2020

As churches experiment with ways to gather their people in a safe and controlled environment during the pandemic, one popular idea is holding church in cars with either a drive-in or a drive-through service! What's the difference? A drive-in service typically involves participants driving to the church parking lot, parking their cars, and viewing the service from their vehicle. A drive-through service means the families drive through a designated route on the church campus, stopping by different stations to interact with the pastors or complete aspects of worship (like giving offering, taking Communion, picking up family devotionals from the kids department, etc.). Both offer ways for your church community to connect with you, see each other, and be on the church campus, all while staying safe.  Vanessa Myers, one of our DKM Marketplace Vendors...

Here in Georgia, Governor Kemp has given churches permission to reopen their doors and resume services, as long as we maintain strict social distancing protocols. This announcement has pushed churches to begin the discussion that causes excitement and makes our heads spin at the same time: What will reopening in-person church services look like, and what does that mean for children's ministry? Whether you're reopening this Sunday or not even considering it until June, here are some ideas & resources from a variety of denominational backgrounds and organizations to help inform your decision and plan. I'm still trying to figure out what everything will look like too, but I hope this list helps inform your discussions in planning the best possible options for your ministry. Keep these tips in mind when creating your reopening...

Whether life has slowed down or gotten even crazier since the COVID-19 quarantining began, you can use this unique season of ministry to grow as a leader if you... Make time to REST. Do this one first, and if you only pick one thing, let it be this one! As a ministry leader, your schedule is always go-go-go, so take advantage of this slower pace of life that we've all been forced into by social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Don't feel pressure to add something to your plate just because your normal schedule looks different or feels smaller, and don't let someone else's approach to online ministry make you feel guilty for the valuable way you're serving your flock. Repeat after me: It's OK if productivity looks different in this season. Enjoying a time of rest will help you reflect, recharge, and refresh so you can be the best leader...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Did you know you can change your background on Zoom while hosting online kids church (how-to instructions below)? You can be teaching from outer space, under the sea, or even in front of the city of Jerusalem, and you don't have to use the same background the entire time. Using virtual backgrounds on Zoom is not only fun, but you can also use this feature as a teaching tool. You can easily change the background in the middle of your teaching to engage kids and involve them in the story! Zoom Background Teaching Ideas: Bible Story Images: Find pictures that fit your story or that include objects within the story. As you teach, change the background to match what you're talking about to help keep kids engaged virtually. Eye Spy: Create a background with a collage of various items (people, words, objects,...