100+ attend Imagine event for Children & Family Ministry teams 

The Northwest Conference held its second Children & Family Ministry training event, Imagine, on Nov. 10 at Crossroads Covenant in Forest Lake, MN. Over 100 people attended from 27 churches, which more than doubled our attendance from last year. The event was free for children's ministers and their ministry teams, with the goal of equipping and encouraging volunteer teams.

Tiger McLuen from Youth Leadership spoke about encouraging volunteers to move from chaperones to shepherds, and also ministry to families. McLuen encouraged children's ministers to take the long view of ministry and to look past the challenging behavior of kids so we can let them know they are loved, valued and not alone.

For children's ministry volunteers, a demographic who often miss corporate worship so they can teach our children, the opportunity to worship and learn with adults was a gift. A few larger churches brought teams, but many came with just one or two and said it was helpful for them to network with other children's ministry volunteers.

Overall, the response to this event certainly affirms the NWC priorities-the time is ripe to resource and invest in Children & Family Ministry. We look forward to more opportunities to resource and connect with children's ministers and their teams.

By John Wenrich, Director of Congregational Vitality for the Evangelical Covenant Church

Once again, the Holy Spirit moved in powerful ways during the Navigate weekend at First Covenant Church in Minneapolis and the pastor's retreat that followed at the Oakridge Retreat Center in Chaska, MN. FCC and the Northwest Conference did an excellent job of hosting the weekend gathering for both pastors and lay leaders from 27 churches.

FCC continues to serve as a prime example of an at-risk church moving boldly and directly to healthy missional. As we say in Navigate, "A cord of three strands is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12) The ongoing story of vitality at FCC is a dynamic combination of the local church, conference and denomination all working together.

Make no mistake: This journey of vitality is both adventurous and treacherous and is not for the faint of heart. Pastor Dan Collison's plenary message on clarity, courage and missed opportunities continue to resonate with pastors and lay leaders. It is such a joy to watch churches from all over North America benefit from how the Holy Spirit is moving through this multi-ethnic group of mission friends.

One pastor put it this way: "Upon being invited to Navigate, I thought of it mainly as an opportunity to get members of my church on board with the idea of congregational vitality. During the weekend, I found that Holy Spirit was working mightily in the individuals who came along and God was stirring in my heart as well. During the retreat for the pastors, I began to feel a distinct indication that I had a growing point that God wanted to work on. As a stabilizing leader who likes to avoid conflict, I have often wondered why God called me to a church that needs revitalization. One of the leadership constructs presented helped me to find a 'strike zone' for change. Along with that image was a challenge that as pastors we need to develop the ability and comfort to operate in both catalyzing and stabilizing roles. The challenge God was putting on my heart was to develop my catalytic leadership. I didn't think that I had that kind of leadership in me. With the prayer and guidance I received at Navigate, I feel confident that God will faithfully lead, equip and provide support for our journey toward congregational vitality."