I’ve just experienced this, having been caught in a thunderstorm with torrential rain yesterday. Stepped into the rush of stormwater and immediately my feet/shoes/socks were soaked. The analogy worked for me. I was drenched to the skin and my shoes are still sopping wet! God’s grace lavished upon me.
Books to read with and to children should not have an agenda that appeals to the adults. We should let the kids choose the book. Sit alongside them and see how they see the world in the book. Talk about it. Or just laugh with them. There are lots of books out there that are simply funny.
Either way, it's an agenda. My favourite childrens books are The Cow that fell in the Canal, The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse, Dreadful David, and The Tale of Little Black Sambo. I know, I know...
That's a great list. Mo Willems is a gem. I also enjoyed your other article about books and stories. Sometimes the books that initially annoy us, as did The Runaway Bunny, go on to become favourites. Children have a knack for enjoying a story just because it tickles them somehow. No analysis required.
This looks like a lot of fun, and it would stimulate good conversations. How would it work for churches that have few of the traditional practices. Preachers dressed as for a day of gardening, baby dedications without baptismal font or gown, no pulpit, and a rock concert band? And what of the churches that have no children in the service, on purpose?
I have been buying a Nativity picture book for my family every Christmas for the past 20 years. Before this, not as frequently, but often enough for us to now have a collection of over 40 picture books. I avoid those with talking mice and cattle, and those by Max Lucado ( blind spot on my part!).
I enjoy learning about and exploring Christmas traditions from around the world, but there's nothing as precious as the family sitting around the Christmas tree after all the gifts have been opened, and reading/looking at the account of Jesus' birth in a picture book. And none of us is younger than 28!
As an Australian I'm particularly pleased that you love the Julie Vivas book. It's one of my favourites, and a great hit with the many children with whom I have shared it.
I love these kinds of stories and I try to write them myself. The theology can be tricky. I believe that linking the story to Acts and the account of what happened to Ananias becomes problematic. And the tone of the story changes to 'preachy'. It's also good to think of who your listeners are. Children? Adults from the same background and church experience as you?
I took this approach many years back in a UK church while on a working holiday. I was asked to teach a children's Sunday school class of 5 year olds. The story was of Elisha and the woman who had a jar of oil and a jar of flour. While I told the story the children each had a lump of bread dough to manipulate. Then we put their bread shapes into the oven. As the church service next door came to its conclusion there was a delicious smell pervading the sanctuary, and the people were literally following their noses as they left. All they found was a dozen small children munching on freshly baked bread.
It's great that the library is available to teachers, however this article has some red flags for me, that you may consider. Firstly, the expectation that a Sunday school lesson can be prepared the night before or even 'on the spot'. Our children deserve better than that.
Secondly, the 'take homes'. In this article they are mentioned as being a surprise to the teacher, unwanted by some children, foisted on the parents ( I can't be bothered checking what's in them, your kids don't want them, but you should deal with them). I suggest you either use them properly and excite your students, or give them something more valuable to take home, such as a memorable lesson.
Thirdly, the budget. Should we really be penny pinching when it comes to discipling our kids? There's something wrong with the idea that a church treasurer would suggest that the savings made (by the teachers reading something from their iPad rather than printing a few sheets of paper), entitles them to ask for further resources. Just buy the darned story cards!
Number 6 Elect elders and a pastor who would be prepared to have an intergenerational service every service. Kids shouldn't be expected to work so hard to fit into a model of church service designed for college educated adults who are audio learners. Give the poor kids a break!
Posted in: Where Did You Worship This Past Sunday?
I have no church community so it was me at home alone. I do watch a podcast of a service of another church.
Posted in: Living as People With Squishy Shoes
I’ve just experienced this, having been caught in a thunderstorm with torrential rain yesterday. Stepped into the rush of stormwater and immediately my feet/shoes/socks were soaked. The analogy worked for me. I was drenched to the skin and my shoes are still sopping wet! God’s grace lavished upon me.
