Worship Response Stations: Wall of Blessing

The Blessing Wall!

Walking into the room and seeing all the kid's blessings just makes you smile. 

Isn't it a WONDERFUL thing to count the blessings

that God has deposited into your life?

This station is designed to get kids excited 

to really see how God has blessed them and their friends.

During Response Time, we turn off the overhead lights, using lamplight to quiet the mood of the room. We play quiet, worshipful music and explain to the kids that this is their time with God.  We have enough stations around the room so that every child can interact in some tangible way with the Holy Spirit. You can read a brief explanation of why we believe Worship Stations are so fruitful with this generation, HERE.

The basic concept is that we are making space for our kids to practice responding to God's Spirit.

And they look forward to it all morning.

For all of you creative "Pinners", here's how you can make it yourself:

We used pressed plywood - the cheap stuff!!  

One of the "Alpha" Men's Groups in our church

took a Saturday morning and cut out four of these plywood frames.

Then they drilled small starter holes every few inches and screwed in i-hooks.

I strung it with jute twine from the craft store in nice randomness.

We used i-hooks that were large enough for at least two strands of twine 

to pass through.  As I was stringing it, I had to be careful to keep it 

pretty tight along the way so there wouldn't be slack when tying it off. 

 I went around once with the twine, 

tied it off, and repeated once more to make sure 

there were plenty of lines to clip prayers onto.

We bolted it into the wall (on the studs since it is somewhat large).

And I cut out squares of colored card stock (With a scrapbook cutting tool) 

for writing prayers of blessing.

We added a table lamp (the main lights go off in the room during this time to "set the tone"),

buckets of pens and clothespins, and then we were in business!

Here is a close-up of what the instructions in the frame say:

It is a blessing to ready what the kids are thankful for...

God's blessings are greater than all the stars in the heavens!

Worship Response Stations: God's Family Tree

God's Family Tree.  

We are adopted, grafted, into the family

of the King of kings.

We are children of God.

This station is a place kids come to 

reflect over who they are in Christ.

The world may label you many things.

But who does GOD say you are?

The instructions are to simply take

a label and ask God which words of identity

He is speaking over them.

Write them on the label and hang it on 

God's Family Tree.

Remember who you are!

Remember WHOSE you are!

And now for those of you who are interested in how 

this station was put together...

The tree is actually from a manzanita branch that

a friend picked up from her family's home

in the mountains not too far away.  

You can buy them here however.

We simply "planted" it in a painted terra cotta pot.

... With rocks in the bottom for weight and to steady the branch....

My 10 year old son helped with this.

Then we sprayed that foaming gap filler stuff 

from the hardware store into the pot.  

Be sure to purchase the Big Gap Filler (1" +).

It's great stuff.  It sprays right in and dries firm.

We let it dry (and expand) over night.

Then cut out and shaped it.

And then using a glue gun and Dollar Store fake moss, 

covered the top with green and brown moss.

For the labels, we purchased some here.  

But once they got here I realized I could make

them for much cheaper.  So I just drew the outline

of a gift tag onto brown card stock and found 

I can get 10 per page.  So, with a little time and effort,

you can make each label for less than 3 cents!

Punch a hole at the top, 

and string a piece of thread for hanging.

Worship Response Stations: The Great (Com)Mission Station

This is such a special station.  

The Great (Com)Mission Station is all about 

stirring up a desire in the hearts of the next generation 

to make Jesus known all over the world.

There are two giving buckets for the kids

to collect offerings for children in need.

These were simply recycled coffee cans 

covered with brown packing paper 

and finished with a homemade "label".

One can is for kids to give to World Vision:

to purchase farm animals for children 

in third-world countries.  

The other can is for Foursquare Gospel Boxes:

A box filled with Sunday School supplies for

missionaries to share the story of Jesus with

children all over the world.

I printed the instructions for using this station

on plain printer paper and displayed

it in a cheap dollar store black frame.

The instructions simply say to take

a green dot sticker and find a place

on the map they would like to pray for.

As they touch that place, 

placing their sticker there,

they cover that ground in prayer.

May God touch this place.

May Jesus be known there.

We love this station!  

Our Children's Ministry Mission Statement is:

"To cultivate a harvest of world-changers, 

growing up in the presence of God."

We are asking God to give these kids

 a heart for changing the world.

And for those who are interested in the details 

of how this station was put together...

The map is from a local school supply shop (for $5!)

that we just stapled up with a staple gun.

The stickers are small transparent dot stickers

just like these.  It is very simple to do!