A Summer Investment in Children’s Ministry

April 27, 2023 / by Tonya Southwood

For the past 10 years I have greatly enjoyed the privilege and blessing of serving and interacting with many of the children at East White Oak’s Sunday morning Summer Children’s Ministry.

For those of you not familiar with this unique short-term children’s ministry opportunity, there are a variety of ways to serve. I’ve been a teacher, but it takes an entire team to make the summer great for the kids.

The summer program changes up Sunday mornings from the regular school year program in a couple of ways. First of all, the children have the opportunity to learn from different teachers each week and are assisted by a loving team of spiritually nurturing adults. Secondly, each Sunday gives the children a VBS-like experience presenting a fun theme that runs throughout the summer. This summer’s theme is “Cruisin’ with Paul” lessons about Paul’s missionary journeys. Each weekly session includes an activity or craft, lesson time, game time, small group time and reflection time to reinforce the biblical truth taught in that week’s lesson.

Some of the most rewarding times I have experienced in my years spent teaching are when the lessons encouraged the children to revisit a familiar Bible story (such as Daniel in the Lion’s Den or Jesus Feeds the 5,000) from a fresh new perspective. They are so eager, willing, and able to be led in the discovery of deeper Biblical truths and seem to enjoy learning something new from God’s Word each week!

If you have never been a volunteer in Sunday morning Summer Children’s Ministry, or if it has been a while, I hope you will consider joining the team this summer so you can experience the blessing of being a vital part of the spiritual nurture of the elementary-aged children of East White Oak.

Tonya Southwood has served in Children’s Ministry for the past 20 years. She is married to Klayton, and they have 3 grown children. She is an elementary substitute teacher who has a passion for teaching God’s Word at an after-school Bible Club at Oakdale Elementary. In her spare time, she enjoys taking care of her menagerie of farm animals.