Energized and Organized

January is a month of extremes. The weather goes from cold to freezing, packed shopping malls become empty, rooms once decorated for Christmas look bare again. And children's ministry leaders? We're exhausted from the busyness of December and exhilarated because we made it this far! Read on for a few ideas designed to get you and your program energized and organized for the remainder of the church school year.

Please Pass the Kudos
First, lift your hands from the keyboard and place one over each shoulder. Ready? Good. Now give yourself a really big pat on the back from us. December was a full month and we tip our hat to all those leaders who showed up each week ready and rarin' to go! Make it a goal this week to acknowledge the efforts of another member of your children's ministry team with an email, a handwritten note, or a personal pat on the back.

Serve Up Some Excitement
Snap a few photos to help get your kids, their families, and other church members pumped up about your program again. Take pictures of kids in large and small group action, mount them on posterboard, and display them outside your room. Encourage kids to show and tell their families what's going on in the pictures. Fun photos featuring teaching staff are a great way to promote the program to folks who are checking out your church and to members who are thinking about teaching. So pop on a tiara, slip on some quirky sunglasses, hold up your favorite candy bar or favorite piece of sports equipment, and snap few candid shots. Tip: Post them on your church website along with a fun leader bio so that everyone can see what a friendly place your Kid Connection program is!

Clear the Room
Now's the time to go through the supplies and get prepared for the months ahead. Here's how to do it:

• Toss out the dried-up markers and empty glue sticks. Tip: Take a moment at the end of class and ask your kids to serve as Supply Testers!
• Update your paper supplies. Tip: It's much easier to prepare things at home when each leader has his or her own package of colored cardstock and printer paper.
• If your budget allows, order a wheeled storage cart for each small group. Label the drawers ("markers and crayons," "glue sticks," "scissors," "CD player," "paper") and you're ready to roll!

Move those chairs out of your large group area and pick up some carpet mats. Sitting on the floor make it simple for kids to stand up, sing and dance, and provide story sound effects. It will also save you loads of set-up time! Tip: Most carpet dealers will give you a stack of carpet samples for free or for a very minimal cost.

Kick the Habit
Make a New Year's resolution (or two). First, plan to be prepared. If you've ever painted a room you know that the most important part of the job is preparation. Same goes with teaching. I'm a procrastinator by nature, and I've done the "night-before" prep routine more times than I'd like to admit. Well, fellow last-minute folks, here's the problem with that game plan: while the session may still go OK with my last-minute prep, it could have been even better. Set a goal this year to flip through your lesson one week before you teach it; then watch and listen as the Holy Spirit prepares your heart in amazing ways.

Get Fed
Make spending time with God a personal priority this year. One simple way to do that is to be sure to read the Get Connected devotions found at the beginning of KC lesson. Each one is easy and enjoyable to read and will give you a deeper understanding of the story you're about to teach.

How Did It Go?
We consider YOU part of our Kid Connection team and we'd love to hear from you! E-mail us your comments, questions, or suggestions and let us know how things are going in your program.