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Still Here
Posted on August 22, 2008, by steven kelly, under church.
Some of you have noticed that there has been no KidsKorner newsletter this month, nor have there been any blogs from KidsLife lately. Part of this is due to the fact that I was on a brief vacation. I have also been spending quite a bit of time behind the scenes plotting the next moves of KidsLife and Godstock. This has been a summer of experimentation and by the time the leaves change color I hope to have several new programs in place.
In case my absence has become conspicuous, I thought I should at least post something to let you know that a new post is forthcoming to describe amazing developments that will be taking place in KidsLife. I am waiting for a few more things to fall into place before shouting the news from the housetops and like that wonderful line from “Top Gun” let my mouth write checks my body can’t cash. My next blog is like Jesus. Coming soon, though no one knows exactly when.
-Pastor Steven Kelly
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I Know, I Know…
Posted on July 24, 2008, by steven kelly, under children, parents.
Greetings and happy Friday to those of you in LifeChurch Land! Soon you will see several changes implemented within KidsLife that you may recognize, especially if you have been attending for some time. Our old security measures, as well as several new ones will be making a comeback.
Background checks will be taking place on all children’s workers in early August. New rules regarding classroom security will be implemented as well. We are working on eventually installing closed circuit cameras in the rooms as well.
Don’t get me wrong. I cringe at the thought of having to take such measures. Like all of you I remember a time when children’s church was a couple of kids gathered in whatever room the church wasn’t using on Sunday morning. We would sit quietly during the lesson so that afterwards we could be released and tear around the facility as if we owned the place. Few of us gave any thought to security.
It is a different world now and as much as I hate that idea that we have to take such measures, it is nothing compared to how much I would hate the consequences of laughing them off.
I know that this is inconvenient. Especially to those of you who have been with the church for some time and are used to going straight to your responsibilities and letting your kids show up to class on their own.
I know who you are. No matter how long you have been attending LifeChurch there are plenty of workers who do not know you, your spouse and all of your children, let alone your friends, neighbors, parents and grandparents. Whoever checks in your child, must keep the tag and present it at the door.
I know that this will seem like major overkill. I hope so. I want this department to feel and be so safe that any accusations of impropriety will seem laughable and prove fruitless.
It will take a few weeks to get used to but in time I know all of you will appreciate the lengths we are going to ensure your child’s safety.
-Pastor Steven Kelly
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Becoming More Responsible With Our Greatest Resource
Posted on July 18, 2008, by steven kelly, under children, church, parents.
Every time I find myself sifting through our classrooms I end up being both thankful for what we have and yet wanting so much more. I have been going from room to room making long lists of toys, games, electronics, teaching aids, curriculum and more that I would like to add to our program. At the same time I know that these summer days tend to be our slowest time of the year. (Both attendance wise and financially)
However this summer has been anything but slow at LifeChurch. Our growth in the KidsLife has been exceeding our expectations. While space and resources seem like our biggest issues it actually comes down to staffing. While it would be great to have a donation of thousands come in for KidsLife, our greatest resource would still go untapped.
While we have done a great job managing our physical resources, the staff can often feel left unattended. This why I am hard at work to provide better hands-on, in-class training. The next two months you will see me in your rooms implementing our new procedures and getting feedback from you in regards to your responsibilities as teachers and staff.
This is the reason we will be having an all staff meeting on Sunday, August 3rd at 1:30 p.m. This will give everyone time to grab something to eat and make arrangements with their kids. (Childcare will not be provided for obvious reasons. Yes I am aware of the irony.)
We will be collecting complete information packets on all of our workers and beginning background checks. There are several other safety procedures that will be put into place as well as a basic training manual that I am currently working on. This is not only a time for us to raise the bar in terms of training, performance, safety and results but also a time for you to tell me what you need to make your service easier. This is your chance to tell me what you need in order to perform your best.
We need to be thankful for the past but looking towards the future. As we continue to grow, we must adapt and fine tune this department so that we are prepared to accept the blessings that we so anxiously await.
If we are faithful in what we have now, God will provide much more in the future. I am striving to be as good a steward of our human resources as I am our fiscal.
-Pastor Steven Kelly
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KidsLife Blog Intro
Posted on July 10, 2008, by steven kelly, under children, parents.
Good Morning and a happy Friday to those of you in LifeChurch land! I was excited at this blogging idea until getting a chance to read the blogs I have to follow. Nice work so far, everyone.
My blog will be mainly for those of you trying to raise kids in one of the most difficult environments imaginable. Southern California. I will keep you in the loop as to new developments and current happenings of KidsLife. I would also love to field any questions that you may have in regards to raising your children to serve the Lord and reach their full potential in Him. Please send your inquiries to stevenk@getlife.tv. All questions will be anonymous.
I should probably start by answering a few of your questions about myself. For those of you who do not know, I am not married. I do not have children. However, fourteen years of Children’s Ministry has taught me a lot about children. And from a far more unbiased perspective than one who has his own children. (Fourteen years of working with children may also have something to do with it.)
I truly believe that children are the key to mass evangelism. I also have the facts to back this up. The statistic that is my rallying cry is 43%. That is the number of percentage of people in the United States who accept Christ during their elementary years. Once an individual is of college age, the likelihood of them accepting Christ as their personal Savior drops to only twenty percent and remains for the rest of their lifetime. That means that in this country nearly eighty percent of the battle for eternal life is fought outside of the sanctuary.
I am honored to be fighting the Good Fight here at LifeChurch. One of the first things I noticed when I first passed through the doors of LifeChurch in January was that this place believed in children and backed it up with resources.
I cannot express enough thanks to Pastor John and the staff of LifeChurch, both pastoral and volunteer, who have made this department possible. So many of you have put in a lot of extra time and energy during this transition and have done so without complaint. We are still in the midst of a lot of changes and restructuring and we appreciate your patience
I have had the opportunity to meet with a lot of you during our weekend services. Two things. First of all, thank you so much for your feedback. There is no other blessing quite like hearing from parents excited about the spiritual growth of their children. When they mention something they have learned at home or are taking the things that we have studied and putting them into practice, it always makes our day to hear about it. As KidsLife staff, we sometimes wonder if what we are doing is really making a difference. It always helps us do our job better when we know of some of the fruit it is producing. We never get tired of feedback!
The second thing is this. I am sure some of you have questions, concerns, or maybe you just would like some more information on an upcoming event or program. Maybe there is a serious situation you are dealing with in regards to your child or children. Maybe you just need to ask, “is this normal?”
I do my best to field as much during the weekend as possible, although sometimes I may be a bit distracted while handling the many things that pop up during the course of a service.
If for any reason, you need more that a scant moment of my time, please feel free to contact me either via email at stevenk@getlife.tv or by phone at (951) 704-9590. I am currently bi-vocational, so my office hours are not currently regular. I will, however, do my best to meet with you or just answer any questions you may have. Most of all, I want you to know that I am here for you and your children and it is my mission to see develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and grow in the ways of the Word so that they can take bring His Life to the valley!
Thanks for reading. Next week’s will be shorter.
-Pastor Steven Kelly
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