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Please scroll down to view a story/event listing, or a directory of news/events:
- TN UMC announces At-Risk Children and Families Grant funds (Press release, 4/9/12)
- Cokesbury announces new children’s curriculum releasing Fall 2012 (Press release, 2/22/12)
- Tennessee deacon authors new book (from TNUMConnects 8/24/11)
- “Challenge and-a-hair-cut, $2 Grand!” (from TNUMConnector, Aug. 2011)
TN UMC announces At-Risk Children and Families Grant funds (Press release, 4/9/12)
Contact: Patty Smith (615.329.1177, email)
Patty Smith, Director of Children and Family Ministries for the TN Conference, today announced that the At-Risk Children and Families Fund Grant Review Team invites proposals for faith-based ministry programs that directly engage children from birth up to and including age 12 from various ethnicities and demographics who are at-risk in Tennessee. A maximum of $2500 can be awarded to each applicant via the standard application process.
To make funds more readily accessible, the team has added The At-Risk Grant Short Form that allows applicants to apply for a maximum of $500. Applicants may choose to apply using the standard application process (DOWNLOAD standard form, .PDF) OR the At-Risk Grant Short Form (DOWNLOAD short form, .PDF).
At-risk children are defined as children in one or more of the following circumstances: living at or below poverty level, from single-parent households, temporarily homeless, abused or neglected, having documented special needs, orphaned, or displaced suddenly by unforeseen, sudden situations (tornadoes, hurricanes, fire).
Grants will support programming or projects tailored to at-risk children and families targeted by local churches and other faith-based United Methodist initiatives.
The programs/projects should:
• Help children at-risk know, love and follow Jesus.
• Provide faith-based and Scriptural solutions to conditions/circumstances that place these children at-risk.
• Contain intentional strategies to minister to and equip children and families who are at-risk with the necessary tools to be successful.
At-Risk Children and Families Fund Grant Review Team encourages programs/projects that:
• Focus on intentional outreach and evangelism with specific follow up and plans for integration into the life of the local church. Programs/projects should reach a specific at-risk community that exists within close proximity to the local church.
• Make faith development central to the program/project. Competitive proposals will have a team of leaders and volunteers whose expertise and passion is tailored to the particular needs of the project and the curriculum and/or design of program is Bible-based. The lead pastor of the applicant’s church should play an active role in shaping the project’s goals, implementation, and outcomes.
• Collaborate with other churches to extend the reach of the project.
Applicants are encouraged to capitalize on the connectional structure of the United Methodist Church and work with other churches to design and implement a multi-site or multi-church program or project as a means of increasing project resources (human and financial) to reach more at-risk children and families.
> Grant submission deadline: Monday, July 2, 2012 (DOWNLOAD .PDF forms: 2012 Standard | 2012 Short form)
> Grants awarded: Thursday, August 2, 2012
For additional information on the At-Risk Children and Families Fund Grant, contact Patty Smith at psmith@tnumc.org or 800.403.5795.
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Cokesbury announces new children’s curriculum releasing Fall 2012 (Press release, 2/22/12)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Cokesbury
Contact: Jason Marin (email)
Cokesbury is proud to announce their new children’s curriculum, Grow, Proclaim, Serve! Visit the website to watch videos, preview sample lessons and learn more!
Grow, Proclaim, Serve! incorporates Bible stories, activities, crafts, media, and games into a full faith experience for children. With Grow, Proclaim, Serve! children will develop the skills to unlock the Bible and grow their faith by leaps and bounds.With Grow, Proclaim, Serve! children will grow in mind and body, they will also grow in heart and soul. Grow, Proclaim, Serve! will nourish and enrich children, from birth through tweens, in their faith. They will be able to proclaim the good news of God’s love and serve God and neighbor. Children will realize that their faith goes with them as they grow.
Parents can get involved too! As a parent, finding a church home that reinforces and encourages the spiritual development of your child’s faith is very important. The resources that a church utilizes to accomplish that task can be equally important. Encourage your church to us Grow, Proclaim, Serve!
Sign up for the Grow, Proclaim, Serve! email newsletter to stay up-to-date on top of all the latest announcements!
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Tennessee deacon authors new book (from TNUMConnects 8/24/11)
Rev. Dr. Rita B. Hays, Associate Pastor at Connell Memorial United Methodist has authored the book GODTALK: 52 Fun Activities to Teach Children. It is a practical, easy-to-use resource for Sunday school teachers, children’s ministers, children’s ministry volunteers, pastors, and family members.
Each conversation centers on a simple scripture verse children can read, have read to them, or memorize. After each scripture verse, a talk point describes how the conversation applies to the spiritual growth of children. Each conversation includes suggestions for engaging children in a fun activity that engages the children’s senses and relates to living a life of faith in the world today.
God Talk may be used in a variety of settings within the church. Worship leaders who have the responsibility of sharing the children’s sermon could, with little preparation, use the God Talk conversations in the worship setting. Children’s church leaders can follow up by reinforcing the God Talk and having the children put the
God Talk into action through a simple craft project and or activity, thus providing a consistency with what the children have heard in worship.
God Talk could also be used for Wednesday night children’s programming, special children’s events, children’s devotional times, and as a supplement for Sunday school lessons.
Parent and grandparents will find God Talk a helpful resource in the home to engage their children in conversations about God. Lessons can easily be adapted for use in the family setting. The craft projects will be especially fun for children, but enjoyable for all family members.
The book is published by Abingdon Press and is available at Cokesbury bookstores or online, CLICK HERE.
Dr. Hays is also the author of Five Practices for Children, The Children’s Minister, The Most Important Space in the Church: The Nursery and All in the Family, Faith Issues for Families Facing Addiction.
This article was featured in the TN Conference weekly eBlast TNUMConnects. FREE to your INBOX weekly!
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“Challenge and-a-hair-cut, $2 Grand!” (from TNUMConnector, Aug. 2011)
submitted by Hilldale UMC
Lately the children of Hilldale United Methodist Church, Clarksville have been laying their hands on their Pastor Skip Armistead’s head, but not for the purpose of prayer or even for luck. Each summer, the children of Hilldale UMC are used to raising around $500 for missions. This year, Pastor Skip challenged the children to raise $2,000.
If the goal was met, Pastor Skip promised that all of his hair could be completely cut.
The VBS children’s mission for 2011 was raising money for "Sunday’s Dinner," a ministry of sister church Madison Street United Methodist. Each week Sunday’s Dinner provides a hot morning sit-down meal for 200+ people in Clarksville who would probably go without.
With the help of some loving church members, the VBS children raised $2,744! This result, for Pastor Skip and the Hilldale congregation, meant so much more than the money.
Felt needs were met: people, who probably would not have a meal, will eat a Sunday meal and Christ will be glorified.
An unintentional promotion: when people asked Pastor Skip about his hair cut, he provided some great publicity about the children’s ministries. As a result, several outside of the Hilldale community are now aware of and have an interest.
Shaved for sacrifice: realizing that this fun and simple hair cut was nothing compared to the sacrifice Jesus made, Skip was humbled when looking over his congregation of so many military, police, and veterans. His hair was cut, and so was theirs - as they willingly sacrifice much of their lives for our country and community.
Praying for fire: because of the drastic change of appearance numerous, it's no surprise that people wanted an explanation. Skip began praying that Hilldale would have such a spiritual and personality change in their lives that, like on Pentecost, the others would want an explanation as to why they are so on fire.
This article or a version of it was featured in the TN Conference newsletter The TNUMConnector. Get a full year for only $12!
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