Family Ministry

Mosaic Poster Tiles: Coloring Posters You Can Print at Home

Today we launched a new poster format for three of our Easter coloring posters: Mosaic Poster Tiles.

While we live and do ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve had to rethink everything. What does school look like? How do we lead worship from our homes over video-conferencing apps? Should I go to the grocery store, order my groceries, or just eat my pantry to the end?

This is why we started to create and offer free, faith formation weekly resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can sign up to receive these here.

The team at Illustrated Ministry has been having many of these same conversations over the past couple of weeks. Many of our customers love using our large coloring posters during Lent, and now that we are all physical distancing, it’s impossible (and unsafe!) to gather intergenerationally, color a poster together, and enjoy community, conversation, and coloring.

We’ve mentioned our Facebook Group before because it is a growing community of our customers and friends. But don’t think it’s just a place where we promote and sell our stuff. Our community posts photos, shares ideas for how they are using our products, and cares for each other! We recently ran across this post in our group, and it got us thinking:

Illustrated Ministry Community Group

Some of our best product ideas have come from our Facebook Group (including our bestselling Illustrated Nativity Sticker Sheets). We know people across the world are following shelter-in-place/stay-at-home orders/recommendations, and we immediately realized this could be a fantastic gift to offer to our community.

So…after a few days and almost a ream of paper (that we repurposed and recycled, of course), we are now able to offer this new poster format for three of our Easter coloring posters.

Mosaic Poster Tiles: Now what…?

Christ Is Risen Coloring Poster — *The photos in this blog post are included for instructional purposes only and do not reflect the actual sizes offered in the products themselves.*

So what does this mean for you, your family, or the community you serve? Essentially, anyone with a home or basic office printer can create a giant coloring poster to use at home. Or you could send out individual PDF “tiles” to members of your church, youth group, or campus ministry. People could individually color them, and then when we all come back and worship together, they can bring their colored tiles, and you can create a giant, beautiful mosaic.

What better way to represent the wholeness and togetherness of the church? When we all eventually come back together after being apart during COVID-19, we are reminded that we were truly never separated.

Details, details, details…

Illustrated Ministry serves an international audience, and given the complex nature of creating these Mosaic Poster Tiles, we wanted to make sure it would be an enjoyable experience for all. For that reason, we have created two versions of the Mosaic Poster Tiles: one formatted to print on US Letter (8.5×11) paper and another that is formatted for A4 paper. We’re hoping that helps our international friends have successful poster-creating experiences.

We’ve also created the Mosaic Poster Tiles in two sizes:

Family Size: This size is perfect to send home to families so they can create a small coloring poster that they can color and put together at home. The family size option requires around 4-6 sheets of paper.
Group Size: If you’re looking for a more significant project for a larger group, the group size is the perfect option. Maybe you want to send it out to a large group in your congregation, or you have a lot of homebound folkx (aside from all who are currently physically distancing due to COVID-19) who would love to participate in a communal art project. The group size option requires around 32-50 sheets of paper.

So, how exactly do I do this?

We tried to make this a relatively simple project that anyone could do at home. That said, there is a disclaimer we should share:

If you are a perfectionist, proceed with caution. We tried many different methods for making these poster tiles, and we believe we ended up with the best possible option. While you’re assembling the “puzzle pieces,” you should keep in mind you are creating a beautiful, collaborative piece of communal art – not a gallery-ready fine art print. That said – it’s a fun project, and we can’t wait to see photos that you all share online.

Mosaic Poster Tiles Pinterest — *The photos in this blog post are included for instructional purposes only and do not reflect the actual sizes offered in the products themselves.*

Mosaic Poster Tiles Instructions

After you purchase, download, and open the ZIP file, choose whether you will be printing on 8.5×11 (US Letter) or A4 paper. Then select the size of the poster you would like to create (Family or Group size).

Distribution

Email: Use the split tile files to email out to individuals.
Hand out/Mail: Print out the PDF and distribute the individual pages (perhaps not the best or safest method during the COVID-19 pandemic – we would encourage emailing the files).

Printing

When you print, select either “Scale” and set at 96% or “Scale to Fit (Print Entire Image).” Each page contains “crop marks” that guide you as you cut margins off around the image. You can get an idea of how they work by looking at the below image:

Assembly

Cut: When it’s time to assemble, use the crop marks to guide you through cutting off the margins. Please be careful not to cut into the image. This format is designed to meet together when placed side by side, and there is no overlap of images on the paper.

