Okay, let's try this blog thing again. I have a lot going on in my head, but there are some complications when it comes to blogging:
1. I don't want to share everything with the world (or the bit of the world that still reads this).
2. When I'm thinking about things that I could blog, it isn't always a convenient time to write.
3. I'm trying to stay off the computer in the evenings, there's not a lot of time to write in the mornings, and I'm usually at work during the day.
On the other hand, I like writing, and I do have thoughts that I can share. So here's the plan: I'm going to try updating the blog at least once a week. We'll see how that works for now.
And for those of you who have hung in there, waiting for words, I have 2 stories for you:
From work:
One of my students was trying to show off how smart he is, so I pointed out that I still know more math than he does. His response:
"That's because I'm only in grade 6, and you're in grade...adult!"
From Junior Church:
We were talking about Moses (who, despite what one small sweetheart thought, was never thrown into a pit by his brothers). We were talking about how God knew that Pharaoh would say No to Moses, and how God knows everything. We don't know everything: not us, or our parents, or the pastors, or anyone. Then this conversation happened:
Small girl, very thoughtfully: But I think Pastor James and Pastor Mike know a LOT about God and the Bible.
Me: Well, yes, or they'd have to or they wouldn't be very good pastors.
Smaller girl, with all the intensity of a Very Serious 4-year old: Pastor James and Pastor Mike are VERY good pastors because they teach us about God and Jesus.
There was general agreement, and I assured them that yes, I know that they are very good pastors. I was also trying not to laugh at how quickly they came to the pastors' (unnecessary) defense.
Showing posts with label junior church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label junior church. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 October 2016
Monday, 15 September 2014
Church Stuff
It's September and that means everything is starting up again in church. For me, the main things are Junior Church and Sunday School.
Junior Church started this week. For the first time, I asked the parents to come down with their children to register them (it was a very short registration form) and everyone complied. I had 10 children (there may be a few more) and we had a pretty good class. The best part was when we were taking prayer requests and one student wanted to pray for his friend Levi who had hurt his arm (he fell in the fire pit and had some burns, although his dad grabbed him out so quickly it wasn't as bad as it should be). The problem was, he kept calling the poor kid "Violet" and it took a while to figure out who he was talking about!
Sunday School starts next week. Yesterday we had registration (with much longer forms) after church. Almost everyone came (I think only one family forgot), and only one person complained about having to fill out the form for each child (and she only has 3 children; families with 5 didn't complain). It went remarkably well given that we've never done pre-registration or had parents fill out forms before. Now we actually have contact information for everyone and I know how many children will be in each class.
I'm feeling remarkably organized this year. I have a class list (and a huge class, since most of the grade 7 students asked to stay with me for an extra year). I have lessons ready through Christmas (and the rest are planned, just not written). All I need to do is determine memory work and I'm ready to go!
Junior Church started this week. For the first time, I asked the parents to come down with their children to register them (it was a very short registration form) and everyone complied. I had 10 children (there may be a few more) and we had a pretty good class. The best part was when we were taking prayer requests and one student wanted to pray for his friend Levi who had hurt his arm (he fell in the fire pit and had some burns, although his dad grabbed him out so quickly it wasn't as bad as it should be). The problem was, he kept calling the poor kid "Violet" and it took a while to figure out who he was talking about!
Sunday School starts next week. Yesterday we had registration (with much longer forms) after church. Almost everyone came (I think only one family forgot), and only one person complained about having to fill out the form for each child (and she only has 3 children; families with 5 didn't complain). It went remarkably well given that we've never done pre-registration or had parents fill out forms before. Now we actually have contact information for everyone and I know how many children will be in each class.
I'm feeling remarkably organized this year. I have a class list (and a huge class, since most of the grade 7 students asked to stay with me for an extra year). I have lessons ready through Christmas (and the rest are planned, just not written). All I need to do is determine memory work and I'm ready to go!
Saturday, 17 August 2013
Getting Ready
I've had a pretty nice break from church related stuff this summer. There was no Sunday School and no Junior Church. I was in the library pretty often, but that's my happy little hide away, and I didn't feel rushed to get there. It's been nice.
Now, though, it's time to start getting ready for fall. Today one of the other teachers and I sat down and planned the first few weeks of the new Sunday School year. We have lessons through at least the second week of October, and plans to write more in a few weeks. It feels nice to be prepared and it's good to have someone else to talk things over with while we write lessons (although his wife thinks we'd get further faster if we talked less and wrote more!). This year both our classes are doing curriculum based on The World-Tilting Gospel by Dan Philips. It's more work for us; until a couple years ago we all did a set curriculum that was all ready for us, and even last year when I did Worship and Wisdom, the lessons were based on my school notes and were much easier to write. It's good stuff, though, and we're both excited about teaching it.