Posted in: What Faith-Forming Children's Books Do You Love?
Books to read with and to children should not have an agenda that appeals to the adults. We should let the kids choose the book. Sit alongside them and see how they see the world in the book. Talk about it. Or just laugh with them. There are lots of books out there that are simply funny.
Posted in: What Faith-Forming Children's Books Do You Love?
Either way, it's an agenda. My favourite childrens books are The Cow that fell in the Canal, The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse, Dreadful David, and The Tale of Little Black Sambo.
I know, I know...
Posted in: What Faith-Forming Children's Books Do You Love?
That's a great list. Mo Willems is a gem. I also enjoyed your other article about books and stories. Sometimes the books that initially annoy us, as did The Runaway Bunny, go on to become favourites. Children have a knack for enjoying a story just because it tickles them somehow. No analysis required.
Posted in: How Covenant CRC Created a Play Church to Communicate Belonging to Children
This looks like a lot of fun, and it would stimulate good conversations.
How would it work for churches that have few of the traditional practices. Preachers dressed as for a day of gardening, baby dedications without baptismal font or gown, no pulpit, and a rock concert band?
And what of the churches that have no children in the service, on purpose?
Posted in: What to Give the Kids at Church This Christmas
Even the angels are middle-eastern!
Posted in: A Christmas Collection of Children's Story Books
I have been buying a Nativity picture book for my family every Christmas for the past 20 years. Before this, not as frequently, but often enough for us to now have a collection of over 40 picture books. I avoid those with talking mice and cattle, and those by Max Lucado ( blind spot on my part!).
I enjoy learning about and exploring Christmas traditions from around the world, but there's nothing as precious as the family sitting around the Christmas tree after all the gifts have been opened, and reading/looking at the account of Jesus' birth in a picture book. And none of us is younger than 28!
As an Australian I'm particularly pleased that you love the Julie Vivas book. It's one of my favourites, and a great hit with the many children with whom I have shared it.
Posted in: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
I love these kinds of stories and I try to write them myself. The theology can be tricky. I believe that linking the story to Acts and the account of what happened to Ananias becomes problematic.
And the tone of the story changes to 'preachy'. It's also good to think of who your listeners are. Children? Adults from the same background and church experience as you?
Posted in: Jesus Cooks Breakfast: Ideas for Sharing Sensory Bible Stories with Kids
I took this approach many years back in a UK church while on a working holiday. I was asked to teach a children's Sunday school class of 5 year olds. The story was of Elisha and the woman who had a jar of oil and a jar of flour. While I told the story the children each had a lump of bread dough to manipulate. Then we put their bread shapes into the oven. As the church service next door came to its conclusion there was a delicious smell pervading the sanctuary, and the people were literally following their noses as they left. All they found was a dozen small children munching on freshly baked bread.
Posted in: How DWELL Leaders Can Utilize the CRCNA Digital Library
It's great that the library is available to teachers, however this article has some red flags for me, that you may consider. Firstly, the expectation that a Sunday school lesson can be prepared the night before or even 'on the spot'. Our children deserve better than that.
Secondly, the 'take homes'. In this article they are mentioned as being a surprise to the teacher, unwanted by some children, foisted on the parents ( I can't be bothered checking what's in them, your kids don't want them, but you should deal with them). I suggest you either use them properly and excite your students, or give them something more valuable to take home, such as a memorable lesson.
Thirdly, the budget. Should we really be penny pinching when it comes to discipling our kids? There's something wrong with the idea that a church treasurer would suggest that the savings made (by the teachers reading something from their iPad rather than printing a few sheets of paper), entitles them to ask for further resources. Just buy the darned story cards!
Posted in: 5 Ways to Help Kids Worship
Number 6 Elect elders and a pastor who would be prepared to have an intergenerational service every service. Kids shouldn't be expected to work so hard to fit into a model of church service designed for college educated adults who are audio learners. Give the poor kids a break!