Arrange: Piece together the poster by arranging the images on a large table or floor, as you would a puzzle. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t line up 100%…this is a fun project, remember?

Alleluia Butterfly Mosaic Poster Tiles — *The photos in this blog post are included for instructional purposes only and do not reflect the actual sizes offered in the products themselves.*

Tape: We recommend focusing on one page at a time as you begin to tape the pieces together. When two pages match and line up to your satisfaction, tape them together. Match the next page, line it up to your satisfaction, and tape them together. Continue until you complete taping all the pages together and make a complete poster.

Create and Share!

One of the joys for us on the Illustrated Ministry team is seeing your tweets, Instagram Stories, Facebook Posts, and MySpace updates (okay, no one is really on MySpace anymore…right?) where you share with us your beautiful creations! We think this new format of Mosaic Poster Tiles are going to allow even more groups to take advantage of our coloring posters, and we can’t wait to see your creativity unleashed!

Be sure and use the hashtag #illustratedministry or tag us in your posts – we’re @illustratedmin on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Order Mosaic Poster Tiles

As of the time of this post, we currently have the Mosaic Poster Tiles format available for the following coloring posters:

Shop for Mosaic Poster Tiles Now!

An Illustrated Advent for Families

Adam Walker Cleaveland Leave a Comment

We are excited to announce the launch of our newest family Advent devotional resource: An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness! It’s not just an Advent devotional for kids, but for people of all ages.

Family Devotional for Advent

Click here to ORDER NOW

Our church families love An Illustrated Advent for Families. We print it out and have it available throughout Advent. I love the inclusive illustrations and short and accessible devotions. The materials needed aren’t complicated. Illustrated Ministry’s products are made for modern, progressive, busy families.
– Erica Jeglum, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

It’s hard to believe, but this is our fifth year of publishing our annual Advent resource for families. An Illustrated Advent for Families provides families with a resource for engaging their children in faith formation during the Advent season. This Advent devotional for kids and families, along with An Illustrated Lent for Families, has been used by thousands of families around the world, and we can’t wait for you to check out this new edition.

FREE SAMPLE: Click here to download a free sample of An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness.

Order your copy of An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness by visiting our store today!

Family Advent Devotional

Advent Family Devotional It’s no secret that families today are busy, and rather than make a family Advent devotional that feels burdensome, we wanted to create an Advent devotional for kids and families that would be simple but meaningful. Accessible for all ages, but also thought-provoking.

An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness will help you slow down, ask questions, have fun, be intentional about how you spend your family time and get creative! There are simple but meaningful devotions for all ages, a fantastic craft that includes coloring and will be fun to create throughout Advent, and an Advent Calendar that is more than just opening up chocolates every day before Christmas.

Keep reading to learn a bit more about the activities in this year’s edition, and to hear testimonials from people who have used our previous versions of An Illustrated Advent for Families.

I like everything Illustrated Ministry puts out. We use it consistently and find their products to be beautiful, they align with our theology, and they are easy to use. An Illustrated Advent for Families is excellent for helping families spend some time attending to their faith during a hectic time of year.
– Jessie Brajcki, Children’s and Youth Pastor, Artisan Church

Advent Devotional for Kids

This year’s theme is In Light & Darkness. The weekly devotions explore the theme of light and darkness in Advent scriptures. How we understand these ideas affect the way we view God, our faith, and our world. Inspired by Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, Learning to Walk in the Dark, we re-frame traditional understandings of light as good and darkness as bad or evil.

Each week, there is a suggested scripture to read, a short reflection, discussion questions, an activity (with lots of coloring opportunities), and a prayer to explore the theme of light and darkness working in balance in our lives.

These weekly devotionals are written so they can be used by children of all ages (and adults as well), and we believe you’ll find questions and discussion topics in each of the devotionals that will work for your children, no matter the age.

I am looking forward to using the “In Light & Darkness” resources this year because I know the information will be theologically appropriate and sound. It is also a meaningful way for families to connect during the busy Advent and Christmas season. And I especially love there is an additional all-ages devotional this year (In Light & Darkness: An Illustrated Devotional), so we can genuinely do intergenerational ministry during Advent.
– Mary Hagley, Minister of Families, Dixboro UMC

In Light & Darkness: An Illustrated Devotional, the devotional pictured and referenced below, is not included with An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness, but we wanted you to see what you could also purchase as an accompanying product.

