I received inspiration for Wonder Warehouse from two places. First was from my favorite child-centered rock band, Imagination Movers. These guys have a show on Disney where they work at the Imagination Warehouse and use music and imagination to help people solve their problems.

The second place I received inspiration was from our strategy at Grace in preschool. One of the VERY IMPORTANT things we want to do is incite WONDER in the hearts of our preschoolers as we introduce them to God.

Over the course of several weeks dreaming, praying, and seeking guidance from others on what to change our theme to, Imagination Movers and WONDER collided and gave birth to WONDER WAREHOUSE.

WE ARE SO EXCITED and can’t wait for your kiddos to see Wonder Warehouse this Sunday.

My little girl, Emma Kay, is only two and a half years old, but I often daydream about some of the milestone moments her amazing mother and I will experience together as the years go by: when she learns how to ride a bike, her first day of kindergarten, and I shutter to think about her first date . . . scratch that last one . . . I want to block out that thought as long as possible. But out of all the magical moments I hope to have with my daughter, there is one moment that I long for more than any other . . . a moment that brings tears to my eyes even as I type out this blog . . . when Emma accepts Jesus into her precious heart. After that I imagine baptizing her and bringing her up out of the water . . . a moment that will forever change her life for the better.

For some of our parents at Grace Community Church your child is at that point in their young life where he or she is able to process what it means to follow Jesus . . . or maybe your child has already accepted Jesus into his or her heart and is now ready for that next step, baptism. If you’re anything like me then you’ll need some help and guidance while trying to navigate through these uncharted waters.

To help you, we encourage children from Kindergarten thru 3rd grade to attend Baptism Class; this is a single, one-hour class where we will cover the reasons why baptism is our next step after salvation. It includes fun games and great discussions that involve kids and parents. Email kids@gcomchurch.com and ask to receive our Pre-Baptism Packet that parents are expected to work through beforehand with their child that will help teach the basics of salvation. We want to ensure that a child understands the meaning of baptism before choosing to experience it.

To register your child for Baptism Class simply email kids@gcomchurch.com with parent’s and child’s first and last name along with a brief statement letting us know that you want to sign your child up for Baptism Class.

For kids in 4th and 5th grade I welcome you to contact me, Adam Bayne (the Kids Pastor at Grace), in order to schedule a time for me to meet with your child to discuss salvation and baptism. As far as location, I can meet parents and kids at the church office, or I can visit your home. Interested? Then simply email Adam at adam@gcomchurch.com.

ROSSVIEW CAMPUS:
Baptism Class—Jan. 29th at 11:30
Baptism—Feb. 5th

KENWOOD CAMPUS:
Baptism Class—Feb. 5th at 10:00
Baptism—Feb. 12th

For more in about Baptism click on the links below:

http://www.gcomchurch.com/baptism

http://www.gcomchurch.com/children

If you serve in Grace Acres . . . no matter your role . . . the mission is to see kids become growing followers of Jesus. To make this happen our desire is to help children leave Grace Acres knowing three basic truths:
• GOD MADE ME.
• GOD LOVES ME.
• JESUS WANTS TO BE MY FOREVER FRIEND.

In Grace Acres our desire is to incite WONDER in the heart of a child for his amazing God.

If you serve in Cross Street . . . no matter the role . . . the mission is to see kids become growing followers of Jesus. The three basic truths that are reinforced in Cross Street are:
• I NEED TO MAKE THE WISE CHOICE.
• I CAN TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT.
• I SHOULD TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WANT TO BE TREATED.

In Cross Street our desire is to lead a child toward DISCOVERY . . . to discover their faith like never before.

If you serve in Revolve the mission is . . . you guessed it . . . to see Preteens become growing followers of Jesus. The three basic truths we want our Preteens to learn are:
• I AM CREATED TO PURSUE AN AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.
• I BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST AND DEFINE WHO I AM BY WHAT HE SAYS.
• I EXIST EVERY DAY TO DEMONSTRATE CHRIST’S LOVE TO A BROKEN WORLD.

In Revolve our desire is to stir up a PASSION for Jesus.

In each stage of life it’s so important that volunteers, such as your self, are present to speak into a kid’s life . . . saying the same things their parents are saying. Together, partnered with parents, we can help kids become growing followers of Jesus.

