|
| | Bulletin Board Suggestions: To
explore a question, click on that topic. To submit another idea or question,
send an Email to rstew23@juno.com
|
|
Not enough Preschool
workers:
 | Be sure you are giving regular encouragement to and
expressions of appreciation for preschool workers. They
often are among the real "unsung heroes." Frequently put
articles or clippings in the church newsletter or bulletin about the
importance of effective teaching for preschoolers. Create an
attractive bulletin board about the importance of providing quality
learning experiences for infants and toddlers. Take pictures of
preschoolers involved in learning experiences at Sunday School and
create a "Preschoolers Are Learning in Sunday School!"
photo album bulletin board. Magnify the value of preschool
teachers. Avoid terms such as "keeping the
nursery." Instead emphasize "teaching
preschoolers." Have a "Preschool Emphasis Sunday" or
"An April Thanksgiving for Preschool Workers!" and
recognize preschool workers in a worship service. Give them an
appreciation gift or provide an appreciation lunch after morning
worship service. Ask adult teachers to provide and serve the
lunch as a token of their appreciation for making it possible for
parents of preschoolers to attend their Sunday School classes. --
Robert Stewart,
stew5529@bellsouth.net
|
| When you regularly show appreciation for preschool
workers, they are more likely to continue faithful service.
Also, prospective workers are more likely to respond to your
invitation and enlistment efforts when they have observed that teacher
preschoolers is valued by the pastor and other church leaders. For ten
excellent suggestions about showing appreciation for preschool workers
click here: http://lifeway.com/teacher_p0005.asp
stew5529@bellsouth.net |
|
I
recently became a Sunday school teacher, but I’m a very outgoing
person- so it didn’t bother me to volunteer for something I had no
clue about. Many
people think they need to have children or the teacher must have prior
experience. I have found that the children accept you and God
leads you in the way the lesson should go. Have you thought
about asking your brand new members if they would be interested?
This would lead a fresh new person with a fresh attitude and outlook
to the children’s ministry. (-Jill.
rdredden@reddeninsurance.com
)
|
|
Members who do not want to "go
up":
| While annual promotion is often a helpful practice to
keep classes balanced and energized with new people and ideas, trying
to force members to go to a different class when they do not want to
can be counter-productive. They may quit coming at all. Analyze
reasons people are reluctant to change classes. If the reason is
unhealthy loyalty to a particular teacher, the challenge may be to
help the teacher understand the importance of encouraging members to
move or to "mission" other classes. If the reason is
that people do not want to leave a particularly good and effective
teacher to go to a class in which the teacher is not as interesting,
who can blame them? Teacher training and improvement is
needed. Consider encouraging teachers to create a "mission
spirit" among their members, an eagerness to birth new classes, a
readiness to cooperate in periodic reorganization of the Sunday
School. Recognize and commend teachers and classes who intentionally
birth new classes. Annually study the prospect files and the
demographics or possibilities in the unreached community. Then,
suggest groupings based on age spans and/or ages of children.
(For instance: Coed 35-30 or w/children in middle and high school.)
This would become the focus group for the class. Prospects in
the focus group would be assigned to the class for outreach and
ministry. However, avoid be overly strict or "legal." If a prospect or a member chooses to attend a different
class than their focus group, it may be because of a friend in that
class, children of similar age, or teaching style preference. It
is better to have people attending Bible study rather than dropping
out because of an age-grading "rule."
stew5529@bellsouth.net |
|
How to maximize
available time:
| We changed our Sunday school start time from 10 a.m.
to 9:45 a.m. It made a world of difference. We also, in our class
leaders meeting, determined to be more focused. We do not rush prayer,
announcements, or fellowship, but encourage our teachers to, by the
leading of the Spirit, facilitate and mediate these areas to increase
teaching time. I, personally, make an announcement sheet that I hand
out and reinforce is with a classroom bulletin board. If others have
announcements, I tell them to let me know so I can put them on the
sheet, or if they have them on that morning, I ask them to write them
on the board. That helped a lot. We also try to focus our prayer times
by assigning prayer cards that address specific needs, and keep our
corporate class prayer to the most pressing prayer needs and to those
needs that focus on the word and worship of that day. twbowes@juno.com (from Tim Bowes, Minister of Education,
Berry's Grove Baptist Church, Hurdle Mills, NC. Tim, also, is Beulah
Baptist Association SS Director.) |
| Our church begin class in
the respective classrooms. We do our own devotion and lesson.
We only come together on fourth (and fifth) Sunday's to have a brief
review of the lesson from the Pastor and a rep from each class.
I love it, because it gives each teacher a chance to have the amount
of time they need for their lesson. (Gwen116R@aol.com) |
|
How To Make Bible Study Interesting
|
In
my Sunday school (I am a brand new teacher)- my Sunday school director
supplies us with a basic outline showing roughly how much time should
be alloted to each activity. It is just a timeline
that we can go off of if we are having difficulty pacing ourselves. I
personally like to provide the children with an activity such as
coloring a relative picture or solving a puzzle that deals with
our key verse while I read the lesson. Many times the part I am
actually reading is written on their coloring sheet or puzzle so they
can follow along if they choose. I teach 3rd graders
and they have no trouble volunteering answers. (Jill
Redden rdredden@reddeninsurance.com
) |
|
| Saying, "Thank You!" to Your
Workers Here are a dozen quick, easy, and
inexpensive ideas. 1. Peanuts-
"We are nuts about you. Thanks for all you do!" ... 2. Animal crackers
- "This place would be a zoo without you!" ... 3. Cracker Jacks
- "You are the prize in our program." ... 4. Pretzels
- "We'd be in knots without you!" ... 5. Cereal party Mix -
"Thanks for joining our party! You add new flavor!" ... 6.
Strawberry candies - "You are a berry special teacher!" ...
7. Sunflower seeds - "Thanks for your sunny smile!" ... 8.
Small scented candle - "You light up our lives!" ... 9. A
pencil - "The point is, you're the best!" ... 10. Teacher's
picture in a small frame - "You've been framed! You are on our
most wanted list!" ... 11. Card with an illustration of overalls
- "Overall, you are doing a great job!" ... 12. Snowman -
"There's snowbody like you. Thank you!"
(Cheryl Haynes, Brookwood Baptist Church, Jacksonville, NC)
Additional ideas for showing appreciation to workers:
Click here. |
| Ideas for a new year.
(Planning, staffing, promoting, themes ...)
| Popular Grove Church used this article in the
church newsletter. |
SUNDAY SCHOOL YEAR
BEGINS
How effective will you be in Sunday School ministry?
"Oh, I don't have to go to Sunday School. I'm not a
teacher."
Have you ever heard that expression? Well, guess again. Each one of us in
the Body of Christ has a part in the Sunday School ministry. Even if we are
not a teacher, we can minister by showing to others our support of the
Sunday School.
On September 5, the new Church Year begins with Promotion
Day - new classes for some, new teachers, even new friends. We are even
going to have a new Sunday School class for the college-age & career-age
young people. Support Poplar Grove by your attendance in Sunday School. More
importantly, show your support for Christ by participating in Bible Study
and learning about Him.
Submitted by Tommy Cooper, Sunday School Director,
Poplar Grove Baptist Church, 3476 Poplar Tent Rd.NW, Concord, NC 28027-5531.
Phone 704-782-0078 sundayschool@poplargrovebaptist.com |
| |
| |
| |
|