In Light & Darkness: An Illustrated Devotional

This year we are also offering another devotional that goes into our theme of light and darkness a bit more, and also has discussion questions that work for all ages. This Illustrated Devotional is a new type of product for us, and we think you’re really going to like it.

This unique intergenerational resource is a hybrid devotional/coloring book. In Light and Darkness: An Illustrated Devotional includes five weekly devotions for all ages, as well as illustrations to color and opportunities to doodle and engage with the content in fun and creative ways. The photos below can help give you a sense of some of the coloring opportunities in this devotional.

You can purchase this illustrated devotional here.

FREE SAMPLE: Click here to download a free sample of An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness.

Christmas Shadow Box Theater

We are excited about this fabulous craft this year: our Christmas Shadow Box Theater. By following simple directions, you can build your Christmas Shadow Box Theater and use it to act out the story of Christmas using light and shadows.

Advent Craft for Families — What you’ll need

This is a great supplemental activity for Sunday School, to use at an Advent festival or event, and for families with young children to help tell the Christmas story.

While our youngest participants may need some additional assistance with this year’s craft, it is something that all ages can participate in. And certainly, it is an activity that all ages will have fun playing with once it’s created.

Advent Coloring for Kids — Coloring the Shadow Box

Holy Family Coloring Advent Kids — Coloring the Characters

Click here to ORDER NOW

As a Christian educator who is also a mom, I found this resource to be an excellent guide for our family and our congregation’s families during Advent. I appreciated how both my 8-year-old and 5-year-old could engage with the writings, questions, and prayers. The coloring is always a hit and creates space for conversations and questions around scripture…I’ve done a lot of research on Advent devotionals for families and hands down, An Illustrated Advent for Families is the best. Sound theology with content that has depth and engages families while understanding the realities of a family’s life makes this resource a must-have for Advent.
– Jenna Campbell, Director of Children and Youth Ministry, First Presbyterian Church, Stillwater, OK

We also have this craft available for purchase as a standalone activity. You can purchase our Illustrated Christmas Shadow Box Theater, and find other crafts from past years, here.

Advent Activities for Families

Advent Calendar

While many Advent calendars today come with the promise of chocolates or toys behind each of the numbered doors, this Advent calendar is a little different. Our Advent calendar is more of an activity calendar — activities that can help you get into the Advent and Christmas spirit.

Some of these activities will be great for your kids to do by themselves—others will require the whole family. And some activities require you to get out of your house and go into your community.

Illustrated Ministry always does a good job creatively welcoming you into the Advent season. Their design elements are fun and engaging, yet approachable and straightforward in all the detail. I appreciate the way their resources give kids and families a platform to step into the mystery of Advent in compelling and meaningful ways.
– Daniel Booker, Associate Pastor of Children & Families, Bethany Covenant Church

Each of the Advent calendar activities fits in with our theme of light and darkness and will help participants (of all ages) think about light and darkness and how it can affect how we think about Advent and Christmas.

Below are 3 sample activities from the Advent Calendar:

When it is dark outside, lights and sparkles remind us to celebrate. Does your family use Christmas lights to light up your home or Christmas tree? What about glitter or tinsel? How many sparkly, reflective, shimmery, or flashing things can you find in your home? Set a timer for three minutes and see who can find the most LIGHT!
Advent is a time of waiting and slowing down to think about life. But we are usually busy in December! Schedule a time during your day to do something slow. Read a book, write in your journal, meditate, or play with playdough. But do it verrryyyy sloooowwwlllyyy.
Some people do not have access to electricity, so it can be tough for children to do their homework after dark. Find an organization that provides solar lamps to families with children and gift them with a donation.

In past years, we have written our own Advent materials or adapted something from an older in-house devotional. An Illustrated Advent for Families was so much easier, still very reasonably priced, and theologically aligned with our view of Advent. It is easy to use, beautifully crafted, thoughtfully written, theologically sound, and thoroughly engaging.
– Kristine Nussbaum, Minster of Education, Kidron Mennonite Church

Order your copy of An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness by visiting our store today!

We hope you’ll take some time to check out An Illustrated Advent for Families: In Light & Darkness, and let us know if you have any questions. Whether you thought you were just looking for an Advent devotional for kids, or if you specifically wanted a family Advent devotional – our Illustrated Advent for Families has something for everyone.