Let me highlight two major things:
1. Everyone who shows up on Saturdays needs to bring $10 to fund CB . . . if you’re a couple, then $20 please. We want to take the financial burden off Manna Cafe 100% . . . we, along with Grace, will fund CB.
2. The menu is set . . . BUT, if you would like to include any extra items please feel free to do so outside of the $10 to $20 needed to fund CB.

(Side Note) Lastly, please know that for Kenny and the rest of Manna . . . what we are doing is relieving them in order for Manna to have more energy and focus for what’s going on during the week. Kenny is 100% happy with these changes and in fact welcomes them.

Team Leader: Things to Know (But everyone else needs to read as well)—

-We need you to pick at least 2 of your team members to drive the Manna van. Please email me their names lindsey@gcomchurch.com and also inform them that we will need to give us a copy of their driver’s license. You can stop by the church office during our normal business hours Monday-Thursday from 8:30-4:30 to turn that in or if you’re able to scan it and send it in an email that is fine too.

-We are going ask every volunteer that participates in Community Breakfast to donate $10 a month. Team Leaders it’s so important that you collect this every Saturday that you serve. I’ll include this in your email that you’ll send out to your team members at the beginning of the week.

-Keys to the Manna Cafe Warehouse along with the access code to get into the building will be given to you as soon as Kenny York gets the keys made. He will have those made by November 1st.

___________________________________

Here’s our Manual:

BIG CHANGES

-Starting in the month of NOVEMBER we will no longer have a team come in to prepare the food. If it’s your teams Saturday to serve you’ll be in charge of preparing the food, loading the van, transporting the food, serving the food, and cleanup afterwards.

-We will have training the first WHOLE month of November. Kenny will be meeting us at the Manna Warehouse and going over the basic information. It’s IMPORTANT for all team members to attend this training.

-We are going to have a SET MENU in place for each Saturday. Please see the attachment for the menu.

-Every Saturday your team serves we will be collecting $10 per individual to fund Community Breakfast. You’ll turn this money into your team leaders.

______________________________

TEAM LEADERS:

1ST Saturday

Team Leader(s): Tony & Jennifer McBroom

Email: tonyJennmcb@yahoo.com

Cell Numbers: Tony- 302-7568 Jennifer- 302-6331

2nd Saturday

Team Leader: Scottie Hill

Email: koscottie@yahoo.com

Cell Number: 217-6290

3rd Saturday

Team Leader: Lindsey Frey

Email: Lindsey@gcomchurch.om

Cell Number: 980-1040

4th Saturday

Team Leader: Katie Clemmons

Email: katielclemmons@gmail.com

Cell Number: 770-377-9553

5th Saturday

Team Leader: Bob Cartwright

Email: jacksgdaddy@gmail.com

Cell Number: 615-645-2124

__________________________________

IMPORTANT CONTACTS:

KENNY YORK

(MANNA CAFÉ OWNER)

EMAIL: kenny@mannacafeministries.com

CELL: 615-568-5115

(Please contact Kenny if you have any problems with getting access into the building or equipment problems.)

ADAM BAYNE

(FOUNDER OF COMMUNITY BREAKFAST)

EMAIL: adam@gcomchurch.com

CELL: 802-3585

(Please contact Adam if you have questions about team leaders or getting other groups plugged into Community Breakfast)

LINDSEY FREY

(DIRECTOR OF SERVE MINISTRIES)

EMAIL: Lindsey@gcomchurch.com

CELL: 980-1040

(Please contact Lindsey if you have questions in regards to the food menu or the supply cabinet set up at Manna.)

__________________________

GRACE CHURCH OFFICE

1716 MEMORIAL DRIVE

CLARKSVILLE TN 37043

(IF YOU NEED TO DROP OFF MONEY)

MANNA CAFÉ WAREHOUSE

1319 EAST FRANKLIN STREET

CLARKSVILLE TN 37040

(WHERE YOU WILL PREPARE THE FOOD)

HABIBTAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE PARKING LOT

408 MADISON STREET

CLARKSVILLE TN 37040

(WHERE WE WILL SERVE THE FOOD)

______________________________________

-Team Leaders you’ll email your group on Monday morning. We will provide the email for you to send out to your group.

