Four areas of focus for the Tennessee Conference are:
Invest in Young People | Engage the Mission Field | Create Transforming Lay and Clergy Leaders | Grow Fruitful and Faithful Churches
Upcoming Events:
Confirmation Retreat at CEDAR CREST CAMP
March 27-28, 2020
Children’s and Family Ministry
We believe in the importance of building teams for ministry. In September 2016, the first meeting of the Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team was held. The purpose of this meeting was to discern the vision, values, and goals for ministry with children and family throughout the Tennessee Conference.
The Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team consists of a diverse group of children’s and family ministry leaders from across the Tennessee Conference. This team is represented by leaders from camp and retreat ministries, churches of all sizes, districts, and most importantly ethnicities.
The Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team is focused on assisting local churches and ministry leaders in increasing their capacity to build disciples of Jesus Christ through ministry with children and family systems.
Our Values.
The Children’ Ministry Discipleship Team strives to assist local church leaders through commitment to serving with the following values:
Intentional: We are focused, purposeful, engaged, meaningful, mindful and committed in our actions.
Relational: We create space for respectful collaboration, where we empathize and engage, while holding each other accountable.
Spiritual Depth: We commit to being rooted and grounded in our own faith so that we can carry out our ministry and assist others to do the same.
Encouraging: We support and affirm each other by validating the thoughts and actions of the others on our team.
Diverse: We are intentional in including a variety of voices in our conversations and planning.
Connectional: We commit to reaching across the conference to cooperate and collaborate in shared ministry.
Brad Fiscus
Director of Next Gen Discipleship
Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team Leaders
Joanna Cummings and Celia Finfrock
Joanna is the Pastor to Children and Families at The Village UMC in Nolensville.
Celia is the Director of Family and Children’s Ministry at Grace United Methodist Church in Mt. Juliet.
Contact the Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team.
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Goals for the next 3 years of ministry.
We have set ambitious goals for Ministry with Children and Families across the Tennessee Conference. The following is an explanation of what we plan to accomplish during the next 3 years of ministry. We would love for you to join us on this journey!!
Each of the following goals for 2019 are accompanied by a benchmark that we plan to accomplish in 2017. We are already at work developing action steps and processes to make these a reality. Which of these fuels your passion? Join us!!
Goal 1.
We will implement a full menu of Children’s Ministry training opportunities across the Tennessee Conference. This includes training for new children’s ministry leaders, practical and program-related content, as well as deeper leadership and spiritual development.
2017 Benchmark: We developed a network of leaders who train and coach. We developed a training calendar for those who train trainers. We explored conference-wide training opportunities for ongoing training needs.
Goal 2.
We created a Children’s Ministry Faith Formation Strategy that churches can contextualize and personalize. This strategy includes both church-based and family engaged components.
2017 Benchmark: We have formed a team to review best practices and faith formation. We have developed a template for churches as a process to form their specific contextual strategies.
Goal 3.
The Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team sponsored 6 annual children’s ministry events throughout the conference. These events included: Confirmation Retreats, Family events, Pre-Teen events, Children’s Spiritual Life, “Created by God” events and retreats, and worship arts events.
2017 Benchmark: The Children’s Ministry Discipleship Team has formed design teams for each retreat. The dates, sites, and opportunities have been scheduled on the calendar and a plan for publicizing has been developed.
Goal 4.
A conference-wide worship arts program has been developed. The program started with a children’s choir and has expanded as interests and passions are nurtured.
2017 Benchmark: We have identified ages, sites, and the initial focus for the first event.
Goal 5.
A central communication plan for all Children’s Ministry-related news has been implemented. This plan will provide a space where all information is funneled so that all people at all times will find the information they desire about ministry with children in the Tennessee Conference.
2017 Benchmark: We identified a point person to contact that will help coordinate information received. A monthly newsletter has been developed that includes curriculum links, best practices, welcoming of new children’s ministry leaders, and a link to the conference children’s ministry calendar as well as other locally sponsored children and family focused opportunities.
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