kidmin Archives - Page 34 of 51

Edible Olympic “Torch”

02/05/201402/05/2014 Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

Last summer, our VBS attenders made edible torches for snack – they fit our “Athens” theme. I thought I’d share them again, considering the 2014 Winter Olympics is right around the corner.

What you’ll need:

Sugar cones
Yogurt (I believe we used vanilla)
Strawberries (although any red fruit would work)

What you’ll do:

Scoop yogurt into a sugar cone – the cone will be the ‘torch’ base.
Top yogurt with strawberries – this will be the ‘flame’.

*You could also add mandarin orange slices to give the ‘flame’ an orange glow.

Are you incorporating any Olympic-inspired snacks into your home or kidmin this weekend?

Creatively Advertise Your Ministry – Without Breaking the Bank

02/03/201402/03/2014 Kathie Phillips 4 Comments

Yesterday, my family and I enjoyed a long-standing tradition – getting together for the Super Bowl. Yes, the guys are interested in the game – and we ladies were, too, last year when our Baltimore Ravens were playing. But fellowship, great food, 2 birthdays (my dad & my sister’s birthdays always fall around Super Bowl weekend), and funny commercials are the REAL reasons we enjoy our annual Super Bowl party.

Speaking of commercials..The Washington Post reported that a 30-second advertisement cost approximately $4 million this year. With over 100 million viewers expected to tune in to the game, corporate sponsors are able to reach a plethora of potential consumers. Might be a good investment then, right?

Most of us in kidmin would never have a $4 million budget, let alone $4 million for a 30-second advertisement but there are some ways to creatively ‘advertise’ your ministry without breaking the bank. Here are a few suggestions:

Word of mouth is always a winner. People will tell their friends about the wonderful things happening in your ministry. (Sadly, the opposite is also true.)
A great church/ministry website is also a winner. More and more of our families find us via the internet nowadays, so having a top-notch website is a great investment. Our ministry will be updating our website in the coming weeks and I am very excited about that!
Bulletin ads are an effective tool in getting the word out about your ministry. There have been debates on whether or not to use church bulletins to recruit volunteers but bulletins can be a great way to give a brief snapshot of what’s happening in your ministry.
Reach the masses by having upfront announcements, videos, and skits presented to your entire congregation at weekend services. Having a ministry staffer or key volunteer do this is awesome. Having your Senior Pastor do this is also awesome.
E-newsletters are another great (and oftentimes free) route to choose. I use Mail Chimp to send weekly updates to our ministry parents. The information hits their inbox and is always available at their fingertips.
Social media, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, are also free tools that are very effective in getting the word out. Many members of our congregation use social media so getting information to them in this way is extremely effective.
Getting the word out via text alerts is something that many ministries use. I currently do not use this type of advertisements but those that do have shared how awesome it is to send a mass text to parents, students, and/or volunteers.
Quality colorful, eye-catching posters and banners are great ‘oldies but goodies’. Pair them up with a creatively decorated table, printed materials, a smiling volunteer and food is also a winner. Read here about how our ministry pulled this off this past summer.
Other great options include diaper bag tags, buttons, ink pens, hats, backpacks, water bottles, t-shirts – anything that can be printed with your ministry’s logo. Many times these items help strike up great conversations outside of your church walls.

How have you creatively advertised your ministry on a budget? I’m always looking for ideas, so please share yours by leaving a comment below!

Ministry Basics: Making Children Feel Welcome

01/31/201401/31/2014 Kathie Phillips

Last week, our area of the country experienced snow and bitter cold temperatures. Everyone was desperate to find a warm place to escape the cold, including a stray cat that has unofficially become part of our family over the past year. The cat, who my son has affectionately named Patches, was shivering so badly that my son asked if he could bring her into the house (in a cage that we purchased over the summer) to get warm. My response: “Of course.” Once inside the house, she stopped shivering and slept peacefully, thankful it seemed to be out of the cold.

Children who enter our church doors also crave a warm place – not just a physically warm space on a cold winter’s day but an emotionally & spiritually warm place whose impact will last much longer.

So how can we make our churches a warm, inviting place where children crave to be?

For First-Time Guests

Introduce yourself to the child (and his or her family) during the check-in process.
Engage the child in conversation while the parents are completing the check-in process. Get down on their level and look them in the eye.
Explain what the morning will look like – what they’ll experience, who will teach them, etc.
Walk the child and family to their classroom instead of pointing them in the right direction.
Introduce them by name to the adult(s) in charge.

*Note: Our ministry pairs up a first-time guest with a regular attender of the same age/gender. This child will help the first-timer feel at ease and will look out for them during the class time.

Regular Attenders

Welcome them by name. Get down on their level and look them in the eye.
Express how happy you are to see them and spend the day with them – and mean it!
Ask them about their week – school, sporting events, etc.
Invite them to join in on an activity.
Listen to them when they share. Listen really well.
Ask how you can pray for them. Pray for them, even during the week. Then follow-up with them the following week.
Talk to the child’s parent. Know that your ministry to children also includes the grown ups in their lives.

“And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Jesus, Matthew 18:5

Who will you welcome this weekend with the love of Jesus? What other ways would you make a child feel welcome?

KidMin Interview Tips

01/29/201401/29/2014 Kathie Phillips

Last week, I posted two kidmin job opportunities here on the blog. A few days later, I was contacted by someone who asked for interview tips for someone considering a job in kidmin.

I shared a few tips with them. Actually quite a few would be more accurate. I thought I’d share some of my main points, not in any particular order, with all of you:

1.Pray for direction from God. Has He called you to kidmin? Do you feel pursuing a ministry position is the right thing for you at this time? Are your motives pure?

2. Do your homework about the ministry you are considering. Visit their website/social media page to learn their vision, core values, philosophy of ministry, Statement of Faith, etc.

3. Look carefully at the job description provided. Know what they’re looking for and determine if the position might be a good fit for you.

4. Contact the ministry to get additional information before applying. I’d suggest doing this by phone rather than by email.

5. If you feel God is calling you to apply, update and clean up your resume. (I’d suggest doing this occasionally, even when you’re not looking for a new job.) Make sure it’s visually appealing, formatted properly and free of spelling and grammatical errors. Highlight your education background, ministry experience and qualifications. Remember: your resume is making an impression on the potential employer.

6. Prepare for the interview by:

thinking about what skills/abilities/passion you bring to the table, not just what the ministry can do for you.
embracing being a team player. Many churches lean towards a team approach to ministry.
bringing along some sort of portfolio with lessons you’ve written, print materials you’ve created, etc.
knowing that some ‘corporate’ skills are usually desired, especially for larger churches. You know those ‘buzz words’: innovative, strategic, creative, etc.
highlighting ways that you’re still learning and developing your skill set, i.e. training, conferences and classes.
showing a fun, personal side. Talk some about your family and your interests outside of ministry.
making a list of questions to ask the interviewer. Ask good questions.

This list is by no means exhaustive but it made for a good conversation. Just a few thoughts from someone who’s been both the interviewee and interviewer.

What would you add to the list? What tips would you give someone looking for a job in kidmin?