Whether you want to start an entirely new children's ministry or resurrect an existing organization, it is vital to carefully plan the opening process to ensure the wellbeing of attendees and the effectiveness of how your church communicates its message.
Before the planning process begins, always ensure that your church has a clear mission. As a kids ministry, it is your goal to bring children closer with their faith and help them understand the learnings of the bible, so create a clear mission statement that will help kids and parents understand the purpose of your establishment.
Create a vision for your ministry, and keep this in mind as you plan how to restart it and how to help it flourish as much as possible. Many churches have been impacted by lockdown restrictions, with attendees unable to meet in person for long periods. However, it is possible to restart your church and transform it into a thriving kids ministry with careful consideration and planning. Please find out how to breathe life back into your local kids ministry with our advice.
Things to Consider for Your Church Restart Strategy
1. Create a Team of Leaders and a Discussion Group
Begin rebuilding your team as soon as possible. Before you can restart your church, it is paramount that you involve as many voices as possible to create a ministry that serves your local community and recognizes their needs.
Form a discussion group with pastors, staff, and church volunteers to ensure that everybody can contribute to the planning process and know the ministry's vision. Running a church workers training program may prove helpful in providing staff with the confidence they need to begin their jobs again, particularly if the ministry has been closed for a long while.
Volunteer recruitment efforts should begin as soon as possible, as no ministry can run efficiently without the community's help. Volunteers are more important than ever in our current climate, as they can help keep classrooms sanitary, ensuring a greater level of safety for the children.
2. Consolidate Your Church's Image
When trying to resurrect a ministry, creating a new name, logo, and image is essential. Giving the church a fresh image is a clear demonstration to the local community that the ministry is preparing to serve the public again.
When considering names for your church, always remember to keep it short and memorable. Remember that you don't have to use the word church in your name, particularly for a kids ministry. Calling your ministry a club or gathering may improve its appeal to younger attendees while also indicating that your church is committed to bringing the community together as one.
3. Prioritize Church Child Safety
Creating strategies to keep children safe is potentially one of the essential considerations when restarting a kids ministry. Having plenty of safety precautions in place will also help to put parent's worries at rest, so be sure to take extra care to ensure that facilities have been thoroughly sanitized before opening.
As well as performing a deep clean before the church opening, be sure that you stock up on cleaning supplies and create a cleaning checklist for staff and volunteers so that they can keep on top of these tasks. Cleaning between gatherings has never been more crucial, so be sure that the church team knows how to carry out the necessary safety tasks.
4. Begin Fundraising Efforts
Raising funds to facilitate the reopening of the kids ministry is vital, and the best way to do this is to connect with the local community and make them aware of your church's mission. Crowdfunding on social media can be particularly effective as it means that your message can reach anybody who uses the internet. To create a powerful crowdfunding campaign, use videos to help clearly explain your vision and engage potential donators as much as possible.
Another excellent way to encourage donations is to set up a text-to-give system, in which those who wish to donate can text a designated number to give a set or chosen amount of money. To do so, all you need to do is find a software provider that will then offer a unique phone number. After that, you need to spread your message throughout your community to encourage them to support your cause.
Online fundraising efforts are becoming more prevalent as many are still self-isolating and cannot donate in person. Plus, as more people own smartphones than ever before, social media is one of the easiest ways to impart your vision.
5. Select Appropriate Church Management Software
Ministering to kids can be challenging if you don't keep an organized schedule and plan engaging activities, so prepare for this in advance by finding church management software that can provide you with a ready-to-use children's church curriculum while also giving you more organizational power over your classroom schedule.
A new approach to management could be precisely what your parish needs to begin thriving, so take time to choose software that works for you. If you're struggling to decide, read our guide on How To Choose Your Church Software Provider, and you're bound to find the right software for you in no time.
Restarting a kids ministry requires a lot of time and effort, but by following these steps, you'll be all ready for the big opening before you know it!