-Please assign roles to your team members of what they will be in charge of for that day. You may want to put the people on your team on a rotation for each Saturday that you serve. You’ll need someone to come in at 6:50 to start the coffee and turn the oven on if needed. You’ll need a couple of team members to help prepare the food. You’ll need someone to help load the van with the needed materials for that day. A supply list will be provided for the materials needed for that day. Last you’ll need to assign a couple of team members for clean-up.

-Team Leaders EVERY month you’ll be in charge of collecting $10 per individual for Community Breakfast Funding. I’ll provide a moneybag for you to collect the funds. You can give that to Adam Bayne or Lindsey Frey on Sunday morning at GCC Rossview Campus. You can drop it by the Serve Table in the lobby. If for some reason you can’t make it to service you can ALWAYS drop it by the GCC office during office hours (Monday-Thursday 8:30-4:30).

__________________________________

MENU:

1st Saturday-

-Sausage, Egg, & Biscuits

-Bananas

-Water

-Coffee

2nd Saturday-

-Oatmeal

-Cereal

-Bananas

-Milk

-Water

-Coffee

3rd Saturday-

-Biscuits & Gravy

-Water

-Coffee

4th Saturday-

-Pancakes

-Syrup

-Bananas

-Water

-Coffee

5th Saturday-

-Egg & Bacon Casserole

-Bananas

-Water

-Coffee

______________________________

OK! That’s it! LOL!

Special thanks to Lindsey Frey for organizing all these thoughts onto paper and making us better!

Thanks guys,
Adam Bayne
Director of Kids Ministry (Birth-5th Grade)
adam@gcomchurch.com
cell 931-802-3585
office 931-647-6800 ext. 1013

Hello Grace Family,

Adam Bayne here, your Kids Pastor at Grace Community Church. Normally I’m the dude you sometimes hear about from your kids because I did something crazy in our large group environments, maybe you’ve seen me in really, really stupid videos on youtube, or maybe you’ve witnessed me getting tackled by a giant chicken in Cross Street LIVE . . .

I’m passionate about kids having fun at church while learning about our amazing Savior . . . I love to hear the laughter of kids and adults at church. But right now I have a very serious question for each of you. I ask that you spend some time processing and praying about this question:

If I could present a way for you to make an eternal difference in the Kingdom of God . . . would you take it?

Your Kids Ministry Staff at GCC, along with the best volunteers, are so proud of where God has brought us as a ministry in the past 6 years . . . but we haven’t stopped dreaming. As a matter of fact, as far as we are concerned Grace Acres (Preschool), Cross Street (K-3rd), and REVOLVE (4th-5th) are just getting started. We haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what God has in store for our awesome kids.

And here’s the good news: BIG dreams mean that we have tons of new volunteer opportunities. We want our Small Groups to be even smaller, one leader for every 5 to 6 kids, so that deep relationships can be formed. More worship leaders and storytellers in large group so new dynamics can be created that spark the imagination. More friendly check in volunteers to greet families in the morning . . . more tech volunteers to run lights and sound.

Kids in our ministries are falling in love with Jesus because volunteers have decided to make an eternal difference in the Kingdom of God by offering their time and talents to Him by loving our kids. Children at Grace love coming to church because of volunteers like Chris Klich and his wife, Holly, who invest in 4th and 5th grade boys every Sunday; Dana Clark, who volunteers once a month as a dynamic storyteller; David Blevins, who is the first friendly interaction they experience as he checks them in; Candee Rinde, who works hard with her curriculum team to edit lessons for Sundays; and the list goes on and on.

In Grace’s Kids Ministry we are all about coming alongside kids and their families and together growing as followers of Christ. Talk about making an eternal difference . . . you don’t want to miss out. In 20 years our kids may not remember every bible story we told . . . or every worship song we sang, but they will remember people like Micki Peterson, Kent Hughes, Elisabeth Ridderhoff, and Teresa Barnhill who took time out of their busy schedules to be a part of a bigger story.

So what do you say? Be the one that chooses to make an eternal difference . . . join the revolution in kids’ ministry. The first step is for you to email Chelsea at chelsea@gcomchurch.com and let her know that you would like to sign up for a TEST DRIVE in either Grace Acres, Cross Street, or Revolve (or all three). This will give you a chance to see us in action and decide which role would fit you best.