I suppose I should start getting Junior Church materials ready for September as well. That's not really a lot of work since they're already written (this is our second time through the Bible). I just have to type up the notes, maybe make some adjustments, and make sure they have illustrations and colouring pages. It just takes time, that's all.
This fall we're also having a woman's teaching time or discipleship thing or something. I'm not really sure what's happening, only that we're going through the "I am" passages in John and I agreed to do some teaching, but they assure me that I won't be needed until November. I don't plan to think much about that just yet.
There are only a couple weeks of summer left. It's been a nice break and I think I feel ready to start things up again.
Now, though, it's time to start getting ready for fall. Today one of the other teachers and I sat down and planned the first few weeks of the new Sunday School year. We have lessons through at least the second week of October, and plans to write more in a few weeks. It feels nice to be prepared and it's good to have someone else to talk things over with while we write lessons (although his wife thinks we'd get further faster if we talked less and wrote more!). This year both our classes are doing curriculum based on The World-Tilting Gospel by Dan Philips. It's more work for us; until a couple years ago we all did a set curriculum that was all ready for us, and even last year when I did Worship and Wisdom, the lessons were based on my school notes and were much easier to write. It's good stuff, though, and we're both excited about teaching it.
I suppose I should start getting Junior Church materials ready for September as well. That's not really a lot of work since they're already written (this is our second time through the Bible). I just have to type up the notes, maybe make some adjustments, and make sure they have illustrations and colouring pages. It just takes time, that's all.
This fall we're also having a woman's teaching time or discipleship thing or something. I'm not really sure what's happening, only that we're going through the "I am" passages in John and I agreed to do some teaching, but they assure me that I won't be needed until November. I don't plan to think much about that just yet.
There are only a couple weeks of summer left. It's been a nice break and I think I feel ready to start things up again.
Sunday, 19 August 2012
A Song from this Morning
I've been spending all month in Junior Church making sure the teachers are trained and ready to go for the fall. This is what I've been singing lately...
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Church Notes
I got everything all set for Junior Church today. We have 5 teachers now, plus assorted helpers (in fact, we have a back-up helper, which is nice). This means that they teach for 2 months between now and June (one month at a time). Summer is always a bit complicated, but if everyone takes a week I can cover the rest. It's usually the only time I teach now unless there's an emergency. Mostly, my teachers trade off among themselves. This year, though, I plan to be in Junior Church a bit more just observing. I figure I should know what's going on, and I haven't actually seen some of them teach. Plus, I have a couple younger teacher who still need some guidance.
Sunday School is good to go as well. We start in 2 weeks. I have all the books for the classes and there are teachers and a spare teacher. For my class, we're following the regular curriculum for the most part, which means we teach the lesson one week and do review and workbooks the next week. We're continuing our study on the providence of God. I have it set up with my new helper that I'll do the lesson weeks and she will do the workbook weeks. That way she gets to start teaching with less stress. It's sort of a training period for her. This year, though, I'm adding something. One Sunday a month I'm leaving the regular stuff to do a lesson on what I'm calling "Reformation Heroes" (so named after a book I have teaching about them). We'll learn about Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, etc. I think the children need to know some church history. After them, maybe next year, I'm going to start on missionaries: William Carey, Hudson Taylor, whoever I think of.
That's the news from church! I leave you with one of my favourite hymns....
Sunday School is good to go as well. We start in 2 weeks. I have all the books for the classes and there are teachers and a spare teacher. For my class, we're following the regular curriculum for the most part, which means we teach the lesson one week and do review and workbooks the next week. We're continuing our study on the providence of God. I have it set up with my new helper that I'll do the lesson weeks and she will do the workbook weeks. That way she gets to start teaching with less stress. It's sort of a training period for her. This year, though, I'm adding something. One Sunday a month I'm leaving the regular stuff to do a lesson on what I'm calling "Reformation Heroes" (so named after a book I have teaching about them). We'll learn about Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, etc. I think the children need to know some church history. After them, maybe next year, I'm going to start on missionaries: William Carey, Hudson Taylor, whoever I think of.
That's the news from church! I leave you with one of my favourite hymns....
