danielle bell, Author at dandibell

In kidmin

“I Thank My God” Wall

October 7, 2021 8 Comments

Each year I struggle with how to show my Sunday and Wednesday investors (volunteers) how much they are appreciated by the kids, the parents, and me. So for the past two years, I have started having a “thank you” wall. Here is how it works:

In a very visible hallway/lobby, I place envelopes on the wall with every investor, greeter, intern, name and class, etc.
On a table nearby, I place out cards and pens. For the whole month of November, I encourage children and parents to write a note of thanks.
Some children draw a picture or write notes at home and bring them to church and place them in the envelopes on Wednesday or Sunday.
I also include a thank you poem and a handwritten thank-you card from me in each envelope.
The teachers are asked not to look in their envelopes while they are hanging on the wall. 🙂
We take them down the Sunday before thanksgiving and mail the envelopes to the teachers. Our goal is, while they are relaxing and being thankful, they will be blessed to read notes from the many who are grateful for the ways they share Jesus with the children.

Screen Shot 2012-11-19 at 12.09.39 PM — This is an example of the note card we provide for families.

itmGposter — This is the poster/letter we use to get parents and children involved. This is an example of the thank you note cards we provide.

In kidmin

Join me for an online class.

September 15, 2021 No Comments

I could not be more excited to begin my fourth session of my online children’s ministry class entitled – “Children’s Ministry as Leading Spiritual Education.” Not only do we grow together as we study and evaluate our current ministries, but we also make ministry connections that last beyond the class.

Interested in the class or know of someone that might be? The course begins October 11, and below is the class description. You will need to password equip to register. Comment and let me know if you have any questions.

This will be an examination of the role of the educator in supporting the faith development of children and families in the congregation. We’ll cover pedagogies, models of ministry, and administrational tasks. Not only will we discover how to intentionally plan and lead long-term, but we will examine best solutions to the in-the-trenches children’s ministry elements.

This course will equip you with techniques for the following:

Creating and Maintaining a Gospel-Centered Ministry
Different Models of Ministry (what’s best for your ministerial context?)
Partnering with Parents
Strategic Planning, Budgeting, Outreach, Service and Follow-Up
Building, Leading & Maintaining Volunteer Teams
Consistent & Creative Communication
Serving Families with Special Needs
The Preteen Bubble
Family Worship
Using Your Facility to set your teaching/worship up for success

Register and learn more here.

In kidmin

Launching the dk Guide

September 10, 2021 No Comments

Recently we were given the challenge to create, launch, and weely produce a guide that would engage kids grades 1st-5th in corporate worship each week. Thankfully, I work with the most amazing dawson kids team that loves rising to a challenge and delivering an excellent product. We are thrilled to be launching the dk Guide this Sunday, September 12.

I thought I would share some key elements in launching this new resource that will partner with parents to help families be confident in Christ.

THE WHY – Our team is passionate about and believes the Bible supports kids worshipping alongside their families in corporate worship. We have spent the last 18 months (since Covid began) equipping parents to be the primary disciple of their kids. Here is a copy of the letter to parents to way emailed out a week before launch.

THE GUIDE – This is a weekly resource that will be available to all 1st-5th graders in all worship services. The first half will be updated weekly and the second half will be updated months. You can see we used pages from our Children’s Bulletin subscription as well as other free resources on the internet. My favorite part is where we introduce the kids to staff and church members and kids can win a prize by meeting that person and getting their signature.

THE PROMOTION (see below) – We had a very short runway to launch this new resource and a ton of information to communicate to families, so communication was essential. (I get really geeky about this stuff.) Below you can see a copy of our September communication schedule for the dk Guide.

WEEK ONE – For the first week we wanted to give kids all the tools they needed to be engaged in corporate worship, so we made special bags. (These bags are just for week one.) Each bag contains a dk Guide, a parent information sheet (with another copy of that parent letter), crayons, a pen, and a fidget toy. After this week guides, pens, and crayons will be available each week and kids can win other fidget toys by getting staff and member signatures.

What did we miss? What more does the guide need? What do you provide for your kids to help them engage in corporate worship? I would love to hear your thoughts. Comment below and share. I am always thankful for the kidmin community.

In kidmin

Mission and Gospel-Centered Ministry

September 9, 2021 No Comments

Kids are the church of today!

In foster care/adoption

Please don’t be impressed!

August 28, 2021 3 Comments

Recently I was trying to check out and reschedule appointments at the pediatrician’s office with my two littles. We had to have a bit of discussion about the shot record and rescheduling due to court dates, so it was apparent I was not your average parent. One little was crying, wanting another sucker because the color I had chosen wasn’t good enough. The other one, the highly contagious one, kept walking off and touching everything as I continued to reign them back in. Obviously, we were holding up the line. Finally, I glanced at the patient lady behind me and said, I am so sorry. she kindly said, “it’s okay, I am just impressed you are a foster mom.” she smiled and moved to another window. I was grateful for her flexibility, but as the day went on, the word impressed kept nagging at my soul.

Impressed, no, please don’t be impressed. I realize the woman was trying to be comforting or encouraging, but the last thing I wanted her to be was impressed. The very thought of people being impressed by my simple, obedient act of being a foster parent is what has kept me relatively quiet on social media and this blog (until now) about my new normal. The last thing I want is a spotlight on me when the children and their stories and struggles deserve all the attention. So, I began to think about what I wish non-foster parents were instead of impressed.

Instead of being impressed – be informed.

Before I entered this faith journey, I was clueless about the staggering statistics involved in foster care. As I looked at the needs of Alabama, I was reminded that these are not kids halfway around the world; these are children within a day’s driving distance of me. Want to learn about the numbers involving foster care in your state? Check out this interactive map at the Christian Alliance for orphans website – interactive map.

This graphic that has impacted me most is another powerful one (below) from the Christian alliance for orphans. The top number is the number of foster children in each state. The bottom number is the number of churches, not people in churches, churches in each state.

Knowledge leads to power, conviction, and action. What will you do now that you have come face to face with the staggering statistics of children right in your backyard?

Instead of being impressed, be involved.
i love the quote that not everyone can be a foster parents, but everyone can do something to help a foster child/child. this couldn’t be more true. maybe you weren’t called to be a foster parents or maybe you can only foster a limited number of children. that doesn’t mean you have to stop being involved with helping them. did you know most foster children move to their foster home with all of their belonging in a garbage bag?

Instead of being impressed, be an encouragement.
There is no way I would have made it without the many encouragers God has put in my life. Now that I am not actively fostering, I try to do what I can for those who are. So maybe you aren’t called to foster kids in your home, but you can do something. First, you can pick a foster family to encourage and support with meals, supplies, and babysitting. Second, you can pray for and encourage overworked and underpaid social workers. You can volunteer to be a CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocate. You can go through training to be a respite home for fostering families. Finally, you can buy Christmas and birthday gifts for children such as magnetic necklace in foster care. You, we, can do something.

I am so thankful that not one of these children is a surprise to God. He has equipped His body of believers. The question is, will we just be impressed by those that serve as foster parents, or will we roll up our pants and jump in the trenches with them?

.