Jolanda Howe
Welcome to the Network for Sunday School Ministry! Whether you coordinate the children’s ministries, organize the Sunday school program, or lead a small group of second and third graders, I hope this site will be a reliable source of support for your ministry! In case you’re curious, here’s the scoop on me: I grew up Catholic and United Methodist before joining the CRC with my family as a teenager. My ecumenical upbringing has given me a great love for the church in all its flavors—and a deep appreciation for the Reformed theology we cherish. This is my second time around as the Sunday School Network guide, and a lot has changed for me in the time between! The biggest change is motherhood-- little Sophie Howe was born on March 3, 2012. Life has been full of gratitude, joy, and chaos ever since! We're learning how to be a family of 3 and how to juggle worship, work, and time with family and friends. I've stepped away from the role of Sunday school coordinator to give myself space to learn and enjoy this new role. We've also joined a new church, Church of the Servant, which is a place we've developed many deep friendships over the years. We trust that God has led us there to find support and give support to many other new parents as we learn and grow together. This time around, as guide, I hope to tap into the wisdom and experience of many other people who are serving or have served in Sunday school and faith formation ministries. I hope to invite many new people to add their ideas and inspiration to the blogs you see featured week after week. Thanks for joining me on this journey!
Posted in: Happy Birthday to the Americans with Disabilities Act Today
I heard an exciting story on NPR yesterday about how the ADA has influenced architecture. The dean of the college of Architecture and Urban Planning for the University of Michigan was talking about universal design. Universal design principles take into account all the different ages of life and the differences in people's abilities. Universal design aims at creating spaces where everyone can live and move comfortably. Check out the story here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128778558
Posted in: Kids and Their Grownups
That's a great point, Michelle!
Posted in: Snapshots of a Child-Friendly Church
Thanks for the great ideas! We don't often use images on PowerPoint. I've never thought of the importance that might have for children. Do you have any suggestions on where to find the images?
Posted in: Snapshots of a Child-Friendly Church
Thanks for passing along these ideas! During the song service, how is the story chosen for the children? Does it relate to the morning's sermon, or to Sunday school, or does it follow its own sequence? Are the stories read from a children's storybook, or shared by a storyteller?
Posted in: How Shall We Lead Children?
Thanks for this great article, Neil. We use the Jesus Storybook Bible for our children's worship time at church. Each of our Elders take turns sharing the story so that they can get to know the children and be part of thier spiritual formation.
I like your suggestion about making a list of FAQ's. Parents as well as Elders and other church leaders may appreciate the articles and ideas on this website: www.NurtureKidsFaith.org
Posted in: SUGGESTIONS Please
This site looks great, Marcel. Here's another web resource that I always recommend-- www.thesource4ym.com. It was helpful to me when I was a youth director. My favorite feature is the game search (http://www.thesource4ym.com/games/). It suggests games for your group based on criteria you select (size of group, indoor/outdoor, messy/clean, etc.). The slang dictionary is also fun (http://www.thesource4ym.com/teenlingo/).
Posted in: Suggestions for the Sunday School Network?
Interesting comment from parents! I think I'll highlight that in the blog to see if others are hearing the same thing. I'll start a new thread with the question of where to donate extra Sunday school curriculum-thanks for the great ideas!
Posted in: Reaching for 1,000 Positive Immigration Voices in Sioux County Iowa
Praise God!
Posted in: Suggestions for the Sunday School Network?
Great idea-I'll make it a new thread of conversation.
Posted in: It's For Me Too!
Amen!
Posted in: Disguising the Discussion
Thanks Kim! I got a little help from Faith Alive's editor Karen DeBoer on the last week's article--she's full of great ideas. She has a Beat the Winter Blah's dinner at home every year with her husband and kids. They wear shorts, cook burgers, and pretend it's 80 and sunny! So you are right, these ideas transfer to other contexts too!
Posted in: Recalculating! Recalculating!
Thanks Leon! We've already had one snow day so I'll be recalculating for sure!