Category: Christian Life - ELIAB.com

My Advent Leaf

12/28/2022

My Advent Leaf

Lowly leaf, still, beside the bush track
so scarred, deformed, and common place –
Yet your hollows and hues
draw me to kneel and look at you.
Now lifted, I notice a deeper design in this delicate gum.

As Advent begins, I’m reminded of Mary and Joseph
labouring along the Galilee trail to Bethlehem. –
Two humble souls, though sidelined and shamed
remain resolute, faithful, and grateful.
God’s plan may seem so flawed to some
but this devoted pair soon delight to hold the perfect “Promised One”!

As I cradle my fragile “Advent Leaf”
I’m reminded I need to stop; to welcome and worship
the “Creator King” who has come and who has seen
my sin -stained life and still loves me…
truly, completely, forever.

(c) Don Stott Dec 3 2022

The Future of Children's Ministry

10/11/2022

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

Christian Education Website- RE33.net

2/2/2021

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://RE33.net
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

10/2/2020

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.

Haste Makes Waste

9/4/2020

"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".

Beatitudes for Children's Workers

6/29/2020

Beatitudes for Children's Workers
Blessed are they who love children with all their heart, for they shall be rewarded with big smiles.

Blessed are they who have planned and prepared, for the children will be interested and pay attention.

Blessed are they that arrive early, for they shall be able to welcome the children have time to talk to them rather than rushing to get things in place.

Blessed are they that get to know the children, their children's parents, and the children's home situation; for they shall be able to minister more effectively.

Blessed are they who respect each child's personality and seek to meet that child on his or her own level of understanding, for young lives shall reap benefits from these efforts in years to come.

Blessed are they who bear witness to children week after week, for they shall see boys and girls grow in knowledge and love of God.

Blessed are they who spend time alone with God each day, for they shall grow spiritually and the Lord will use them as His instruments.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for the Lord will honour your commitment and give you pleasure and satisfaction in your ministry to children.

(author unknown)

Helping others

6/29/2020

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

Are You Lost?

6/4/2020

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Are you lost?
A grandfather was out walking with his grandson one day. "How far do you think we are from home?" he asked the grandson.
The boy said, "Grandpa, I don't know."
The grandfather asked, "Well, where are you?"
Again the boy said, "I don't know."
Then the grandfather chuckled and said, "Sounds to me as if you are lost."
The young boy looked up at his grandfather and said, "I can't be lost, I'm with you."
Ultimately that is the answer to all that worries or threatens us too. We are never lost; we are always safe- safe in the truest sense of the word when we are with God.

Your Choice

3/29/2020

Some things you're grateful for...

3/27/2020

Here are some questions about gratitude or being thankful you might like to share with your family.
1. Is there someone in this room you are thankful for?
2. What is your favourite animal? Why are you grateful that it is part of God's creation?
3. Did anyone do anything nice for you in the last few days?
4. Did you see someone else do something caring for another person?
5. What is your favourite place inside and outside your home? Why are they special to you?
6. What are your 3 favourite foods? Tell us about a time you enjoyed eating one of them.
7. Did something make you laugh today? What was it ?
8. What have you been given or what do you already have in your life that you are grateful for?
9. Tell us about a time today when you gave your best effort?
10. Share something you think you could give some extra effort to show improvement.
11. What do you think is happening in the picture of the cat and dog below?