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This week, we'll hear from our Children's Director, Rachel Criss, about what's going on with our K-5th graders! The Navy brought Rachel, her husband, and their five children to Pensacola in the summer of 2021 and she has been on staff since January of 2024. Find out more about what's going on with Perdido Bay Kids! each week in the BayPlanner where you can find a link to the latest newsletter!
How are you seeing God at work in the children's ministry?
God equips us to love Him, love others, and advance His Kingdom, and from where I stand as Director, I can say I witness these things happening within Perdido Bay Kids! on a daily basis. He continually and faithfully works in and through the adults and children in this ministry. If you walk down our halls on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, there is vibrancy and life. Both in attendance and in passion. Our teachers and volunteers have committed themselves to leading classrooms and lessons every single week because they all feel God has called them to nurture and guide the youngest in our midst. Their consistency and investment make our children want to come worship and attend Sunday School classes. The kids, in turn, invite friends because they want them to share in what they get to experience here. Growing bigger, growing together, and growing their individual hearts for Jesus...THAT is God at work!
These kids have a hunger for God and for His word. They desire that all-satisfying joy we find in Christ. They want to bring glory to God through their service. And they want to share their faith, their stories, and their gifts. THAT is God at work!
They are eager to practice and committed to leading lives of prayer. These kids love being in conversation with God and speaking prayers over one another. Moreover, they take the time to share when and how they've seen prayers answered. One of the things they most love to ask God for is to help them see ways they can be there for one another and be in service to their church and community. God is truly growing their hearts to do His will and to know that He desires for them to serve in big AND small ways. Whether building beds, filling blessing bags, packing meals, making cards, singing in worship, or simply sharing a smile or a hug - He is empowering them to look for and meet the needs of others. And they do so...eagerly and joyfully! A ministry filled with people who practice prayer, individually and collectively, and who look to serve and love like Jesus...THAT is God at work!
What are some specific ways we, as a church, can pray for the children's ministry?
- Pray that our volunteers, teachers, and staff will see the ways God is using them to make a difference in the lives of our children. Ask God to renew their strength, energy, health, and passion each week as they prepare to teach, lead, and love.
- Pray that our kids fall deeper in love with God and His word each and every day. That they continue to know the necessity of prayer in their own lives and always find themselves seeking conversation with God. Petition God to help them ask questions and foster conversations at church and at home.
- Pray that they retain their childlike faith and the joy they exude for even the simplest of God's blessings in their lives. Ask God to use their hearts, smiles, and light to show others His goodness.
- Pray that they continue to lean into God as well as their community of faith. That they desire to remain actively involved at church and that they understand the value and importance of the Christian friendships they are fostering.
- Pray for their safety and health. Ask God to protect, bless, and provide for them. Pray that their tangible and physical needs are met as well as their mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.
- Pray that they always know who they are in Christ, that they never question how deeply loved they are, and that they trust in God's plan for their lives.
What is something funny/unique that has happened recently?
When you spend your Wednesdays and Sundays with a bunch of elementary-aged kids, there is never a shortage of funny things happening! Throw in a weekend at camp with them and you have enough material for a comedy routine. They say whatever is on their minds, believe that no question is off-limits, and are unashamed of the noises that come from their bodies. Perhaps, though, their simple retellings of Bible stories and Christian teachings may often provide the most joy and humor. Once a month, we use our Sunday School hour to complete a service project. Recently a few members of our church participated in the Emmaus Walk. Prior to their departure, we drew pictures and cards and wrote notes and prayers that they would each receive while on their walk. We learned about Jesus walking with two of his followers after his resurrection. We discussed the significance of this experience for our church members, talked about what it would be like for them to have no communication with anyone else except for these cards, and prayed for the ways we hoped their faith would be impacted. After church that morning, I got a text from a parent that described the conversation she and her kids had on the way home and the questions she now had after her children so matter-of-factly said “we made cards for people that go on long walks (with Jesus).” It was comical, and simple…and perfect! Afterall, aren’t we all on our own long with walk Jesus?!
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