The adults didn't have a portion, so we recruited 9 of them from the audience to hold the letters in "CHRISTMAS" while we read what each letter stood for (got that one from Kidology!).

And then came the moment we've been waiting for: the Christmas Pageant! Let me say at the outset that I love kids acting out the Nativity story. I love the bathtowels on the shepherds heads and the stilted dialogue and the missed cues. There's a charm to an old fashioned children's Christmas pageant that cannot be equaled by any sophisticated production. Besides, any problems or difficulties we faced could easily have been solved if we had started rehearsals just a little earlier.

Like February.

The angel appears to Mary.

All began well. But somehow, someway, our angels didn't want to leave the stage after appearing to the shepherds. They stood there smiling in their beautiful silver and white splendor and didn't leave, in spite of the frantic waves and stage whispers of me and the other teachers. The narrator, not aware that the action on the stage had come to a complete halt, kept reading the passage. The shepherds, who had to go with haste to see the Baby, got caught in an angelic traffic jam.

Eventually, everyone got to where they were supposed to be. And the moms and dads loved every minute. So did I. After the program, I turned to one of our other leaders. He and I shared a shell-shocked look for a second, then burst into laughter!

I wouldn't want a "Week" every season. But aside from some self-evaluation, it's good to know that there are no more programs to produce, costumes to try on, or parts to cast. It's time to relax and celebrate Christmas!

ON A MORE SOBERING NOTE

One of our little guys from our church's daycare was critically injured in a snowmobile accident over the weekend. He is only five years old and his injuries are life-threatening. Please pray for his recovery and especially for the family at this time.

"THE WEEK": EPISODE II

It's called "The Week": a scheduling innovation in which our church's special Christmas programs happen to fall within a short time of each other. And since most of our volunteers for these programs tend to volunteer for others as well, it makes for a very busy time. The upside is that everything is done and over with early in the month, allowing us a little more time to enjoy December. Plus, there is the added blessing of being able to present the story of Christ's birth to different audiences. In our case, we have three opportunities this week. Earlier, we described our DayCare Christmas Program (held Thursday). Today, in Episode 2, we presesnt "Don't Rain on My Parade."

Our event on Saturday night is a very special one for our church and community. It is the "Live Nativity Procession," and it has the distinction of being a church presentation presented on behalf of a secular, civic organization. The Community Association is a citizen committee that works to promote the image and well-being of the city. During the 4th of July, the Association runs the parade and fireworks display. They organize many patriotic events.

And in December, they run a series of events collectively known as "Christmas Around Town." There are downtown carol sings, where the giant pine tree is lit up. There's a house decorating contest and the obligatory visit from Santa on a fire truck. And then there is the Live Nativity. At its most basic, the Community Association asks the city's church's to recreate the Nativity. Usually, one church takes the lead, with other churches participating (although the reality is that one church generally takes on most of the program). For the past four years, our church has been asked to stage and host the program.

The action begins at the little park on Main Street with the angelic announcement to Mary, then Joseph. The couple (along with a live donkey) then proceeds up the street, where the audience then sees the dramatic appearance of the angel to the shepherds. Across the covered bridge and to the Grange building, the spectators can see King Herod send the Wise Men on their way.

Joseph and Mary and friends go over the covered bridge

And then, in the front parking lot, the manger scene is recreated. No, the costumes are not Hollywood issue. And is that an angel on a.....ladder? But it's special...almost like a living Christmas card (we even have lowing cattle!)

Tonight (Saturday) was great! After days and nights of bitterly cold temperatures, an approaching front brought the temps up to a comfortable 55. There was a 60 percent chance of rain, but it didn't arrive until an hour or two after the procession! We had plenty of cast, plenty of helpers, better sound (no more strained vocal chords for the narrator). Live Nativity 06 was such an incredible blessing. Once again, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as I saw Mary and Joseph. My week has been full of personal crises that have tended to distract from the events of "The Week" (and one day, when I feel peace about sharing, I'll let you in on what's been going on. In the meantime, I covet your prayers). But as I saw Mary and Joseph, the Baby, the Shepherds and Wise Men, and the Angels, I once again felt the familiar catch in my throat as we quietly sang "Silent Night."

Beautiful.

Two events down, one to go. Join us next entry for "The Week", episode III.

"THE WEEK": EPISODE I

It doesn't happen every year, but it seems to happen often enough that we have come up with a name for it: "The Week."

Like most mid-size churches, a great deal of work is done by a small number of volunteers. When it comes to Christmas time, there is always extra to do in the form of special programs and events. So in an inspired piece of insanity, we decided that, rather than string out our special programs throughout December (thus, always having them in front of us!), we would schedule everthing for more or less the same week.

Okay, our hearts are in the right place. And it really does help to get all the prep, all the stress, and all the special costuming done at the front part of the month. But wow.....every year this happens, we find ourselves asking the timeless question that has plagued philosophers for centuries: "What? Are you nuts?"

