How you can start a community outreach for mothers and their pre-school children

As a mother of two toddlers, I wondered how I could make motherhood a priority yet make my life count for God in a significant way.

The answer came in a rather unexpected way. When my twin girls were two, I began attending a community program for moms and tots. While I enjoyed meeting other moms, my daughters thoroughly enjoyed the crafts, floor play and circle time.

As I looked around at all the moms and children interacting together, I thought ,"Wouldn’t this be an ideal outreach environment? While the moms and children are getting their felt needs met, one could help them discover and nurture their spiritual needs."

God used these thoughts to nudge me into beginning just such a ministry. So in the fall of 1988, I, along with three other church moms began, "Time out for Mommy & Me."

Soon the church was a buzz of activity as moms interacted over coffee and children under their mothers' supervision boisterously played. By the end of the first year, over thirty-five moms and sixty children had attended on a drop-in basis. Several moms accepted the Lord including one mom and later her husband who in time were baptized and joined the church.

By the third year, over 90 moms and their children were attending on a drop-in basis with over 90% of these coming from the community. Weekly attendance rose to an average of 25-30 moms and 50-60 children. Twice during that year, the ladies were invited to attend an evangelistic outreach where the gospel was clearly presented. Again, several decisions for Christ were made.

Over the past 13 years, hundreds of moms (along with a few dads, grandmas and childcare givers) and over a thousand children have participated in "Time out for Mommy & Me," and it's proven to be one of our church's most effective outreaches.

How can you bring "Time out for Mommy & Me" to your community?

We've put together the following how-to guide to get you started. Once you've read it, feel free to e-mail me with any questions. And if you do decide to start "Time out for Mommy & Me" in your community, we would love to hear about it.

What is "Time out for Mommy & Me?"

A church-based weekly program designed for mothers and their pre-school children to meet with other moms and children in a safe place, socializing with each other and spending quality time with their children in a variety of play activities.

Its Purpose

• To serve as a bridge between the community and the church, meeting felt needs of mothers and their young children.
• To introduce individuals to Jesus Christ through friendships developed during the weekly program as well as through evangelistic events planned
  twice annually.

When Does It Meet and How Often?

Once a week for one hour 45 minutes, usually 9:30 am to 11:15 am, from September to June with a two-week break for Christmas.

How Do You Start?

Find a team! If God has touched your heart with this opportunity to reach moms and pre-schoolers, then find 2 or 3 women who would like to come along side you to help. The women do not have to have pre-schoolers. They could be grandmothers, moms with teens, etc. They do need the heart, the passion, and the desire to help, including cleaning up and setting up for snack time.

Find a Place to Meet

A large room, or even a gymnasium, is ideal. Be creative. Be certain there is plenty of parking.

Supplies Needed

Child-sized table and chairs, carpet for children to play
and sit on, floor toys (dolls, dress-up clothes, play food and dishes), table-top activities (crayons, paper, home-made play dough, puzzles, etc.) Toys and craft supplies may be obtained through use of existing church toys or received by donation.

Snacks

Moms bring fruit or crackers for a shared snack. (Snacks are not provided.)

Charges

A small weekly fee charged to the moms helps cover costs of craft supplies, evangelistic outreaches, coffee, equipment, etc.

Next Steps

Set a date for the first meeting. Advertise in libraries, malls, health clinics, etc.

Designate responsibilities for your team including:

• Hostess - Greets, registers moms and tots each week, gives out name tags.
• Snack time preparation- Sets up and sings grace with the children.
• Craft time - Demonstrates an inexpensive craft and records in binder for future reference.
• Story time - Reads two stories weekly - one Bible story, one fun story from the library.
• Song time - Leads Christian and secular songs, some with actions.
• Room set-up - Includes coffee and tea for moms, sign-in table, play centers for children.
• Clean-up - Puts everything away and wipes down counters, tables etc.

And Now...

• Plan activities for the first morning.
• Plan dates for the two outreaches per year.
  

You're off!!!

Outreach Results: Please share the results of your evangelistic outreach/events with us so we can pray and rejoice with you. Complete this online form.

~ Joan Giesbrecht has served with the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada for the past 25 years. She has a bachelor of home economics from the University of Manitoba and is currently studying early childhood education. She and her husband, Lorne, have four daughters: their twins are now 16 and their younger two, 13 and 7. Joan enjoys crafts, storytelling, writing and spending time with her family.

Click here to e-mail Joan.
Read Joan's testimony.