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Director's Dedication Allows Children's Ministry To Grow

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By DIANE LOEBEL

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Teaching children about the love of Jesus is utmost in Tina Kimbro's mind. That's her role at First Baptist Church of New Port Richey.

Kimbro, the church's director of preschool and children's ministries, joined the congregation in January. Already, the children's ministry has grown.

"I've expanded on the strong structure that was already here," Kimbro said.
Kimbro strongly believes in family ties and helping moms and dads learn parenting through a family-centered ministry. Thinking about the needs of children as they grow and creating ministries that will benefit them is Kimbro's strategy. She wants to introduce activities that attract children and their parents, and to provide a ministry that partners with parents to help them raise their children.

Parents will be offered seminars to equip them; children's ministries will be developed that are fun and relevant, and where character and faith are taught.

"I want to teach children that Jesus is the answer of their every need," Kimbro said.

Realizing that peers are important for children, she arranges activities outside the church where the children can invite friends to attend. They meet at the church and go on the church bus to an activity.

This summer, Kimbro plans to have day fun trips weekly. A short Bible study will be held, then the group will go off campus for fun.

At the end of the summer, Kimbro said she would like to take a group on a mission project to help out at Hope Children's Home in Hillsborough County.
Vacation Bible school will be offered from 6 to 8 p.m. June 16-20 in the new building, where a wing will be dedicated to children's learning.

There is a family conference scheduled for Sept. 19-20 with Bob Barnes of Sheridan House Ministries in Fort Lauderdale. He has written several books on family, parenting and marriage.

All the activity has been fun for Kimbro, too.

"I am having the time of my life here at First Baptist," Kimbro said. "I love it. The people have been so welcoming. I feel undeserving to have been called here."
Kimbro has served as children's minister at several churches and was associate secretary of the North Florida Regional Sunday School Convention. Most recently, she worked for the Florida Baptist Convention as the administrative assistant to the director of evangelism.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF NEW PORT RICHEY
WHERE: 6561 Circle Blvd., New Port Richey
WORSHIP: 8:30, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays; 9:45 a.m. Sunday school for all ages; 6 p.m. Wednesdays; 7 p.m. discipleship classes Wednesdays.

CALL: (727) 849-4210

ONLINE: www.fbcnpr.com

To suggest a Faith in Focus feature, call Diane Loebel, (727) 815-1081; write her at The Tampa Tribune, 6214 U.S. 19 New Port Richey, FL 34652; or dloebel@tampatrib.com.

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