INCM CONFERENCE – AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!

Children’s pastor shares rewards of training experience.  Kathy Shanks, Pastor of Children’s Ministries at Moncton Wesleyan Church in Moncton, NB Canada.

I have had the privilege of being a Children’s Pastor one year plus a few months.  I attended the “Wesleyan Huddle” for children’s workers in the Fall of 2009 in Maine. The conference was a great help to myself and many of the directors on my team in many areas of leadership, creativity, curriculum….  It also “wet my appetite” for the INCM conference which was held in Nashville, Tennessee in January 2010.  “International Network of Children’s Ministers”.

The highlights of the conference for me were:

• The privilege of networking with children’s workers from larger churches
• 4 church tours
• The worship experience at general sessions
• Breakout groups where we experienced “hands on” ministry
• My favorite breakout groups were: “No More voluntears!, Children of Divorce, 8 Ways Kids Learn Best
• Hundreds of exhibitors – I spent a lot of  money!
• The privilege of meeting people “I have only heard of!”
• Laughing my head off at Tim Hawkins (the comedian) as he brought the lighter side to some of the excuses we hear from parents and volunteers – it helped me lighten up!
• Networking with people just like me (and some even a little stranger than I am)!
• New ideas – programs – musicals
• Puppet Shows and Praise Teams to listen to while waiting in line for a function to start
• It was a good experience yet lonely to be the only one from my district there so it was great when Colleen Derr showed up.  We made a great connection and she connected me with “other Wesleyans”.
• The thrill of the “unknown”
• Finding out that many children’s pastors have the same issues/challenges – brainstorming and praying together was highly valuable

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