See you soon,
Adam Bayne, Director of Kids Ministry (Birth thru 5th)

Hey Kids Ministry Small Group Leaders,
So honored to be on a team with each and every one of you. Thanks so much for pouring your heart into our kids in Grace Acres, Cross Street, and Revolve! Years from now they might not remember every single bible story you ever taught or every activity you led . . . but they will remember you. They will remember that an adult cared enough about them to show up on Sundays and point the way to Christ.

In Kids Min we are honored to have the opportunity to be able to make an eternal difference in the kingdom of God by investing in the lives of our kids . . . what we do in Kids Ministry is one of the most important things each of us can do each and every week. This is why we need you guys to:

1. Please be prepared.
We need you to look over material emailed to you during the week so that when Sunday morning comes you are ready to go. Nothing is more stressful than trying to look over a lesson while kids are showing up . . . plus, a kid knows when his or her leader is not prepared.

2. Please show up when you are scheduled to show up.
I’m going be as completely honest and blunt with you as I can be: Unless you are sick, your child is sick, or there is a death in the family . . . if you have committed to a month’s schedule you need to be present.

3. Please show up early.
If parents show up and their child’s small group leader is late it paints a picture for that parent . . . their child’s small group leader doesn’t make Kids Ministry (aka their Child) a priority. Please be in your area at least 15 minutes before the start of your service. If you can get there any sooner than that . . . SWEET!

4. When it is game time . . . put on your game face.
When parents begin dropping their kids off . . . no matter how rough your week has been or even that morning . . . put on a smile and carry with you an attitude that for the next hour God AND the parents/kids you lead are going to get the best you have to offer. Your volunteer position is, in a sense, an offering of your time and talents to God . . . give God your best.

For those committed to the cause of helping children become growing followers of Jesus . . . all that is stated above is a no-brainer. For those who have been struggling with some of the expectations listed above . . . I need you to do me a favor as your Kids Pastor. I need you to begin thinking through and processing if your heart is wired to jump head first into a kids life in order to point the way to Jesus Christ . . . there is nothing that could be more important for us to do on a Sunday morning . . . and please know that your Kid Min leaders are working hard to make all of our environments better so that we can be as effective as possible. Katrina and Chelsea are doing an AMAZING job taking Kids Min at Grace to the next level.

So what do you say . . . LET’S DO THIS!!!

Thanks guys,
Adam Bayne
Director of Kids Ministry (Birth-5th Grade)
adam@gcomchurch.com
cell 931-802-3585
office 931-647-6800 ext. 1013

As a preschooler I had the best time staying at my grandparents’ farm everyday during the week. My mom and dad both worked, so mom would drop me off early in the morning so that I could stay with Meme and Daddaw. My grandfather, Daddaw, owns a barbershop in town . . . but before he’d head off to work in the mornings he would go check on the chickens and feed the pigs. Daddaw had an old work truck that he would drive to where the farm animals were and boy did I love getting to the farm early enough to be able to hop in Daddaw’s truck with him.

That short drive was magical to me . . . I can remember the feel of the seat cover, the sound of the loud engine making its way, and the look of an early morning on a beautiful farm. It was nothing short of amazing. Daddaw knew this too . . . and that’s why he would let me go along with him . . . it was a rhythm we had established.

Meme was the same way . . . but she took a different approach with her rhythm. Meme loved planning the coolest trips for me, my brothers, and all of our cousins. With Meme, you never knew what kind of adventure you were going to take on any given day. Meme knew what she was doing . . . it was her way of intentionally creating a rhythm . . . us grandkids knew that when we were with Meme that something unexpected and wonderful was going to happen . . . something we would never forget.

Why are grandparents so good at creating magical rhythms with their grandkids? Is it because they have more free time? Nope. My Daddaw and Meme still run a successful barbershop and work a farm. I think it’s because they have had the experience of raising kids . . . they have the wisdom to know that kids grow up WAY too fast and that they need to be intentional about creating rhythms that will foster wonderful moments and lasting memories.

Well, now I am 30 years old, and one of my chores on Saturdays is to load up all the trash and haul it off to the dump a few miles from where we live. On the way there I stop at a little gas station and usually buy a Mountain Dew, and as I sip my Dew I listen to the radio and try to get back home in a timely fashion so that I can continue my morning with my wife and 2-year-old daughter.

