By Karen Kogler on May 15, 2013
When you welcome new members to your church, help them volunteer! Most appreciate the help and Scripture teaches its value. (See last week’s blog, “New Members Make Great Volunteers” above) This is how we do that at St. Peter Lutheran in Arlington Heights, Illinois. First, we teach our new members, including those who transfer to [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Teachers, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged Recruiting volunteers, spiritual gifts, using volunteers
By admin on May 14, 2013
Spring is here and VBS will soon be in full bloom in churches across North America. Here are three new resources for VBS and summer Sunday school you won’t want to overlook! 1. Teachable Moments. These are unique teaching tools designed for those awkward five- or ten-minute gaps after the lesson ends and before it’s time [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Sunday School, Teachers, VBS, Youth Ministry Tagged help for Christian teachers, Summer Sunday School, VBS resources
By Gail Marsh on May 13, 2013
Editor’s note: Yesterday, families and churches all over the United States and in some other countries, too, observed Mother’s Day. While it’s a special day in many churches, women’s ministry goes on year round. This week’s devotion is slightly adapted from one of the free resources CTA has developed to accompany one of our new [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church staff, Devotions, Encouragement, Mother's Day, Pastor, Sermon Ideas, Women's Ministry Tagged free devotion, Women's Ministry, women's retreat
By Karen Kogler on May 8, 2013
Looking for volunteers? Talk to your newer members. Only about 10% of church newcomers have the self-confidence and initiative needed to jump into volunteering at a new church on their own. The rest need a warm, personal invitation and our encouragement. When newcomers read the ‘help wanted’ announcements in the weekly service folder or monthly [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Sunday School, Teachers, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged getting newcomers involved, Recruiting volunteers
By admin on May 7, 2013
This coming Sunday, May 12, 2013 is Mother’s Day. Are you looking for an easy project that even the youngest members of your Sunday school or midweek classes can do to express their love and thanks to Mom and Grandma? Then check out the free downloadable Mother’s Day card CTA is making available. Scroll to [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Free Resources, Mother's Day, Sunday School, Teachers, Youth Ministry Tagged free Mother's Day card, Mother's Day, Mother's Day and children
By Kristin Schultz on May 6, 2013
Editor’s note: Next Sunday, May 13, 2013, families and churches all over the United States and in some other countries, too, will observe Mother’s Day. This devotion is slightly adapted from one of the free resources CTA is making available to ministry leaders to underscore one of our new themes for women’s ministry this spring, [...]
Posted in Devotions, Encouragement, Mother's Day, Women's Ministry Tagged free devotion, Mother's Day, Women's Ministry
By Andrea Lohman on May 1, 2013
Is your VBS volunteer kickoff meeting just around the corner? Would you love some help? Use these ideas to organize an event that will ignite everyone’s enthusiasm and jumpstart great VBS experience. Set specific goals for the kickoff event Having well-defined goals makes planning much easier. It will also help you keep the event [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Outreach/Evangelism, VBS Tagged VBS kickoff, VBS planning
By Jane Fryar on April 30, 2013
This time of year, activities in Christian schools, Sunday schools, CCD classes, choirs, Awana, and Bible clubs begin winding to a close. In a few weeks, the children and youth you have worked with for multiple weeks, months, or perhaps even years will move on—to a different class, school, or community. Perhaps one of the [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Graduation, Grandparents Day, Youth Ministry Tagged affirming kids, children's pastor, DCE, DRE, encouraging children, encouraging kids, youth pastor
By Gail Marsh on April 29, 2013
Editor’s note: This devotion is slightly adapted from CTA’s new devotion book for women’s ministry and Mother’s Day 2013, Woman of God®. Read 2 Peter 3:18. I’m not a patient gardener. I begin to fidget when winter temperatures warm above freezing. I mark pages in gardening catalogs months before it’s time to order seeds. And [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Devotions, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Mother's Day, Pastor, Sermon Ideas, Women's Ministry Tagged free devotion, Mother's Day
By admin on April 23, 2013
Editor’s note: Are you looking for a way to help the kids in your VBS, Sunday school class, or Bible club share the love of Jesus? Then check out this activity! The devotion below is adapted slightly from the free downloadable Ministry Message that accompanies it. Getting Started This devotion suggests that you read several [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Devotions, Encouragement, Pastor, Sunday School, Teachers, Youth Ministry Tagged children's ministry, children's pastor, DCE, DRE, free devotion