Category: KidMin Leadership

What 2020 Reminded Me About Kidmin Leaders

Kathie Phillips

I have always been proud to be part of the kidmin community. There are many reasons I feel that way but one is that I believe kidmin leaders are some of the most creative and innovative leaders on the planet. We know how to stretch budgets, recycle and repurpose common items and think up some pretty amazing (and sometimes crazy) ideas.

COVID-19 Realities

Then 2020 rolled in and ministry (and the world as we knew it) changed. During all stages of the pandemic to the current day, words and phrases such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘pivoting’, and ‘new normal’ became part of almost every piece of communication sent to those in our ministries.

Those phrases, while accurate on many levels, also described how ministry to kids and families operated. Kids ministry leaders all around the world adapted to ministry during a time when everything around us changed. My fellow kidmin leaders worked tirelessly to keep kids, families and volunteers engaged during this historic time. It was important for leaders to keep some sense of normalcy and familiarity to the kids when so much around them had been taken away.

Through it all, I was reminded of a few things that are true about kidmin leaders.

Kidmin leaders are flexible.

On Thursday, March 12, 2020, our governor announced that group gatherings exceeding 250 people would not be permitted. That meant my church would not be able to meet that upcoming Sunday – just three days away. That was also true of countless churches around the country.

I remember seeing my social media feeds being filled with posts from frantic leaders about what to do next. Leaders like myself raced to come up with a plan and communicate that plan to family and volunteers. This plan included uploading curriculum content to websites, sending downloadable pages to families to do at home and coming up with a plan for the weeks moving forward.

Kidmin leaders are learners.

Much of COVID-19 kidmin has been technology-driven, which means that leaders had to (quickly) learn how to create, film, edit and upload content, teach families how to find and utilize the content, and navigate social media and other tools to help get the Word of God into the homes of families in their ministry. This was in addition to keeping up with health metrics to make wise choices in regards to regathering in person.

Kidmin leaders are passionate about sharing the love of Jesus, no matter what it takes.

Drive-through events, virtual gatherings, monthly activity bags, live videos, social media story times…these are just a few things that ministry leaders did to keep ministry going despite being apart. For ministries that met in person, editing curriculum activities to allow for physical distancing and adopting new health and safety protocols became top priorities. Why? Because sharing the love of Jesus no matter what it takes was of utmost importance.

To all of my fellow kidmin leaders, thank you for persevering. You’ve weathered a very difficult storm. Thank you for all of your hard work and prayers on behalf of your ministries. Thank you for being committed to the spiritual development of kids and families no matter what. I am proud to be part of this community. Your heart and passion for ministry keep me inspired.

10 Tips for Kidmin Leaders Working Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

The recent COVID-19 pandemic is not only impacting the way we worship but also the way we work. If you’re like me, you may be working remotely for the next few weeks. For some of you, the thought of working remotely brings a bag of mixed emotions:

  • bittersweet relief, because you were in need of respite;
  • terror, because you’re an extrovert and being away from people for so long seems unfathomable and isolating;
  • panic, because you may have to adopt a new, temporary way of doing ministry; and
  • disillusionment, because you’re just not sure what to do or where to start.

I thought I’d share a few suggestions dealing with the last point because despite all of the things beyond our control right now, we can use the time at home to our benefit.

  1. Develop a plan for when services/ministry resumes.
    • What safety measures are you taking? (For example, I read a suggestion to toss used play doh. I’ve already ordered a new supply.)
    • What needs to be communicated to volunteers and parents?
    • What supplies, if any, need to be ordered?
  2. Think through how you can keep families connected and engaged while in-person services are put on hold. Consider using social media, email and other platforms to share resources that families can use at home.
  3. Be available for meetings via platforms such as Zoom or Google Hangouts. While your in-person meetings may be temporarily suspended, there are platforms to keep you connected and allow you to plan and strategize for the weeks to come.
  4. Listen to podcasts. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always make time for listening to podcasts. Looking for great ones to check out? Here are a few suggestions:
  5. Read. If you have been meaning to read ‘that’ book, now is a good time. I am currently reading a few but Dale Hudson’s Lead Well in Children’s Ministry has given me lots of golden nuggets recently.
  6. Catch up on email. It’s easy to let our inboxes overflow so now’s a great time to work toward a zero inbox.
  7. Get ahead in your planning. Get a head start on lesson planning, ordering needed supplies, summer camp/VBS or even next ministry year. Do what you can and plan as best as you can.
  8. Collaborate with staff, ministry leaders and community leaders about ways to meet felt needs of those in your church and community. School closures because of COVID-19 means parents might be in need of childcare support and meals. Vulnerable neighbors might not be able to pick up prescriptions, make it to the grocery store, or walk their dogs. How can you help with that?
  9. Use your social media platform to provide encouraging words, scriptures and prayer. With all that’s happening, fear and anxiety levels are high. Your presence can be comfort to families who need it.
  10. Rest. Every day life patterns are being disrupted. Children are asking questions that parents may feel ill-equipped to answer. Supplies are in short supply. Take time to turn off the noise (TV and social media) to just rest. Pray about what’s happening. Pray for those guiding us. Pray for ways you can support those around you. Pray for your own peace of mind and for peace that passes all understanding. Remember, God is still in control.

Ponder: what steps can you take to maximize your time at home if you’re working remotely? Leave me a comment below to let me know!

What I’m Working On This Month

Kathie Phillips

Here’s What’s Happening In October!

After a very busy September (Promotion Sunday, Volunteer Kick-Off Party, and our 1st Preschool Family Experience for the new year), October looks to be a much more laid back month. However, there are some things that I’m looking forward to!

