Meet Amanda Douglas at Harbor Covenant
Amanda Douglas is the new Kids Ministry Coordinator at Harbor Covenant Church in Gig Harbor, WA. In this 10-minute interview, she shares about her history as a middle school math teacher, family connections at Harbor, excitement for Kids Camp, and her love for glitter.
Reach out to Amanda to welcome her to our conference family
Transcript:
Erik Cave: Hello everyone. My name is Erik Cave, and I work for the Pacific Northwest Conference as the Director of NextGen Ministries and Director of Communications. Today I'm really excited because I get to introduce you to Amanda Douglas. She's the new Kids Ministry Coordinator at Harbor Covenant Church in Gig Harbor, Washington. Amanda, welcome — I'm glad you're here. Why don't we begin, and I'll ask you to share a bit about your personal and ministry background to introduce yourself.
Amanda Douglas: My ministry background is the stereotypical "I've been in church my whole life" kind of story. My mom has always been involved with kids ministry in some way — through summer camps or church events. But honestly, I never saw myself going into kids ministry. I loved volunteering, loved being with my mom, but I actually went to school to become a middle school math teacher, and that's what I did for eight years.
My last year of teaching, I was asked to come back full-time. At the time I had a newborn and a two- or three-year-old. I knew that wasn't the right choice for me, and it had been on my heart to step away from teaching for a while — but I didn't know where God had me. So I left.
Then I was asked to help with kids camp at Harbor Covenant — which wasn't actually my home church, it was my husband's family's church. Matt Knapp is my husband's brother, and they asked me to come help with kids camp. I was super excited — I love camp, it was totally up my alley. I thought, "What a great way to have something to do over the summer." Doing that got me excited about kids ministry, but I was still hesitant to see if it would go anywhere.
Come October, Matt was really pushing: "We'd love to have you be part of our kids ministry team, if you'd like to run it." After a lot of prayer and talking with my husband, we realized that's where I needed to be. Jumping in was a little overwhelming at first, like any new job — especially one you didn't expect to go into. But getting into it, I've never been happier in a job. I know that's truly God at work, showing me this is where he wants me.
I love seeing the kids on Sunday. I was a little nervous because elementary age isn't my forte — I've always been with middle schoolers. But seeing their energy and their light for Jesus has been inspiring, and it makes this job so much fun. I love planning and thinking about how we can help kids experience who God is and what he has for them. That's what keeps pushing me forward. I don't have a 10-year timeline — I just want to be here, be part of this, and see it grow.
Erik: That's great, thanks for sharing that, Amanda. You've already touched on this, but I'll ask you to expand — what else are you passionate about in ministry right now?
Amanda: We're in the planning and prep process for our kids camp, which has been a little overwhelming but so fun. Camp in general is something I truly love — it's such a great way to bring kids into the church and get families coming through those doors. That's really where my passion lies: making sure camp is a place for all kids to have an amazing experience, both with their friends and in learning who God is.
On regular Sundays, I'm passionate about getting new families through the door. That can be tricky — encouraging our families to invite their friends can feel a little intimidating. So I've started implementing events that help families invite their friends, like a family game night — pizza, games, big group bingo. It's a fun night that shows our community we love them and want them to experience who God is.
Erik: Wow, that's really exciting. Well, how can we be praying for you?
Amanda: Mainly for kids camp — safety during our time with the kids, that there aren't injuries among kids or leaders. Also that the kids experience Jesus in the way they need, that some accept Jesus into their lives, and that our leaders feel confident and have a great experience too.
Erik: And that's coming up in August?
Amanda: Yeah, August 10th through the 13th.
Erik: I'll be praying for you, and I hope our viewers will too — you and the rest of your team.
Quick-Answer Questions
Erik: What is your personal philosophy? Amanda: Everything is better with glitter. Erik: Straightforward — you just need more glitter on it. Amanda: Except for vacuuming. But a little glitter wherever I go is how I love to live.
Erik: What's one thing you couldn't live without — besides glitter? Amanda: Of course, my Bible — it's my prized possession. I spend every morning journaling and reading. But besides that, coffee and Diet Coke — I probably drink more of that than water. Erik: Oh gosh, no! You've got to have the coffee in the morning and the afternoon Diet Coke. Amanda: It was in the morning.
Erik: What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? Amanda: I really struggled at 13 — I was quite bullied and struggling to find myself. I'd just tell myself it gets so much better. It's not an easy path, but God gets you through so much, and it gets better. Plus, I end up with two beautiful little girls, which makes it all worth it.
Erik: What is your favorite thing to do? Amanda: Right now, reading — I'm a big reader. Also being out in my garden. Kind of a grandma thing to say, but I love it.
Erik: Last one, my favorite question — flying cars, robot housekeepers, or moon cities? Amanda: Robot housekeepers, because I hate sweeping. I despise it. Erik: I actually have one of those — a Roomba. Amanda: Those freak my kids out, so I'll wait for the full robot — one that can pick things up and fold laundry.
Erik: Good answers, Amanda. It was great to get to know you a little better today. Really glad you're in our conference and at Harbor Covenant. Thank you for sharing your life with us and taking the time to be here.
Amanda: Thank you. I don't have a lot of fluff — I always got in trouble with my English teachers because I didn't add extra things. So, I'm like, we're gonna get it done.
