I need to completely revamp our nursery schedule and do some serious recruiting. The thing is, I thought my coordinator was doing all of this...but apparently the ball has been dropped. I've got parents (members and regular attendees!) who refuse to bring their babies up there because there aren't enough workers and they don't like the way it's being run.
PW and I are doing some cold-calling (she has some "pull" with many of the women in the church, being the Women's Ministries head, so she thinks that she will be able to persuade them...lest you think I'm pawning part of my job on one of my co-senior pastors, lol!!) today, but I'm interested in some nursery recruitment strategies that you think might work or be helpful.
We have very few old ladies in our church...and the few we have are already over-committed in 2-3 areas already (yeah...our grannies ROCK!!), so that's not really a solution.
I am tearing my hair out right now. I should be working on my message for Sunday and finalizing details for this weekend's kids' convention, but instead, I'm revamping a nursery schedule and cold-calling. I see the value in having a top-notch nursery program...I really do...but other children's pastors have a wife who can do all this - not a husband who already works overtime partnering with me in everything else, as well as working 40+ hours a week...
Feeling a tad burned out - and needing a solution FAST!!!!!!!
Thanks for listening - and any suggestions are welcome...
I would make a rule first of all that if someone has a child in the nursery, they take a turn in the nursery. This might cause some to take their kids out of the nursery but then again if they do, it's less children in there to care for.
Another thing - and I'm not saying this as a rebuke, just an FYI, but just because a children's pastor has a wife doesn't mean they do the nursery. I know you've heard of situations like that (as I have too) but some CPW (like any staff pw) refuse to do anything much. Believe me, I came into a staff situation where some of the spw's didn't even attend church on a regular basis! It was unfortunate and something we'll never, never have as the case again. (Big reason why pastor's should, IMHO always bring in their own staff) But just wanted to caution you that just because a CP has a wife doesn't mean they necessarily do anything, unfortunately.
Nursery is difficult at any church, I believe. Except maybe the churches who have gotten big enough to hire someone. It's been something that makes me want to tear my hair out sometimes too, for many reasons, as well as our CP and wife. I know it's caused them A LOT of stress and I understand it.
I'll be praying for you. I know this is not easy for you.
Believe me, I know that not all staff spouses necessarily help out!! In fact, this is part of my problem - our YP's wife (who has TWO kids using our early childhood program!!!) refuses to serve at all.
She won't put her baby in our nursery because it's understaffed and she doesn't like how it's run, and she won't serve because she's just "too busy." She was actually on the schedule for last Sunday and didn't show because she was tired from being at the church cleaning up the night before after our annual business meeting.
PW told her that she pretty much had no sympathy for her, since we were ALL there until about 11:30 that night cleaning up/setting up for Sunday morning, and everyone else managed to stay for two services and do what we were supposed to do. And also that if she isn't going to serve, then she's not welcome to use the nursery (Needless to say, I'm not expecting them to stick around much longer - I feel bad for our YP...annoying and arrogant as he can be at times, I know the fact that his wife is completely unsupportive really weighs him down! I can't imagine having a completely uninvolved spouse like that!).
I only say that about the spouse coordinating the nursery because the last CP's wife here did run the entire program...did the scheduling...filled in when someone wasn't there...the whole deal!! Obviously, this is not something I can do. I can do the scheduling - but the filling in on Sundays? Not so much! And I need my husband in kids' church with me...
The good news is, we've gotten SEVEN new workers this afternoon as a result of cold-calling (and PW hasn't even called the people that she has "pull" with!), which is making me really wonder what the heck my coordinator has been doing!! People are willing to help out - but a.) they don't read the bulletin; and b.) they need to be approached. I knew this...I just thought that she HAD been approaching them and had been turned down flat.
I am trying very hard not to be envious of my friend who works in one of those churches that IS big enough to hire their own early childhood specialist. But even she ends up filling in on Wednesday nights with their preschool program...
GRRR...this truly is a perpetual thorn in my side!! I can't wait to put this all behind me this week and go float down the lazy river and soak in the hot tub at our kids' convention (it's at the world's largest indoor water park...I really adore being this close to Wisconsin Dells!!)...
I know, I have to ask myself sometimes, what our leaders are doing. I find that many times they think it's the pastor's job to recruit the workers and then they'll just take what they've been given. It's frustrating.
Being a leader is being a gatherer of people. I find many people are in leadership positions who cannot gather people. And the same load remains on the pastor/staff. Unfortunate.
I agree with PD... nursery volunteers are hard to get at most churches and the problem with hiring one is: the person may not grow spiritually because they are out of services too much. I have seen some churches hire non-Christians and that became problematic.
On another note, you don't just want any person in there with the church families kids! We check the local child molester list and have their pics posted in the usher's room. On occasion when we recognize one we let them know we know who they are and they are not to be around the children's areas. Once, I saw a male visitor looking in the window at our children's choir. I said, "Oh! Do you have a child in there?" He said, "Not yet." I found that to be a strange comment and we found that he was a mentally ill person.
We do background checks, have people fill out detailed paper work, and keep it on file. There are also camera's back there. As long as the background check goes well, parent partnering is mandatory once per month for all regular who use it. Two people have to be in the room at all times with the kids. Generally, men are not back there in the nursery unless it's a husband and wife together.
We advertise in the bulletin often. Nursery Director stands at the front nursery desk to solicit possible candidates. She tells them upfront about the paper work. She calls. However, it's an area (like the kitchen) hard to fill.