FREE SAMPLE: If you’d like to download a sample of the resource to check out before you purchase, you can click here.

Illustrated Ministry’s products are more engaging and well put together than most others. They’re always fun to use and beautiful to look at. IM’s resources are always comprehensive and engaging. I never have to look around to add things to their products to make it feel fleshed out. If you’re looking for something that will be fun and educational for families, this is what you need.
– Hollie Friot, Church School Director, Barre Congregational Church (UCC)

Click here to ORDER NOW

5 Wildly Effective Ways to Connect with Families Not Regularly at Church

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

One of our amazing readers wrote to us wanting to connect with families who aren’t regularly at church. We hear you! This can be a tough thing. Read on for our five wildly effective ways to stay connected.

Do you have even more ideas to share? Tell us in the comments below!

Why You Need to Connect with Families

There are so many reasons why families may not be at church regularly. As a ministry leader, it may be easy to assume it’s because they don’t like something you’re doing. However, this is most likely not the case.

Families may not be attending church regularly because…

Parents are working long hours or traveling a lot for their job.
Families are navigating co-parenting and children living in two homes.
Children have scheduling conflicts with their extra-curricular activities.
Parents feel unsure while contemplating their own theology and religious affiliation.
New babies are throwing off their mornings and/or evenings.
Homework is keeping kids home.
Families feel disconnected from the community because they aren’t there often. So, they attend even less.

Keep in mind how busy families are and remember that context. Packed schedules and complex dynamics make it difficult to say yes, even to the things we really want to be doing in our lives.

Connect with Families Purposefully

So, what’s your role given that some of this may be true? You need to be doing two main things: connecting to the families and connecting the families to the community.

And here’s the cool thing. The families who aren’t at church regularly are going to feel more a part of the church. But, so are the families who are there regularly. Everyone will feel the improvement when these efforts are made.

How can you do this effectively? Read on for a few ideas we hope will help in both of these efforts!

Connect with Families Even When Apart

Stay in touch.

Families who aren’t present regularly can feel forgotten. So, be sure to connect with families regularly even if they aren’t at church. Send a text checking in. Be sure they’re on the email blast. Send birthday and holiday cards to them. Invite them personally to special events.

Vary contact.

If families are hearing from you in only one way, it can feel contrived. They may feel like there’s a list they’re on (which is probably true, but still…) and they’re only getting contacted because of that.

So, vary in your contact with them. Text, email, snail mail are all great options. Also, vary the person who contacts them. Share this responsibility across several people. For example, perhaps the pastor sends an email checking in. Then the ministry director sends the email blast and sets up a lunch date. And the Sunday school teacher comments on their social media posts. And a friend of the family invites them to a special upcoming event.

Post consistently.

If your church doesn’t have an online presence, that needs to change. It just does. Too many of our churches don’t have a person heading up digital communications. If your church is one of them, just create a profile for your ministry to connect with families.

Your families are online all the time. It’s an easy way to connect to all of them with little effort.

Learn how to use social media to communicate with your families. And post 1-3 times a day.

Communicate service opportunities.

Most families aren’t finding ways to serve others. And this is a value for so many parents, especially in their children’s development. However, it can be hard to know where to look for opportunities. So, connect with families around service.

For this reason, events where families can serve together and make a difference tend to be well-attended. This is great news for everyone. It connects the congregation and the congregation to the community.

Share education resources.

Parents very often have little to no idea how to do spiritual formation with their children. As a result, if families aren’t at church, the kids aren’t learning about their faith.

So, share resources with them. Send them a new book to read together each month. Send a weekly email with the Sunday School topic and discussion questions for them to use at home.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have more ideas to share with the IM community? We’d love to hear from you! In the comments below tell us how you connect with families who aren’t regularly at church.

Family Ministry

Mosaic Poster Tiles: Now what…?

Details, details, details…

So, how exactly do I do this?

Mosaic Poster Tiles Instructions

Distribution

Printing

Assembly

Create and Share!

Order Mosaic Poster Tiles

Shop for Mosaic Poster Tiles Now!

Family Advent Devotional

Advent Devotional for Kids

In Light & Darkness: An Illustrated Devotional

Christmas Shadow Box Theater

Advent Activities for Families

Why You Need to Connect with Families

Connect with Families Purposefully

Connect with Families Even When Apart

Stay in touch.

Vary contact.

Post consistently.

Communicate service opportunities.

Share education resources.

We Want to Hear From You!

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