I find this to be a very special time of year, yet another beautiful season God sends us to enjoy. With these changes, we also begin to see pumpkins and scarecrows. Whether we live in a farming community or not, we begin to hear talk about the fall harvest.

In my classroom this time of year, we talk about the differences between fall and summer. Although many of my kindergarteners prefer summer, talking about all the positive aspects of fall helps them discover God’s glory in every season. As they name their own fall favorites, cooler days, raking leaves, bonfires, and going apple-picking almost always find their way onto our class list. We talk about the harvest, and about how God has blessed us with food for the winter months ahead.

Children love pumpkins, especially carving them and decorating them. I teach that just as a pumpkin with a candle inside shines with light from one end of the neighborhood to the other, we can shine with the light and love of Jesus. He lives in us and that means his love radiates from us into the lives of all the people we see every day.

CTA has some wonderful resources to help reinforce this theme. Check them out on CTA’s Fall Festival pages or look for G.L.O.W. or S.H.I.N.E. products.

Happy autumn!

Pumpkin Prayer Bookmark

Halloween is a great example! This year, I plan to cut out bright-colored fish, a heart, and cross shapes similar to those on CTA’s Pumpkin Prayer bookmark. I also plan to cut pumpkins out of construction paper in proportion to the fish, hearts, and crosses. 

Then, using the symbols, the children can create their own pumpkin faces. If I send home the Pumpkin Prayer Activity kit or bookmark from CTA, it will explain the project and the symbols in a way most parents will notice. 

This can also work a larger scale. If you are responsible for a children’s message or devotion for children’s church in October, think about creating a giant Prayer Pumpkin in front of the group. Then send home a Pumpkin Prayer bookmark or Pumpkin Prayer Activity kit with each child. It is a great way to help equip families with tools they can use to guide them in their child’s faith formation.

Have a fun, friendly, and faith filled fall!

How do we know it’s gathering steam? For one thing, we watch our mail. It’s only the first week in September, but we’ve already begun to receive customer comments focused on the resources we provide and the products we offer to help customers optimize Fall Festival as an outreach event.

Just this morning, for example, we heard from Joyce McMurray–a CTA customer from Virginia. She writes:

We are a small country church with attendance of only approximately 125 each Sunday. However, we are just off a very busy highway and we have a large turnout for our Trunk or Treat. We have averaged 225-250 children each Halloween [for the past three years].

The first year I noticed many of the children really looking at the [CTA] bookmarks and candy with Scripture. Several made comments. They are not used to receiving anything other than just candy. I know you offer imprinting, but I usually add a printed sticker to the bookmarks with our church address, inviting the children to attend our Sunday school.

Your product is top quality–no cheap paper product here! Thanks for offering something special we can use  . . . to spread the Gospel!

Notes like this one encourage us here at CTA more than our customers will ever know! And we hope that by sharing these words of encouragement, we will spark interest in many churches who have never offered a Fall Festival before.

Access our free planning guide, some free resources, tips from planners just like you, and inexpensive products sure to attract children’s attention and provide a Christ-centered witness for kids and the members of their family.

And do let us know how your plans for Fall Festival are going! We’d love to hear your ideas–especially for new products that you’d like to see us offer in the future. We’re listening!

I have a niece and nephew who will be going off to college this fall. Helping them (and kids like them) feel special takes just a little extra effort. Gift cards and personal notes are easy to mail. To go a step further, you might pick up two or three US postal priority boxes at the post office. (They are free.) It takes a $4.95 stamp to ship the smallest box. As the USPS says, “Whatever fits, ships”—no matter the weight. 

If you’re at a loss for what to add to a card or put in a box, CTA has some great items you could include. My favorite is the 911 Cell Phone Magnetic Bookmark; it will easily fit inside a card. Or consider the Ticket to Heaven Bookmark or Ticket to Heaven Pendant Set, the Be Blessed Flashlight/screwdriver (for girls) or the Strength for the Journey Multi Tool (for guys).

Food from home almost always gets the attention of college kids! Have church members donate breakfast bars, candy, cookies, and other items. Then stuff boxes with it as a Fall Festival service project. Surprise a college kid with the Pumpkin Slap Bracelet. It’s sure to be a hit!

In addition, today’s economy forces me to be as organized as possible when I make purchases. This often means planning ahead, and taking the time to shop around for the best deals for my money.

For both these reasons, I was glad to see the latest copy of my CTA catalog in my mailbox this week. I found many things already on sale, including teacher gifts, Halloween items, small gifts to have on hands for birthdays, and even some Christmas items!

It pays to be organized and to plan ahead!