Happy Thanksgiving! 

You all are doing amazingly creative ministries! I can assure you that the members of your churches count you high on their list of blessings. I know I am thankful for the work that I see you doing for your congregations. Your ministries to children and their families help them to feel known and loved by God during such an isolating time.

I want to encourage you to stay the course. Go back to the Bishop's guidelines with your church task force and really evaluate how each Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas plan can fit safely into those guidelines because above all we want to do no harm.

Below you will find a very useful bulletin insert for in-person and digital worship. The bulletin insert was a collaboration between Michigan, Texas Rio Valley, North Texas, and Arkansas UMC Conference Children's Coordinators. Feel free to download it and send it out as your own. If you have limited in-person activities, please make sure to send out material to include children and families that choose to stay home.

Grace and Peace, 
Melinda
Your CCCM Team and I are so excited about this year's Beyond! The virtual aspect of Beyond this year allows us to afford many more expert presenters. There was much discussion about the areas those who minister to children would need to learn about after the kind of challenges 2020 has brought us. I believe your CCCM Team did an outstanding job of narrowing down the hot topics that we will need to feel equipped for future ministry.

 Please gather up your ministry team and get them registered. Please note that the late fee for in-state registration is more because in-state conference people get books and materials sent to you. The extra late fee covers the extra charges in purchasing late material. 

If you have friends out of state, send the link to them!​ It is a great opportunity for them to join in the fun for a flat rate of $20!​ Outside of the state registration will be sent links to purchase their own materials if they so choose.

On Nov. 15, I will send a special email with downloadable PDF brochure and an active link that you can register for this great opportunity.
Last month I was able to share a lot of Advent and Christmas ideas and resources. This month there are more great ideas to share! Please don't feel you must do them all! These are just safe suggestions that you may find just right for your church. Pam Lentz shared the Christmas Cards in Cars idea, which is an activity for families to get out and enjoy Christmas lights while digitally connecting with other church members. Please contact Pam Lentz if you have more questions on how to make this happen.
Emily from Theokat Kids has released her TWEEN Advent lessons. It is not often we get some great material for 5th and 6th grade. Keep checking TPT site. She also has hands on Advent Lapbook activity to download for families.
Dates to remember:
  • Beyond 2021 Jan.22 & 21
  • Quest September 25,2021