Assuming that the answer to the above question is not neccesarily a deal breaker and you will continue reading, we present episode 1 of "The Week" with a little number I like to call "Do You See What I E-P-C-B-C-D-C?"

3's and 4's play for the Lord while proclaiming Jesus' love.

For the past eleven years, our church has operated a Christian child care center and preschool. A few of our KidServants (Children's Ministry volunteers) also are employed at the DayCare, including yours truly. I teach a 4 year old class part time. And every year, we put on a Christmas program for the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, etc. There is always last minute prep. I usually prepare a devotion and a video retrospect (using tried and true amateur technology: two vcrs and my camera!), plus emcee the event. The rest of the teachers get the kids into full program mode worthy of a Marine drill instructor.

Thursday was the big day. It reminds me a lot of the show Trading Spaces, where the designers and carpenters are frantically trying to put the finishing touches on before the deadlines. In our case, it was ears, tales, angel wings, and so on. But in the end, the show went on...and the kids were great...and the gospel was proclaimed...and the Lord was glorified!

Note to all program directors: you absolutely cannot go wrong with the nursery department dressed up like angels!

The after school kids performed The Mouse's Tale.

One event down. Two more to come....one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Stay tuned!

MAKEOVER 2006

My brother-in-law was always fond of saying, "if necessity is the mother of invention, then laziness is the father." I'm not sure what motivated us to change our stage design, but maybe it was a little of both. You see, like hundreds of other churches across the nation, we don't have the size or the budget to build a million dollar, multi-media, special effects filled wonderland for our children. I'm not knocking churches that do that--God has obviously blessed them with the resources to connect with kids on a Disney-land like level. And most of the pastors and children's workers from these churches will tell you that their ministries boil down to relationship! So the "wow" factor may differ in different churches of different sizes, but we have the same mission. End of sermon on "Philosophy of Children's Ministry". Now where was I?

Oh yeah...necessity is the mother of invention, laziness is the father! The last time we designed our stage, we played up our ministry theme of "Building His Kingdom, Reaching His Kids." One of our KidServants (who also happens to be an elder) works for a local contractor. I asked for street and road construction signs. He came through. Before long, we had the stage decked out:

It was good, it was colorful, it was fun. But since our children's ministry takes place in our fellowship hall, everything has to be moved whenever there is a special event. Thus it came to pass in the fullness of time (usually on Friday afternoons), that I had to "strike set"...a process that took over an hour. And then, on Saturday night, the stage had to be reassembled. I was glad to do it, but I kept thinking, "when we get to the point when we want to refurbish the stage, let's go for simple."

Well, the time came. Our ministry theme is the same, but we opted for a less cluttered appearance. One of our first tasks was to clear out everything...a task that made the stage even more cluttered.

Before finishing the stage, we wanted to do a couple of things in the room itself. We don't have a picture of it, but we moved a set of red, blue, and yellow blocks (previously props on the stage) to the floor as reading benches near our bookrack. We set up a table on the floor to put one of our games--after covering it with a colorful table cloth purchased from the dollar store.

We wanted some smaller, kid-sized tables. Our contractor brother came through again with three black cable spools. On the church work day, we put some teens to work with spray paint:

Then our friend glued a clear solid plastic sheet over one end to make the surface flat. The result: three cool looking kid station tables:

During the church work day, the men were going to toss out a table that had been used as a counter in our day care center. It had a beautiful top and it seemed like a shame to throw it out. So I claimed it. A fresh coat of paint, a foam board sign with cardboard letters purchased from a school supply store, and ta-daaa: our new check-in table:

As for the stage, we got rid of most everything. One of our former high school students, who happened to be active in set design, made some lightweight, portable backdrops that we can move, paint, re-paint, turn-around, whatever we have need of. Our plans called for dark curtains on either side of the stage (front to back). A very talented seamstress in our church made the curtains at a fraction of what it would cost us to special order them. The transformation was startling:

No, we're not really done. As long as good people have ideas, we will keep adjusting and changing and upgrading. We're wanting to integrate our sound system and computer system. There's talk of getting a projector system and mounting a screen.

But in the end, these kids and their friends is what its about...building His kingdom, reaching His kids!

PICNIC AND HIKE AT WHISKEY SPRINGS

We enjoy camping during the summer, but for various reasons, all our camping trips got squeezed out this year. Needing a taste of the woods, but not able to get away for an extended period of time, we settled on a day long picnic near one of our regular camping locations: Whiskey Springs.

Whiskey Springs has no whiskey. Apparently, the old miners enjoyed naming the various streams in the area after alchoholic beverages.

What Whiskey Springs does have is a very pleasant 1 mile trail that loops around the campground and back.

the trailhead

Interpretive signs explain some of the sights

This picture does not do justice to the gorgeous fall colors of the trees and bushes. Nor can it capture the sound of the brooks and streams that crisscross along the trail. Since it was October, there weren't a lot of campers and picnickers, so it was relatively quiet.

Beaver Pond

The other neat thing about Whiskey Springs is its natural habitat for beavers. An observation deck along the trail overlooks the beaver pond. Since beavers are nocturnal animals, there's not a lot to see in the middle of the day. But I've been camping at Whiskey Springs in years past and have ventured forth on a cool, foggy dawn and saw the little critters swimming around and diving under what looks like debris (but what is, in actuality, their home).

Overall, a very nice day.

JUST FOR FUN: SNICKERS

A friend recently commented that I need to blog more. So I decided to take a moment and write about one of my weaknesses and pleasures of life.

I refer, of course, to the Snickers candy bar.

I cannot imagine the incredible insight and veritable fount of wisdom that produced such a perfect blend of peanuts, caramel, and chocolate. Sure it was named after a horse some 75 years ago. But from such humble beginnings, Snickers has become one of the best selling candy bars in the world.

Now as a general rule, I'm not really into sweet snacks. I'm more of a "salty, crunchy" kind of guy. Yes, I'll have a donut once in a great while. And I have eaten my share of candy bars and treats other than Snickers. So no, I am not "addicted" to Snickers.

But, oh my.....

Snickers and a cup of hot coffee will pick me up in the mid-afternoon. On days when I know I'll be skipping lunch, a Snickers bar provides a great substitute. And nutrition? Okay...okay...it's a candy bar, so nutrition is not the issue. But it's got peanuts for protein and skim milk. Hey...protein and skim milk are not bad, right? And in the midst of a busy afternoon of studying, lesson prep, and research, it's nice to lean back in the chair or take a leisurely walk outside and unwrap a Snickers bar, feeling the familiar sweet tingle of the chocolate and caramel and the light resistance of the firmly embedded peanuts as my teeth clamp down upon them. Ahhhhhhh....

Snickers has a new ad campaign with a strumming singer extolling the virtues of Snickers. It practically sums up the experience. To see it, and to learn more information about Snickers, you can visit www.snickers.com. Meanwhile, enjoy.

(next snack food installment (if there is a next one) will be about Cornnuts!)

CM LESSONS FROM THE CROCODILE HUNTER

Like most folks, I was saddened to hear of the passing of the "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. He was a conservationist and entertainer and educator who brought many hours of enjoyment into our home. I do not know where Mr. Irwin stood on matters of faith, but there is no denying his contribution to our world.

As I was reflecting on Steve Irwin's impact, I remembered that I had often used the "Crocodile Hunter" as an illustration of qualities we look for in children's ministers. See if these thing aren't at least a little true.

1. The "Crocodile Hunter" was passionate about his mission. Wherever he went, he threw his own self into teaching and begging and persuading folks to care about all animals. As a children's worker, I need to be passionate about what I do...with every fiber of my being.

2. The "Crocodile Hunter" was realistic about the dangers, but dove in anyway! Many times, Mr. Irwin would talk about how a particular snake was the deadliest of them all, with twelve inch fangs that could pierce a concrete block and a body that could crush a sumo wrestler. Getting near this snake was full of danger...danger...danger. And then, with an impish grin, he said, "I can hardly wait!"
Let's face it, children's ministry is not that dangerous. But there are challenges that many sophisticated adults don't want to undertake. Kids can be loud, messy, uncouth, and uninhibited. So let's jump in, shall we?

3. The "Crocodile Hunter" immersed himself in the environment of the animals. He got down on his belly. He climbed up in the tree. He moved like an animal. He could have commented on the animal world like an outside expert. Instead, he got in there and related to the creatures he dealt with.
As a children's worker, I can't afford to stand off disconected to the kids I work with. I need to relate to them. I need to listen to their music and understand their tv shows and immerse myself in their culture.

4. The "Crocodile Hunter" was in control and had an aim. Although it seemed at times that Steve Irwin had a careless disregard for his own safety, he was always keenly aware that he was the human with the strategy to rescue the animal in question. Every movement, every action was a result of planning and experience.
As much as I immerse myself in the culture of the children, I need to always be aware that I am the grownup. The love of Christ compels me to reach these kids with the gospel. So what I do "kid wise", I do with the aim of eternity.

5. The "Crocodile Hunter" had a support network. While we most often saw his wife Terri, other programs revealed a group of co-workers who shared Steve's passion and enthusiasm and who were ready to jump in at a moment's notice to help carry out the mission.
There is no underestimating the importance of a network of support. Obviously, one's family is on the front lines. But co-laborers, fellow servants who can help bear burdens and step in as needed, are invaluable.

6. The "Crocodile Hunter" had enthusiastic fun. There was no question that Steve Irwin enjoyed what he did. It wasn't a chore, he didn't get stuck with it.
Am I serving because its my turn? Am I counting the minutes before the final illustration, hoping the senior pastor doesn't go over time? Or am I having a blast, with as much fun and enthusiasm as the kids?

There are probably more comparisons, but I think you get the point. Children's ministry is perhaps the highest calling a servant can have. It's full of joy, but it's not for the timid. Let's make an effort by God's grace to have some "Crocodile Hunter" qualities.

I can hardly wait!