Even There 

Before the song, before the light,  
in hush of dawn or darkest night, 
when words fall short, or none appear-- 
-God listens. Even there.
 
In broken hallelujahs rung, 
by weary hands or trembling tongue, 
through shadows deep or plaintive prayer-- 
-God listens. Even there.

 
When gladness dances, sorrow sighs,
beneath bright stars or stormy skies,
when fear and faith bring one to prayer
-God listens. Even there.

 
In grateful praise and quiet plea,
 by lifted hand or bended knee,
through silence deep when burdens tear
- God listens. Even there.

 
So let the music now arise, 
from longing hearts and tear-stained eyes; 
He hears us, meets us, leads us near-- 
-God listens. Even here.

(c) Don Stott.  Eliab.com June 28. 2025

 

Some resources to start your thinking, planning and praying about children in worship, faith development and the many challenges facing children and children's ministers in the future.
Books
Faithfully Different, Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain , Harvest House Publishers, 2022
Being the Bad Guys, How to live for Jesus in a world that says you shouldn't by Stephen McAlpine ,The Good Book Company, 2021
Evangelism in a Skeptical World, How to make the unbelievable news about Jesus more believable by Sam Chan , Zondervan Academic, 2018
Christians, The urgent case for Jesus in our world by Greg Sheridan , Allen&Unwin, 2021
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world by John Mark Comer
Hodder & Stoughton, 2019
Going the Distance, How to stay fit for a lifetime of Ministry by Peter Brain
The Good Book Company (UK) and Mattias Media (Aust), 2004
Articles and Web Links
The Decline and Renewal of the American Church. Four articles by Dr.Timothy Keller
Ministering to Generation Z and The Future of Children's Ministry
The Future of Kid's Ministry
7 Current and Future Trends of Children's Ministry
The Future of the Church is in your Kid's Ministry

WEBSITES...
A few years ago I created a website as a resource for Christian Education teaching (children aged 8-12 years). I'm now a retired teacher but I have maintained the site for those who might find some of the pages or the activities helpful.
Check it out here - http://RE3.weebly.com
See also the Sunday School website I created during COVID lockdown in Melbourne Aust.
2020 which may be of interest for those who still can't meet as a Sunday School  http://kidsvine.blogspot.com

 Leadership Leads
YOU AS THE LEADER
    Maintain your relationship with God – devotional life, quiet days, reading and prayer.
    Understand your leadership style and value it.
    Do things you are good at- find and develop others to do those things you find harder.
    Develop a support network – mentors, friends, parent support group, administrators, prayer team.
    Limit the number of programs and ministries you are involved in.

YOU AS THE LEADER TO LEADERS

    Know your vision, mission, values, strategy and goals
    Communicate these to the Church and your leaders -continually evaluate these with   your teams -  reports to Church Board or Council. Newsletter items, reports to other staff  members, meeting notes or email.
    Develop a structure of carers for your teams (80/20 principle)
    Encourage your volunteers – hold celebrations, write notes to them, phone-text email. Give them chocolate and lots of it!

FINDING, RECRUITING AND DEVELOPING LEADERS
When recruiting leaders -
    Pray for the right leaders.
    Some people have the gift of recruiting. Find them and use them well.
    Know the task you are asking them to do.
    Spend time getting to know your congregation well
    Work out whether you are a phone, letter, email or face to face recruiter.
    As you ask them to be involved remember you are doing them a favor not the other way around.
    Describe the task in way that appeals to them and is also truthful regarding time commitment, skills needed etc..
    Are the right people in the task already or is it hindering you finding volunteers?
    What is the environment like you are asking your leaders to work in?
    Have job descriptions
    Encourage leaders to fill out an application form and code of conduct form
    Provide training and support for your leaders
    Liase with other staff members so that you all have a balance of leaders.
    Put people in the right ministries
    Include your leaders in the decision making process.

"We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing" Psalm 39:6

What is your most profound regret in life? One pastor put it this way..

  "Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me  I  cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing... Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away."
-Mark Buchanan

 "TIME is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow down time: When I fully enter time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention. I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here. I can slow the torrent by being all here. I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment. And when I'm always looking for the glimpse of glory, I slow and enter. And time slows. Weigh down this moment in time with attention fully and the whole of time's river slows, slows, slows.''
-Ann Voskamp -"One Thousand Gifts".

"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you." Mother Teresa