18th Annual Children’s Ministries Conference Held
From its early inception by a group of children’s pastors in 1995 with the first conference, the FOCUS Children’s Ministries Conference has continue to provide quality training, inspiration and mentoring for local church children’s ministries leaders and workers.
The 2012 conference was recently held in Greenville, South Carolina at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The conference has become international, including delegates each year from various countries. This year, there were registrants from Japan, Philippines, and the Bahamas. 45 workshops provided great opportunities for training. After Hours Fellowship, following the evening general sessions, at Underground Coffee, provided the registrants the privilege of one on one dialogue with guest speakers Allyson Evans of LifeChurch.tv in Edmund, Oklahoma, and Justyn Smith, of South Hills Church in Corona, CA. A host of vendors provided resources for the participants to peruse and purchase.
A highlight of the conference each year is the presentation of the Shepherd’s Cup Award which is presented annually to someone who has been nominated. There were five recipients of this year’s award for Children’s Ministry leaders who have been serving for ten years or longer in children’s ministry and have determined that children’s ministry is their calling in life and have excelled in their ministry efforts. Those honored in 2012 include Vicky Franco of the Dasmarinas Church of God in Dasmarinas, Philippines (Pastor Anthony Velasco); Freddy Todd, Pathway Ministries in Mobile (Pastor Joey Turman), Alabama; Kevin McHann, Mt. Olive Ministries Center (Pastor Gary Sears) in Cleveland, Tennessee; Jack Miller, Grace Pointe Church (Pastor Patrick Wooten) in Irving, Texas, and Jeremy Donald, Forest Hill Church of God (Pastor Derwood Perkins) in Mobile, Alabama. Each of these Children’s Pastors have excelled beyond the normal and have truly been outstanding in children’s ministry, greatly impacting the lives of children and families in their communities. Thank you to their pastors who nominated and recognize their value in children’s ministry!
This conference is planned by the Children’s Leaders Association (CLA) Leadership Team, along with Youth and Discipleship Children’s Ministries Coordinator Tony Lane. An election is held each year at the conference for the election of the Leadership Team members. Elected to the team for the 2012-2013 year are: Freddy Todd, Chairman; Chris Quinn, Steve Burkowske, Dan Jenkins, and Jeremy Donald. CLA membership is open to all who minister to children in the Church of God. For more information about CLA membership, go to www.cogyouth.org or call 423.478.7229. A Facebook page for children’s ministry leaders is also available, under COG Children’s Pastors. The team also provides training resources, including a children’s ministry certification program for local church children’s ministry leaders. There is also a training CD/DVD sent to CLA members quarterly.
Pastors who are looking to add a Children’s Pastor to their staff can call Children’s Ministries Coordinator in Church of God Youth and Discipleship for resumes and recommendations.
The 2013 FOCUS Children’s Ministries Conference is scheduled for February 28-March 2, 2013.
