On Sunday mornings at St. Paul, it’s not unusual to see a child carrying a colorful bag filled with books, crayons, and toys into worship. These Kids Worship Bags are a simple idea with a meaningful purpose: helping children stay engaged during the service while worshiping alongside their families.

Behind the ministry is Kimberly Fransen, who lovingly maintains the bags in the Sanctuary for toddlers through middle school students.

Before worship begins, children can fill a bag with items—coloring pages, books, and small toys designed to keep little hands busy. The goal isn’t simply to occupy children, but to help them participate in worship in a way that fits their stage of life.

“When their hands are busy, it helps open their ears to what’s happening in worship,” Kimberly says.

The items are intentionally chosen to be quiet—no clicking, buzzing, or noise—so families can use them comfortably during services at the New Life Center, in the Sanctuary and at the Summit in Aledo. Parents have shared how much they appreciate the bags, which allow them to follow along in worship without worrying about keeping their children occupied.

A View from the Back Pew

The ministry came into Kimberly’s life in an unexpected way.

As a breast cancer survivor, she took extra precautions during the COVID years and began sitting in the back pew during worship to keep a little more distance. From that vantage point, she began noticing something she hadn’t seen as clearly before.

“I loved watching the kids come to church with their families,” she says.

A Ministry for Families

When St. Paul introduced the Kids Worship Bags ministry in 2024, Kimberly knew she wanted to help.  After nearly 19 years as part of the St. Paul family, stepping into this role felt like a natural way to serve—one sparked by a simple change in perspective.

“If I hadn’t sat in the back pew, I wouldn’t have had that view of the kids,” she says. “The Holy Spirit was definitely working.”

That view from the back opened the door to a ministry that now fills her weeks. Today, Kimberly keeps the worship bag bins stocked and ready for young worshipers. She and her husband, Mark, even turned the task into a shared hobby, scouting Amazon for books, toys, and activities designed to keep children quietly engaged during the service.

Even though her own children are now in their 20s and 30s, and she doesn’t yet have grandchildren of her own, Kimberly finds joy in serving the families of St. Paul in this way. “It’s been fun,” she says, seeing it as a tangible way to live out the church’s commitment to the next generation.

More than just toys, the ministry helps create space for children to hear God’s Word alongside their families. For parents, the bags offer a bit of peace; for Kimberly, they are a constant reminder that God often places us exactly where we need to be, even in the back pew, to see an opportunity to serve.