Looking for Staff - Children’s Ministries

As I mentioned in the last post, we are in the midst of a significant season of staff hiring. Children’s Ministries is one of the positions we are seeking to staff.

 

Since October of 2007, Children’s Ministries at Crossroads have been in a transition. Children’s Pastor Jim Welles and his wife Sharon will be leaving Crossroads’ staff this Spring. Since October, Jim has focused on finishing up the Team 3 curriculum and materials (Team 3 is a unique children’s mid-week club program created by Pastor Jim and friends).  This great ministry fills our building with laughter, learning and happy kids on Wednesday evenings. This past year has had the greatest participation. What a great legacy Jim will be leaving!  In order to maintain the quality of the Team 3 programs we have hired Elisabeth Tasche part-time as Team 3 Director.

 

I’ve been told by many other church leaders that the most difficult position in a church to fill well is that of Children’s ministry leader. So, … while we are currently searching for a Children’s ministry leader, it may take some time - probably into the Summer - until the position is filled.

 

With Jim focusing on Team 3 ministries, Charla Mills has been serving as Lead Coordinator for Sunday Children’s Ministries.  She’s actually fulfilling the role of a Director (no matter what title we give her), and she has been doing it with grace, skill, and a wonderful servant spirit. The ministry has not wavered one bit in this time of transition. It is always amazing to see how God puts His team together.

 

Charla will be the first to say that having a great staff of coordinators and volunteers makes it possible to have such excellence. I have to agree - what a wonderful team of workers we have at Crossroads! Dian Williamson currently handles training and staffing for infants and toddlers, Anita Fossum is our Elementary Coordinator. Mindy Rowe covers so many broad administrative tasks, and Faith Sodeifi provides backup for all - including Team 3. Melissa Dideriksen has done a great job with the mid-week Children of the Word (COW) ministry in support of Women’s Bible studies. Saturday evening children’s ministries have been covered by Patricia Sessions (along with Joanne Dingman who has brought her expertise to overseeing the unique One Way children’s programs at the Saturday service). Our goal is to once again bring all of these diverse children’s programs under the oversight of a single overseeing leader.