Eventually I noticed that every time I would start to get ready to leave on Saturdays that my little girl would always start to cry . . . she would say, “come, come” . . . meaning that she wanted to come along. On top of this, Emma began asking to sit in my truck . . . she would walk up to one of the doors, point, and say, “sit”. The times when I gave in and said OK we would simply turn the truck on, crank up the AC, and listen to music . . . she could sit in there for hours.

So one Saturday as I was about to take the trash off, Emma, once again, started to cry . . . it was then that it hit me . . . I can create a rhythm just like Meme and Daddaw did with me! I thought, “What if I take the car seat out of the Element and put it in my truck and take Emma with me on Saturdays?” I pitched the idea to Marissa and then she proceeded to check the car seat laws in Tennessee and we learned that it’s legal to have Emma ride with me in my truck . . . So that’s what happened.

Emma was so excited. I said, “Baby girl, you want to come with daddy to take off the trash.” She smiled and said, “YES! YES!”. As I put her in my truck her eyes lit up and she began to giggle. As we drove down the road she jabbered non-stop (mainly stuff I couldn’t understand). On the way back we stopped off at the little gas station and I bought her a juice and Candy Corn . . . man did she like the Candy Corn!

Upon our return I told Marissa that I would like for that to become a “thing” that Emma and I do on Saturdays . . . a “Rhythm” of our week. I mean . . . why not? Emma is crazy about my truck and loves Candy Corn . . . why not create that rhythm as long as it works, and as she gets older and doesn’t enjoy trips to the dump anymore (LOL!!!) I can look out for different rhythms.

One way that Grace Community Church’s Kids Ministry partners with parents is to give them take-home tools that help start conversations, activities, and even lasting moments that kids can carry with them for the rest of their lives. We hope that parents will begin to look at their take-home tools as a way to create wonderful rhythms with their kids.

The most important thing is that we as parents INTENTIONALLY look for magical rhythms with our kids and consistently carry them out . . . and as our children grow and therefore change, so will the rhythms we create.

For the first two years of our little girl’s life, Marissa, my amazing wife, was able to finish school online while staying at home. We had a great routine, plenty of time together, and best of all mommy had tons of time with Emma Kay. But, change is inevitable . . . and soon Marissa graduated from college and before we knew it interviews were scheduled and right over the horizon we could see how things were about to change.

Marissa knew that she wanted to teach . . . she had spent several years working her tail off to get to this point . . . but when her career was in sight . . . well, she was hesitant. Why? Because she loved being a stay-at-home mom . . . and rightly so, she is an amazing mother.

The interviews were eventually completed, and then came the big day when Marissa was hired at a fantastic elementary school! At this point we should have simply been thrilled . . . don’t get me wrong . . . we were happy and considered this job to be a blessing . . . but we also knew that with this change mommy and Emma would have less time together.

What I love about how Marissa handled this is that even in her hurt having to deal with this transition she decided to make the best of it. She works hard every day in her classroom, but when she comes home she simply gives her self to me and to her little girl. Please understand, this doesn’t happen by accident . . . Marissa intentionally gives Emma and I all of herself so that the quality of our time together is next level. You see, Marissa knows that it’s not necessarily about the amount of time you spend with your child (even though that is important) but it’s more about the quality. She does such an amazing job making sure that Emma and I get her best when she gets home . . .

Are there times when Marissa misses being at home with Emma all day . . . sure. But she has learned to manage those emotions by giving 100% in her classroom and then coming home and giving her family 110% . . . Emma and I never feel like we are getting the leftovers of Marissa’s time and attention. We get the best of Marissa . . . that’s why she is the best wife and mother in the world.

OK, so I must admit . . . I am not a super-tech kind of dude. I can get by and do pretty well, but there are still some very simple things that can confuse a guy like me. For example, and I’m being honest here . . . not too long ago I had never used an iPod touch . . . I know, I know . . . it’s hard to believe . . . but it’s true.

You see, one morning at church I was in a rush to load some songs onto an iPod for our preschool environment to use for worship, and guess what, I loaded the songs with great success! YES! But then I figured out that I needed to create a playlist so that the worship leaders could pick the songs they wanted to use for that day with ease . . . that’s where I got stuck . . .

