People Power

Doing life with a mobile church definitely makes some interesting moments...make that some interesting hours, both before and after Sunday experiences. It can be hard work, it can get in the way of "my" schedule, but NEVER once have I thought "It's not worth this". To be able to create exciting environments for kids (and adults) to learn about God and worship Him in is one of the coolest things around. Every Saturday night a team takes a boring school cafeteria and turns it into an exciting place for kids and their parents to come on Sunday morning. Then Sunday afternoon we get to carefully pack things away, to be ready for next week, and turn that great place back into a boring cafeteria :).
This transformation of space can take several hours, and often does. But this past Sunday we had some incredible help! Staging was taken down, tables were moved in, chairs put out, the trailer loaded up, all in under one hour and everyone seemed to have fun while they were doing it. It's amazing what a group of people can do when everyone pitches in and we all work together!
So, if you were one of my helpers this week, THANKS!!! You showed cooperation (last month's virtue) and compassion (this month's virtue), and made a really important task a lot of fun!
If you weren't able to stay and enjoy this opportunity last week, consider doing so this week. You might be pleasantly surprised by the impact you can have to change lives!

Cooperation

This month in Kid Fusion and in our Kindergarten - 5th Grade kids worship experiences we will focus on the virtue of Cooperation: Working together to do more than you can do alone. Last Sunday I challenged the families to find a project to work together on, something they can each use their own individual talents (individuality: discovering what you are meant to be so you can make a difference) and work together to do something to make a difference. I can't wait to hear what Kid Fusion families did. This coming Sunday I'll be grabbing a few of them to share their stories of cooperation.
Kid Crossing Families will get a way to cooperate together to make a difference in other peoples lives beginning this Sunday as we kick off our "Make It Happen" campaign. We're giving all Kid Crossing families the opportunity to participate in a serving project. Each week in November we'll be collecting non-perishable food items, mittens and hats, and new, unwrapped toys. It's a great opportunity for us to cooperate together, and with the Salvation Army to help make a difference in the lives of other families.
See you this Sunday!

The One and Only

This past week at Kid Fusion we talked about Individuality: Discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference. Parents, are you helping your kids discover who God made them to be this week? What are their unique gifts and talents? What ways could they be a part of God's big story and make a difference in the world?

Apples and pumpkins

Sunday my family went and picked Apples and Pumkins yesterday at Kapnick's Apple Orchard, South of Tecumseh. What a beautiful day. Blue sky, puffy white clouds, warm sun, and a cool breeze! Micah and Hannah ate almost as many apples as they picked. There's nothing like a fresh from the tree apple. We took pictures, but since I had left our camera at the Family Centre we dug out Brian's old 35mm camera. It's fun to hear a real click, but the kids were disappointed they couldn't "see" the pictures. We also got 3 nice pumkins that are now sitting on our porch waiting to become jack-o-lanterns in a few weeks. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon and a great family activity.

Kid Fusion 10/1/06

On the Kid Fusion front we kicked off individuality without Eric, our Comic Host. He was home sick unfortunately, but Doug Winters, our Pastor of Next Steps, did an awesome job jumping in and filling Eric's spot. (even though I accidentally skipped over the section that had one of the funniest lines.) The rest of the cast and crew did a great job as always. Tyler, Vinny, and Gordo were full of energy and definitely were the stars of the show this week.
If you haven't been at Kid Fusion the last two weeks you won't know that we have fixed a few details. We now have more chairs in a better lay out. We have 3 fully staffed kiosks at the Elementary entrance for check in. And the temperature in the cafeteria has been much more comfortable. This week check out our improvements and share an experience with your family.

Individuality

It's a new month and we kicked off a new virtue in Kid Fusion this week. Individuality: Discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference. I think this is going to be a great virtue for both kids and parents. It will help everyone to not only understand that they are special and unique, but also that God's given each one of them a special talent, a way they can be a part of His big Story. I can't wait to hear stories from families about how they are discovering their unique abilities!
We've got lots of opportunities in Kid Fusion and in all of Kid Crossing for people to use the talents God has given them. If you have a talent you'd like to use to help God tell His story to families and kids catch me via email, phone, or at Church. I'd love to help you find your place where you can be the One and Only______________ (you fill in the blank).