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Sunday Notes
I had one of my boys teaching Junior Church today. He's going into grade 12 and has been helping in the class for a couple years; not long ago he asked if he could start teaching. Today he taught about the plagues. He seemed a bit nervous as he taught, and of course there are some rough spots to smooth out (it was his first time teaching), but I think he will become a great teacher. I'm glad, not only because he's going to be a good teacher, but also because as I acquire new helpers I always hope to one day train them as teachers. This is one of the few successes; most of the rest have either left for college or told me that they don't want to teach.
Okay, this isn't the song I wanted to post, but I cannot remember the title! Instead, you get this one, which is also great!
Okay, this isn't the song I wanted to post, but I cannot remember the title! Instead, you get this one, which is also great!
Saturday, 29 August 2009
The Crayon Mystery
Once there were 6 boxes of crayons. They were well used and greatly enjoyed by a group of Junior Church children. Last week I noticed that some children had 3 or 4 of one colour and none of certain other colours so today I sorted out the crayons.
There are now 4 boxes with 23 crayons, one box with 21 crayons, and a handful of broken crayon bits. In all it adds up to about 5 full boxes and at best 2 extra crayons. And one of the boxes has 2 of a few colours.
What, exactly, do you suppose happened to rest of the crayons?
There are now 4 boxes with 23 crayons, one box with 21 crayons, and a handful of broken crayon bits. In all it adds up to about 5 full boxes and at best 2 extra crayons. And one of the boxes has 2 of a few colours.
What, exactly, do you suppose happened to rest of the crayons?
Things Coming to an End
I know it isn't really the end of summer; after all, next week is supposed to be HOT. Still, it feels like the end of summer and such.
Summer classes have ended at work. On Monday we switch to fall hours (and since most schools go back Tuesday and Wednesday, any bets on how many children show up anyway?). I'm always happy when summer classes end and things go back to normal. People wonder what I do all day now: catch up on everything that got neglected all summer and keep up. There's always a pile of paperwork and new kids and parents and all sorts of stuff going on.
I wrote an exam today and I'm glad that's over! There were 7 essay questions and 2 hours to answer them. After I'd answered 5 questions I thought I'd better hit the "save without submitting" button just in case, then answered the 6th question. Then I went up to the first question to add in some things I'd forgotten before I answered the 7th question (which was really the 4th question but I'd skipped it)....only to find that the my answer to the 1st question had vanished! There was nothing we could do to get it back and the elder (who was proctoring) assured me that he would email them and say that I had answered it. After answering the last question, though, I saved again and the answer reappeared. I still don't know what had happened, but I had just enough time to add in the extra bits I'd remembered. I'm glad, because I didn't do well on that last question; it was to briefly discuss the Herods in the Bible. I had a Bible with me and I still only came up with 3 (it seems there were 5; I turned 2 of them into 1 person and I still don't know who Herod Philip is....anyone?). Oh, well, the other questions weren't so bad.
And last of all....this week marks my last week teaching Junior Church. I'll still run the program and I might fill in once in a while but I'm encouraging the teachers to trade with each other when they can't teach. I've been teaching this age (3-6 year olds) for 6 1/2 years now and I love them dearly. They're my babies! But in the spring I asked the elders if there was any way I could teach an older class for a change. I just wanted a break from the small ones and I like teaching older kids too. The elders were delighted to have me teaching Sunday School this fall (especially since I convinced them I didn't want to give up Junior Church altogether; I still have plans and a vision for that ministry) since the pastor's wife had been teaching the grade 4-6 Sunday School class and she needed a break. I think they had tried to get her off the previous fall but her replacement hadn't worked out so she had been teaching all year. Granted it's a pair of teachers and they take turns actually teaching but she has a lot of other stuff to take care of. So in September I switch classes and everyone is happy.
So there you go....I always think the new year should be in September!
Summer classes have ended at work. On Monday we switch to fall hours (and since most schools go back Tuesday and Wednesday, any bets on how many children show up anyway?). I'm always happy when summer classes end and things go back to normal. People wonder what I do all day now: catch up on everything that got neglected all summer and keep up. There's always a pile of paperwork and new kids and parents and all sorts of stuff going on.
I wrote an exam today and I'm glad that's over! There were 7 essay questions and 2 hours to answer them. After I'd answered 5 questions I thought I'd better hit the "save without submitting" button just in case, then answered the 6th question. Then I went up to the first question to add in some things I'd forgotten before I answered the 7th question (which was really the 4th question but I'd skipped it)....only to find that the my answer to the 1st question had vanished! There was nothing we could do to get it back and the elder (who was proctoring) assured me that he would email them and say that I had answered it. After answering the last question, though, I saved again and the answer reappeared. I still don't know what had happened, but I had just enough time to add in the extra bits I'd remembered. I'm glad, because I didn't do well on that last question; it was to briefly discuss the Herods in the Bible. I had a Bible with me and I still only came up with 3 (it seems there were 5; I turned 2 of them into 1 person and I still don't know who Herod Philip is....anyone?). Oh, well, the other questions weren't so bad.
