Julia A. Spohrer - Serving in Your Church Nursery

ZONDERVAN

Serving in Your Church Nursery

Copyright 2003 by Julia A. Spohrer

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EPub Edition June 2009 ISBN:978-0-310-83356-7

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Spohrer, Julia A., 1970

Serving in your church nursery /Julia A. Spohrer.

p. cm. (Zondervan practical ministry guides)

ISBN 0-310-24104-9

1. Christian education of preschool children. I. Title. II. Series.

BV1539.S66 2003

259'.22-dc21

2003005035

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version.NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

04 05 06 07 08 09 / DC/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

Serving in Your Church Music Ministry, Randall D. Engle

Serving as a Church Greeter, Leslie Parrott

Serving as a Church Usher, Leslie Parrott

Serving in Your Church Prayer Ministry, Charles E. Lawless Jr.

Serving in Church Visitation, Jerry M. Stubblefield

Serving by Safeguarding Your Church, Robert H. Welch

Paul E. Engle is an executive editor and associate publisher for editorial development at Zondervan. He has served as a pastor and as an instructor in several seminaries. Among the eight books he has written are Bakers Wedding Handbook, Bakers Funeral Handbook, and Gods Answers for Lifes Needs.

Julia A. Spohrer is director of children and family ministries at Valley Community Baptist Church in Avon, Connecticut. She has also served in churches in Ohio, Illinois, and New York. She holds degrees in Christian and religious education from Columbia Bible College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. She earned her Ed.D. in educational leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

SERVING IN YOUR
CHURCH NURSERY

PAUL E. ENGLE, SERIES EDITOR

JULIA A. SPOHRER

D ear friend in ministry,

I wish we could sit and have a warm cup of coffee together! It would be great to hear about your church and get to know you and your churchs ministryand, more specifically, to hear how God has placed a burden on your heart for the ministry of the nursery.

If we could sit and talk, Id ask about your favorite parts of the ministry, and Id also ask where you feel stuck and need resources to get over the bumps in the road. Id want to ask how God brought you to the place of serving in the ministry of the nursery and how you see God working in the future. Id want to brainstorm with you, encourage you in your ministry role, and pray together about it!

This resource is intended to bolster you with practical ideas for the process of implementing ministry as well as for the end result. So Im praying that, as you read this story of how one nursery ministry team formed, youll be encouraged and motivated to begin (or continue on in) a crucial part of the overall ministry of your church.

Before we continue, lets clarify the use of the word nursery. What ages does nursery apply to? Churches divide age groups many different ways. In this book, the nursery ministry refers to children three years of age and under. Chapter 7 specifically addresses the issue of different ways your nursery can be divided so that children can best be served in a safe, age-appropriate manner.

In the service of God,
Julia A. Spohrer

I m stressed. Im not sure I can do this, Jackie! I mean, I have no clue what Im doing. I have two small children, my time is limited, and I just dont know if I can be involved in nursery ministry.

Jackie looked at Claire as they sat at Jackies kitchen table Claires nine-month-old was sleeping in a car seat and her three-year-old was playing on the floor.

Claire, I know it seems pretty impossible right now. Ive been right where you are. I know from experience that it is possible, but youre going to have to be willing to take things one step at a time and truly pray through each step of the process. God wants to use you in this ministry, but he also wants to help you grow in your faith in him. Claire, if youd like, we could get together again next week and start from the beginning.

Do you really mean it, lackie? I need help, and if you could just show me some of the tricks of the trade, well, maybe that would get me back on track.

Jackie and Claire set a time to meet together. They agreed to meet at Claires church, even though Jackie lived about thirty minutes away in a neighboring town. A woman in her early fifties, Jackie was the coordinator of the nursery ministry at First Churchwhere she had served for what seemed like a lifetime. She graciously agreed to be Claires mentor. They didnt ever use the word mentor but did agree to meet regularly to connect.

When Claire first called Jackie to set up a visit, she was relieved to hear the warmth in her voice over the phone. Claire had been thinking that if she could talk with someone who had done this before, it could help a little. Claire had no idea Jackie would be willing to connect with her on a regular basis. Claire had found out about Jackie from a friends mom who had heard about Jackies incredibly exciting ministry in the nursery at her church. Thats what Claire desperately wanted for her churchGrace Church. Her pastor talked a lot about reaching people in their community and having great ministries for children, but it seemed that things never got off the ground. He tried hard to cover all the bases, but he was overworked. Claire was the fifth nursery coordinator Pastor Jim had recruitedin about two-and-a-half years. Needless to say, mere had been constant turnover in the nursery ministry.

Im looking forward to getting everything all set in the nursery, Claire thought to herself, forgetting Jackies caution that she shouldnt think she could whip the nursery ministry into shape in a short time. Claire didnt have a mental picture of what running like clockwork meant for nursery ministry, but somehow she was hopeful that it would happen soon. And so she woke up one Sunday morning with extra energy, thinking about serving in her churchs nursery ministry.

Claire had barely gotten out of the car with her children, complete with all their paraphernalia, when her friends husband greeted her. He wanted to tell her that his kids had become ill during the night, and his wife wouldnt be able to fulfill her nursery responsibilities that morning. Claire tried hard to keep a positive attitude. She smiled, told him she understood, and headed toward the entrance.