| Looking for Ideas for your Christian Education Program? Read on.
 First
of all, many of you have witnessed first hand the terrific new curriculum,
Bible Quest,
offered by Christian Board of Publication.
Lively, interesting, and full of activities, this curriculum offers children's,
teen, and adult material. Information on their website (phone numbers, websites
and support information are provided separately) offers additional ideas,
activities, and planning helps. The regional office has samples and brochures
and will gladly provide them for your Christian Education planning team.
Others of you have shown interest in the
Workshop Rotation
model pioneered here in Georgia by
First
Atlanta in Tucker. Like Bible Quest this model focuses on the stories
of the Bible. The Bible Quest website suggests helpful ways that the workshop
rotation model can be used in conjunction with the Bible Quest curriculum.
The Workshop Rotation model website offers additional story and program
ideas. This model does require the reorganization, refreshment, and refurbishment
of your Sunday School spaces. Starting now ensures that the rooms will be
ready in time for fall. At First in Decatur, different groups within the
church, like the choir and adult Sunday School classes, adopted different
spaces and assumed responsibility for their readiness. Children there now
beg their parents to not only attend but also "to be on time" for Sunday
School.
Still looking for new ideas? Consider
Godly Play. Some of you may be
familiar with the writings of Jerome Berryman, author of among other things,
Godly Play and Young Children in Worship. Based upon the Montessori method
of teaching, Berryman offers not only content ideas based upon the stories
of the Bible but also a way of teaching that recognizes the precious spirit
within each child.
Some of you may have enjoyed the wonderful
lectionary based curriculum "Whole People of God". Brookhaven and Shiloh
Christian have both used and enjoyed this material. This program allows
Sunday School classes to focus on the same texts that will be used in the
morning worship. This unique curriculum has been renewed and updated for
2002 under the title "Seasons of the Spirit". So new the brochures aren't
back from the printers, you'll have to visit their
website to get
information or call Christian board
to get information as soon as it becomes available. One additional plus
for using this curriculum is it offers a "multi-age" package for small churches
that must combine a number of differently aged children in one classroom
setting. Chock-full of delightful ideas that encourage creativity and address
the different learning styles of children, Seasons of the Spirit offers
yet another great option for your faith development program.
Now is the time. Gather your Christian
Education team together. Call Division of Homeland Ministries and/or Christian
Board. Ask for samples. Check out the websites. Call the churches that use
this curriculum. Find how your church can nurture the spiritual and faith
development of its members, young and old alike.
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