Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Children are the Future Church and the NOW!
As your Conference Coordinator of Children's Ministry, I am here to support, advocate, educate, equip, and most importantly serve your ministry needs. Tell me how I can serve you and your church. melinda.shunk@arumc.org or call/text
515-707-5537

I would love to see you at Annual Conference!

Annual Conference is a great time for everyone to be in one place and share ideas. I have been told that the new dates overlap with many Children's Minister's Vacation Bible School set up and prep! You will be greatly missed. Tell your pastor to be sure to stop by our Conference of Children's Ministry table and learn what we have to offer to support you in your ministry work.

If you are able to make the conference, I am hosting a BBQ for all Children's Ministers and Pastors at my home in Hot Springs on Wednesday, May 29 from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. It will be great time for fellowship and relaxing before the evening meeting.
Please RSVP for the BBQ by May 27 to melinda.shunk@arumc.org



Deadline for Childcare Registration for Annual Conference is
May 20, 2019!

If you or your pastor are in need of childcare, please click this link for Elementary day at Tanako and for Birth to Three Childcare at FUMC. As you know we have to plan for caregivers to child ratio and we will NOT be equipped to take drop in kids.

Tanako registration for Elementary Children (finished K-finished 5 th ) coupon code ARUMC19

Birth to 5 year old

Evening Elementary Care



Last year was the very first Quest! Many were not sure what is was all about so they waited to see what happened and they missed out on all the fun! Well, this year don't miss out! Get the dates saved on your calendar as well as your parent helpers!

September 28, 2019
Host Church:
St. James United Methodist Church, Little Rock
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
3rd-6th grade
Each church can decide the grades they would like to bring within that range.

In April, I visited Christi Crawford's amazing church Cornerstone in Jonesboro! She shared lots of great ideas with me. When I asked her what she would like to see added to the monthly emails, she said she would like helpful ideas on how to communicate with kids! "Uhm yes, brilliant," was my response! I love it when you all tell me what you need. It helps me serve you in your ministry at your local churches. So going forward I will add some helpful tips for you to share with your volunteers. 

Communicating with Kids

When working with PK-5-year-olds, you always want to model exactly how you want them to sit for a story. For example:

  • Taylor, will you show me and the rest of the class how we sit with our bodies for the story? (I always call on one that may be questionable if they can show it. Then with the student, we direct the rest of the class how to sit criss-cross applesauce and keep hands in lap.) 
Doing this with a child who you may suspect or is known to struggle with this skill instantly makes them the expert in the room. Praise the child for helping you teach the rest of the class how to sit for a story. Direct the rest of the class to observe and make their bodies look like Taylor.

  • If Taylor forgets that he/she is the model student you can easily remind with a comment like: "Taylor you are the model for how to sit for a story. Show us again how to best sit for a story. I know you can do it. Everyone be sure to match Taylor." (This last sentence is for others who may be struggling.)

This is a great way to redirect behavior you don't want to see, but also give praise and build self-esteem. When you have taught the children a behavior skill you can easily redirect in the moment. When you don't teach the skill, it is not fair to hold them accountable to what you expect from their behavior. Communicating clearly and quickly your group behavior expectations by modeling them in the beginning allows all students to know quickly what is expected of them and lowers teacher frustration levels.

Of course, many of you will ask what do I say if Taylor or another student continues to have trouble sitting for the story after the first redirect? The second need for a redirect is when you give them a choice.
  • "You have a choice to sit as I know you know how to sit for story OR I will ask our room helper to sit with you. What would you like to choose?" Let the child respond with their choice. If they don't choose, let them know that by not choosing they are letting you know they need a room helper to sit next to them. Respond immediately and quickly to the child's choice and move on with the story. (No long behavior lecture. Just the choice is given and move on. If it was for attention seeking, you will only feed the behavior with big grand lecture stops.)

I started this article giving the age range of PreK-5 year olds because I was giving the example of sitting for story. The same communication approach can be totally be adapted to older age students who may not need a visual example of what is expected, but still need redirect and choices in a firm and loving voice.
What will you find this month's Living Our Faith digital magazine about Children's Ministry in the Arkansas Methodist Conference?
Make your VBS mission local with the help of 200,000 Reasons!




Read her interview in the May Living Our Faith on article above or go directly to the digital article by clicking the article picture if you have not signed up for it to come to your email.

Download the new Curriculum Written for you by 200,000 Reasons and your Children's Ministry Coordinator for FREE :



OMP for 5th and 6th Graders!
This is a great opportunity for 5th and 6th graders to get a taste of the Ozark Mission Project. The $90 pays for the material they use to build steps and ramps for the people they serve. Can you build this day camp into a VBS or Family mission project?

Email Chet Green for more information by clicking on the link.

The Youth Mental Health events hosted through the conference are
Thursday, September 26 and Saturday, October 5
both at Conway FUMC.
These are $20 per person and registration for either of these can be found here:   https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=404961
Anyone like to donate or sell their picture Bibles because they were given a new set?
Stephanie Dunn at Jacksonville went to the Beyond Conference this year where she heard Marilyn Sharpe say that there needs to be picture Bibles in the pews for children. It is not in Stephanie's budget right now to purchase new picture Bibles, but she would like any donationed or buy used Bibles to make sure children have them in their hands during worship.
Contact Stephanie dunn.stephaniem@gmail.com


Do you know about Teacher Pay Teachers? Did you know they have Christian lessons as well?
I found this useful Lord's Prayer sequence activity that I used for a Children's Sermon, but it could easily be laminated and used in your worship bags, classroom or sent home for parents to use in home faith formation.$4 to download www.teacherspayteachers.com
Dates to remember :

  • Annual Conference Hot Springs May 29 & 30, 2019
  • Quest -September 28, 2019
  • Beyond 2020 January 24&25, 2020