6 Greatest Great Ideas – 2021-2022

As a welcome gift to ConNext Summit 2022, The Ministry Lab is happy to share our picks of the Greatest Great Ideas from the past 12 months. We chose these particular Great Ideas based on the sub-themes of this year's Summit. You can find…

Bridging Division with Art

Thanks to Glenda Schnirring of St Philip's Lutheran Church, Hastings, MN and the St Paul Area Synod for sharing this Great Idea! In January 2022, St Philip's received grant funds from the St Paul Area Synod's Gleaning from the Harvest grant…

Addressing the Environment’s ‘Voter Turnout Problem’

Thanks to Andrew Hartley at the United Methodist Church's Creation Justice Movement for generating this Great Idea! Andrew Hartley writes, "Even though we adopt environmentally responsible [personal] habits, America and the world need to…

HALLOWEEN COSTUME DRIVE

Thanks to Jennifer Enriquez for sharing this Great Idea via Building Faith. Jennifer Enriquez outlines how a long-standing relationships with a shelter for women and children escaping domestic abuse put them in an ideal position to provide…

‘Play Church’ + Sensory Space = Worship & Wonder

Thanks to Cindy Merten at Children's Ministry network and Hope Hutchison at Richfield United Methodist Church for sharing these two worship-space related Great Ideas! Cindy Merten cites the CRC article Grant Makes Way for Sacred Play as inspiration…

Stop Confirming Teenagers…!

Thanks to the Association of Partners in Christian Education for creating this Great Idea - and to United Church Educators for sharing it broadly!! Mark Hinds writes, "...Confirmation and the profession of faith are not synonymous... We've…

10 Racial Justice Actions

Thanks to Christa Meland and the UMC's General Commission on Religion & Race's, R² Resource team for sharing this Great Idea. A lot of individuals and congregations are wondering how to move from 'talking about' racial injustice and…

Whose Needs? Simple Questions to Deepen Traditions

Thanks to CYMT's Meghan Hatcher for sharing this Great Idea (or Eye Opener). Hatcher shares a story of beginning a new ministry just as the congregation prepared for their traditional Back-to-School Sunday observation, in which congregational…

Involving Everyone in Music

Thanks to the SparkHouse blog and Cathy Skogen-Soldner (of Cathy's Music) for sharing this Great Idea - which is more of an inspiration and how-to than a new way of doing ministry. I (Emily) am the daughter, grand-daughter, niece and cousin,…

Get School Off to a Poppin’ Great Start!

Thanks to author Traci Smith for sharing this Great Idea! She and her congregation handed out bags of Smartfood Popcorn at a local back-to-school fair with these tags attached. The tags can be personalized with your congregation's name on…