Children's Ministry Update - Lord of Life has a long history of dedicated and meaningful ministry with children and youth and their families. This ministry is of great importance to me as one of your pastors and I have made it my top priority to continue this wonderful legacy while learning how to shape it for a new day and time.

  For several months now I've been working with a wonderful group of folks who have volunteered to be part of the conversation about the future of children's ministry here at Lord of Life. Those conversations have led to some wonderful insights and ideas about how to make meaningful ministry happen for our families. Since then the fruits of our labors have been evident in everything from reviving the Lent End celebration on Palm Sunday and adding an Easter Egg Hunt, to Parent's Nights Out events, to conversations about how to enliven both our Sunday School and Confirmation ministries with the opportunities presented by the new worship schedule beginning in the fall.

  Right now we're gearing up for this year's Vacation Bible School, and I very much look forward to the great fun and excitement that a week of stories and crafts and games and music always manages to stir up among not only our families, but the families of many of our Grace Place children as well as a large number of children and their families from the community around us.

  As for the fall, we already have some new and wonderful ideas for children and youth ages Pre-K through Senior High. Members of the Children's Ministry Steering Committee and I will be communicating more about this in the very near future as things continue to take shape. Many thanks to Lu Hourihan, Julie Vorwerk, and our Staff and Council leaders for their commitment and support. My sincere hope is that they and the other dedicated members of this team will assist me in sharing our work with you in the future.

  At the same time, I have been working with my own ideas of what this ministry should look like and prayerfully discerning what may be needed in order to continue to move us forward in the best manner possible.  I am excited to share with all of you that I've found an opportunity that I feel will be invaluable in helping to do just that. In September I will be participating in a seminar at Wartburg Seminary conducted by Vibrant Faith Ministries, a well known and respected leader in Family and Youth ministry. This training leads to a Certificate in what is now being called "First Third Ministry", as in ministry to young people from birth through age thirty and their families.

  The training consists of a one week on-site seminar followed by additional work done remotely through teleconferences and internet based sessions. The purpose of the training is to provide me with the tools necessary to better help us design and execute a meaningful ministry plan for Lord of Life. If you would like further information about the training please feel free to take a look at the course description and content here:  

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/certificate-in-first-third-ministry-training-school-70-registration-15488516570 

You may also be interested in browsing the web site that Luther Seminary has now developed related to this topic:  http://www.firstthird.org/  

Please keep this team and my upcoming training in your prayers that God may lead and guide us as we do this important work together.  

In His Service - PJ2 = )