Thanks for your patience

For all of you who attended Kid Fusion this past week, THANK YOU! Thanks for coming and for seeing the vision to bring your families together to take your next steps towards Christ. And especially Thank you for your patience as we met with a few unexpected obstacles. We apologize for the long lines at the kiosks and for the crowded environment. (But what AWESOME problems to have - I just can't stop smiling thinking about it!) This week we will have 4 kiosks at the elementary/Kid Fusion entrance prior to 10 AM, so check in should go much quicker. We will also be looking at how we can rearrange the way we set up in the cafeteria to create additional space and better sight lines.
If you have thoughts, comments, suggestions, and stories about how Kid Fusion is impacting your family please take a moment to talk with me. I'd love to chat with you.

Kid Fusion Off and Running!

All I can say is WOW...again. This past Sunday was our first official Kid Fusion. And, as always, it was a God thing! Our regular space for Kid Fusion is the Lenawee Christian School cafeteria and we packed it out! Official count was 259 - kids and parents, grandparents, friends, etc. It was awesome! I knew Kid Fusion had the potential to attract a lot of families, but I didn't really know who would come this first week. Initially it didn't look like the room was going to fill up, but then I went out to the lobby and the check in line was out the door! What a problem to have. The energy was great, the feeling was much more intimate, than being on main stage, and once again God used those of us on stage and brought all the pieces together to help our families take their next steps towards Him.
Thanks God! and thanks Crossroads for having a vision and passion for families.

We Did It!!!!

Wow!!! What a day yesterday was. Kid Fusion premeired on Crossroads' main stage and it was AWESOME! Everyone from the Worship Team to the people on stage, to the people who created the stage, to the people who did all the tech stuff ROCKED!!!
Families connected, people laughed and danced, and loved it! We got so many great comments. People were blown away. One couple told me it was the best thing they've ever experienced (and they're grandparents who's grandkids weren't even with them). One of my volunteers who's been doing stuff with kids at Crossroads since before I was around said "we've done some great stuff in the past, but this was the best yet." Pete, Crossroads' Tech Pastor, talked to some friends of his who were visiting from another church and they were very impressed. Several parents told me they couldn't wait for next week.
All I can say is Yeah God! It was only through His guidance and leading and power that Kid Fusion happened yesterday on such a high level and it will ONLY be through Him that it continues that way every week from here on out.

Absolutely Nothin'

A few weeks ago, my 4 year old daughter, Hannah, and I were on our way home from church. Out of the blue she says, "Mommy, I learned absolutely nothing in church today." OK...so when your the director of Children's Ministry and your child says she learned nothing, that's cause for a moment of panic. So trying to save the moment I asked, "Did you learn about Jesus or God?" Typical 4 year old answers. "Nope, I learned absolutely nothing." I drive on in silence for about 20 seconds, my mind racing, trying to figure out what to do next, when all of a sudden I hear a little voice from the back seat singing "Nothin', nothin', absolutely nothin'" Then I remembered, that was a new song by Jana Alayra that our preschoolers had just learned that morning. (The song goes on to talk about nothing can separate us from God's love.) Phew, moment was saved.

Now it's a good laugh. But it also made me realize once again how great it will be to be able to have a shared worship experience with my kids. To be able to have learned the same thing along with them so that we can talk about it on the way home from church and for the rest of the week. Kid Fusion will definitely equip and enable our families to do that. So maybe the next time Hannah tells me (with a little smirk that I didn't quite catch until later) that she learned Absolutely Nothin', I can say, Yeah, isn't it great that God will love us no matter what!

2 weeks and counting

We are now 2 weeks and counting until the Kid Fusion Debut (well, actually less than 2 weeks away). Who would have ever guessed that September 10 would arrive so quickly?! But it is and with it comes a variety of emotions...excitement, nervousness, anticipation, nervousness, eagerness, and did I mention nervousness? I truly believe a family worship experience is something that God wants to happen at Crossroads. And it is Him that will pull it all together, not me. It's so awesome to look at what He's done so far and the pieces He's put in place. A week ago I wasn't sure I had all the cast characters I needed and now I do. God even provided a way for one of the best storytellers I know, Carrie Evans, to participate on Sept. 10! There are many other ways He's given me the pieces to make this puzzle work: a great creative team, an awesome comic co-host, a dance choreographer and worship leader, a technical director..,the list could go on and on.

So, if you're in the area on Sunday Sept. 10, come check out Kid Fusion at 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. at the Christian Family Centre in Adrian. Bring your neighbors, bring your friends, but especially bring your family! Because Kid Fusion wants to fuel your family to take their next steps toward Christ.

Does it work?

Does a family worship experience really work? Do kids and parents really use what they learned on Sunday all week long?

My personal answer is a resounding YES! A little over a year ago my family and I were visiting my brother in SC. The church that developed this family experience idea, North Point Community Church, is located in Atlanta, GA. Since we were so close we decided to head to Atlanta on Sunday and see for ourselves how this family experience worked. It was awesome!

