Stirring My Passion

From the title you may be thinking - okay, Greg finally met someone? Sorry no. The passion that was stirred in me today is my passion to impact kids for Christ. Through great seminars by such Children's Ministry giants as Jim Wideman, I'm reminded why I do what I do. Why I put up with frustrations, over work and little social life. I'm a Children's Minister and I'm impacting the lives of kids for Christ.

Jim reminded me how important my attitude is in my ministry and sharing my pasison and mentoring others to do the same. I control my attitude. I decide how I'm going to react when things happen - and things happen. That's life.

I also sat through a great seminar today on using media to impact kids today - they call them the mosaics. If we ignore how kids (and adults) learn and sort through information which impacts what they believe and how they behave 6 days a week and do our own thing on Sundays, our important message may just get cast aside. The message is the same, but the means in which we share that message is always changing. We can ignore this fact and say to kids, because you can't learn and process they way I do (or the way my grandmother did!) then you don't get God's Good News. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to say that! Good luck and may God continue to bless us as we find new and meaningful ways to share the powerful, life saving message of Christ.

Greg

Sipping a Mocha in Union Station

Today I ventured through Union Station in Kansas City, MO. Wow it was cool. It's massive! It was fun just to sit in a corner with my Cafe Mocha (it was mmm good) and just watch people come and go. Did I mention the place was massive? It has an incredible ceiling in the main lobby with three massive chandeliers (sp?) hanging. There are shops and restaurants all through the main floor. There's a Science Center and IMAX theater on the lower level.

I saw the flic "Extreme" this afternoon. It had guys surfing 40 foot waves, free climbing frozen waterfalls and skiing down mountains! These folks were nuts!

It's so nice to get away and just hang out. Internet's free down here in this public area ($10 in the hotel room). Tomorrow my conference begins and I'm ready. Cool stuff ahead I hope. Well, I think I'm gonna head up to my room on the 14th floor -what a view. There's this incredible war memorial with this tall, tall tower you can go up in. It's pretty impressive! Guess that's it for now. Later

Why does it take so much work, just to take time off?

This weekend I'm heading off for the Children's Pastor's Conference in Kansas City. Why do I schedule everything in the world, the week before I leave? You'd think I'd learn. Why is everything right in the middle of starting a new quarter with new teachers? Maybe it's to remind me that things will continue with out me. Of course, I didn't leave the church until 12:30 this morning trying to get children's churches done, curriculum printed and things in the mail.

I guess I wouldn't enjoy the time away as much if life wasn't so crazy - not that I don't like it crazy. But I am looking forward to a recharge from the classes and speakers and hanging out with new and old friends. So, I guess in the end, all the work is worth the chance to get away for a while. Hope you can get away too.

The Narnia Experience

This last Saturday we held one of the coolest events I've ever done. We called it the Narnia Experience. It was an intergeneration event based on the book/movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Groups of 15 traveled through a 9 foot wardrobe that opened up to a forest of artificial Christmas trees and with fake snow falling. The group met the Professor at the Lamp Post and then journedy to five areas where they met characters from the story. They met Mr. Tumnus in his home/cave; Mr. & Mrs. Beaver in their home; the White Witch in her ice castle, Aslan at the Stone Table and finally the four kings and queens on their thrones. I may have writtent he scripts but the actors/actresses really brought the parts to life. Our rooms were decorated incredible by some of our very talented church members.

Groups heard fun dialogues from the characters, participated in an activity and heard a piece of the Gospel story in each area. A pre-recorded narrator guided the groups through, providing the Narnia story with the true story of Jesus Christ.

The event registration filled up quickly. We had everyone from babies to 90+ year olds coming from our church and the community. What a day!

"Here's the Cast from the Narnia Experience"