I've been watching too much What's in the Bible...With Buck Denver lately. Someone donated a pile of them to the church library, and I wanted to see if they should be in the library. They're not going in, since I will have parents upset with some of the theology. I've been enjoying them, though. There's a pirate who teaches church history, and Sunday School lady (with her magic flannel graph board) among other characters; what's not to like?
This, though, is my favourite part so far.
Tuesday 28 February 2017
Sunday 26 February 2017
Church Stuff
Today I learned that someone at the church makes the most amazing ham sandwiches: good bread, real ham, and just the right amount of mustard. I'm looking forward to the next soup and sandwich lunch (we're planning to have them once a month) to find out what other amazing types of sandwiches this person can make.
I have a proper storage cabinet in my Sunday School classroom now, which means that all of my supplies are locked up, and all the extra Sunday School materials that were in my apartment are now neatly arranged on the bookcase in the classroom. Also, Quinn the plant has been moved from the windowsill to the top of the cabinet to hide the scrape I put in the wall while unpacking the filing cabinet. All I have left to bring to the church are a stack of books to add to the library. That is almost organized (we're still alphabetizing things), and then I'll feel properly settled in the church.
The annual general meeting at the church is in three weeks. They're planning a Q&A session with the elders after the meeting. I'm trying to think of some good questions, and possibly some not-as-good questions for my own amusement.
We sang this hymn this morning. When I listened to this version, I thought it should have fireworks at the end. I'm not sure why; I could just hear them in my head. Enjoy!
I have a proper storage cabinet in my Sunday School classroom now, which means that all of my supplies are locked up, and all the extra Sunday School materials that were in my apartment are now neatly arranged on the bookcase in the classroom. Also, Quinn the plant has been moved from the windowsill to the top of the cabinet to hide the scrape I put in the wall while unpacking the filing cabinet. All I have left to bring to the church are a stack of books to add to the library. That is almost organized (we're still alphabetizing things), and then I'll feel properly settled in the church.
The annual general meeting at the church is in three weeks. They're planning a Q&A session with the elders after the meeting. I'm trying to think of some good questions, and possibly some not-as-good questions for my own amusement.
We sang this hymn this morning. When I listened to this version, I thought it should have fireworks at the end. I'm not sure why; I could just hear them in my head. Enjoy!
Friday 24 February 2017
What I'm Reading
I've been reading a lot this year (big surprise, right?). I've also been working a lot, and reading has helped me relax. A couple trips to Calgary for work has given me uninterrupted reading time on the way down and back (the person I go with likes to listen to her music as she drives and not talk much, and I can read in the car without getting carsick).
Anyway, here are some of the books I've been reading. Today's focus is on children/youth fiction.
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. It's been years since I read this; it's still good.
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. A friend recommended it; it's not bad. It's a pretty easy read, and somewhat predictable, but it flows well and ends well.
Your Momma Thinks Square Roots are Vegetables by Bill Amend. Actually, this is a book of Foxtrot comics. I like Foxtrot comics.
Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter. A lot of the kids are reading this series, and they convinced me to try one. It's about cats in the wild. They have tribes, fight among themselves, and eat a lot of mice (and talk a lot about biting into fresh kill). It was interesting enough to finish the one book, but not interesting enough to read more of them (also, the eating mice parts were icky).
Right now I'm reading Heidi again, and planning to borrow the sequels from a friend. And I'm working my way through Ben Hur, which is not technically for children; however, my friend's 13 year old son read it (but he reads more than I do). Now every week he asks how far I am in the book, so I need to finish it soon!
That's about if for fiction so far this year.
Anyway, here are some of the books I've been reading. Today's focus is on children/youth fiction.
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. It's been years since I read this; it's still good.
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. A friend recommended it; it's not bad. It's a pretty easy read, and somewhat predictable, but it flows well and ends well.
Your Momma Thinks Square Roots are Vegetables by Bill Amend. Actually, this is a book of Foxtrot comics. I like Foxtrot comics.
Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter. A lot of the kids are reading this series, and they convinced me to try one. It's about cats in the wild. They have tribes, fight among themselves, and eat a lot of mice (and talk a lot about biting into fresh kill). It was interesting enough to finish the one book, but not interesting enough to read more of them (also, the eating mice parts were icky).
Right now I'm reading Heidi again, and planning to borrow the sequels from a friend. And I'm working my way through Ben Hur, which is not technically for children; however, my friend's 13 year old son read it (but he reads more than I do). Now every week he asks how far I am in the book, so I need to finish it soon!
That's about if for fiction so far this year.
Sunday 19 February 2017
Church Notes
We're still trying to get the library organized. Today I managed to get the children's books in the right places (I think), and I found the rest of the "family issues" section (somehow with the "Christian living" books) and put it where it belonged. That was about all I could accomplish. There were people in and out to return and check out books (which is good), and children everywhere. The children like the library a lot as a hang out spot, but I may need to find a way to contain them or something, as they tend to get in my way when I'm working. Maybe I'll just put them all to work! I am insisting that there is no running around or wild playing in the library. Sitting and talking, playing a game, or playing on their electronic devices (as much as I would like to ban the electronic devices) is okay.
