I think I’ve told you before my hubby and I used to be children’s pastors. We kind of have it in our blood–my mom was a children’s pastor for 25+ years, my fil was early in his ministry, my brother has been at 2 churches and my sil was for 5 years. We kinda like kids around our house!
However, we’ve noticed that children’s ministry as a whole is overlooked at a lot of churches. The adults have lots of staff, equipment and a pretty new building, but the kids have a tape player, a sock puppet and a double wide trailer. (You laugh, but I’ve been there!) My mom worked at our home church busing in Hispanic kids from a nearby apartment complex. Even though there was growth and relationships being built, she felt a strain. The church wasn’t excited about these kids. She felt as if she were trying to put a square peg in a round hole. These kids who feed themselves, parent their siblings, interpret for their families and shoulder adult issues weren’t being accepted in this church.
So, Square Peg Ministries was born. Now my mom and her team (including my brother and some of my best friends) minister to these kids every day. Each week they do tutoring, a Bible Club and even a Middle School supper club! They did a camp this summer. They’ve got activities, they’re forming ministry groups and most importantly they are showing these kids that Jesus cares about them and letting them know they DO FIT!
All this stuff costs money! And I found the best website to help! (thanks Damselfly!) It’s called iBakeSale. You sign up, go online shopping (at normal places like Macy’s & Netflix!) and iBakeSale gives a percentage back to the organization of your choice! How cool is that? So, we set up Square Peg in iBakeSale. Anytime any of us go shopping online, we can do it through IBS and SquarePeg will make some cold hard cash!
You can set up any organization you like–your school, your church, your new refrigerator fund (just kidding, I don’t know how that part works!). I love this idea! We gotta shop, right? So, someone should reap the benefits! And if you don’t have an organization to support, or you’d just like to show Square Peg a little love, click my button to the right and start shopping!
says
Very interesting article and I think you make a good point. I like your blog here. I will be checking back. Thanks for the great post and helpful resources!
Anonymous says
You amaze me! How do you continue to find all this cool stuff?! I have never heard of that and I look forward to reading more about them.
And regarding children’s ministry–I’m with you. We believe if we aren’t reaching children for Christ when they are still children, the chances continue to go down the older they get.
says
Amen! Children’s Church is equally important as the “adults.”
What a cool website. I will definitely use it.
🙂
says
What a great idea! (The ministry AND the shopping!)
I’m sure I haven’t told you this, but my mom is gifted in Children’s ministry. Though, she’ll never claim “minister” as her title… she’s more comfortable with “director”. I would say more “dictator”, but I digress… he he 🙂
Anyhoo, my dad, who is gifted in church growing, will tell anyone who’ll listen that the way to grow a church is to get the children there every Sunday. The parents will follow.
says
Great ministry name! Even better to use our shopping to fund ministry. Two great matches!
Blessings!
says
That’s very cool!! I’m trying to log in to check out the stores but can’t find Square Peg … actually I can’t get any list to come up at all though, I’ve checked my pop-ups so I must be having trouble … I’ll keep trying.