Workers get pumped through
training & networking
March forth for children

By Annette Bender

In one room, children's ministry workers giggled as they played games with names like "Dragon's Tail" and "Smog's Jewels."

In another room, workers practiced removing rubber gloves that had been squirted with ketchup.v
In other rooms, workers sang and clapped to worship songs, chatted about small-church challenges, or learned about fund-raising techniques.

At March Forth for Children, more than 225 children's ministry workers from six states got to pick from 26 training opportunities. They also ate dinner with Bishop James Swanson and networked with other children's ministry workers. The biannual event, held March 3-4 at First Farragut United Methodist Church, was sponsored by the Holston Conference Children's Ministries Team.

Patrice Lockhart of First Richlands UMC, Tazewell District, came to get ideas on including children in worship - "and not just once a year," she said. In the "Designing Kid-Friendly Worship" class led by Cathy Skogen-Soldner of Minnesota, Lockhart learned that worship appeals to children when it includes "more visuals, more movement, and shorter segments."

Wendy O'Neal of First Jefferson City UMC, Morristown District, noted that in nearly every class she attended, finding volunteers was an ongoing challenge for her peers. After participating in the "Recruiting Volunteers" class, O'Neal came away saying, "I'm going to have get in their faces more. Sign-up sheets don't work. I'm desperate; I'm going to have to step up and ask more people to help."

At a Friday night celebration dinner, Bishop Swanson rallied children's workers with stories from his own childhood as well as encouragement for their ministries. Commenting on the success of Rotation Model Sunday School, he said, "When I see churches that will devote four Sunday school rooms to children - man, I want to shout. Because you know how sacred some of those church rooms are."

Also at the dinner, Bishop Swanson gave community service awards to Andrew Prim of LaFollette UMC, Oak Ridge District, and to Mary Ann Worley of Mountain City UMC, Abingdon District. A combined children's choir - representing Wesley House Community Center and Bearden UMC, Knoxville District - received a standing ovation after leading participants in praise songs. A special offering for Change for Children totaled $813.

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