About the electronic devices: I know it makes me sound like either a Luddite or a curmudgeon when I want to ban them. My problem is that one child is playing, the others are watching him play, and there's no interaction with each other. I'd rather they played a game together where everyone is involved and doing something significantly less passive than watching someone play something.
In Sunday School, we're doing an overview of the Bible, focusing on each part. This week we were talking about the Pauline epistles. Pastor James has been preaching through 1 Corinthians, and the students were able to tell me some things that he has been talking about, so that was good. On the other hand, Pastor Mike has been preaching through Ephesians, and they remembered nothing at all about it! I let them off lightly, though, since he hasn't actually preached since the end of December.
Here is a favourite modern worship song/hymn of mine:
About the electronic devices: I know it makes me sound like either a Luddite or a curmudgeon when I want to ban them. My problem is that one child is playing, the others are watching him play, and there's no interaction with each other. I'd rather they played a game together where everyone is involved and doing something significantly less passive than watching someone play something.
In Sunday School, we're doing an overview of the Bible, focusing on each part. This week we were talking about the Pauline epistles. Pastor James has been preaching through 1 Corinthians, and the students were able to tell me some things that he has been talking about, so that was good. On the other hand, Pastor Mike has been preaching through Ephesians, and they remembered nothing at all about it! I let them off lightly, though, since he hasn't actually preached since the end of December.
Here is a favourite modern worship song/hymn of mine:
Sunday 12 February 2017
Church Notes
This was the first Sunday School class in the new building. We spent some time being happy and thankful for the new room. I told them about past rooms I'd taught in since the church began:
The first Sunday with Junior Church and nursery in the same room.
The hotel where the divider between the 2 classes was a coat rack with a tablecloth thrown over it.
The classroom/overflow room in the school, where we had to pack up the tables and straighten out the chairs at the end of each class to be ready for the service (we also had to set up the tables, but usually the people who came early to open the building did that for me).
The classroom most of them remember from the school, which was divided into two classes and a library.
And the latest classrooms at the church we were renting, with no windows and poor lighting.
We were all very, very happy today!
Then we named our plants. We have 2 trees in our room, as well as a plant on the windowsill (happily enough, none of them are real, so we don't have to worry about keeping them alive). The trees are Fred and Frieda, and the other plant is Quinn.
After the service, we started to organize the library. We have the books in groups according to topic; next week we will alphabetize them properly. Then we can start entering the new books that we have acquired over the past couple years.
It was a good Sunday.
The first Sunday with Junior Church and nursery in the same room.
The hotel where the divider between the 2 classes was a coat rack with a tablecloth thrown over it.
The classroom/overflow room in the school, where we had to pack up the tables and straighten out the chairs at the end of each class to be ready for the service (we also had to set up the tables, but usually the people who came early to open the building did that for me).
The classroom most of them remember from the school, which was divided into two classes and a library.
And the latest classrooms at the church we were renting, with no windows and poor lighting.
We were all very, very happy today!
Then we named our plants. We have 2 trees in our room, as well as a plant on the windowsill (happily enough, none of them are real, so we don't have to worry about keeping them alive). The trees are Fred and Frieda, and the other plant is Quinn.
After the service, we started to organize the library. We have the books in groups according to topic; next week we will alphabetize them properly. Then we can start entering the new books that we have acquired over the past couple years.
It was a good Sunday.
Saturday 11 February 2017
Sunday 5 February 2017
First Sunday
The first Sunday at the new church was good. We didn't have Sunday School; rather, we had coffee and cookies and a chance for everyone to explore the new building. It was nice, and next week I don't have to spend the Sunday School hour explaining to everyone where their rooms are!
The library is sort of ready to go, meaning that the books are on the shelves, but not sorted. We needed the room already for extra seating for the after-the-service luncheon, so we had to get the 40-something boxes out of the way! There are 2 students who have already chosen what books they will check out when we open for business next Sunday, and one of them alphabetized the Christian Heroes Then and Now series for us. I've already recruited him to help organize things starting next Sunday.
The sanctuary is a good size. We thought originally that we would have to have 2 services to fit everyone, but it turned out bigger than anyone thought, so we fit in with room to spare, and the plan to build 3 tiers of seating in the small balcony so we can fit in even more people.
The best part, apart from "God has blessed us with a wonderful building" is "we never have to move the church again"!
The library is sort of ready to go, meaning that the books are on the shelves, but not sorted. We needed the room already for extra seating for the after-the-service luncheon, so we had to get the 40-something boxes out of the way! There are 2 students who have already chosen what books they will check out when we open for business next Sunday, and one of them alphabetized the Christian Heroes Then and Now series for us. I've already recruited him to help organize things starting next Sunday.
The sanctuary is a good size. We thought originally that we would have to have 2 services to fit everyone, but it turned out bigger than anyone thought, so we fit in with room to spare, and the plan to build 3 tiers of seating in the small balcony so we can fit in even more people.
The best part, apart from "God has blessed us with a wonderful building" is "we never have to move the church again"!
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