And last of all....this week marks my last week teaching Junior Church. I'll still run the program and I might fill in once in a while but I'm encouraging the teachers to trade with each other when they can't teach. I've been teaching this age (3-6 year olds) for 6 1/2 years now and I love them dearly. They're my babies! But in the spring I asked the elders if there was any way I could teach an older class for a change. I just wanted a break from the small ones and I like teaching older kids too. The elders were delighted to have me teaching Sunday School this fall (especially since I convinced them I didn't want to give up Junior Church altogether; I still have plans and a vision for that ministry) since the pastor's wife had been teaching the grade 4-6 Sunday School class and she needed a break. I think they had tried to get her off the previous fall but her replacement hadn't worked out so she had been teaching all year. Granted it's a pair of teachers and they take turns actually teaching but she has a lot of other stuff to take care of. So in September I switch classes and everyone is happy.
So there you go....I always think the new year should be in September!
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Hands-on in Junior Church
It has been suggested that I try more object lessons and hands-on stuff in Junior Church to hold their attention better. First, I think the only way to hold the attention of a bunch of 3-6 year olds is to be an animated tv character. Also, my big concern is making the lessons very Bible based and I worry about other stuff distracting from the actual teaching.
The big problem, though, is that this week I'm teaching about the water-to-wine at the wedding at Cana. Yeah. Probably not a good week to try for hands-on, eh?
The big problem, though, is that this week I'm teaching about the water-to-wine at the wedding at Cana. Yeah. Probably not a good week to try for hands-on, eh?
Friday, 6 February 2009
Crayons
I have determined that the life span of a box of crayons in Children's Church is not more than 9 months. Actually, it's about 6 months of living and 3 months on life support.
About 9 months ago I bought 6 new boxes of crayons from Dollarama. (Before you begin to wonder just how cheap I am, understand that they are Crayola crayons and they are boxes of 24. These are not cheap crayons; they are simply inexpensive!) Three months ago I straightened out the boxes (again) and determined that I had 2 complete sets of crayons, 3 mostly complete sets, and 1 box of broken crayon pieces. I figured they would last a few more months before I needed to replace them. Last Sunday I noticed that no one has a complete set anymore, so I decided it's time for new ones.
Side note: I understand the broken crayons. I do not know how so many disappear. When I'm teaching we check the table, the chairs, and the floor for crayons. It's after I haven't been teaching that I need to go through the boxes for the kids and reorganize the sets so they have the right colours (yes I spoil them; your point is?) and that's usually when I find out how many are missing. I don't think everyone is as compulsive as I am about making sure we have all the crayons at the end of class.
Anyway...today I bought new crayons. Six beautiful boxes. The kids will be very happy Sunday morning. The old crayons always go to the nursery unless the youngest Sunday School class wants them. I always feel a bit bad about that; basically I'm saying, "Here are some crayons that are no longer good enough for my kids so your kids can have them." On the other hand, we are talking about children who still eat crayons, so it's probably okay!
About 9 months ago I bought 6 new boxes of crayons from Dollarama. (Before you begin to wonder just how cheap I am, understand that they are Crayola crayons and they are boxes of 24. These are not cheap crayons; they are simply inexpensive!) Three months ago I straightened out the boxes (again) and determined that I had 2 complete sets of crayons, 3 mostly complete sets, and 1 box of broken crayon pieces. I figured they would last a few more months before I needed to replace them. Last Sunday I noticed that no one has a complete set anymore, so I decided it's time for new ones.
Side note: I understand the broken crayons. I do not know how so many disappear. When I'm teaching we check the table, the chairs, and the floor for crayons. It's after I haven't been teaching that I need to go through the boxes for the kids and reorganize the sets so they have the right colours (yes I spoil them; your point is?) and that's usually when I find out how many are missing. I don't think everyone is as compulsive as I am about making sure we have all the crayons at the end of class.
Anyway...today I bought new crayons. Six beautiful boxes. The kids will be very happy Sunday morning. The old crayons always go to the nursery unless the youngest Sunday School class wants them. I always feel a bit bad about that; basically I'm saying, "Here are some crayons that are no longer good enough for my kids so your kids can have them." On the other hand, we are talking about children who still eat crayons, so it's probably okay!
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