Children’s Ministry Leaders Gather

Eleven children’s ministry leaders from across the United States and Canada gathered in late 2025 for a Children’s
Ministry Leader Network Gathering, an in-person event hosted by Thrive to foster connection, shared learning, and collaboration among leaders serving children and families in Christian Reformed congregations.

The group included four leaders from Canada and seven from the United States, representing all six regions of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA). Each participant serves in a children’s ministry role at their church. Some are paid staff, and others serve as volunteers. Leading up to this event, the attendees previously met twice online with Jill Benson, program manager for Thrive’s parenting and caregiving initiative, and Rick Zomer, Thrive’s faith formation consultant and program director for the initiative. 

The event was structured around four goals:

• sharing insights from listening sessions conducted as part of Thrive’s parenting and caregiving initiative
• listening to leaders’ experiences in their own ministry contexts
• discerning next steps for resource development, leader equipping, and intergenerational connection
• building relationships across a shared role

A key component of the gathering invited participants to review current Thrive resources and provide feedback on content, organization, and usability. A session capturing real-time responses highlighted which resources are most helpful in ministry contexts and where improvements may be needed.

“It was especially encouraging to hear the positive response to the Ten Ways series,” Benson noted, referencing a collection of one-page conversation starters on various faith formation topics available in English, Spanish, and Korean. “Participants really resonated with the value of translated resources for diverse congregations.”

As participants shared ministry initiatives from their own contexts, a number of “show and tell” moments revealed a range of practices that churches are using to support children and families, including creative approaches to worship, intergenerational mentoring programs, and accessible ways of engaging children with Scripture.

Ben Wimmers, pastor of youth and family at Living Hope CRC in Abbotsford, B.C, reflected on the collective wisdom in the room: “It never ceases to amaze me – the passion, ingenuity, and brilliance of my brothers and sisters in the CRCNA – and at this moment it is those leading the children’s ministry in their churches. To gather together with this group in Orlando for a few days left me with a wealth of resources and a God-centered optimism for the next generation.”

Throughout the gathering, leaders were encouraged to reflect not only on practices but also on the deeper purpose of children’s ministry. Kelli Dunn, director of children’s faith formation at City Reformed Church in Milwaukee, Wis., said the conversations reshaped how she thinks about her role: “Reflecting on what challenges our families are facing today across the denomination was a good reminder that my role is not just about programming but also about supporting parents and kids right where they are.”

Dunn also described how hearing from peers sparked new ideas for relational ministry. “Hearing stories of how other churches have engaged students in intentional relationships with adults inspired me to consider how I might do this in my own community,” she said.

Several participants shared reflections on where they are seeing signs of God’s movement in their congregations. “I see parents genuinely interested in what it looks like to bring faith into their daily lives – both for themselves and for their kids – and wrestling with how to do that in a busy world,” Dunn said. “Hearing kids ask good questions reminds me of two things – that God is big enough to handle our questions, and that the faith of a child is something we can all learn from.”

For Peter Cho, director of the  children’s and youth programming at Resurrection Church in East Boston, Mass., the gathering reinforced the importance of practical follow-up with families. “I came home with a simple but meaningful practice: emailing parents right after the service with a bite-size summary of what their kids learned so that they can engage their children before the details fade,” he said.

Casey Lee, the director of children’s ministry and the family ministry pastor at All Nations Church in Sunland, Calif., reflected on how the gathering connected with her own spiritual journey: “Looking back at this event, God is clearly encouraging me to be faithful to him and his people. Running the ministry can be easy at times, but running it with the heart focused and centered in his ways is always a challenge. God is revealing my heart to be centered in his love and the gospel of Jesus Christ.” 

Lee also shared what she is witnessing among families in her congregation: “I am seeing God moving into the children’s hearts. As this world is getting colder and darker, I see many families fighting to protect their families for the holiness of God. This is so encouraging to see as a family ministry pastor.”

The Children’s Ministry Leader Network will continue meeting online. Participants have agreed to provide feedback on the latest listening session report and to help discern how its themes should shape future resource development. The group will also contribute to planning a larger, denomination-wide children’s ministry gathering anticipated for 2027.

As Thrive continues its work of coming alongside congregations, this gathering reflects a commitment to listening closely to ministry leaders and building connections that support children, families, and churches across the CRCNA.