·     Collaborate with another church in your district and plan a one-day Quest event for the tweens.

·     Use it as a 4 Sunday or Wednesday night curriculum with your 4-6^th graders.

·     Use it once a month as a particular Sunday focus.

·     Save it for a retreat you want to have for just the 4^th-6^th grade.

·     Add it to your Confirmation class when you talk about discipleship and vocational call.

·     All four printed lessons.

·     Links to pre-recorded Opening and Closing worship by the Quest band.

·     Links to pre-recorded lessons by Deacons and Pastors introducing the scripture, task, and activity.

·     Most materials for the games.

·     Key elements of the craft supplies.

·     Color Printed Room signs with the name of each lesson. Quest logo available for digital promotion for your church.

·     Children are kept healthy in their community.

·     You can collaborate with another church in your community and build relationships among volunteers and students.

·     It is a helpful curriculum resource for you this fall.

·     It fosters interest in your church attending Conference Quest in 2022.

·     Most importantly, your students learn that a most loving God calls them to be Disciples who make Disciples.

District reps are Children's Ministers who volunteer to serve on the Conference Children's council and act as your district representative. They will send you emails specific to your district's needs. They will ask for your feedback as they come to planning meetings. They are asked to meet as a district group six times a year in person or digitally to foster support among UMC Children's Ministers. Please don't ignore their emails. They want to hear from you, and they are there as support. If they don't know the answer, they will know how to find it. Children's Council has a three-year rotation of service. I want to welcome our newest volunteers.

It seems like they were getting out of school, but we always have to look ahead to plan a month as church staff. Illustrated Ministry is offering a FREE Liturgy and Blessing of Backpacks that you can plan to use in your mid-August worship service.

As a parent, teacher, and church staff person, this has always been a special blessing. I especially appreciate when Pastors have the kids turn and bless the grown-ups who teach them!

Director Kayla Hardage asked me to create some prayer tools for the camp counselors in the cabins. So, of course, I was delighted at the opportunity to help in this way. First, of course, I had to create a camp set for each cabin of Rev. Dr. Leanne Hadley's Holy Listening stones. A box of band-aids for the helping and hurting prayers. Glitter gel pens and cardstock for Doodle Prayers. A candle to remind us that the Holy Spirit is with us when we pray. Each box also came with its own Blessing Balm so that they could remind each camper, "You are a loved child of God!"

Counselors arrive at noon on Sundays for a staff meeting. On June 27, I attended that meeting, and I was able to thank them for their ministry to children. I also got to teach them how to use the cabin Prayer Kits and why they should use them each day!

Let Kayla or I know if campers come home and share that they learned some new ways to connect with God in prayer. Even better if they say, "Tanako does Holy Listening just like our church!"

Dates to remember: