Busy Bags
Lauren Beadle,
All Saints Conroe,
Conroe, TX
My husband and and I have recently embarked on the grand church planting adventure. We serve on a team planting All Saints in Conroe, Texas. We have lived in the Conroe area for over twenty years, so for us, we are coming home to plant right where we live.
We have the privilege of planting a brand-new church with a fantastic team led by Fr. Jon Beadle and his wife, Lauren. As we began the process of launching, we have been hosting preview services so those in our community can come and learn about what we have to offer.
During those services, I noticed Lauren, a mom of three young children, arrived with a large box full of paper lunch sacks which appeared to be filled with some pretty fantastic stuff.
As each child arrived for the service, they were welcomed in with a "busy bag." Recently, I sat down with Lauren to learn more about how she is serving our congregation with these simple gifts she is offering our guests and their families.
1. How did you come up with the idea of providing busy bags for children at our new church plant?
I can’t take credit for the active bag idea. As the Children’s Pastor at HopePointe, we always provided busy bags for major feast day services. They were especially useful when we reopened during COVID. We needed something fun and unique to keep kids engaged in the service that also focused on a specific story in the Bible.
2. What did you choose to put in these busy bags?
It changes weekly, but I typically add in a few coloring pages, blank sheets of paper, a few crayons, stickers, a foam sticker craft, chenille stems, pompoms, etc. Sometimes I add a small bag of goldfish because my kids' #1 complaint during church is how hungry they are. Hah!
3. If someone else wanted to make these, what would you suggest they add to busy bags for children at their churches? Any do's or don'ts?
Always make it fun and exciting. Change it from week to week, if you can. Depending on what the lectionary has for the day, you can usually find fun crafts from Hobby Lobby or Oriental Trading that are thematic. I try to stay away from candy because
1. It was expensive
2. Sugar
The busy bags are designed to be used during the sermon, but most kids dig into them as soon as they grab it, so you want enough to keep their attention for 45 minutes or so.
4. Why do you think this is a crucial thing to do?
Pray over each bag as we prepare them. My prayer is usually something like, “God, whomever this bag belongs to, may you begin a work in their heart. Soften them to who you are, reveal yourself to them, and spark questions in their mind about you. Bless them and turn their eyes towards you. Thank you for bringing them to All Saints. “
5. How do kids respond to these bags?
So far, they have really loved them! They were initially intended for our elementary kids to have during the sermon since we don’t have a proper children’s program as a new church, but even our toddlers are begging for them before service. How can I say no to those precious babies? Hah!
I genuinely think that the parents love them more than the kids. I have had so many parents thank me for how occupied it keeps our kids. So I’d say busy bags are a hit at All Saints.
6. What is your goal for these bags?
It is a perfect opportunity for the kids to have a fun craft to do while also listening to the sermon. It gives the kids a great visual of the story. My own kids are very tactile learners. If they have something to keep their hands busy, they can usually listen to whatever is happening around them. It opens up a new world to them, and many questions get asked during and after the service about the craft they did and the story that goes with it. It becomes an excellent opportunity to teach our children about the life of Jesus and what He has done for us.
7. What has God taught you as you served in this way?
It’s been a sweet reminder of how important our children are to the church's life. I believe that children’s ministry is an essential part of the church. These kids are our future, and we must take them just as seriously as any adult in the room. Often, God uses the children to teach me new things about Him, so my prayer is always to reveal more of himself to them. I love how the busy bags are just a step toward Jesus.