Oh, yes - I am ALL OVER background checks!!! You don't have a background check completed? You don't get to come anywhere near our church's kids with a ten-foot pole!
We're also developing a babysitting clinic that we'll offer a couple times a year to teen girls that they need to take in order to help out - just teaching them "common sense" things like safety, how to properly hold an infant...things like that!!
My pastor is against hiring outside for Sunday mornings because he thinks that will cause a decline in volunteers (as in, "Why should I work in the nursery when we have PAID people to do it?").
We do have two Sunday morning services in our church, so "missing church" isn't really an issue, because they can always attend a different service once a month or whenever! It always makes me laugh, though - being the CP - when people say, "I can't miss an adult service, or I won't get fed!" Hmm...yeah...not much sympathy from the girl in the kids' church room!! Get your lazy selves to Saturday night prayer - that's what I do :o).
Anyway - I am ONE PERSON away from completing my goal of getting this Sunday completely covered. Pray for me, friends - I really need to be able to take a day off tomorrow (I leave for our kids' convention Friday morning, and I haven't been able to do laundry or pack or anything like that!!)...
WOW what a great conversation we have goingon here. In our previous church the staff PW's were expected to fill the nursery and be the directors. It was hard and what was worse when we had ideas and tried to implement them we had no backing...at least that is what it seemed like. I mean from the senior pastor down the line. Sometimes men and no not all men but most just don't understand what a ministry it is for the mom's who are SAHMs and get no break from their kids. We had two services and offered nursery in both services. UNtil the first started being no children becuase CC was only offered in the second service. We always had someon ready to serve inthe first but never needed them and if we did it was very rare! WE had a strick policy that if your child was in the nursery you had to serve at least one a month either on Sunday or Wed nights. We stressed that they could go to serve either the early or later depending on when they served. That seemed to help reiterate that we wanted them in service as well. What happens as the director these things is that you too get burned out as a leader because of people dropping the ball and not even calling. That aggrivates the tar out of me! At our church right now we have no children for the nursery. We do have it set and ready and have someone that is willing to take over. We are prepared but our church is mainly granmas... The biggest thing I could suggest is getting your Senior pastor as weill as the PW to stand at the pulpit and express what an important ministry the nursery is. Also have a few moms that help or use the nursery to give a testimony on how it has helped them be able to grow as a Christian. That helped draw in people for our nursery. Always make sure its a policy for background checks but if you schedule two people or acouple make sure at least one is background clear as the other is waiting for their clearance. That was important too. Hope this helps...what stinks is that not only do we have this probelm in churches but it runs up the ladder to CC and SS. UGH! What happened to real calls to ministry and not the attitude of "what do I get in return?" Think I read something on this in PD's blog! Seems we all have problems of this nature! have a great time at CC Convention! melissa
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"How can I keep from Praising Your Name, How can I ever say enough, How amazing is Your Love!"
After reading this I was reminded of the Unstoppable conference, a SP co-pastor speaker shared how they were short nursery workers and her dh got a little creative announcing it from the pulpit. He said something like: " My wife and I are going to be serving in the nursery. Of course, now, we'll need someone to preach and someone to lead music since we'll be back in the nursery now." Anyway, the reverse psychology worked! I believe it was PD but someone spoke up and said they wouldn't do that in their church with some of the people there who might take them up on it! (grin) Yes, we have to watch who is behind a mic too! PM, to comment on your comment about people not showing concern for the CP's spiritual growth because they're with the kids: In the case of a credentialed minister like yourself, most people figure that you would be strong spiritually because you spend time with the Lord and prepare the "spiritual meal" whereas, a lay person may not or could be so overextended volunteering in all areas that they dry out spiritually, don't study or pray. Paying someone for every service is spiritually drying too. I just speak from past experiences at churches who hired nursery help, generally they lacked spiritual growth ...my guess is because they are not in the word like a CP would be. Our CP is in 1 or 2 services with we SP's per week. I personally think it's imperative for our staff pastors to be in services with us for we are their pastors and boss. It helps put us on the same page.
No complaints here - it's what I signed up for, and I love it :o).
But it still makes me laugh - even before I was the "official" CP (we're talking from the time I was 12 years old!), I was missing at least two services a month - sometimes more - to help out in the nursery, toddlers' church, the puppet team for kids' church, helping with kids' lines for the Christmas play, etc. I don't necessarily recommend this to any junior high or high school students I know...but that was the way it was for me. As an adult, I thought it was normal for a layperson to be involved in 2-3 major ministries in the church - that was how I was raised!! My mom is 57 years old and still working in the nursery at church, helping with kids' church and the Christmas play, AND doing the missions offerings at her church. Not to mention helping to organize women's ministries events. So for me, it's not just because I'm the children's pastor - it's because I am a member of a church and I love Jesus. That's just, in my worldview since I was born, what you do!
As far as getting fed...I do listen to sermon CDs every week, and our Saturday night prayer is sort of another service. We have worship...the staff and major ministry leaders leaders take turns teaching (we have a rotating schedule for each week)...and then we pray for the service and for any other needs in the church. It's great practice for me because it's really my only chance to teach/preach to adults - and I think that's a skill I need to develop as well!
And...the best news is...I have the next THREE Sundays fully staffed - after a day and a half of cold calls and manipulating the current schedule (with people's permission, of course!). We're waiting on calls back from a few more people, and then we should have a full schedule again.
That's great! You go girl! It took us years to find a Children's pastor. I think we finally got a good one (amen) but I learn from you PM, to see how his perspective may be though we are all different. You were raised right! And you sound like you would be a daughter any mother would be proud to have!