CURRICULUM

Each month, I edit our curriculum to fit our needs. During this process, we inventory our supplies and order any needed supplies. Thankfully, this month we had most of the supplies we needed! I did order these for our preschoolers, who are learning that God can help them be brave. Each preschooler will get to wear one home on the last Sunday of the month. I’m also excited that our preschoolers will hear one of my favorite Bible stories.

EVENTS

This month, we are celebrating one of our milestone events, 2nd Grade Bible Presentations. Each 2nd grader will receive a Bible (we present these) along with a handwritten note from one of our pastors. A few years ago, we moved this celebration to each of our worship services, which has allowed the entire congregation to celebrate with these precious kids and their families.

We are also preparing for another milestone celebration, our 3-week Communion Class. I will share more about that next month.

OUTREACH

One other thing I’m excited about is that our children (ages 2 – 5th grade) will get to be part of our all-church outreach focus – our annual clothing drive. Kids will be encouraged to be neighborhood heroes (which fits perfectly into our preschool superhero theme for October) by donating and collecting clothes for the giveaway. Our elementary children will help sort donations as part of their missions-emphasis Sunday next week. We love having our entire church be part of a missions project!

FREELANCE PROJECTS

In addition to my ministry work, I am working on a few freelance projects – writing preschool lessons for a curriculum company and writing devotions for a Children’s Ministry publication. I can’t wait to share more about these projects soon!

My second round of my online class through Institute for Discipleship begins next week. I will be teaching class #2 in their kidmin cohort, which will cover teaching theology to kids. It was a great class this past spring, and I’m hopeful for another positive experience.

That’s what’s happening in my neck of the woods. What are you up to this month? Let me know by leaving me a comment below!

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No More Manic Mondays!

Kathie Phillips

Mondays don't have to be manic! Here's what my Mondays look like like and how it sets me up for a productive week!

Mondays.  The day of the week many people dread for various reasons.  However, for many others, Mondays offer a start to accomplish new goals and gives a fresh perspective to tackle the week ahead and allows.  You either love ’em or you hate ’em.

Mondays don’t have to be manic. They can be magnificent!

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Today, I’m sharing a peek into what my Mondays typically look like.  These seven tasks help me to start my week off on the right foot.  While I don’t do every single thing below every Monday, this gives you a general idea of what I block Mondays out for.

FOLLOW UP WITH NOTES FROM SUNDAY

Each Sunday, I carry a clipboard (yes, I’m very old school – I am a ‘pen and paper’ type of gal) with my Sunday volunteer list and blank paper.  I make notes of any upcoming volunteer absences, school performances, special occasions/milestones, prayer requests, supply needs, etc.  If I don’t write it down, I forget!  On Mondays, I transfer these notes to my daily planner and follow-up accordingly.

FOLLOW UP WITH VOLUNTEERS WHO CALLED OUT

Like any kidmin leader knows, rarely a Sunday goes by without a volunteer calling out unexpectedly due to illness (or the illness of a child), traveling or last-minute emergencies.  I follow-up with an email or text, asking for any updates on how they’re feeling, if I can bring a meal, how I might help, etc.  I want my volunteers to know that I truly care about them and that I miss them when they’re not able to serve.

UPDATE THIS WEEKEND’S VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE

Each Monday, I update my volunteer schedule to reflect those who are serving for the upcoming weekend.  This is especially helpful early in the week because I can identify serving opportunities (not “slots” or “holes”) quickly and know exactly what our needs are.  Doing this early in the week also saves me those unexpected surprises and scrambling at the last-minute.

INVEST IN MY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

In order to grow as a leader, I have to invest in myself.  This could include reading books/blogs/articles, listening to podcasts, viewing webinars or meeting with another leader.  By blocking out this time each week, I am able to invest in myself so that I can pour into others.  See some of my favorite books here and my favorite magazines, websites, social media networks and podcasts here.

MEET WITH VOLUNTEERS AND/OR PARENTS

It is very important for me to spend time with my volunteers and parents outside of Sunday morning.  Nothing makes the beginning of a busy week better than grabbing coffee, breakfast or lunch with a volunteer or parent.  Doing this in a relaxed setting allows for us to have great conversations and get to know each other better. (*Note: this is typically ‘issue’-free.  We meet on Mondays just for fun and fellowship.)

CURRICULUM EDITING

Honestly, this is one of my favorite parts of my week.  I love seeing ‘raw’ curriculum become ‘live’ curriculum that I’ll get to see in real-time!  I’ll share my process for editing our curriculum in a future post, but when I sit down to edit, I edit for the entire month/unit so that I can (1) get an overview for the entire month, (2) set a cohesive tone for the entire month, (3) build on each week based on the previous week, and (4) purchase any needed supplies in one order.

SCHEDULE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

I schedule all of our social media posts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for the entire month on the first Monday of each month.  This saves me a HUGE amount of time and gives me one less thing to think about.

TOOLS I USE TO GET THE JOB DONE

Google Docs – I use this to keep track of who is serving when and where – this is a great tool because any necessary changes are made in real-time and I’m able to share the document with others on my team.

Hootsuite – This program allows me to schedule all of my social media posts for the entire month.  Not only can I do this from my computer, but I can use their app on the go.  Very flexible and very easy to use!

2018 At-A-Glance – Yes, I still use a paper planner, mainly because I take great joy in actually checking things off of my to-do list!  This planner is one of my favorites.

Keep the conversation going by leaving a comment: What do your Mondays look like?