3 Things Every Child Should Know About Christmas

David RayAdvent, Christmas, Family, Kids, Ministry, Musings, PreschoolLeave a Comment

It’s summer in Houston. We hunker down in our homes, air conditioners wheezing out tepid air under the weight of the 115-degree heat index. We venture outside at our own peril. So what better time to talk about Christmas? But in a sense, this is the perfect moment to have this conversation. Christmas isn’t a monolithic monument, standing alone on … Read More

Journey with Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter

Jess RayEaster, FamilyLeave a Comment

A warm bath and soft jammies. A cozy blanket, the rhythm of a rocking chair, all settled in on Mom’s or Dad’s lap. And now the best part: Storytime. Our evening routine when our kids were much younger often felt a bit frenzied: dinner negotiations with willful toddlers, baths that somehow got mom and dad just as wet, persuading our … Read More

Mom, ROACH!

Jess RayFamily, Ministry, Music, MusingsLeave a Comment

My coffee was still hot. The kids’ breakfast was underway. I settled into the corner of our living room couch, put my feet up, and opened a book.  Before I had even set my eyes on the page Evan’s voice hollered from the breakfast table: “Mom, ROACH!!” I followed his gaze to the floor of our living room, where a Texas-sized cockroach was scurrying … Read More

It’s In the Bag

Jess RayFamily, Ministry, MusingsLeave a Comment

Plates had been cleared from the table. We settled into the living room next to our spouses. Before launching into our small group discussion that week, someone asked: “Why did you decide to keep visiting our church?” Some were invited by a family member. Some lived in the neighborhood nearby. Some had grown up there. One of the wives spoke up with … Read More

#imsonotfine

Jess RayFamily, Kids, Music, MusingsLeave a Comment

His excited grin. Plump cheeks. His tiny hands clutching the obligatory “My First Day of Kindergarten” sign.  Facebook memories had done it again. I sat at the breakfast table and scrolled through pictures of my now 6th-grade son’s first day of “big” school. These photos carried me back momentarily to a time when his shoes weren’t bigger than mine and I still stashed … Read More

The Major Shift in Worship and Children’s Ministry that No One Is Talking About

David RayFamily, Kids, Ministry, Multigenerational, Preschool, Worship6 Comments

A cosmic paradigm shift has occurred in the worship and children’s ministries of many churches. And though somehow this shift seems to have occurred under the radar, church leaders are awakening to its true significance. For a large and vital segment of our congregations, the role of worship leader has been transferred out of the worship ministry and given to … Read More