OK, so here is the moment . . . the moment where I had to ask someone for help with a “stupid” question. Don’t you hate that . . . you have a question you know will end up having such a simple answer but you have to ask it anyways. So as I spun around looking for assistance my eyes caught the perfect person . . . so I asked the question . . . and can you imagine what happened . . . I got a “jerk-ish” response. In that moment what could have been a simple smile followed by a simple answer turned into a moment where this person became a jerk, made me feel stupid, and really wasn’t even much help.

This ever happened to you? Have you ever been the jerk? In the case mentioned above I was greatly disappointed in this person. He’s an established dude who is thought of, in some circles, as a leader of sorts. What the heck is wrong with “church” people today?

If there is ever a place where you should feel safe enough to ask ANY stupid question . . . it should be church. If there is ever a place where you should feel safe enough to be yourself without fear of being criticized . . . it should be church. I can’t tell you how disappointed I’ve been with “church” people throughout the years . . . and especially with myself when I fall into those “jerk” modes. Honestly, one of the reasons I love my church so much is the fact that we have more real, genuine people than I have ever seen in a church before . . .

This isn’t an argument against peeps with imperfections . . . I can handle broken, messed up people all day long . . . I’m one of them. What I am tired of in churches are the “SUPER CHURCHED” peeps that have way too much authority and can’t seem to even communicate properly with other human beings . . . we simply have too many of those people in churches today (which is the reason a lot of broken people stay away from church). Just think about it . . . what if I had been a new volunteer going through some major stuff . . . to be talked down to like I was in the story above could have driven me away from church for good.

So many church people are too judgmental, too critical . . . and their only goal is to try and fit in and look as “normal” as possible so not to be judged or critiqued themselves . . . that’s so sad.

Church should be a place of unique individuals . . . wild hearts . . . FREAKS . . . crazy in love with a Savior that is untamed and free. But the “jerks” or the “normals”, as I like to call them, want nothing to do with the wild and craziness of God and His people.

The only way to make church a safe haven for those looking to be accepted is for church leaders, on staff or as volunteers, to stop being jerks . . . show others what love looks like . . . and maybe even answer people’s “stupid” questions with respect and dignity.

Hello Grace Acres & Cross Street Volunteers,
Katrina (our Preschool Director) and I (the Elementary Age Director) are working on changing the leadership dynamics so that we are working more in our areas of passion. Below is a brief description as to what’s going on starting August 1st along with a 4 1/2 minute video that goes into greater detail:

1. My new title and roles:
a. I’ll be the Kids Pastor over Grace Acres and Cross Street
b. I’ll be the Director of Kids Ministry Production: handling GA Large Group, CS Large Group, and Cross Street LIVE
c. We are launching a new Preteen Ministry called REVOLVE for 4th/5th Graders on September 11th at ROSSVIEW ONLY . . . I’ll be the Preteen Pastor.
REVOLVE PROMO VIDEO:

____________________________________________________

2. Katrina’s new title and role:
a. Katrina will be the Director of Kids Ministry Small Groups in Grace Acres and Cross Street
b. Katrina will head up training Small Group leaders and assistants.

This is a HUGE HUGE HUGE job . . . Small Groups are at the heart of what we do in GA and in CS. Bottom line, Katrina is in charge of the most important aspect of Kids Min at Grace Community Church. She will need strong leaders who are willing to step up and go the extra mile in order to engage the hearts of our kids for Jesus.
____________________________________________________

3. The Family Ministries Team will be hiring another person in Mid-August . . . and one of the roles this person will carry out will be to act as an Operations Director for GA and CS: Leading Check In and enhancing systems.
____________________________________________________

For a more detailed look into what is happening check out this video. You will also find out about some more cool info concerning REVOLVE & a heads up about changing the theme in GRACE ACRES:

____________________________________________________

In the past we have used the term Kids Ministry to talk about K thru 5th (Cross Street) . . . from here on out when we refer to Kids Ministry we are talking about GA and CS. We are linking arms from behind the scenes . . . on Sunday mornings though we will still have a defined Grace Acres environment and a defined Cross Street environment.

THANKS,
Adam Bayne
Kids Pastor/Preteen Pastor/Director of Kids Min Production
adam@gcomchurch.com