The virtue for that month was Patience. We learned that patience is waiting until later for what you want now. We learned that over a year ago. I still remember it. My son who was just finishing Kindergarten at that time still remembers it. We are still talking about patience when the situation arises (and does it ever arise). But the coolest thing for me is that I shared that experience with my kids. I knew what they had learned (and really, learned along with them). Then Brian and I were able to use the same language to talk about patience with our kids. And from that one experience we are still learning and growing and using what we learned.

All that from one hour one Sunday. Imagine the impact when we get to have that experience every week! And I've got to add here, because Micah knows what Kid Fusion is, because he's experienced it, he can't wait for it to start. Every week he's asking me when he gets to go to that "Kid thing".

Why Family?

So, why would Crossroaders want to come to a family worship experience in addition to attending kids and adult worship experiences?

According to research done by George Barna most parents want to be the spiritual leaders for their kids. Parents generally feel they are responsible for the kids moral and spiritual development. The problem is that most parents don't know what to do. They don't have the tools they need to be the spiritual leaders for their kids. A lot of parents believe if they bring their children to church once a week, the church will take care of the rest.
If you take out sick days and vacations, at church we only have about 40 hours a year to impact the life of a child. Parents, however have 3000 hours a year to impact the lives of their children. 40 hours or 3000 hours??? It's pretty obvious who has the greater potential for influence.

So it's our job at Crossroads to use our 40 hours to equip parents, to give them the tools they need to be the spiritual leaders for their families with their 3000 hours. That's why we are beginning Kid Fusion, a family worship experience. After attending Kid Fusion, parents and kids will be able to talk about what they learned TOGETHER all week long. Families will be able to work together to apply the virtue they are learning about to their every day life. Because of Kid Fusion families will be fueled to take their next steps toward Christ.

Kid Fusion comes to Crossroads

Lights...camera....action! Combine high energy music, zany characters, and families and what do you get? Kid Fusion at Crossroads.

Kid Fusion is a family experience, where kids AND their parents come together each week to learn about character and faith. Kid Fusion is a next step in equipping parents to become the spiritual leaders for their kids. It gives parents and kids something they can talk about together all week long.

Kid Fusion will use music, drama, video, and storytelling to entertain and inspire families. Each month will be centered around a different virtue. Each week families will learn things they can apply at home, at school, at work, and in every day life.

Kid Fusion comes to Crossroads, as we kick off 3 worship experience times, beginning September17 during the 10 AM worship experience. It will be located in the LCS cafeteria (the same location the Kindergarten - 5th grade kids worship experiences occur).

Blogging again

So here I am again...Blogging certainly hasn't become a habit of mine yet, but I shall once again attempt to form that habit. You'll know if I'm successful or not!

Hi Wendy, my one faithful reader (or rather faithful checker - nope, nothing new from Shari this month).

Maybe I'll even get Brian, the guy with a thumb full of stitches, to reference me, then maybe a few people will know I'm attempting this again :)

I do have some cool stuff to tell Crossroaders about so stay tuned!

65,000 Eggs!!!!

We did it! We have officially stuffed over 65,000 eggs with candy, prizes, and stickers. Sunday afternoon we had a giant stuffing party. Around 250 people stuffed approximtately 53,000 eggs in about 2 1/2 hours. It was quite a sight to see. Some wonderful ladies and gentlemen from a local nursing home, Lenawee Medical Care Facility, stuffed 8,000 eggs for us. That put us at approx. 61,000 eggs (yes, we used the estimation method - we counted one barrell of eggs and used that as the standard number for all the barrells). So Monday I went to the Adrian Big Lots and bought approximately 330 dozen more eggs. It took 4 1/2 shopping carts and about 45 minutes to check out :) A great volunteer started on this batch on Tues. and then today the Jr. High student group desended on them. Those 4000 eggs were stuffed in about an hour! How amazing is that! (Thanks Kyle and John for letting the kids help!)
So, what are we going to do with 65,000 eggs? Did I mention there were also about 1800 flashlights? This will be Crossroads' 5th annual Flashlight Egg Hunt! An event free to the community! Registration begins at 7:30 pm this Sat. night (April 15) and the hunt begins at 8:30 pm. It will all be over by 8:35 pm!
The hunt will give families a fun activity. It will also plant a seed in the minds of people who might not think about going to a church otherwise. Then one Sunday they'll decide to check out Crossroads or another church and they'll get to learn about the great gift Jesus has for them. What could be more exciting than that?!