By Debra Kreienkamp on January 25, 2011
I recently attended a local art fair. Even though my own twin brother was one of the artists, I wasn’t especially fond of anything on display. I visited booth after booth, and after awhile, everything started to look alike. Three eyes on a face. Ten arms on one body. Disconnected arms and toes. Words that [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Devotions, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Free Resources, Men's Ministry, Pastor, Sermon Ideas, Sunday School, Teachers, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged bible, Christian, devotion, Encouragement, men's ministry, Sermon Ideas, Women's Ministry
By Debra Kreienkamp on November 8, 2010
Fall is a great time for handyman projects. Every project goes best when you have the right tools. So what’s in your toolbox? Or, more to the point for this blog, what’s in your spiritual toolbox? It always amazes me to discover God’s faithful equipping in my life. For example, a few weeks ago in [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Church Volunteers, Devotions, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Pastor, Sunday School, Teachers, Women's Ministry Tagged appreciation, bible, Christian, devotion, Encouragement, men's ministry, Volunteers, Women's Ministry
By Debra Kreienkamp on June 30, 2010
On a recent trip to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, my family and I scoped out restaurants for a wedding rehearsal dinner. We had planned to see a few sites along the way. When we got downtown, though, we encountered a series of roadblocks because of a parade. It was a minor inconvenience. Roadblocks usually warn [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Ministry, Outreach/Evangelism, Pastor, Teachers, Visitors, Witnessing Tagged evangelism, outreach, VBS, Volunteers, welcoming visitors
By Debra Kreienkamp on May 4, 2010
This past weekend I spent some time in the company of a wonderful woman who is living and leaving a legacy. My aunt Irene, the oldest and only living relative of the generation, is now the matriarch of the family and over the weekend, she extended an open invitation to her daughters, daughter- in-laws, nieces, [...]
Posted in Grandparents Day, Ministry, Outreach/Evangelism, Witnessing Tagged family reunion, Grandparents Day, legacy, living a legacy, outreach
By Debra Kreienkamp on March 18, 2010
Who is this Jesus Christ!? That was the question an 18-year-old student at the Hong Kong International School (HKIS) asked me seven years ago. I had taken an opportunity to travel to China on a servant trip with 12 youth from my congregation. We were blessed to have five students from HKIS as interpreters while [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Outreach/Evangelism, Pastor, Witnessing, Youth Ministry Tagged Comfort and Care, Encouragement, evangelism, Pastoral Ministry, Witnessing
By Debra Kreienkamp on February 1, 2010
As regular readers know, I serve on the faculty of a Christian preschool. As I teach, I love taking students into our church on sunny days. Among other things, they enjoy seeing the way the light shining through the stained glass windows casts a colorful shadow on the walls and floor. The children love seeing [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Devotions, Encouraging Volunteers, Epiphany, Men's Ministry, Pastor, Women's Ministry Tagged Christian, devotion, Encouragement, men's ministry, Pastor, Women's Ministry
By Debra Kreienkamp on January 4, 2010
I feel like screaming, “It’s not over!” True enough, the Christmas music in stores is gone, decorations and trees have disappeared from the malls, and few people are jumping up and down with excitement at the prospect of buying ½ price Christmas merchandise for next year. Most everybody is headed back to work or school. But the Wise [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christmas, Devotions, Epiphany, Ministry, Teachers Tagged 12th Day of Christmas, Epiphany, Magi, Twelfth Day of Christmas, Wise Men
By Debra Kreienkamp on November 16, 2009
Five years ago our preschool was looking for a way host a Christmas celebration for our families. We decide on an Advent Worship and Cookie Reception. We’ve made it an annual event. The service offers an opportunity for even our non-member families to gather in a casual, non-threatening environment to celebrate the Savior’s birth. CTA has helped [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christmas, Ministry Tagged children's Christmas service, children's ministry, Christmas, Christmas program, preschool, school ministry, Sunday School
By Debra Kreienkamp on November 10, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving Day! But wait! What about the month? What about a Happy Thanksgiving month?! I’ve always enjoyed sharing Thanksgiving Day at church and with my family. But this year, I’ve decided to observe a personal thanksgiving month. I want to take some time and effort to say thanks to people who have been a [...]
Posted in Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Thanksgiving Tagged appreciation, Encouragement, Thanksgiving
By Debra Kreienkamp on October 23, 2009
We often, in a joking manner, refer to the Parent’s Day Out program in our church as a “Starbuck’s for Children.” Why? At Starbuck’s, customer service is called “personal hospitality” and is their #1 priority. They build a relationship with each customer. It is no secret that people feel special sipping a Starbuck’s drink, but it [...]
Posted in Ministry Tagged children's ministry, community, Dad's Day Out, Encouragement, Moms Day Out, Parent's Day Out, teacher