Joann Edwards

Job Opening Spaulding Children's Ministry

We have a children’s ministry job opening at the Spaulding campus. This is a part-time, hourly position, and is open immediately. We are looking for someone who is loves Jesus and loves our kids at Keystone.  The job involves a lot of team building, leadership development and organization.  A job description is attached with more details.

Please join us in praying for the person to fill this position. If you are interested, or know of anyone who is, please let Chris Konyndyk know.

chrisk@keystonecc.org 
616-957-2244 x314
Download SS Children's Job

Finding Your Rhythm

If you want to be a difference maker for the long haul, you must discover the right rhythm for your life and live it consistently. So, what are the things that fill your tank?

Relationally
Who are the folks that build you up, encourage and challenge you?
Is there a healthy balance in your life between the people that drain you and those that are nurturing?
Are you protecting your schedule for those key relationships?

Physically
Are you protecting time for physical activities that energize you or time of rest that refresh you?

Mentally/emotionally
Are you taking regular breaks from the mental and emotional drains of ministry?
What activities are mentally restful for you? Make time for them in your schedule.

Listen to what God says...
"Come away with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and rest for a while." Mark 6:3

I had a great reminder this week about this topic. Thursday mornings Network administrative volunteers get together to serve AND run through the Big Idea together. Its a huge blessing to carve out that time from our morning to "chill" as one of the folks said this week. You see, many of the volunteers ALSO lead in other ministry areas and they (and we) welcome a time where we can take off our "leader" hats and instead share our lives with each other, praise God and spend time in prayer together. Its (and they) are a refreshing gift and blessing.

Do This TODAY

Think back through the events and circumstances of this day. Where was God trying to start a conversation with you?

What do you need in order to keep your heart intimate and in tune with God? (Spiritual disciplines). What obstacles seem to be in your way?

How can you build things that "fill your tank" into your schedule this next week? Start with some reflection and quiet time (check out the Leaders Journey questions below to get started).

A Leaders Journey #2

Set aside some time for reflection and use one of these questions as a guide in helping you discern a next step in your journey as a Christ-follower.

What step has God challenged you to take that you haven't yet (ie. reconcile a relationship, steps to share Christ with a friend, steps to get out of debt, etc.). Talk to God about that step and your reluctance to taking it. What could you begin doing right away to move towards obedience in this situation?

What would you like to see happen in your relationship with Jesus over the next year? What steps do you need to take towards that future?

What would you like to see happen in your family over the next year? What steps do you need to take towards that future?

What would you like to see happen in your career or in the ministry area that you serve over the next year? What steps do you need to take towards that future?

A Leaders Journey

Set aside some time for reflection and use one of these questions as a guide in helping you discern a next step in your journey as a Christ-follower.

What decisions (big or small) are you facing right now? Read James 1:5. Ask God to guide you with His wisdom in those decisions. As you quiet in your heart and listen, what steps do you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to take?

Who are the people that have been on your mind the most lately? Ask God to show you if He is putting these people on your mind for a specific reason. Is there something He is prompting you to do for these people?

What have you heard recently (at a service, in your own studies, through the Big Idea or in conversation that has really stuck out in your mind? Why do you think the Holy Spirit wanted that thing to stick out to you? What step is God prompting you to take in response?

Read 1 John 1:9-10. Spend some time searching your heart. Ask God to show you any unconfessed sin in your life. Confess that sin to God and think about the steps you need to take to be released from the bondage of that sin.

Ask God to bring to your mind a command from Scripture that He wants you to pay attention to (look through Matthew 5-7 for inspiration). What steps do you need to take to live in obedience to this command?

Volunteer Thursdays Expanding!

Over the past 2-3 summers, we've invited Keystone parents with kids to volunteer around the offices Thursday mornings during the summer. Childcare, fun and games are available for the kids, and parents help our Network Services staff with a variety of tasks to get ready for the weekend.

Its so much fun, and become so popular that we've decided to offer the childcare option year around! And we're expanding to offer the service to any/all Keystone leader or volunteer in any ministry area.

• Do you volunteer in the children's ministry and wish you had a chance to get in and re-stock or clean and organize your area?
• Looking for a chance to get online and research music, pull together chord sheets, or find mp3s?
• Are you a stay-at-home parent with some skills repairing or painting? We've got maintenance projects waiting for you!
• Do you schedule tech team and need time and access to a computer to get next months schedule or meeting lined up?

Everyone's welcome! Thursdays 9-noon.

And that's not all! New this fall, we're adding the Big Idea to the morning. We'll take a 1/2 hour (9-9:30) and take a run through the Big Idea team tool from the previous weekends talk. Another great way to learn and grow together. Take a step with us! Questions? Email Joann Edwards joanne@keystonecc.org.

Operations Focus - Communication Part 2

Revisions to our existing communication policies are underway. The church communication group I've been meeting with is interested in reviewing a draft which will be ready by the end of next week. Wiki Girl, Melissa Shelley has agreed to join the Keystone group review process. YEAH! We've narrowed our focus to

1. Communication standards for use by volunteers and staff in the creation of print and web based materials
2. Communication process (how and to whom) information is communicated between
   1. Leaders, sites and staff and Network Services
   2. Network Services and the community/visitors
   3. Network Services and invested/core attendees

The technology/web review has taken on a slightly different look. We've been looking into replacement computers and through discussions with vendors, we have concluded that a systems review by an outside consultant may be warranted. We are doing an initial meet/review with him next week.

So things are moving along, please consider joining us! Just email.

Summer Operations Focus - Communication

Keystone's spring leadership retreat helped us (staff) focus on various HOT BUTTONS... Different staff have taken lead with the 4 main chunks of operational planning. I'm working on communication. Any of you interested in joining me? Jane Beal (my communication partner in planning) and I have been talking through some of the details with some of you informally, and we're ready to have our first "official" meet-up. Here are the main things we're going to work through...

• Step 1: Review (current) and Revise Communication Plans/Systems for...
  • Leadership & Staff
  • Sites
  • Attending friends
  • Guests/Visitors

• Step 2: Systems Review
  
  • Database/records
  • Technology (web, software/hardware)
  • Collaborative workspaces

• Step 3: Integration of Communication Plans and Systems (TRAINING)

I know you're as excited as I am to get working on these challenges! Please consider joining us. In fact, I've been meeting with a group of church communicators (see our blog) on the 3rd Tuesday of every month for lunch. Everyone's welcome, just shoot me an email and I'll fill you in with the details.