As we navigate this time of social distancing and ministering with children and families in a virtual world, we have pulled together some helpful resources for children ministry leaders. If you have ideas or resources that you are using in your church, please pass them along to Susan Groseclose so that they may be added here as well.
Children's Ministry leaders are invited to join in on a weekly Zoom call on Thursdays at 10:00 am for the upcoming weeks. This is a place to connect, check in and share ideas and resources. To join you may follow this link.
The Holston Conference Children's Ministry Network Facebook page offers a wealth of resources you may find useful. The Holston Conference Children's Ministry Team is adding ideas and resources on a weekly basis.
Other Children and Family Ministry Resources:
Cokesbury Kids offers children's ministries curriculum, VBS, Cokesbury Kids Club, and ministry resources including the new Celebrate Wonder curriculum.
Discipleship Ministries offers a monthly children's ministry newsletter, family ministry resources, leader training videos, and Vacation Bible School options - virtual, hybrid, or outdoors.
Ministry Architects is offering Facebook Live chats, tips, and cohorts for children's ministry leaders
Discipulado Intergeneracional - Hispanic resources offered by Tanya Marie Eustace Campen, Director of Intergenerational Ministries in the Rio Texas UMC Conference
Illustrated Ministry is offering free downloadable coloring sheets
TN Conference Next Gen Kid Ministry
Arkansas UMC Conference Kids Ministry
Digital Resources-
Webinar: Using Digital Technologies for Faith Formation
Vibrant Faith Digital Resources
Thanks to the North Alabama Conference for compiling this list.
- Streaming Services:
- Facebook Live: Click here for instructions and tips.
- Instagram Live: Click here for instructions.
- YouTube Live: Click here for instructions.
- Communication & Collaboration Services:
- Facebook Groups: Groups are a place to communicate about shared interests with certain people. You can create a group for anything — your family reunion, your after-work sports team or your book club. Read more here.
- Zoom: Zoom is an online video conferencing app for either one-on-one or group video meetings. There is a free version, but there are limits (a 40-minute max duration). Read more here.
- Google: Google is offering its enterprise version to G Suite and G Suite for Education users, which includes access to advanced Duo & Meet video-conferencing capabilities like meetings for up to 250 participants and live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within the domain. Read more here.
- Microsoft: Microsoft is offering Teams for free. Teams is a collaboration tool with chat, video calling, personal and team file storage, and more. Read more here.
- Slack: Slack is a collaboration app with a free version, but they also offer webinars and one-on-one consultations to help you navigate your own transition to a remote workforce. Read more here.
- GroupMe: Think group texting but with access beyond a cell phone. GroupMe offers both browser and cellular technology for group messaging. This is a great tool for youth groups! Read more here.
- Trello: Trello is a free production management tool that you can use for communication and tracking different conversations and/or projects. Trello’s simple and flexible design lets your team collaborate and organize everything (literally, everything—from the day-to-day operations of your business to your next family vacation). Read more here.