Carol Dozier knows what it feels like to carry children’s ministry alone.

As the children’s ministry leader at Emmanuel Temple Church in Buffalo, New York, she has served since the ministry first began, long before it became a formal department. She is now also serving on the Greater New York Conference Children’s Ministries team led by director Michelle Broomfield.

Over the years, she has often worked without much structure or support. Because her church is located at the far edge of the Northeastern Conference and Atlantic Union, that isolation can feel even stronger.

That reality is why Dozier traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, January 20-24, 2026, to attend the North American Division Children’s Ministry Retreat at The Galt House. “Children’s ministry leaders tend to work alone,” she said. “There isn’t as much infrastructure for supporting children’s ministry as there is for other things.”

For Dozier, being in a room with others who share the same calling matters. “They say a log by itself will not burn,” she said. “But when you lay a log with other logs, the fire will grow. So for me, it’s an opportunity for my fire to grow.”

With 130 people registered, the retreat brought together union and conference Children’s Ministries directors, children’s pastors, and VBS conference leaders from across the North American Division. The theme, reKindle, based on 2 Timothy 1:6-7, shaped both the content and the spirit of the gathering.

Each day of the retreat featured a different reKindle focus: Wednesday’s focus was Rekindle Your Passion, Thursday’s Rekindle Your Calling, and Friday’s Rekindle Your Relationships. 

Aligned with these themes, participants engaged in a daily guided prayer experience led by an NAD Children’s Ministry Certification presenter. These activities included filling a jumbo Lite-Brite board with lights representing reconnecting with God; weaving prayers and praises written on strips of paper into a colorful tapestry representing lives called by God; and praying for fellow leaders using photos taken during registration. After each prayer experience, the activity prop was moved to an enclosed space called the Curiosity Corner, where leaders could continue reflecting on the Source of their fire during spare moments.  

According to Sherri Uhrig, director of Children’s Ministries, the retreat was intentionally designed to meet both practical and spiritual needs. “The foundation of this retreat is to help our leaders be equipped and to know they are seen, heard, and valued,” Uhrig said. “We also want them to experience a sense of belonging with their colleagues in children’s ministry.”

Uhrig, along with associate director Gerry Lopez and the Children’s Ministry planning committee, structured the retreat to blend spiritual renewal with training from experienced leaders. Speakers were selected to encourage participants while addressing real-life ministry pressures.

Among the highlights, CMR26 started Wednesday night with a special presentation by Anthony Hackett, actor, director, writer, producer, and founder of Sonset Friday Entertainment, a multi-award-winning production company producing faith and inspirational content. He used humor, inspiration, and affirmation to lift up the value of children’s ministries, focusing on Rekindle Your Passion.

Other speakers were Christie Thomas, author, and Sofia Montes, outreach specialist at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

Esther Moreno of Child’s Heart LLC presented during the one-day pre-conference session; these pre-event professional development sessions were introduced in 2025 and will continue annually moving forward. Following the retreat, Moreno reflected on what she hoped participants would take away from her presentation. “Healthy ministry flows from healthy leaders,” she said. “Addressing burnout isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s an act of stewardship.”

Moreno emphasized that when leaders care for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being, they are better prepared to serve children with clarity, compassion, and a Christ-centered focus. She also responded to challenges children’s ministry leaders often raise, such as limited budgets, which Uhrig noted is a concern she frequently hears from leaders.

“To those navigating tight budgets or limited resources, I want them to know this,” Moreno said. “Meaningful children’s ministry isn’t built on big budgets or flashy programs, but on faithful presence, intentional relationships, and the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Alongside leadership development and spiritual care, the retreat also highlighted practical ministry tools leaders could take back to their conferences. One of those was VBS Live, which introduced the upcoming Vacation Bible School program.

Nicole Broushet, Children’s Ministries pastor at College View Church of Seventh-day Adventists shared that what inspired her most about VBS Live was how intentionally it speaks to the world children are growing up in. “Cactusville reminds children that following Jesus means being called to be different; not isolated, but faithful,” she said. “While we teach kids to build bridges with others, we also affirm that living for God will often set them apart.”

Broushet added that empowering children to embrace their identity in Christ is a message that reaches the whole family. She also pointed to the program’s intentional prayer station, which uses play — the language of childhood — to help children learn how to pause, reflect, and connect with God individually and together.

For many participants, the retreat was also about reconnecting with colleagues who have become friends and mentors. Pastor Darnisha Thomas, associate pastor at Dupont Park Seventh-day Adventist Church in Washington, D.C., said she has attended the Children’s Ministries Retreat for more than 10 years and continues to value the space it creates for reflection and renewal.

This year’s reKindle theme resonated with Thomas during a season of transition. She shared that children’s ministry extends beyond children to families and the entire church, and that the retreat gave her space to reconnect with others who share the same passion and calling.

She also highlighted the pre-conference sessions as especially meaningful. Introduced the previous year and expanded this year, the pre-conference created space for honest conversations around the realities of children’s ministry, including burnout and sustainability. Although she had to leave early due to a winter storm, Thomas expressed gratitude for the time she was able to spend learning and connecting with fellow leaders.

The retreat concluded Saturday night with a celebration that reflected the connections fostered throughout the week. Participants enjoyed a meal prepared by chefs, unhurried fellowship, and a Glow Party featuring a glow-in-the-dark setting and karaoke, including familiar praise and Vacation Bible School songs. 

From beginning to end, the emphasis of the retreat remained consistent: children’s ministry leaders matter, their work is valued, and they do not have to serve alone.

— Hugh Davis is the Communication director for the Mid-America Union Conference.