The halls of the Children’s Center were filled with laughter and anticipation as conference attendees gathered February 27th, a sunny Saturday morning, for Colonial Children’s Ministries second annual Children’s Ministries Summit.

The Summit conference, designed to encourage, equip and inspire volunteers who serve the children of Colonial, welcomed almost one hundred attendees. Teens and adults were refreshed by a variety of workshops and an inspirational keynote message delivered by Executive Assistant Pastor, Dr. Dave Burggraff. Workshop choices included: Those Mentoring Moments: Be Observant; Seize Opportunities and A Godly Man: A Child’s Eye View.

Children’s Ministries volunteers share a common purpose: They strive to paint God’s truth on the hearts of Colonial’s children. Conference attendee Kelley Carroll said, “[Dr. Burggraff’s lesson] presented [the volunteers] with images that were a great reminder that we have to keep our focus on the big picture, what God will bring forth in the harvest because of the planting time invested now.”

What a harvest it is! Filling the minds and hearts of children with the Truth of Christ is no small feat—it’s a responsibility that must be prayerfully approached. The vision of the Summit Conference?  Children’s Pastor Scott Wylie said, “Our volunteers want to do the very best job they can. We need to provide them with every resource we can, and part of that is training to help them serve with excellence.” 

So, how will Children’s Ministries continue to support their volunteers? One way is to continue to provide training sessions like the Summit. Children’s Ministries plans to have more frequent training sessions, especially training where volunteers can focus on the specialized ministry area in which they serve. The ongoing goal of Children’s Ministries, in teaming with volunteers, is to equip them with new ideas, a feeling of refreshment, and a chance to learn with others who are also committed to serving God.  After all, Kelley said, “[Kids] have a simple, trusting faith; and, every week, God allows us to enter their world, their lives, and encourage them to grow in God—what an awesome blessing, but even more so, a responsibility.”